New Here! - Amitriptyline Struggle

Hi! I’m new to the forum. I was diagnosed with MAV in December 2022. As requested by my consultant I follow the migraine diet & have gradually improved, although it has still been a very rocky road! I experience the usual symptoms, the rocking sensation, marshmallow floor, tinnitus, migraine & spaciness. Also, luckily I have managed to carry on working.

My consultant put me on 10mg Amitriptyline and I have been taking this for a week. Since then, the spaciness sensation has been through the roof! I feel groggy & almost like I’m in a dream state. I’m thinking of stopping the Amitriptyline, as it really has been awful the past week & is causing me a lot of anxiety, but the rational side of me is saying it’s only been a week & I need to persevere.

Did anyone else experience this when initially taking Amitriptyline? Any advice or reassurance would be greatly appreciated :smiley:

Welcome. Be careful this is not just a coincidence. The condition tends to relapse and symptoms in any case fluctuate a lot. I would stay on it at least a month. You won’t get full benefit until you are on the minimum therapeutic dose anyway which might be higher. I needed 20mg.

Side effects are normal. And many dissipate as you get used to the drug. Please search for experiences on here.

No drug is a silver bullet and you will always have some level of symptoms. I now have very few symptoms but they are not gone entirely. However I am no longer disabled because of it and live a normal life.

Hi. That is what I have discovered with MAV, that symptoms really do fluctuate. What’s even more difficult is trying to pinpoint why there is an increase in symptoms at times. Virtually impossible!

Yes, I will persevere with Amitriptyline. I have read on the forum that you do need to give it time.

Thank you for the reply & advice. It’s very much appreciated :+1:t2:

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My first week on amitriptyline at 10 mg felt like hell. I had horrible brain zaps so much that any sound or movement of my head would invoke startling sensations in my brain. I was convinced this was due to the medication and was really afraid to stay on it. I was really desperate to be on a medication at that point so I stayed on it. Looking back I feel pretty confident that my symptoms that week were just due to migraine. Who knows maybe it was exasperated by the anxiety of trying a new medication. I felt pretty sleepy for the first week too and that wore off.

Thank you for taking the time to respond :blush: Luckily, my experience with Amitriptyline has greatly improved! I’ve started to take it earlier in the evening, and it has really helped. It’s strange, I also started to improve when I returned to work after the half-term break. I think it’s maybe because I returned to my usual routine & I’m very busy & preoccupied at work.

Like you said, I think I had a lot of anxiety about starting medication, which partially didn’t help the situation. I do find I have strange dreams since taking it though.

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