Side effects
To learn more, consult your physician or pharmacist. Call your physician for advice on possible side effects. This is not an exhaustive list of amitriptyline side effects, but some of the more common ones include: weakness, nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, headaches, blurred vision, changes in appetite and weight, problems urinating, pain or tingling in the hands or feet, changes in sex behavior, excessive sweating, confusion, and tachycardia (rapid heartbeat). See the "Drug Precautions" section. Amitriptyline has been associated with serious side effects. Call the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 to report side effects.
Interactions
Drug interactions with amitriptyline (more information) Before combining amitriptyline with a sleeping aid, narcotic pain reliever, muscle relaxant, or medication for anxiety, depression, or seizures, consult your doctor. The list of potential drug interactions is not exhaustive. Prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal medications, as well as amitriptyline itself, may interact with other medications. Other medications you take may have their blood levels affected by certain medications, which could increase their side effects or reduce their efficacy. Utilizing a few medications at once is occasionally not advised. This effect may be exacerbated if you combine amitriptyline with other sedative medications. In particular, mention the following to your doctor: This is not an exhaustive list. Other antidepressants, drugs for colds or allergies (including Benadryl and similar products), drugs for Parkinson's disease, drugs for stomach issues, motion sickness, or irritable bowel syndrome, drugs for an overactive bladder, and bronchodilator asthma drugs are examples of medications that may be used to treat these conditions.
Contraindications
Mention any of the following: antihistamines, cimetidine (Tagamet), diet pills, disulfiram (Antabuse), guanethidine (Ismelin), ipratropium (Atrovent), quinidine (Quinidex), drugs for irregular heartbeats like flecainide (Tambocor) and propafenone (Rythmol), drugs for anxiety, asthma, colds, irritable bowel syndrome, Tell your doctor and pharmacist before taking amitriptyline if you are allergic to it or any other medications, and inform them if you are taking any monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors, such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam, Zelapar), or tranylcypromine (Parnate), or have taken one within the previous 14 days. If you are 65 years of age or older, talk to your doctor about the advantages and disadvantages of taking this medication. Do not breast-feed while using amitriptyline. Remember that alcohol can increase the drowsiness brought on by this medication, so do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how it affects you. Call your physician right away if you get pregnant while taking amitriptyline. Amitriptyline is typically not recommended for older adults because it is not as safe or effective as other medication(s) that can be used to treat the same condition. If you are having surgery, including dental surgery, inform the doctor or dentist that you are taking amitriptyline. If you have stopped taking fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem) within the previous five weeks, tell your doctor right away. Your doctor may need to adjust your medication dosage or closely monitor you for side effects. Also, let them know if you've recently suffered a heart attack. Inform your doctor if you consume large amounts of alcohol, have or have ever had glaucoma (an eye condition), an enlarged prostate (a male reproductive gland), difficulty urinating, seizures, an overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism), diabetes, schizophrenia (a mental illness that causes disturbed or unusual thinking, loss of interest in life, and strong or inappropriate emotions), liver, kidney, or any other organ disease. Inform your doctor and pharmacist about all of the prescription and nonprescription drugs, vitamins, dietary supplements, and herbal products you are taking. Your doctor will likely advise you not to take amitriptyline.
Short-term studies did not show an increase in the risk of suicidality with antidepressants compared to placebo in adults beyond age 24; there was a reduction in risk with antidepressants compared to placebo in adults aged 65 and older. Antidepressants increased the risk compared to placebo of suicidal thinking and behavior (suicidality) in children, adolescents and young adults in short-term studies of major depressive disorder (MDD) and other psychiatric disorders. Follow patients for signs and symptoms of respiratory depression and sedation.
On the other hand, a patient who took a larger dose of this drug has to wait a longer period for its enzymes to work on the elimination and is at risk of overdose. Co-administered medications with this drug may either make the elimination faster or slower. To understand more about these factors, take a good read about the information below: CYP2D6 / CYP2C19 Metabolism In the body, there are enzymes called cytochrome P450 (CYP450), and these enzymes determine the elimination speed of Elavil.
The mechanism of action of amitriptyline can harm women who are pregnant. Hence, it is not a good practice to take this drug while you are nursing a baby. It is very important to tell your treating doctor about nursing your baby prior to starting medication plans involving the intake of amitriptyline. Within its short half-life period, it controls the pumping mechanism of amines responsible for intra-membranous transmission of chemicals.
Prophylactic treatment of chronic tension type headache and prophylactic treatment of migraine in adults Treatment must be continued for an appropriate length of time. The dose may be increased depending on individual patient response and tolerability. Elderly patients over 65 years of age and patients with cardiovascular disease A starting dose of 10 mg - 25 mg in the evening is recommended. The antidepressant effect usually sets in after 2 - 4 weeks. Recommended doses are 25 mg - 75 mg daily in the evening.
Amitriptyline 12.5mg + Chlordiazepoxide 5mg Tablet We Tanishq Life Care an Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India based Leading pharma company since 1999 offering Amitriptyline 12.5mg + Chlordiazepoxide 5mg under the brand name of LIBERA TAB. INDICATIONS Chlordiazepoxide/amitriptyline is used to treat people who have both depression and anxiety. It is also exported to South East and African countries.
However, using 10-30 mg of amitriptyline at night for headache doesn’t usually cause weight gain and the side effects are more tolerable. They make a 100 mg tab of amitriptyline, but I never use it. My personal medical experience is that amitriptyline is also a useful drug for nocturnal, middle of the night, and early morning “wake up” headaches. Aimovig, one of the new CGRP drugs for migraine, costs $540 per month without insurance.