Good for the elderly
Tertiary amine tricyclics such as amitriptyline and imipramine have been reported to be effective in depressed geriatric patients, but because of their potential for side effects, it is not advisable to use them in the elderly .
common SIDE EFFECTS FOR AMITRIPTYLINE dry mouth . headache . weight gain. constipation . trouble urinating. a sudden drop in blood pressure particularly when standing up from sitting. drowsiness or dizziness . blurry vision.
Avoid taking MAO inhibitors ( isocarboxazid , linezolid, methylene blue, moclobemide, phenelzine , procarbazine, rasagiline, safinamide, selegiline, tranylcypromine ) during treatment with this medication. Most MAO inhibitors should also not be taken for two weeks before and after treatment with this medication.
Other long – term effects of Elavil include the medication’s ability to affect the body’s hormonal balance. This effect can result in swelling and tenderness of the breast tissue as well as testicular swelling for men. In some rare cases, amitriptyline can cause permanent liver and heart damage.
Amitriptyline may cause a condition that affects the heart rhythm (QT prolongation). QT prolongation can infrequently result in serious (rarely fatal) fast/irregular heartbeat and other symptoms (such as severe dizziness, fainting) that need medical attention right away.
Choice of antidepressant The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and the newer antidepressants buproprion , mirtazapine, moclobemide, and venlafaxine (a selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor or SNRI) are all relatively safe in the elderly.
Amitriptyline is not addictive but you can get extra side effects if you stop taking it suddenly. You may have flu-like symptoms like feeling sick, muscle pain and feeling tired or restless.
Both gabapentin and amitriptyline provided effective pain control in peripheral neuropathic pain . Additionally gabapentin was more effective especially in paroxysmal shooting pain than other pain qualities. And also gabapentin was tolerated well.
Amitriptyline is a tricyclic antidepressant that is widely used to treat chronic neuropathic pain (pain due to nerve damage). It is recommended as a first line treatment in many guidelines. Neuropathic pain can be treated with antidepressant drugs in doses below those at which the drugs act as antidepressants.
If you’ve been feeling better for 6 months or more, your doctor may suggest coming off amitriptyline . Your doctor will probably recommend reducing your dose gradually over several weeks – or longer, if you have been taking amitriptyline for a long time.
Amitriptyline is used to treat symptoms of depression . Amitriptyline is in a class of medications called tricyclic antidepressants. It works by increasing the amounts of certain natural substances in the brain that are needed to maintain mental balance.
Amitriptyline , a frequently prescribed tricyclic antidepressant, is reported to produce an age-related impairment in anterograde memory .
It works on two chemicals, noradrenaline and serotonin, that are found in nerves . When amitriptyline is used to treat nerve pain , it lowers the pain signals to the brain. This helps to reduce the level of pain you experience, which can enable you to get back to your daily activities and have a better quality of life.
A study was carried out in 6 healthy volunteers to test the hypothesis that weight gain associated with amitriptyline treatment may be due to hypoglycaemia caused by increased circulating blood insulin.
In general, wean gradually by 25% of the daily dose every 1-4 weeks. If reason for deprescribing is due to serious adverse effects, consider weaning faster. Substitution with other sedative medicines is not recommended as the same adverse effects and outcomes may occur.