Anyone on Nortriptyline?

[RAS6]

Hi all! I have been doing well on Elavil (I went from 6+ trips tto the toilet to 3-4), but after a few months taking it, it is making me SOOOOOOO sleepy. Even though I only took 20 mgs and I took it at 8:00pm I still am exhausted in the mornings, often falling asleep while taking care of my 2 year old (not a good thing!) and needing naps almost everyday. Because of this my new Doctor put me on nortriptyline. He said it works well for pain like Elavil, but is less sedative. His hope is that I will be able to take more in the evenings and use it occasionally during the day with my pain meds if needed. Has anyone been on this? I did read about it in the IC survival guide, but there wasn't much of a description. Any side affects or complaints? Any success stories?
Thanks!
-Rachel

[riag]

been on nortriptyline since oct

I have been taking nortriptyline since october. 10 mg. once a day. I also take 2mg of valium 3x day for pelvic spasms. My gyn prescribed the nortrip. instead of elavil because he says it has less side effects.

IN the beginning I was groggy, but I'm not sure if that was because of the nortrip. or the valium. Anyway, my body has adjusted to these meds and I am feeling so much better. I barely have any pelvic pain. I still have some vaginal and vulva pain and am still afraid to even try to have sex. I have also been using topical lidocaine 3x a day which has helped greatly.

The only side effects i seem to have now is some dry mouth. I dont know which med is causing it.

Good luck to you.

[RAS6]

Thanks Riag!

I asppreciate your reply. I am filling the prescription and will start it tomorrow. I thought if it does make me tired at least it will be saturday and I won't have to get my daughter on the bus! I just saw an IC specialist and he brought up valium, but said we will see of the new meds help before we try it. I have similar symptoms as yours and can relate with the fear of sex. My husband and I have had to try other things for now. I have dry mouth alot too, but probably b/c of Elmiron.
Hope you can get more pain relief soon!

[sami4]

Dry Mouth

The dryness is caused by several medications given to ICers; antihistamines such as Atarax, Benedryl, bladder medications such as Detrol, Ditropan, Elavil. It is highly unlikely that Elmiron has anything to do with your dryness as it is not mentioned in the PDR as a side effect.
If you take more than one of these medications such as Atarax, elmiron and Detrol you are taking three drying medications every day.

[mayray518]

tricyclics

elavil saved my life as far as IC is concerned. There are side effects but I am now down to 5 mg and I have been in remission for 7 years. the tricyclics work on the nerve endings and, in my case, this was part of the problem. Good luck.

[Paininthe*.*]

elavil saved my life as far as IC is concerned. There are side effects but I am now down to 5 mg and I have been in remission for 7 years. the tricyclics work on the nerve endings and, in my case, this was part of the problem. Good luck.

Anyone know more about how trycyclics work? Are they just "masking" the pain, or do they actually help calm the bladder? How long have some of you taken them before you really started to notice a positive difference?

[Buckwheat]

Elavil cause spasms?

Has anyone experienced flares with spasms while taking Elavil? I tried 10 mg. last night and within 1 hr. began having spasms. Same thing happened when I tried Lexapro, Paxil, and Zoloft.

[Want2BPainFree]

I switched from Elavil to Nortriptylene b/c of the side effects of Elavil.
Very tired, couldn't function basically plus the weight gain. I gained 9 lbs in 30 days on Elavil.

I now take 25 mg of Nortriptylene, and I lost 4 lbs in one week once I switched. I have not had the tiredness or the weight gain. I have sometimes had a difficult time going to sleep lately, esp. in comparison to the Elavil which knocked me out cold within 30 minutes of taking it.

To answer buckwheat. I have not had any flares with spasms any greater than normal due to taking tricyclic antis.

I was originally prescribed Elavil for vulvodynia.

[bunnykinb]

Wanttobepainfree,

How long have you been on nortriptyline? I only take 5 mg of Elavil (originally prescribed 10mg), but I feel the need to eat all the time. I started Elavil 11/30/06 with 10 mg making me nauseated for 3 weeks, then the hunger pangs kicked in. I am only 5'2" and weight between 108 and 110. If I don't eat when my body wants to eat, I feel cranky like right now, but I can't eat all day. I just filled my Elavil generic.

I read that nortriptyline produces hunger cravings too.

Thanks,

[Want2BPainFree]

I switched over a month ago. I have no cravings, but I am constantly hungry. I eat something about every 3-4 hours to keep my mood in check. I think my blood sugar drops too low if I wait. And if I keep full with mini-meals, I don't overeat.

I am a lot bigger than you, though, at 147lbs and 5'7", so I don't know if maybe you just a much faster metabolism and your body is really needing the food rather than actual "cravings". Is it possible you don't eat enough b/c of IC? I find that is true for me with all this.

I also take 25 mg of Nort.

[bunnykinb]

See, you do feel hungry with nortriptyline. Are you able to control the hungries with this better than Elavil. I was just looking up what antidepressants work without weight gain or cravings. Wellbutrin and some other I never heard of.

Yippee, I am glad you posted fast. I have always watched my weight and if I gain a bit, I immediately cut down. Now, I want to eat not because I'm hungry. I am going to eat lunch now, yummy.

[Want2BPainFree]

I wasn't clear and I'm sorry for that. I'm working and typing on here.

I am always hungry anyway. That is why I eat every 3-4 hours, to keep that at bay.

I never noticed cravings or hunger in addition to what I had before when I was taking Elavil. What I noticed was that I was lazy, tired, slow-moving, basically lethargic. And when I could get up in the morning, it was all I could do to get going. Low energy. I think that Elavil caused me to gain weight b/c I was suddenly lazy on it. Like a vegetable.

On Nortriptyline, I have more energy, and I've had weight loss again, and it isn't so hard anymore to control my weight with food management. I am just more active.

I don't have cravings so to speak, not on either med, so I'm not sure I can really answer that specific part. However, I think that if you feel bad on Elavil, switch for a month and see if you like Nort better. I know I do. I saw no difference in its effect on pain. Does the same. Just the side effects are improved or nil for me.

[bunnykinb]

I normally eat every 2-3 hours anyway because I would get hungry. But, with Elavil, I don't feel full.

Thanks.

[Lishypaz]

My doc suggested noritriptylin (sp?) as well. I currently take both celexa and elavil and I am quite sleepy as well. The one great thing is that for years I never slept more than 3-4 hours, and now I definitely need 8!!!! Its hard to get used to, but there are worse things. I have also gained a significatn amount of weight--both elavil and gabapentin have than side effect--I'm talking 30 lbs. in just a matter of a few months. I have no energy because of the pain, and although I am an administrator for a SACC program in an Elementary School where I am required to be moving around a lot, I am still not losing weight! I am hoping the with the noritriptyline things will improve. Let me know your results, please. Rachael, it sounds like we are seeing the same specialist at Strong--did he suggest an interstim for you? How about pelvic floor massage?

[RAS6]

Lish, I have only seen Dr. Mayer once. He is recommending Pelvic Floor relaxation therapy and massage. I am having a hard time finding anyone who does it in my area (I am closer to Buffalo than Rochester) and may have to see the PT they suggested at Strong. It is so hard for me to drive that far though! He didn't bring up Interstim, which I was happy about. I haven't been able to try many therapies b/c I was seeing Docor's who offered little in the area of treatment options. I definately want to try PT and oral meds before considering interstim, but that is just me. I was only officially diagnosed in September and it seems like interstim would be too drastic for me right now. The majority of my complaints are pain, however I do have to take any where from 15 to 30 trips to the bathroom every day, just depends on the day and how I feel. I have lost 5 of the 10 pounds I gained on Elavil since taking the Nortriptyline. I really do not feel starving anymore like I used too and the sugar cravings are gone as well. I still get up once or twice, but that beats 6 times, and it really helps me get back to sleep quickly. I hope you are able to get some relief. I am so glad to meet someone else who goes to my specialist. I work with schildren part time right now and am so anxious to getinto a school by fall (I am a certified teaching assistant) I hope I will be able to get back to "normal" soon. It has been a very rough past 8 months or so. I can't remember the last time I had a pain free day!