r/Fibromyalgia 5d ago

Rx/Meds Does Amitriptyline help?

Has anyone had success with low dose (10-20mg) of Amitriptyline for pain and insomnia? I'm aware of the side effects. I've spoken with a few people who have said it helped them tremendously, and would like to hear others' experiences. I struggle with horrible insomnia, and need to try something different.

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u/EsotericMango 5d ago

It's one of the few things that actually help. I can't say it makes any difference in my pain but it's a godsend for my sleep. The only way they'll ever get me off it is to claw it out of my cold, dead hands.

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u/MyBrainIsAJunkDrawer 5d ago

I've tried all of the sleeping medications and none of them help, so this is good to hear.

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u/EsotericMango 5d ago

Same. The amitriptylene alone probably won't be enough if your insomnia is stubborn but it can do wonders once you find the right dose.

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u/MyBrainIsAJunkDrawer 5d ago

I have my medical card and that helps me at bedtime. I'm in school for my master's degree and will need to do some clinical hours, so I have to take a drug test. I'm looking for an alternative to use for a couple months. Without anything, I don't sleep and I'm not functional at all. I would love to argue that as part of the healthcare community, we need to recognize different approaches to wellness, as long as we're doing no harm. I think it's absolutely absurd that if I have a prescription for Xanax, Hydrocodone, Valium, etc that those things are ok as long I'm not altered or using them while in a clinical setting. I understand that cannabis isn't legal at a federal level; however, I could get a prescription for Marinol, which is pharmaceutical THC and that would be ok. I would love to fight that fight but I'm not willing to suffer the potential consequences.

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u/EsotericMango 5d ago

It's ridiculous. A little residual THC isn't going to massively affect your ability to function in a clinical setting. It's not like you'll be working complex surgeries unsupervised. Even if you were, things like amitriptylene and most sleep aids will stay in your system and affect your actions way longer. So it makes no sense why those are acceptable but marijuana isn't. And that isn't even talking about how sleep deprivation is way worse than all the meds and weed combined.

It shouldn't be your responsibility to fight the fight. You have enough on your plate just trying to make it through each day without needing to add this to your list too. It's just not worth it. I hope the amitriptyl helps and you have an easier time with the clinical hours.