How much elavil do you take?

[Janie Miranda]

Hi I went to my nurse practioner today and I have now been diagnosed with vestibulitis and low hormones (I am in menopause) on top of the IC. Anyway, she gave me premarin for the hormones and 10mg of Elavil for the pain I have associated with the vestibulitis. I was wondering if 10mg will be enough to begin feeling some pain relief. Most of my real bladder pain burning pain has been reduced by the elmiron but still need something to help with the vestibulitis pain. Anyway, I was wondering how much Elavil most of the folks here take?
Thanks in advance,

[SharonA]

Hi Janie...

My doctor began me at 10mg of Elavil. She upped the dosage over a few weeks to 20mg and then on up to 50mg. I have since backed off to 25mg and been at that dosage for over 3 years. I did notice a difference in the amount of IC pain at 10mg the day after I began taking it. It is a wonder drug for me. I do hope it helps you as much as it has helped me.

[ICPrincess]

I am on 10MG right now Janie. It has made a difference. That and the Calcium Citrate (which I wish had worked out better for you). I am very sensitive to meds so they started me at 10mg and I am still at that level. Its been a month. I think they want to bring me up to 20 or 25MG after two months....very slowly. Elavil has been like a little miracle. It also helps Vulvadynia and many other diseases. I stopped and started it three times because I felt do out of it, but decided to just go for it and stay on it...glad I did.

[tbokay]

I started with 10mg of Elavil last October after my cystoscopy - but upped it to 25mg in March.

I have to stop taking it right now while I am on Levaquin due to the interaction they have to each other.

[nss]

I started out taking 10mg, then upped it to 25mg. If I am in a horrendous flare I will take anything up to 50mg. I probably will jinx myself now.

[LeeLee543]

aaaa

[VickiB]

I started at 25mg and after two weeks bumped up to 50mg. My Uro wanted to raise it to 75 after another two weeks but I said I'd rather not because it was making me a zombie! I never could adjust to the 50, so at my three month appointment I asked him to bring me back to 25. That's where I've stayed.

Vicki

[Pristine]

I've been on 25mgs of elavil for approx. 9 years. I was on it for over 6 years before ever getting IC any way so my urologist wants me to stay on it since it helps me sleep, rids me of migraines and calms my IC.

[Janie Miranda]

Thanks so much everyone!!! Now i have another question - if you take hydroxyzine and elavil how do you take them both so that you aren't totally zonked out?? Should I take hydroxyzine during the morning and the elavil at night?? Thanks in advance.

[VickiB]

I take both (25mg) at night. I was having trouble with feeling zonked in the mornings. Some of the folks here mentioned I should try taking it earlier in the evening, and that really helped. Of course now I have trouble staying up past the news! -Forget Leno or Letterman!

Vicki

[emilyrose197377]

I take 50 mg. of elavil.

[Rosalie]

I started on 10mg last october which worked within a week. It has now been upped to 25mgs after some increase in pain activity.

[JaniceB]

I'm in the NIDDK study for amitriptilyne (elavil) and am currently at 50mg. I can go has high as 75, but I don't know if I will. I started out at 10mg, then went to 25, now 50 - all within 3 weeks. Side effects have included tiredness, some heartburn & constipation. At the 10mg and 25, I noticed a big difference in my pain (which was to the point of being severe before starting it) but I was still having breakthrough pain. Have not had any breakthrough pain on the 50, BUT I'm having mood swings, to the point where I might have to ask them to let me go back down to 25.

Anyone else have mood swings or even depression while taking it? If you are on a lower dosage, do you take anything for breakthrough pain?

I want to start hydroxzine and elmiron to, but I can not do that while in the study. I'm just wondering if Elavil will be OK for me with these side effects at this point.

[Pristine]

I've not had mood problems while on it as long as i keep taking it but if i come off of it quickly there is a very thin line i walk between being calm one minute and the next having the all too real ability to become a cold blooded killer. I'm violent coming off of it. If it's out of my system for a long time, i'm not that way at all but if i drop it abruptly i go into uncontrollable rage.

[Tracey5399]

Great topic, i just started the hydroxyzine 25 mg. I also take the elavil i get 25mg's ,however i was cutting them and only taking half ( made me real grogy in the am also ) now i am taking the entire 25mg w/the 25mg hydrox. No difference for me yet, still in complete pain, but i'll hang in there now after reading how all you have done.

Thanks so much!
Tracey :)

[JaniceB]

I only had two days of mood swings, so I don't know if it was caused by the drug or not. I feel fine now. The goal in the study is to keep increasing to the max dose (75) so this week I am going to try 75! (the last two weeks I've been at 50mg) Wish me luck, LOL. I've noticed that most side effects for me, seem to only last the first few days after increasing the dose, then they level off. I will give the 75mg a shot, if I can't handle it, I can drop back down to 50mg.

Elavil has been a miracle for me as far as pain, but it hasn't done much for me as far as frequency/urgency/pressure. Unless the 75mg does. Is everyone else finding it more helpful in pain managment or for other symptoms as well?

Janice

[charmedx3]

great info. i was just put on elavil aka amitriptilyne. new uro has me on 25mg a day .i am still in pain. how long did it take for you to notice the difference?
my other meds are flomax & zoloft.

[JaniceB]

I had been in what I'd rate as moderate-severe pain before starting the 10mg. On the 10mg, I had my first pain free day on the 4th day (up until that I had no change). The next day, wasn't as good, but I wasn't in as much pain as I had been.

On 25mg, I had 2 days out of 7 I was in some pain (though it was a less intense pain than w/o the drug at all) The other 5 days, were pain free.

On the 50mg, was the first dosage I was on that I went for 2 weeks with no pain at all.

I'm going to start 75mg today (wish me luck LOL)!
Janice

[Janie Miranda]

wow good luck Janice. Hope you continue to improve.

[ICPrincess]

I have now been on Elavil 10MG for almost 6 weeks and this low dose along with my Calcium Citrate seems to be the ticket for me. Its working. I ordered some Marshmallow Root tea that should arrive any day that is hailed as being a wonderful thing to drink for IC too so I am eager to try that as well.

[ICPrincess]

P.S. Personally, I want to try and stay at the lowest dose possible that will help me. I worry about the heart problems associated with this drug. I've had breast cancer with radiation over my heart (Left Breast) and don't want to push the limits (Plus my cholesterol is very high even though I am not overweight). If 10MG is working, I want to stay at that until I absolutely must go another level. They thought I might have to do that sooner then this but its still working its magic at this dose however I am pretty fatigued from it.

[cathy2005]

Hi, My doctor has put me on 75mg in the morning, and 75mg at night.after reading all these letters I worry if that might be to much. Cathy

[ellienor]

Yes Princess, Elavil is a powerful drug and very toxic.
It has effected my short term memory for sure and i am only on 5 mg per day.
I am weaning off of it now... I am going to try some celebrex for pain instead.
It is effecting my heart now too. Palpatations in the middle of the night.
Lovely to wake up to. NOT!

As far as atarax goes, I am going to go back to ester C and quercitine. The ester c strengthens the mast cells so they dont release so much histimine. The quercitine is a natural antihistimine.
I know some have pain that requires drugs, but we should try to take as little as possible.
We are too young to be on this many drugs if we can help it.
Hugs to all.
ellie

[ellienor]

Hi, My doctor has put me on 75mg in the morning, and 75mg at night.after reading all these letters I worry if that might be to much. Cathy

Your doctor started you out at this dosage?
That seems insane to me, but what do I know? Your pain must be
excrusiating. I am sorry about that, but what sort of a doctor did this to you?
A uro?

[cathy2005]

Hi Ellienor, I first started out on 25mg and my doctor put me on 75mg on tuesday. i do have some really bad pain. Is this amount of evavil bad for me I don't know alot about this. I deal with alot of pain all the time. Cathy

[ICPrincess]

I have to make sure I space out my Elavil and Levothyroid (Daily Thyroid medicine) because those two do interact and can make your heart race.

I do get palpitations Ellie but its usually around my period every month. I hate it...I always feel like I am getting sick, palpitations, swelling and just plain misery. I must admit that the 10MG of Elavil with that Calcium Citrate has helped me bigtime...it really has so I am going to try and stick with it. I was told that at such a low dose, any side effects would be rare or extremely reduced which is why I do not want to up it any.

Cathy, if you feel uncomfortable at 75mg (and that is ALOT to start you on) I would say something to your doctor....you are in charge of your own body and let them know you feel uncomfortable starting at such a high dose). Doctors are not always right...in fact more often then not I have had this be the case for me.

[charmedx3]

anyone get shaky on the elavil? i am under alot of stress & lack of sleep due to sick sister. today i was so shaky i wasn't sure if just exhausted or the new meds. i am taking 25mg 1 a day.
also on flomax & zoloft

[ellienor]

I have been weaning off the drugs and drinking 3 cups of Marshmallow Root tea each day for 5 days now. I am also taking Colostrum 2 x per day.

I feel better now than before. Best day in a month.
I am going pee every 2 hours now and voiding 12 oz at a time. ( This is how I tell how I am doing ). Last week I could only do one hour and 8 oz.

Oh, I gave an ice pack another try and it helps. I only put it on for 15 minutes as i am watching tv in the evening. AT night I have no discomfort now.
Ellie

[ICPrincess]

I can't wait until my Marshmallow Root Tea arrives. I am so excited. Heard wonderful things about this stuff. Took me forever to find a company that makes it in tea bag form. What a nightmare.

[JaniceB]

I've had the heart palipatations to. The one thing that bothers me is because of that I'm not supposed to take sudaphed with it, so I'm hoping I don't get a cold!!

Cathy2005 - I was told 75mg is considered a "low maximum" dose, but if you are taking it 2x a day then you're taking 150mg a day? How do you manage taking the first dose during the day, can you stay awake? (I'm taking one 75mg dose per day now, but I take it in the evenings)

Janice

[cathy2005]

JanceB--I take it about 5:30 in the morning and by 8:30 in the morning I am really sleepy. Plus my other meds: Zyrtec 10mg, Ditropan 10mg, Vistaril 25mg, Elmiron 300mg 4 a day, Neurontin 300mg five a day. I'm not able to work, I have also been having alot of flare up's. I get a DSMO treatment as much as I can I have no insurance so it makes it hard. Cathy

[garycdewitt]

I was started on 10mg/day at bedtime. This is to upped to 30mg over the period of 3-4 weeks.

The 10mg has REALLY helped. I'm pretty pain free until about 19:00-20:00 the next day.

[ellienor]

If we take elavil and start feeling better, how do we really know how our ic is doing?
What if we are irritating our bladders all the time, and just dont know it because of the pain cover up?

[Rosalie]

As there is no cure for IC, what else can you do but treat the pain?

[Ih8IC]

Diagnosed in Feb. 2005, started dmso instills about 6 treatments, stopped and tried Elmiron since April or March... still some discomfort and pain. Started Elavil July- I feel "normal" no pain, no discomfort. Started at 50mg at bedtime- very tired, foggy for about 3 weeks. Starting to feel okay- and sleep really well. Have gained weight- prob from lack of exercise b/c of pain and not eating most fruits. Now that I don't have the "pain". My goal is to start exercising more and fight this weight gain and stay on elavil. I was so afraid to have to take elavil, but it has been a lifesaver!

[ellienor]

Rosalie:
while there may be no official cure, there are those whos bladders have healed up.
I talk to a gal who's bladder was all uncerated one year ago, and now her uro says she has no redness.
She has been on some of the natural products and elmeron, and watching the diet. She is pain free, but still doesnt eat acidic foods like coffee.
Ellie

[Oxana]

Yes, the diet is GREAT thing!

[karen10300]

I took about 1/2 of a 25mg. (they sure aren't easy to cut) tablet of elavil last night and felt like a zombie this morning. Had the hardest time waking up and trying to motivate at all today. Good thing I didn't have to work today but I did have to go to the doctors for another DMSO treatment. Wondering if this may be normal and if it will pass the longer I try elavil. Really am kind of scared to try it again tonight since I have to work tomorrow.

[JaniceB]

This is very common. I'm currently on 75mg and I noticed this for the first couple of days after each dosage increase. Every dr I have talked to said you have to allow time for your body to adjust to it.

For me, the "zombie" feeling went away after 2-3 days.
-J

[brush]

ICN Message Boards; http://www.ic-network.com/forum
User brush; 10-26-2005 11:53 PM -->

Greetings everyone, I have no wish to up set anyone.
Take care ,God bless you all
Barry

From : brush
To : cathy2005
Date : 2005-10-26 23:53
Title : Greetings from the UK /Barry
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi Cathy2005,
My name is Barry (from the UK)
Joined your group today ,& I never new that their
was so much info & friendship out their.

I was very interested in everyones comments
on Amittriptyline & the medication they take.
ref
Originally Posted by cathy2005
Hi, My doctor has put me on 75mg in the morning, and 75mg at night.after reading all these letters I worry if that might be to much. Cathy

Well I am getting very worried, know or now ?

I am taking 3 50mg ( 150mg )at night.

Where do i start,12 to 15 years ago approx,I
started to have problems with kiddy stones,in/out
of hospital most of my first years & unbelivable pain,that would not goa way.
Over the years ,my pain level never goes away & as I try to type ( one finger)typer :-)

At this moment ,Iam at my 80 year old friends baby sitting over night ( He does not want to alone at night)he has the big C, I try & helpout one night a week & I have his computer to have look around &
connect back to my own computer via the internet,
several miles away.
I drive myself & still in pain.

My medication at the moment is
Cimetidine 400 mg 1 per day
Co Codamol 30/500 4 to 6 aday
Dihydrocodeine Tartrate 2 per day
HYDROCORTISONE & MICOHAZOLE CREAM
Prochlorperazine Maleats 2 per day
Loperamide Hydrochloride 2 to be taken 3 times aday

Fluoxetine Hydrochioride 20 mg 2 aday (prozac)

AMITRIPTYLINE HYDROCHIORIDE 50mg 3 at night

Capasal shampoo as directed

Darbamazepine Tablets 2 per day

Trospium Chloride tablets 29 mg
1 tablet 2 aday (for my ic )

Yes at times I do have very bad mood swings
Also I TRY NOT TO GIVE UP WITH THIS PAIN

AT TIMES i do not want to be here any more, &
Not let my family put up with me.

Take care of your self & family.

Please pass this e mail on to anyone you wish.

bye

Barry ( a friend in the UK)

[Debgail]

Hi Janie,

I too take 25 mg of elavil at night. I cannot say enough how much it helped me in such a short period of time. I too had so many vestibulitis symptoms and I always thought that I had a vaginal infection when I didnt. When it started working it went away completely. I also started atarax 50 mg at the same time as the elavil, but since elavil works on pain signals I think it was the elavil that those symptoms.I also take them about 7 at night since it now takes2 hrs to get sleepy and so I dont have the hit by atruck feeling in the morning.

Hope this helps!
Hugs, Debbie

[JaniceB]

I just finished the NIDDK study last week, and am now titrating back down, and am down to 50mg now from 75mg, at 50mg I seem to be fine, but Tuesday I go down to 25mg, which makes me a little nervous!

I did see my PCP though and she did give me a script for 25mg so I can vary the dose as needed (between 25-75). Though I am supposed to stay at 25mg one week for study purposes. . I am going to be starting Elmiron and Vistaril here to within the next week or two so I am hoping between the 3, I can take the lower dose of Elavil. But otherwise I may have to go back to 50mg, though I think I'd rather do that than have to take a seperate pain medication (any thoughts on that?)

Janice

[ellienor]

just wanted to let you all know that I seemed to solve my bladder ic symptomes with hormones.
My gyn had me on progrestone cream for 3 years now.
I am 54, so I started at 51.
At 53 i stopped my period. 9 months later major IC symptoms came.
Now she has me on a low dose of estrodile. ( 6 weeks )
slowly my bladder has gotten better.
Too much progestrone and not enough estgrogen.
Along with my natrual healing stuff I am 95% normal for 3 weeks now, only taking 2 mg of elavil now. No atarax any more.
Will be weaning off this elavil this week. May be worth looking into.
Ellie

[poetgirl]

I take 25 mg at night. It has helped a lot.

[Janie Miranda]

Thanks everyone! I have ended up not taking elavil because my symptoms improved on just the elmiron, hydroxyzine and the HRT (vagifem) I am going to keep elavil in mind if I ever need some extra help with my symptoms.

[corena]

IC Patients, I am taking 5 mg of Elavil and I was able to get Oxycontin (Oxycondone) in the 5 mg solution. That way,its not time released and IC patients can take as low as 1 mg in an eye dropper if needed to measure for IC breakthrough pain. Most all the
antidepressnts and most of the pain meds come in solution form. Took my psychiatrist/psychopharmcologist to help me know this. Really works well with pain meds if you don't want to cut them, especially the ones that are time released and you cannot cut them for fear of a big jolt. -)