Does anyone know about AMITRIPTYLINE??????

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I'm curious about the possibility that AMITRIPTYLNE may be the reason I haven't been able to lose any weight....

I had a post yesterday about how I haven't lost any weight since I began my journey a month ago. I got a lot of positive feed back.

But today someone posted on my wife's facebook page that she couldn't lose weight due to taking amitriptylne.... That struck a chord with me because I have been taking the maximum amount of that nightly for about 6 months to help me sleep.

Does anyone know anything for sure about this?? I will stop taking it immediately if I need to!!!

Let me know!

Thank you!!!!

Replies

  • serindipte
    serindipte Posts: 1,557 Member
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    According to the drug information, it may cause an increased hunger... or decreased appetite. It also lists weight gain/loss which would go hand in hand with the hunger/appetite bit.
    Along with its needed effects, amitriptyline may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

    Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur while taking amitriptyline:

    Incidence not known
    Abdominal or stomach pain
    agitation
    black, tarry stools
    bleeding gums
    blood in urine or stools
    blurred vision
    burning, crawling, itching, numbness, prickling, "pins and needles", or tingling feelings
    change in consciousness
    changes in patterns and rhythms of speech
    chest pain or discomfort
    chills
    cold sweats
    coma
    confusion
    confusion about identity, place, and time
    continuing ringing, buzzing, or other unexplained noise in ears
    convulsions
    cool, pale skin
    cough or hoarseness
    dark urine
    decrease in frequency of urination
    decrease in urine volume
    decreased urine output
    difficulty in breathing
    difficulty in passing urine (dribbling)
    difficulty in speaking
    disturbance of accommodation
    disturbed concentration
    dizziness, faintness, or lightheadedness when getting up from a lying or sitting position suddenly
    double vision
    drooling
    dry mouth
    excitement
    fainting
    false beliefs that cannot be changed by facts
    fast, slow, or irregular heartbeat
    fear or nervousness
    fever with or without chills
    flushed, dry skin
    fruit-like breath odor
    general feeling of tiredness or weakness
    headache
    hearing loss
    high fever
    high or low blood pressure
    hostility
    inability to move arms, legs, or facial muscles
    inability to speak
    increased hunger
    increased need to urinate
    increased ocular pressure
    increased sweating
    increased thirst
    increased urination
    irritability
    lack of coordination
    lethargy
    light-colored stools
    lip smacking or puckering
    loss of appetite
    loss of balance control
    loss of bladder control
    loss of consciousness
    lower back or side pain
    mental depression or anxiety
    muscle spasm or jerking of all extremities
    muscle tightness
    muscle trembling, jerking, or stiffness
    muscle twitching
    nausea and vomiting
    nightmares or unusually vivid dreams
    overactive reflexes
    painful or difficult urination
    passing urine more often
    pinpoint red spots on skin
    poor coordination
    pounding in the ears
    puffing of cheeks
    rapid or worm-like movements of tongue
    rapid weight gain
    restlessness
    seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there
    seizures
    severe muscle stiffness
    shakiness and unsteady walk
    shivering
    shortness of breath
    shuffling walk
    sleeplessness
    slow speech
    slurred speech
    sore throat
    sores, ulcers, or white spots on lips or in mouth
    stiffness of limbs
    stupor
    sudden loss of consciousness
    sweating
    swelling of face, ankles, or hands
    swelling or puffiness of face
    swollen glands
    talking or acting with excitement you cannot control
    trouble in speaking
    trouble sleeping
    troubled breathing
    twisting movements of body pain or discomfort in arms, jaw, back, or neck
    unable to sleep
    uncontrolled chewing movements
    uncontrolled movements, especially of arms, face, neck, back, and legs
    unexplained weight loss
    unpleasant breath odor
    unsteadiness, trembling, or other problems with muscle control or coordination
    unusual bleeding or bruising
    unusual tiredness or weakness
    unusually pale skin
    upper right abdominal pain
    vomiting of blood
    weakness in arms, hands, legs, or feet
    weight gain or loss
    yellow eyes and skin
  • kacarter1017
    kacarter1017 Posts: 651 Member
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    One of the side effects of amitriptyline is weight gain. However, you CAN lose weight on it. Building lean muscle mass, being very careful about sodium intake, and eating a clean diet will allow weight loss. It may be slower than you would hope for, but it is possible. If you feel that the weight loss challenge is too great on amitriptyline, then talk to your provider about another option. DO NOT stop the medication without input from the provider!
  • kellykopp
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    Well, the only reason I was taking it was for sleep. I was having a hard time sleeping through the entire night so my doctor told me to try this. It def makes me sleep!! But its almost to difficult to wake up!

    Ive also noticed some of those side effects that were just posted!!! I also have gained about 20lbs since I started taking it.... Im gonna quit taking this stuff as of today!! I am gonna call my Dr. and see what he says, but there is no way i can stay on this!! Id rather be tired!!

    Has anyone else experienced this? I'm wondering how long it will take to start losing weight once I stop taking it.
  • quirkytizzy
    quirkytizzy Posts: 4,052 Member
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    I gained 40 pounds on Ami. I was on it for psych reasons (sedative) and thankfully had to DC, since it wasn't effective in helping my brain do its brainy any better.

    If you respond well to anti-depressants as sleep aids (Ami is an AD), you might try a low dose of Trazadone. That's what I went to afterwards, and I had absolutely no side effects.
  • rhonda6373
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    Be sure to talk to your doctor before stopping it so you can be aware of withdrawal symptoms if any exist. He/she may direct you to taper down first.
  • serindipte
    serindipte Posts: 1,557 Member
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    I agree with calling the doctor on the chance there are reasons to wean off rather than go cold turkey. I was having the same troubles you mention, though, having trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep. What I found worked for me was cutting off caffeine after 3 pm. Since I've done that, I have been sleeping much better.
  • broox80
    broox80 Posts: 1,195 Member
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    If its just for sleep, maybe your Doc would switch you to Melatonin.
  • timbrom
    timbrom Posts: 303 Member
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    If you quit the amitriptyline, try a magnesium supplement. I know it really helped my wife sleep. She takes a product called Natural Calm. Worth a shot, and the side affects are pretty minimal (can cause some gastrointestinal issues, which are typically ameliorated by lowering the dose).
  • otter090812
    otter090812 Posts: 380 Member
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    I was on it as a pain blocker (very effective in my case). I gained some weight (about 7lbs), and I slept a lot! I was under the impression the weight gain was due to increased appetite and possibly less activity, rather than a hormonal type of cause for example. When I came off it, the weight came off also. Will echo other poster's comment about weaning off - my doctor recommended I come off it slowly and not go cold turkey.
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,583 Member
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    Are you accurately weighing / measuring your food? Your diary is kinda all over the place. If you aren't accurately (and I mean down to the gram or oz) weighing your food... you could be overestimating your intake. That could be part of it, too.
  • littlesis412
    littlesis412 Posts: 314 Member
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    It's a very old antidepressant. They rarely prescribe it as an antidepressant anymore and most often use it for other reasons. For example sleep or fibromyalgia. I haven't heard of it specifically causing weight changes in either directions but I know other meds can cause changes kind of based on your relationship with food. For example if you used to stress eat, it might help you stop but if you were anxious and didn't eat much, it might make you more carefree with food. But everyone reacts differently and it might just be a matter of finding what works for you. If you are concerned, don't hesitate to call you doctor or talk to your pharmacist, they want to help you. This is my completely unprofessional and limited opinion though.
  • AwesomeGuy37
    AwesomeGuy37 Posts: 436 Member
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    I once gained 40 pounds on Depakote in 3 weeks.. I stopped taking it and dropped 15 pounds in a few days. I wasn't dieting and didn't change how I ate at that time. Meds can be crazy sometimes.
  • slwells1983
    slwells1983 Posts: 31 Member
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    It will make you lose weight and have these weird tingly sensations in your toes and fingertips! I quit that one because of those 2 things alone!!!!
  • kellykopp
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    Are you accurately weighing / measuring your food? Your diary is kinda all over the place. If you aren't accurately (and I mean down to the gram or oz) weighing your food... you could be overestimating your intake. That could be part of it, too.

    I just ordered a food scale today, so hopefully I will start getting much more accurate on my diary.

    I called and left a message with my DR about wanting to stop taking it. Ill wait to hear what he says, but I really feel I should just stop taking it.
  • EmmiDahling
    EmmiDahling Posts: 104 Member
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    I love my amitriptyline! I'm on it for migraine prevention and it has the bonus side effect of helping my insomnia without another drug thrown into the mix. I haven't had any issues with it interferig with my weight loss.