Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 232167

Shown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

TCA experiences anyone?

Posted by Beastress on June 7, 2003, at 12:45:27

Hi All,
I'd really like to hear about other people's experiences--both good and bad--with TCAs. My doctor suspects fibromyalgia+depression but won't be making a diagnosis until she has more info. The depression part doesn't surprise me, but I don't *feel* depressed at this time. She has asked me to consider using a TCA for physical pain and depression.

I was prescibed amitryptilene (Elavil?) way back in the pleistocene era (before SSRIs) but found that the first couple of doses made me almost non-functional for over a week. Maybe I would have found some benefit if I'd just stuck with it, but at the time, the depression seemed easier to deal with than the drug to treat it.

I'm pretty med sensitive. My experience with SSRIs (Prozac, Effexor) didn't work out very well. I am wondering if I should re-try TCAs or continue to try to deal with this in other ways? Any info you are willing to relate is greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Leigh

 

Re: TCA experiences anyone? » Beastress

Posted by Snoozy on June 7, 2003, at 13:13:50

In reply to TCA experiences anyone?, posted by Beastress on June 7, 2003, at 12:45:27

Interesting coincidence - I was just posting a reply about Elavil up two threads from this one!

As I mentioned in the other post, I have never been able to tolerate any of the TCAs because I have low blood pressure and the TCAs lowered it further, and I was on the verge of passing out so much of the time.

I know it does help some people, especially with chronic pain, but not me :(

> Hi All,
> I'd really like to hear about other people's experiences--both good and bad--with TCAs. My doctor suspects fibromyalgia+depression but won't be making a diagnosis until she has more info. The depression part doesn't surprise me, but I don't *feel* depressed at this time. She has asked me to consider using a TCA for physical pain and depression.
>
> I was prescibed amitryptilene (Elavil?) way back in the pleistocene era (before SSRIs) but found that the first couple of doses made me almost non-functional for over a week. Maybe I would have found some benefit if I'd just stuck with it, but at the time, the depression seemed easier to deal with than the drug to treat it.
>
> I'm pretty med sensitive. My experience with SSRIs (Prozac, Effexor) didn't work out very well. I am wondering if I should re-try TCAs or continue to try to deal with this in other ways? Any info you are willing to relate is greatly appreciated.
>
> Thanks
> Leigh

 

Re: TCA experiences anyone?

Posted by stjames on June 7, 2003, at 13:21:23

In reply to TCA experiences anyone?, posted by Beastress on June 7, 2003, at 12:45:27

> I was prescibed amitryptilene (Elavil?) way back in the pleistocene era (before SSRIs) but found that the first couple of doses made me almost non-functional for over a week.

Than I would start with a smaller dose and raise it very slowly. Many FM folks find TCA's to be a big help. I found TCA's to be more effective AD's than SSRI's.

 

Re: TCA experiences anyone? » stjames

Posted by mmcasey on June 7, 2003, at 14:09:58

In reply to Re: TCA experiences anyone?, posted by stjames on June 7, 2003, at 13:21:23

I tried desipramine for only about 3 weeks. Maybe it would have worked eventually, but basically I started having extreme trouble with peeing. I couldn't stand that. I mean, hours and hours would go by and I just couldn't go. I guess this doesn't happen for everyone though because many people take TCAs and seem to be okay with them. It's the only drug that I've stopped because of side effects. But I'd be afraid to ever try one again. Good luck though, I hope something works for you.

 

Thanks for replys - another question?

Posted by Beastress on June 7, 2003, at 15:37:46

In reply to Re: TCA experiences anyone?, posted by stjames on June 7, 2003, at 13:21:23

Hi again,
Thank you all for responding so quickly. Snoozy: my blood pressure runs to the low end of "normal" so this sounds like something to pay close attention to. St.James: My TCA trial was almost twenty years ago, so unfortunately I don't remember the initial dosage, but this also sounds like something to keep in the front of my foggy mind. Mmcasey: I've never experienced urinary problems, but constipation got to be really severe on SSRIs, hope this is less of a problem for TCAs. I hope you've found something that works for you.

Heres the annoying vanity moment. I gained 30 pounds on Effexor and have only lost about ten of it in the year since I tapered off. I'm not crazy about the possibility of gaining more. Since I gained weight on a different class of drug, does it increase the possibility of gainig weight on a TCA?

Thanks again, I really appreciate the info.
Leigh

 

Re: Thanks for replys - another question? » Beastress

Posted by mmcasey on June 7, 2003, at 17:50:19

In reply to Thanks for replys - another question?, posted by Beastress on June 7, 2003, at 15:37:46

I don't think you can predict what will happen to your weight based on past experiences with a totally different drug. They are just all different and do different things to different people.

 

Re: TCA experiences anyone?

Posted by stjames on June 7, 2003, at 21:58:02

In reply to Re: TCA experiences anyone? » stjames, posted by mmcasey on June 7, 2003, at 14:09:58

Good luck though, I hope something works for you.

I am a little confiused here, I did not indicate I was having problems. Actually I have done well for almost 20 yrs on AD's. The anticolonergic effects, such as not being able to pee, do go away with time, I found. But I had to wait a month. Then I discovered TCA's were very effective for me.


 

Re: TCA experiences anyone?

Posted by Caleb462 on June 7, 2003, at 23:36:21

In reply to TCA experiences anyone?, posted by Beastress on June 7, 2003, at 12:45:27

> Hi All,
> I'd really like to hear about other people's experiences--both good and bad--with TCAs. My doctor suspects fibromyalgia+depression but won't be making a diagnosis until she has more info. The depression part doesn't surprise me, but I don't *feel* depressed at this time. She has asked me to consider using a TCA for physical pain and depression.
>
> I was prescibed amitryptilene (Elavil?) way back in the pleistocene era (before SSRIs) but found that the first couple of doses made me almost non-functional for over a week. Maybe I would have found some benefit if I'd just stuck with it, but at the time, the depression seemed easier to deal with than the drug to treat it.
>
> I'm pretty med sensitive. My experience with SSRIs (Prozac, Effexor) didn't work out very well. I am wondering if I should re-try TCAs or continue to try to deal with this in other ways? Any info you are willing to relate is greatly appreciated.
>
> Thanks
> Leigh

Well.. I won't be much help. I just added Anafranil (Clomipramine) to my meds a few days ago, just a low dose - 25 mg. So far I've noticed two side effects - mild dry mouth and drowsiness that 8 hours of sleep doesn't help.

 

Re: TCA experiences anyone?

Posted by stjames on June 8, 2003, at 1:56:06

In reply to Re: TCA experiences anyone?, posted by Caleb462 on June 7, 2003, at 23:36:21

> Well.. I won't be much help. I just added Anafranil (Clomipramine) to my meds a few days ago, just a low dose - 25 mg. So far I've noticed two side effects - mild dry mouth and drowsiness that 8 hours of sleep doesn't help.
>

That is par for the course with TCA's, one should
expect this to happen more than hope it does not.
Both SE's should decrease with time. However, be careful not to incease too fast, as TCA's hove very long half lives. If you take too much today it will effect you for days after & often you don;t know you have moved the dose up too fast till you are dry as a bone and sleeping 20 hours a day !

I loved the drying effect, it was the first time my allergies were in control & after many years on different antihistamines (the pre Seldane days)
I was less effected by the dry mouth effect.

 

Re: TCA experiences anyone?

Posted by daizy on June 8, 2003, at 12:05:37

In reply to TCA experiences anyone?, posted by Beastress on June 7, 2003, at 12:45:27

I have a friend who takes TCA for pain and it works for her. Im also on TCA, and find it much better than any of the SSRI's ive tried. I had a LOT of side effects from SSRI's, but I can tolerate the not very many side effects from TCAs.


> Hi All,
> I'd really like to hear about other people's experiences--both good and bad--with TCAs. My doctor suspects fibromyalgia+depression but won't be making a diagnosis until she has more info. The depression part doesn't surprise me, but I don't *feel* depressed at this time. She has asked me to consider using a TCA for physical pain and depression.
>
> I was prescibed amitryptilene (Elavil?) way back in the pleistocene era (before SSRIs) but found that the first couple of doses made me almost non-functional for over a week. Maybe I would have found some benefit if I'd just stuck with it, but at the time, the depression seemed easier to deal with than the drug to treat it.
>
> I'm pretty med sensitive. My experience with SSRIs (Prozac, Effexor) didn't work out very well. I am wondering if I should re-try TCAs or continue to try to deal with this in other ways? Any info you are willing to relate is greatly appreciated.
>
> Thanks
> Leigh


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