Hi there sorry to bother you all again. I have been previously taking Lexapro for anxiety and depression and topamax for vestibular migraine. We decided we wanted to have another child so I came off both to try something suitable for pregnancy. I tried effexor and felt awful tried to come off and the withdrawal was so bad I was terrified to try something else. Dr gave me Ami. I took my first one last night a quater tablet of the 25mg tablet I fell asleep within 30 mins at that small of a dose, I woke up with dry mouth and cannot stay awake today. Will the sleepiness get better the longer I take it? Will a small dose be enough to help with my anxiety too? Iām so anxious I canāt stop crying I feel dizzy and tired, any help appreciated xx
I am sorry to hear that you are feeling so badā¦this whole mav thing is such a hard thing to handle. Ofcourse you feel anxious and tiredā¦sometimes itās just too much!
I canāt say anything about Ami but I just started with Effexor and everything that I have read about starting AD is that symptoms first do get worse. People even tell me that thatās the prove that it will work. But you have to have time to adjust to itā¦if you still have to work and do all other thingsā¦itās even harder.
So not much of an advice, just want to let you know that I am thinking of you and wishing you all the best with the search for feeling better.
Hi mum2 two. Iāve been on nortriptyline for the past couple of years for mav. Itās a newer version of ami. Yes these side effects do ease up, in my experience anyway. To begin with and each time I increased my dose I felt really bad. Dire fatigue, increased head pressure etc but this settled after a couple of weeks. My doctor told me that anxiety and depression are part of the course, and although I wouldnāt be on a high enough dose to treat these issues, they should subside as the migraine issues improve. I found this to be true. I started feeling ānormalā at 40 mg, stayed there for 6 months and Iām now decreasing thr dose to get off it. Hopefully Iāll continue to be ok! I have 3 little ones myself and understand how hard this and the dark place it can take you. Stick with it and I hope you begin to feel better soon.
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Hi there Scottl thanks so much for the reply. Itās been crazy tough honestly and Iāve felt like I want to just give up. I should mention I have a long history with anxiety and depression. I wonder if the one youāre taking would not make me so sleepy? The dr did say it would help with sleep but I canāt be knocked out in the night and not able to get up either if my kids need me. Iām also terrified if it doesnāt work I have to withdraw from it again.
Hi Agnes1984 thank you so much for your support Iām so glad I found this group. I do have a long history with depression and anxiety so Iām scared to not be on anything especially because I had post natal depression with my first child after coming off AD. Also scared not to have a backup for the vertigo because itās so awful and I canāt look after my kids or do anything I wish there was some tablet you could take when it starts 
I am so sorry to hear. Do you have a good support system around you? If you get that tired of the Amitriptyline itās hard to deal with the daily things but being anxious and depressed is not going to help you either.
In your case I would highly recommend you to give the Amitriptyline a good try. I have read so many good stories about it. Would have been my first choice med but my doctor thought effexor would be better. I know that coming off of Effexor is one of the hardest things to doā¦Effexor is āwell knownā about the terrible withdraw. So you probably had a very nasty bad experience with that one. I am scared for coming off too but I do not allow myself to already panick about getting offā¦first I have to give it a good try.
What other options do you have? Not to be rude or anything but it seems like you can really use something to get you through this horrible time. Can you get some help for the first couple of days/weeks? And yes for sure itās stupid that there is still no medicine that immidiatly worksā¦
Nortriptyline is a newer version and meant to have fewer side effects. It still does have a sedative effect but I canāt say how it would compare. I take mine at about 5/6 pm to avoid any āhangoverā. This is what the doctor said anyway. I think it does help me get to sleep but itās doesnāt knock me out or anything like that. I still hear if one of the kids wake up. Iām actually convinced that although I sleep, itās not the best quality sleep Iām getting. I seem to spend a lot of time in a dream state having really long, crazy dreams! As Iām reducing the dose I think Iām getting better quality sleep.
Try not to get too caught up worrying about whether itāll work. Youāve got to give something a go and this is a great one. Lots of people have success with it. If it doesnāt work, cross that bridge down the line. Itās so hard to have a positive mindset, I honestly know, but I feel itās so important. The tiredness really will improve.
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Thanks Agnes I think Iām going to try the small dose again and see how I go I would have chucked it in had it not been for this group, so Iām very thankful.
My husband is great but works a lot and well my mum and dad are not great. I had to beg them to help me to get me to the drs the other day because I was too worried to drive with my kids in the car being so dizzy.
I was on effexor for 7 weeks and upped my dose to 75mg I had a constant headache on it and the withdrawal was something Iāve never experienced before. In saying that my dr didnāt give me great instructions for coming off it and I basically went cold turkey so itās my fault too. I hope it works well for you and you feel well also.
The dr isnāt offering me anything there than stemazine for the nausea I was getting from the withdrawal and telling me to try the new one as soon as you have a history of anxiety or depression in Aus they treat you like you will get addicted to everything well thatās my experience anyway even though I donāt even drink or smoke. Anyway thanks again xx
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The doctor should have gave you some xanax or Valium to help you get thru the worst withdraw effects. I know they are afraid to prescribe it once they think that its all ā between the earsāā¦same in Holland. Although I am very lucky with my GP so far. But stopping cold turkey with Effexor is indeed a big no noā¦so you have put yourself thru hell and guess what? You are still standing strong, much respect for you lady!!
In the other topic I saw James mentioning about taking the Amitriptyline earlier at night. I saw more people on Internet saying that. Even taking it right after dinner and then relax.
Stay strong!! This too shall passā¦
iam on nortriptyline for the second time and first time it was a miracle drug and im hoping once I reach my highest dose 50mg it will be a miracle again,please hang in there it does get easier and that I promise you!
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Thanks Mellybob thats great feedback they are very much the same arenāt they he Nori and Ami. Iām really praying this works out I need some good in my life. Thanks for the reply
Kristy
I started Amitriptyline last night 5mg and I am eating every 2 hours! Iām still on Effexor 37.5 until I know if the Ami works. So far I got high BP last night (like I did with Effexor) but Iām hoping it goes away after a few weeks (as it did with Effexor.) Dry mouth today but no sleepiness. Will try 10mg tonight. My shrink said Amitriptyline has more SEs (constipation and sleepiness) but I need that. The magnesium is so crucial for me but kills my intestines, even the āgoodā kind.
Yeah the sleepiness is GREAT 
But the sleepiness goes away or gets better right turn itaround
Yes absolutely
Hi Shazam thanks for your reply, I had a very rough time getting off effexor I still have some of it but I did it all wrong and went cold turkey. I didnāt realise you could take both effexor and Ami together but I hope it works for you. Iām hoping the Ami will magically make me feel better and the drowsiness and dry mouth will get better and I donāt get any more episodes with my head! Wishing you well
Kristy
Thanks Agnes, yes I wish they would have Iām still having some of the withdrawal or at least I think itās that. itās crazy hard to find a good dr in Australia if youāre not right near the city, we live in the outer suburbs so the drs are pretty average honestly.
I will try taking it earlier tonight, Iām a pretty tired today but then both my kids woke up during the night so itās probably a combination of things. Youāre so lovely and supportive thanks for all your kind words this has helped me immensely xx
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They say to take it before 8pm and I did but I felt like I was still a little revved up from it by 1030pm. I wonder how early you can take it? I donāt want to start nodding off when Iām out somewhere by myself!
BTW, I think itās unusual to take.Effexor and Amitriptyline at the same time but my doses are so low that the doctor said it was okay. I aim to get off Effexor 37.5 as soon as I start to see some results from the 10mg of Amitriptyline. I am hopeful! The Effexor worked for me but it makes me irritable and I hit a plateau.
hi shazam I take my nortriptyline which is similar to ami and I now take mine at 6pm and it helps with getting up in the morning 
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