Elavil? Advice Please

[stampinsparkler]

While I have had IC for 2 or 3 years now, I have a new (and wonderfully up-to-date) doctor who has perscribed Elavil 25 mg for my IC symptoms (and depression). I am also on Elmiron,Detrol, and Pyridium if I need it. I do take Tegretol for seizures as well. I recently (2 weeks ago) had an instill which did help quite a bit.
.
Since I began taking Elavil, I'm a zombie and barely able to wake up and function. I even tried cutting the pill in 1/2, but I am still unable to drive,do some basic housework etc. I've only just started these pills, but I'm concerned.
How long does it take to get over these side effects from Elavil? Is it worth it ???
I called the pharmacist and asked if my Tegretol could be increasing my Elavil side effects and making me so dopey...she said no, not likely.
Granted I've only been taking my 'cut in 1/2 25 mg pill now for 3 days - but I have things I have to do....I cannot take a whole week or two off my life to sit and stare at the walls or sleep while I adjust to this med.
Please offer any advice or help you can?
Thank you so much,
Jeannie in Ohio

[ICNDonna]

Elavil comes in as low as a 5 mg dosage --- you might want to ask you doctor if you could start there and gradually increase if needed.

Donna

[kadi]

What time of day are you taking the Elavil? When I first started it, I had to take the 10mg at around 7pm, so that I would be ok to wake up around 5:30am & have a 75 minutes to shake off the fuzziness before going to work. Eventually the morning grogginess went away & now I can take it any time between dinner & bedtime without any problem the next morning.

Hope you are feeling better soon,

[stampinsparkler]

Thanks for the help and advice so far. I'm taking the Elavil at bedtime, along with my Tegretol. Usually that is about 10 pm. Maybe I should take it after dinner at 6? The grogginess is lasting all the next day now. I know I would probably
get used to it, but how can I put my life and responsibilities on hold for a week or so to acclimate to it.....I'm trying to figure that one out.

Jeannie

[marymove]

When I first took elavil, I took it at bedtime and would wake up so groggy,I could barely function. But now I take it at around 7:00 p.m. and it makes me nice and sleepy for bed, but I wake up with no problem.

[angie1962]

I also was on Elavil for FM pain. I would take it around 7pm and it helped me thru the night, wasn't too bad the next day. I took 10mg. I quit taking it earlier this year, after 7yrs I found it wasn't helping me much anymore and I put on alot of weight (one of the side effects) I wouldn't recommend taking it during the day.

[SharonA]

I take 25mg of Elavil anywhere from 5:30 to 7:00pm. I began at 10mg...slowly increased up to 50mg...then back down to 25mg. I have been taking that dosage since September 2002. I think starting out as such a low dose and taking it early in the evening kept me from having that "foggy" feeling the next morning. Even at 50mg, I did not experience that feeling.

[Claredale]

I got used to it pretty quickly. I did like the others, I just took it earlier in the evening. But within a couple of weeks I was able to take it closer to my bedtime. I don't sleep well anyway, so I needed it for sleep. I got over the morning fogginess quite quickly but I started on 10 mgs as well.

Hugs, Tracey

[mary124]

I too take Elavil, started at 10mg now up to 30mg. I first started taking it at 7:00p.m. for awhile so that I won't have the "I want to sleep feel" all day. Now I can take it around 9:00 and within an 1 to 1-1/2 hours I can fall asleep and pretty much sleep all night long.

[sickofmybladder]

I am currently taking 50 mg of Elavil per day - I started with 25 mg - and initially was taking at bedtime as well - after 2 days of "brain fog" - I started taking around 7:00 p.m. - I recently upped the dose to 50 mg and still seem to be ok with taking at 7pm - if I take any later though it is harder to wake up in the a.m. in time for work (I get up at 6:30 a.m.) - on the weekends I'll take a bit later - no later than 8pm - so I'm not asleep right at 10pm. It does take a little while to get used to - but I really believe this medicine has helped me more than anything else I am on -

I hope it works out for you too.

[born2swim]

My doctor tried me on Elavil, starting at 10mg. I couldn't tolerate it, so I cut it down to 5mg and still couldn't tolerate it. It gave me wicked gastroparesis. See if your surgeon can titrate up slowly for you?