noritriptyline vs amitriptyline

[cmclien]

I would be interested to know your thoughts on side effects if you have taken both or either of these drugs. I have read that noritriptyline has less side effects. I am SUPER sensitive to any drugs, if there are side effects I am the one who feels them where others are like "what side effects?". Even claritin makes me drowsy!
Thanks

[suzannes]

I have taken both and I felt that the elavil(amytriptiline) worked better for pain. I only take 10 mg at bedtime and 5 mg in the day so I take a very low dose. I was sleepy for the first few weeks but that went away.

Suzanne

[aleet7]

I take noritriptylene and I don't know of any real side effects. I take it only at nite and I sleep without the bladder pain that I'm used to.

Best Wishes,
Aleet7

[cmclien]

Aleet, what dosage do you take? They are starting me on 10mg.

[KatieB]

Cindi,

I,too, am the person who gets the weird side effect that "no one" ever gets. I haven't taken nori but I did take ami. And although the side effects listed say it could make your BP go up, it made mine go way down.
BUT I have to say (and you can read the pain meds I take in my sig) I really WANTED to keep taking it because it helped SO much with the pain and I haven't slept so well since I stopped taking it. I was only taking 25 mg's.
I would still be taking it if it wasn't for that pesky passing out thing I kept doing.
My new uro has talked about putting me back on it starting at 5 mg's which is really low. If you're like me, which it sounds as though you are. The only way for me to start a new med is to start low and build up.

Good luck if you try either one!!!

[cmclien]

Well this is kind of a funny comparison between the two. I started the nori last night 10mg, my husband who has been prescribed 25mg ami started his too(for pretty bad osteo in his hips). He cut his in half just to be safe. He is not medicine sensitive.

Me - I woke up at 4:30 and had a hard time going back to sleep. I was up by 8. I felt fine, not groggy.
Him - slept through the whole night and slept in until 9am. Even he usually wakes up either because of pain or having to go to the bathroom. He woke up super groggy.

Me today - fine, calm, I wouldn't say overly tired or anything.
Him today - asleep on the couch as I write! Hope he gets used to it since they wouldn't think very kindly of him sleeping at work

That just goes to show you two drugs of the same family but different makers can give such different side effects and reactions.

[KatieB]

Lol, Cindi!!! I just don't get drugs

But the important thing is did it help either one of you with pain?

[sailawaygrl]

I took noratryptiline in the past for migraines. My understanding at that time was that it has less side effects. I had a friend with migraines at the same time, she had different insurance that wouldn't pay for the nora so she took amitryptiline and had a lot of side effects. So, from what I know they work the same but nora.... is supposed to be the better of the two for side effect.
Sandra

[bob04951]

Woulld think any new med that has some "drowsiness" tendencies takes a couple of weeks to adjust. Bob was having morning drownsiness from hydroxyzine and his NP said take it earlier in the PM, we do not go out at night, and that helped, usually around dinnertime. When the sleepies hit, he can snooze all evening on and off. Depending on his night (flare or not) he sometimes wakes without any drowsiness at all. And yeah, employers will frown on you taking a power nap on their time, but he should let them know if it becomes a problem at work. Sure he will adjust over time, and maybe the earlier dose in PM may help with the AM drowsies. Best of luck, Jill, wife of Bob

[aleet7]

Hi Cindi,
I take 25mg or nortriptyline at night. I get absolutely no hang over or drowsy feeling from taking it. It really helps!

Best Wishes,
Aleet7

[cmclien]

Aleet - Did you feel weird the first few days? I feel kinda tired and wired all at the same time. It wore off by the afternoon though. Like I said I'm sensitive to meds. I will stick with it for awhile and hope these little side effects improve. Luckily I have a great boss and if I'm a little weird tomorrow she'll understand and I don't have to deal with alot of people.
Its just like me, if a medicine says it will make you tired, it makes me wired lol
Did you feel it helped some with frequency or spasms?

[aleet7]

I only use it at night when I go to bed so I haven't experienced any weird feelings...it does make me tired though. I have seen a big difference with my night time frequency and spasms. I hope that your tired and wired feeling subsides soon.

Best Wishes,
Aleet7

[cmclien]

The first few days it definitely wired me and made me feel weird. I read that it is both a stimulant and a depressant and it effects most people as a depressant which is why they often prescribe it for insomnia. It effected me differently though and I got the stimulant side of it but last night after being on it for a few days I finally slept really good through the night so maybe it just needed to build up.
I had to stop my oxytrol because I got a rash on my legs but not sure it caused it so am waiting for it to go away and will try it again. In the mean time, no spasms yet so have my fingers crossed the nori will keep them at bay and maybe I won't need the oxytrol once I have gone up to 20 or 25mg.
Is it good to wait a week? or longer? to adjust and bump up the dose to 20mg? Actually my rheumy prescribed it and I will be seeing him in a couple of weeks so will ask but was just wondering.

[aleet7]

I started my dose at 25 mgs. I can take two if needed. I haven't needed to take 50 mgs of it yet. I'm so glad that your spasms seem to be under control...it definitely works for me! I do have weird dreams sometimes but it helps with my bedtime frequency so I'll just deal with the weird dreams.

Good Luck!
Aleet7

[shellyns71]

amitrypline

Hi! Started amitrypline about 3 weeks ago. first day was crazy! took at night got kids off to school in morning then preceded to sleep on couch till 315 pm!! hubby even knocked on window asking if I was ok. 2 days later same thing happened. But! I don't get up at night and it helps me through the day till about 4 pm then it wears off. But it has helped me alot I believe. I also take elmiron 3x daily and enablex 1x daily. I hope it continues to help me! good luck!