Helped by Elavil? - Interstitial Cystitis Network Support Forum

Ratchada · 09-26-2009, 08:12 AM

For those of you who have been helped by Elavil for frequency and urgency how long before you noticed a reduction of symptoms? I could not tolerate it before but now seem to be able to (10 mgs. at night). I think it is helping but it may be my imagination. Thanks. Ratchada

**kadi** · 09-26-2009, 01:53 PM

I noticed a difference the very first night I took it, I went from voiding every 15 minutes around the clock to sleeping 4 hours the first night I took it. I was so happy to get 4 hours sleep I cried. Within a week, I was able to sleep 7 hours a night & within a month my voiding went from 60x a day down to a more manageable 20.

This was on 10mg. When I went up to 20 mg, my IC improved even more. I still need instillations, but Elavil has been a mainstay of my treatment plan.

Good luck, I hope you feel better & better,

wfarrell · 09-26-2009, 04:18 PM

I am on 50 mg and sleep great now! Love it, I was on 25 for awhile but wasnt enough

KarenAnne · 09-26-2009, 05:32 PM

I noticed a big improvement within a week on 10 mg., & started sleeping through the night the second week I went up to 20 mg.

Ratchada · 09-27-2009, 03:13 AM

Thanks for your replies. In addition to sleeping better did the sensation (urgency) become less intense? Thanks, R.

**kadi** · 09-27-2009, 04:39 AM

Yes

wfarrell · 09-27-2009, 07:13 AM

It only seem to help me with sleeping

mary124 · 09-28-2009, 07:29 AM

I think it took me a week to notice a difference. I still don't sleep thru the night - probably get up at least once a night sometimes 2 times. I was actually prescribe this for headaches which it helps a great deal ( if I don't take it I found out that after 2 days my headaches come roaring back)

Reannin · 10-02-2009, 06:39 PM

That very first night I took it, I noticed a decrease in my pain and urgency. I really don't have that much frequency. I only take 10mg, but I am only 110 lbs. so that might be all that I need for my weight. Every day that I've been on it, I've noticed a gradual decrease in my symptoms. It's now been a week and a half on it, and I feel quite a drastic difference in my symptoms. A GREAT drastic difference. However, along with the Elavil, I just started Urelle which is an antispasmodic mixed with other things that help other IC symptoms. I also increased my Elmiron, so I don't know if it's the combo of these three meds, or if Elavil is the one that made the drastic difference. But, what I do know (like I said earlier) that when I popped that first pill that very first night. I noticed a decrease in my urgency and pain symptoms and it's been getting gradually better every day. Hope this helped.

Braedley · 10-03-2009, 04:07 PM

Elavil helped me most out of many drugs tried...I started on a very low dose in conjunction with an antispasmodic and could not believe how relaxed it made me - I could actually sleep!! Took a while to get the dose right for me as I started it just before I got pregnant, so about 8-10 weeks until it was REALLY noticeable once the dose was correct for me..