Elavil - saw improvement, but now flaring

[musiclover]

Hi everyone. I have a question. I started Elavil a week ago. Within three days, I noticed a difference. The feeling that I need to urinate constantly has been a little less severe. Yesterday I was doing so well, I was so happy. :) I went to the farmer's market and walked around a bit and didn't need to go at all.

But now today for what seems like no reason, I am in a flare. Now I am worried that the Elavil isn't actually helping. I'm just confused. If the meds helped, how could I be flaring so badly? My doctor thinks I have a lot of neuralgia going on which is causing a lot of my problems, so I figure that is why the Elavil works. But I have been pretty careful and haven't done anything that I can think of to cause this flare.

Anyway, I am supposed to increase my dose starting tomorrow because I'm only on 10mg right now. My question is, has anybody else noticed an improvement from Elavil and then gone backwards so suddenly?

[jjt001]

Yes, I've been there! I started at 25 mg and, like you, felt better after about three days. But within a week or so I started to flare. So I upped my dosage (per my doctor's instructions, of course). I finally ended up at 75 mg, his highest recommended dosage and felt great all the time. Really no flares to speak of at all. I forgot I had a bad bladder! Unfortunately, I had some blood pressure issues and had to lower my dosage. I'm at 25 mg again and don't feel great all the time, like I did, but it's certainly better than it was before Elavil! So if your doctor has suggested you increase your dosage I think it's definitely worth a try. Also, you'll probably notice an increase in side effects, but that went away for me a week or two.

[kadi]

Any possibility you ate something that triggered the flare? Day in menstrual cycle? Exercised differently or more? Car travel?

[KarenAnne]

I don't think you are flaring from the Elavil either. I had to level off at 20 mg. too, but I experienced dramatic relief at that dose. You may need a higher dose, everyone is so different. I still flare up from time to time, but the flares are not as severe or as often. Stress is a big trigger for me. Check out what Kadi has brought up & try to persevere. Hang in there! :o)

[musiclover]

Thanks everyone. I just emailed my doctor to let him know. I upped the dosage of Amitryptiline to 20mg last night, so I'll have to see what happens. I tried Nortryptiline before and I got muscle cramping 4 or 5 days after I started, also, so I began to get suspcious. Because this flare also started the same way, which is unusual because most of the time my muscles feel pretty good lately. But you have encouraged me to give it more time at a higher dose. I am supposed to go up in dosage every week up to 50mg to find out the right dose for me, so I am moving on to 20mg now.

Thanks, I'll write in about how it goes in case anybody else encounters this problem and finds these posts.
:hi:

[SharonA]

When I first began taking Elavil, my doctor prescribed 10mg. Then after a week or so, she had me go to 20mg, then 25mg, then 50mg. I was at that dose for quite some time until she suggested I go back down to 25mg. I have been at that level for several years. Most days, I feel fine. I do have flares every once in a while (mostly because of stress which is my #1 trigger) but they are nothing like in the beginning as far a pain and don't last as long (usually a couple of hours).

I hope it works as well for you. :)

[musiclover]

Hi there everyone. I'm giving an update already in case anybody finds this post helpful in the future.

So today I already decided to stop the Elavil after only a week and a half. The cramping was getting worse with everyday and when I upped the dose, then the spasming turned into permanently tight muscles with little lumps under them in my lower abdomen/front pelvic region. They got so bad it was painful to stand upright. Also, I do internal therapy, and my muscles have intruded back into the canal, like they were several weeks ago before I began PT. I called my doctor to report this and he said with some people, this can happen with trycyclics when you have PFD. I definitely don't want to scare anybody from trying Elavil, though. It seems to work for many many people on this network, my body just seems to be reacting strangely when it comes to this. It did make a significant difference after only three days and I was feeling very optimistic about this medicine, but on the 4 and 5 day mark, the muscles were already reacting badly by then on only 10mg/day. It is just something to be aware of in case you notice similar symptoms, but like I said, I seem to be one of the only ones who is having this result.

I am starting the switch to neurontin today. I hope I have better luck with this one!

Thanks everyone, I always appreciate your kind advice and input! :)

[KarenAnne]

Oh Music, I am so sorry. I was really hoping the elavil would help you. Best of luck with the new med. Hang in there!