Antidepressants as treatment for fibromyalgia?

I've been on amitriptylne for 3 years and I've now taken myself off them. They didn't help with the pain, they helped my to get to sleep but I couldn't wake up in the morning. Took myself right down (gradually) from 20mg to 5 mg to see if I could wake in the morning. Still couldnt. Made me feel like a zombie, gave me a dry mouth and gained weight. I've now weened myself off them completely and I feel much better. Took me a while  to be able to get to sleep again though. 

I was prescribed up to 70mg amitriptyline per day - I usually took 40mg.  They helped the nerve pain and sleep but not the pain like having my ankles hammered and made me feel very dozy and I had terrible brain fog/concentration issues.  I totally lost my voice and seemed to be spending more time at the dental surgery than my dentist did due to the dry mouth effect.  My throat and voice problems have reduced since coming off it and reducing my does of Gabapentin (Neurontin) as they both have similar side effects.

I agree Patflys and CassyB ampitripoline relaxes the muscles and let's us sleep but I felt too hungover the next day even on a very low dose. I need fluxotine to level out my moods but at times I feel they are not enough but just keep persevering. I camomile and honey tea at night helps me relax. I do get annoyed with my irratic sleep pattern due to my fibromyalgia...but hey ho! 

I have been recommended amitriptyline to help with sleep problems but am quite frankly wary of taking yet another drug.  At the moment I take northem 10mgs when i go to bed and then during the night take another and have been managing about 6 hours in two to three shifts so may continue with that.  It helps to read other people's experience so thank you all.

I don't think anti-depressants are that good for fibromyalgia or ME/CFS.  They can help with pain and sleep but, in my experience/opinion, their side effects can negate their benefits.  I take 10mg Temezapam at night to sleep - that's all.  I take it as amitriptyline made me feel hungover and I've tried SSRIs at my doctor's insistence and they made me really ill; I couldn't even tolerate water.  What also worries me is that they affect how you feel - I didn't feel like myself - and withdrawal can be difficult/ make you feel ill.  A friend of mine killed herself after being put on ADs for the effects of ME/CFS/Fibromyalgia and the ADs were noted as contributory in the coroner's report.

It's a case of knowing the risks and doing what is right for yourself.

I agree that amitrptyine side effects do more harm than good. they did help me sleep a little better at night, but I was lethargic all day!

Hello guys,

Don't forget about this conversation.

Remember that sharing can help everyone to cope and prevent.

Best,

Gilda 

I've been on Citalopram for many years and my doctor has just changed me to Sertraline.  I can't say they help the pain but it does control my depression. I can't take any pain meds or other drugs as I'm hyper sensitive to them so I use paracetamol but it  only takes the edge off the pain.. So I live with cobstant pain and chronic fatigue.  I am 70 and have had fibromyalgia for over 25 years. Hopefully the Sertraline will help.

I have tried Amytriptiline, fluoxetine, pregablin & goodness knows how many other prescription drugs, none of which did any good & all come with dreadful side effects of one sort or another. The latest thing I was given were pain patches which made me itch so much I felt like I was crawling in fleas, plus it has left my arm feeling very painful & lumpy where the patch was, not good ☹️ 
I do get sick of being used as a guinea pig ☹️

Hi I take one amatriptaline at night it does help me sleep . Go put me on two nightly but I was really tired all day long so I knocked my self down to one.