I have read that many people here have tried nortriptyline but I see no one who has tried amitriptyline? Why is that? Do people find nortriptyline to be the better med? If you have tried ami can you post your experiences with it.
HI
I tried Ami first, but it didn’t do too much for me, other than help my mood. Nori is supposedly better at reduced sedation…Ami better if you are having sleeping issues.
Kelley
True. Amitriptyline knocked me out on just a three quarter of a 10mg tablet. It was a disturbed dream type sleep though, and I woke with a hangover head every morning.
Second time I tried it it actually made me depressed for the time I was on it. I still found it one of the better meds for me to tolerate compared to some of the other stuff.
Christine
I take ami, and have been on it for over 2 years. I started at 10 mg and that dose made me tired for the first few days. In the beginning it also ramped up my symptoms, but I stuck with it and have been doing well. Each time I get a little relapse I have upped the dose by 5 to 10 mg. I went up to 60 mg, but have since titrated back down to 50 mg. I also take nadolol (which was the first drug I tried). I had some improvement with it after a month, but my neuro suggested to add ami to the mix. I think the nori typically has less side effects than the ami. To be honest, I can’t even tell that I am on 2 medications aside from the fact that they help my symptoms!
Best of luck!
I have tried ami, I only got up to 25mg. It gave me a racing heart and anxiety which didn’t pass.
My own experience is that it gave me vivid dreams, disturbed sleep and nightmares. I feel very low on energy after waking up. The plus point of this drug is that allows me to sleep. I’m a chronic insomniac. It also prevents my migraines.
Here is somebody’s opinion of amitriptyline vs nortriptyline:
http://www.crazymeds.us/CrazyTalk/index.php?/topic/20273-amitriptyline-vs-nortriptyline/
I’ve been on Ami a few times. Never helped with migraines, but did help a stomach condition of mine for awhile. The side effects were prohibitive for me - racing heart and palpitations. Many have few to no side effects on the dosages we are put on though. Ami is a very common first line agent for run of the mill migraines, but I’m not sure why we don’t see it as much with MAV, at least anecdotally.
I’m on Ami. Going on 10 months. 20mg at night.
It’s been an amazing help to me. Though I’m groggy in the morning the reduction in dizziness and anxiety has been worth it for me.
I also wondered about nori vs ami.
I asked for nori when I first went to my dr for meds.
She said she’s seen it cause more weight gain and side effects.
(Which is the opposite of some of what I’ve read online)
She wanted me on ami. I may ask her about nori again.
It’s hard to relate to side effects written on the net bc the doses we take for migraine are so much smaller than the normal, common doses for depression.
I’m also curious to see what people see the differences as being.
Might make me willing to try nori.
Though ami works pretty well for me, so I’d need convincing. 
I can tolerate up to 50 mg Ami now. The nightmares have lessened and sleep has improved.
nori is known for having fewer side effects. However I have seen people on here who have had ami work for them and nori does not, so i guess there is a bit of difference between them- won’t know until you try though.
Ami is not helping me with the dizziness and the rocking. 
I have been on Amitriptyline since January. Started on 25mg and am now up to 75mg which is working fine for me. I can sometimes feel a bit drowsy if I am in a meeting at work, but as long as I am occupied I seem to be fine. It really stimulated my appetite at the beginning, but that seems to have settled down now.
glasgowal how are you feeling these days? still doing well on ami?
Hey Sarah,
I feel pretty good most of the time these days. I still get the odd off day when I feel under the weather and off kilter, but occasionally I will feel ‘cured’ for a good few days so I am becoming hopeful that this trend will continue. Looking back to a year ago when this thing was at its worse I can’t believe how far I have come. Back then I thought it would never go away but it is looking that it might (I hope!).
How are you getting on?
Al
mu neurologist prescribed ami for me. i’m currently on 35mg of ami at night with up and down results. I’m also taking piztifen 0.5mg x 3 nightly. I sleep like a log and wake up ok. I fade energy wise by around lunch time and am hardly managing a walk but I’m hoping it will improve when I stop titrating up to 50mg or so. Its so frustrating though, why cant they get a med that just works 
that’s wonderful Al so glad to hear you have found something that helps!!! i am not doing well and am frankly losing help that i will ever get this under control. to be fair though I know i also have inner ear damage and a possible fistula that may or may not have healed. i recently tried topamax which made me permanently worse i think and i now have to use a walker instead of a cane to get around. probably going to try a beta blocker next.