Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 912856

Shown: posts 1 to 17 of 17. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

Nortriptyline for sleep / how much weight gain?

Posted by Sunbath on August 18, 2009, at 14:37:28

Hi

I'm currently on Zoloft + 150mg Trazodone + 10-20mg Amitriptyline (stopped the seroquel trial a few days ago)..
I need the trazodone to get some sleep and I recently added the amitriptyline, because the trazodone wasn't enough (woke a few times/night + woke up far too early without the possibility of falling asleep again).

The ami + traz combo seems to work very good for sleep, but I'm even more tired during the day + I'm worried about the supposed weight gain with the ami.. so I was wondering if maybe exchanging the Ami for Nortriptyline was a good idea?

Does anyone have good experiences taking Nortriptyline to improve sleep + how good would be the chance to not gain more than say 4-5lbs on it?

I try to exercise as much as possible but as I know from experience that doesn't prevent the weight gain caused by those metabolic or other side effects.. :(


Thanks a lot for some help and have a nice day!!

 

Re: Nortriptyline for sleep / how much weight gain? » Sunbath

Posted by Maxime on August 18, 2009, at 15:07:38

In reply to Nortriptyline for sleep / how much weight gain?, posted by Sunbath on August 18, 2009, at 14:37:28

I've never found that Nortriptyline caused sleepiness. Amitriptyline does. I am wondering if you would be better off lowering the dosage of the amitriptyline, thus lessening the side effects.

I'm not sure about weight gain, because I didn't gain any on nortriptyline. The only problem I had on it was urinary retention.

I hope this helps.

 

Re: Nortriptyline for sleep / how much weight gain?

Posted by Phillipa on August 18, 2009, at 16:02:18

In reply to Re: Nortriptyline for sleep / how much weight gain? » Sunbath, posted by Maxime on August 18, 2009, at 15:07:38

Nortriptalline same as Pamelor right if so l0mg worked very well for sleep. That's my experience. Slept till 2pm next day. Phillipa

 

Re: Nortriptyline for sleep / how much weight gain?

Posted by SLS on August 18, 2009, at 16:05:48

In reply to Nortriptyline for sleep / how much weight gain?, posted by Sunbath on August 18, 2009, at 14:37:28

Amitriptyline might be the worst of the TCAs for weight-gain. I think doxepin is pretty bad, too.


- Scott

 

Re: Nortriptyline for sleep / how much weight gain?

Posted by ColoradoSnowflake on August 18, 2009, at 23:01:33

In reply to Re: Nortriptyline for sleep / how much weight gain?, posted by SLS on August 18, 2009, at 16:05:48

I take Nortriptyline at night, get good sleep, and haven't gained any weight nor had food cravings, nor am I tired the next day. I like it.

gayle

 

Re: Nortriptyline for sleep / how much weight gain? » SLS

Posted by viper1431 on August 19, 2009, at 3:08:11

In reply to Re: Nortriptyline for sleep / how much weight gain?, posted by SLS on August 18, 2009, at 16:05:48

Oh my god doxepin made me stack on the weight so fast it wasn't funny, nortriptyline, imipramine and dothiepin didn't cause me to put on weight thankfully.

> Amitriptyline might be the worst of the TCAs for weight-gain. I think doxepin is pretty bad, too.
>
>
> - Scott

 

Re: Nortriptyline for sleep / how much weight gain?

Posted by Sunbath on August 19, 2009, at 10:45:58

In reply to Nortriptyline for sleep / how much weight gain?, posted by Sunbath on August 18, 2009, at 14:37:28

Thanks a lot for all your replies! Very appreciated!!
This sounds promising, so I'll try and add the nortriptyline to the trazodone instead of the amitriptyline.. maybe this will improve daytime fatique + let me sleep ok too :)

I already got a prescription and will get the Nortriptyline tomorrow (needs to be imported).. in my strange country only the TCAs with worst side effects are available and listed it seems.. only clomipramine, amitriptyline, doxepine and maprotiline are available.. isn't that strange?

What dose would you suggest to take in order to improve sleep (instead of the 20mg amitriptyline) and when should I take it?


Thank you and have a good time!

 

Re: Nortriptyline for sleep / how much weight gain? » ColoradoSnowflake

Posted by Sunbath on August 19, 2009, at 11:01:20

In reply to Re: Nortriptyline for sleep / how much weight gain?, posted by ColoradoSnowflake on August 18, 2009, at 23:01:33

Thank you Gayle (parnate queen :) ) !!
I've read your threads and watched your progress with great interest!Big congratulations for what you have accomplished!!!

May I ask you something about your previous symptoms?
I also consider trying parnate one day and wonder if it could possibly help me too..
I once saw you mentioned anxiety/depression.. did you also experience muscle tension in context with anxiety during the day and did you have sleep problems too prior trying parnate + nortrip and did those symptoms improve as well as much with parnate?

I ask because parnate is known to be activating (cannot get hands on nardil) and I wonder if it still would improve sleep and anxiety over time or if it would worsen those symptoms too much in the beginning.

Thank you, good luck to you and much fun enjoying life!! It's too great to know someone with so much success!

 

Re: Nortriptyline for sleep / how much weight gain?

Posted by ColoradoSnowflake on August 19, 2009, at 13:32:52

In reply to Re: Nortriptyline for sleep / how much weight gain? » ColoradoSnowflake, posted by Sunbath on August 19, 2009, at 11:01:20

Hi Sunbath:

Thanks for the nice, supportive comments!

I'm feeling better than I have in 15 years!

I've had anxiety since I was little. Yes, the kind that you're always tense all over. I always liked physical activities so I guess that has helped me a lot over all these years. When I was in Jr. High I discovered alcohol, then at U. of Colo I got a TERRIBLE case of mononucleosis and the docs started me on dexedrine. For MANY MANY years I was able to manipulate alcohol/dexedrine so I always felt pretty good and no one ever realized I had any more of a problem than being a major partier who could still get good grades. Finally, the dexedrine just made me anxious and I had to let go of it. Then, the alcohol just made me drunk and I had to let that go too. Then I had a huge depression breakdown and I've been depressed ever since. Before that, I was anxious all the time but never depressed. My pdocs say I was always depressed but it presented as anxiety.
I ALWAYS have had trouble sleeping but can't take many things or I'm zonked out the whole next day, so why bother? that's worse than being tired from no sleep.

My pdoc always uses Parnate and a tca in tandem. He gave me the choice of a few different tca's I could take with the Parnate and I chose amytriptyline because I was so afraid of insomnia. I took that while getting off my other meds slowly increasing it so I had plenty AD to hold me during the two week washout period. I loved the sleep amytrip gives me. I was tired during the day, but part of that was coming off other drugs. When I started the Parnate it wasn't working for me because I was so tired. This kept going on and on and I went up to 60mg/day Parnate. Psychobabblers (thanks, Scott) kept telling me it was probably the Amytrip and I should switch to nortrip. I resisted because of fear of insomnia. FINALLY I did switch and the Miracle happened! I felt GREAT! and I have ever since. I had two nights of mild insomnia when I switched from Amytrip to Nortrip. That's it. I have never had any other insomnia!!!! I take the nortrip about 6pm (I go to bed at 11pm) or I'm tired in the morning.

I have never found a sleeping pill that works for me. But I always like to have something around to take in case I do get insomnia (I guess I'm insomnia-phobic). I haven't tried Lunesta or Sonata so I'm going to get ahold of some of them "just in case".

I am not very anxious at all on Parnate. It's amazing. I'll probably always be a little anxious, that's just me. I'm not jazzed up, I'm not depressed, I don't think of suicide, I'm not fearful of things, I don't over react to anticipation of icky stuff I'm going to have to do, I think of those things with equanimity not fear that I wont be able to perform. It's all pretty amazing! I've been having some rough things to handle the last year. Yesterday was a big mediation re: custody of my beloved little toddler grandson who spends a lot of time with me, and it didn't even put me in fear!!! (It's now going to go in front of a judge)

Oh, I do take Provigil because otherwise I do have some fatigue during the day. I have to find some less expensive.

So I don't have that icky feeling of a lot of chemicals in my body. In fact, I don't feel like I'm taking anything. I have NO side effects except some bad dry mouth. I'm so happy that I've found Parnate/Nortriptyline. I think the Nortrip is an essential part of the treatment. I really do feel they work synergistically.

This is probably lots more than you were asking or wanted to know! Sorry!

Gayle

 

Re: Nortriptyline for sleep / how much weight gain? » ColoradoSnowflake

Posted by Sunbath on August 20, 2009, at 12:20:46

In reply to Re: Nortriptyline for sleep / how much weight gain?, posted by ColoradoSnowflake on August 19, 2009, at 13:32:52

Hi Gayle!

No need to be sorry for anything!Thanks a lot for the insight as your story is a truly remarkable one!!Your writings are so full of positive emotions it's a real pleasure to read them :)
It's really remarkable, I never imagined what an impact the right medications could have on the the right person's conditions..
Also I think your story is a glimpse of hope for all of those who are still struggling and on their journeys for their right meds.. at least for me it is!

Good luck to you, thanks for taking your time helping me and have fun enjoying your live, doing all those things you ever wanted :)

 

Re: Nortriptyline for sleep / how much weight gain? » Sunbath

Posted by ColoradoSnowflake on August 20, 2009, at 19:39:44

In reply to Re: Nortriptyline for sleep / how much weight gain? » ColoradoSnowflake, posted by Sunbath on August 20, 2009, at 12:20:46

Sunbath:

Thanks for the kind words!

Gayle

 

Re: Nortriptyline for sleep / how much weight gain? » SLS

Posted by ihatedrugs on August 20, 2009, at 23:09:55

In reply to Re: Nortriptyline for sleep / how much weight gain?, posted by SLS on August 18, 2009, at 16:05:48

Can Nortriptyline be taken while on the emsam patch?

 

Re: Nortriptyline for sleep / how much weight gain? » ihatedrugs

Posted by SLS on August 20, 2009, at 23:27:08

In reply to Re: Nortriptyline for sleep / how much weight gain? » SLS, posted by ihatedrugs on August 20, 2009, at 23:09:55

> Can Nortriptyline be taken while on the emsam patch?

My best guess is that there should not be a problem. I had been on a combination of the two drugs briefly. The only problem I had is that adding the Emsam made me feel dysphoric. I quit the drug trial after a week. I never took my blood pressure. The bottom line is that both my doctor and I felt that the combination was safe enough and worth trying.

Now, supposedly, it is safer to add the MAOI to the TCA than adding the TCA to the MAOI. I never had a problem doing it either way.


- Scott

 

Re: Nortriptyline for sleep / how much weight gain? » SLS

Posted by ihatedrugs on August 21, 2009, at 22:24:08

In reply to Re: Nortriptyline for sleep / how much weight gain? » ihatedrugs, posted by SLS on August 20, 2009, at 23:27:08

> > Can Nortriptyline be taken while on the emsam patch?
>
> My best guess is that there should not be a problem. I had been on a combination of the two drugs briefly. The only problem I had is that adding the Emsam made me feel dysphoric. I quit the drug trial after a week. I never took my blood pressure. The bottom line is that both my doctor and I felt that the combination was safe enough and worth trying.
>
> Now, supposedly, it is safer to add the MAOI to the TCA than adding the TCA to the MAOI. I never had a problem doing it either way.
>
>
> - Scott

Thank you so much!

 

Re: Nortriptyline for sleep / how much weight gain? » Maxime

Posted by Sunbath on August 22, 2009, at 6:56:24

In reply to Re: Nortriptyline for sleep / how much weight gain? » Sunbath, posted by Maxime on August 18, 2009, at 15:07:38

Thnx Maxime, please could you also tell me what dose you took?

At the moment I'm on ~37,5mg (the 3rd day on Nortriptyline, started with 25)
Tolerating it very well so far..

 

Re: Nortriptyline for sleep / how much weight gain? » Sunbath

Posted by maxime on August 22, 2009, at 18:03:02

In reply to Re: Nortriptyline for sleep / how much weight gain? » Maxime, posted by Sunbath on August 22, 2009, at 6:56:24

> Thnx Maxime, please could you also tell me what dose you took?
>
> At the moment I'm on ~37,5mg (the 3rd day on Nortriptyline, started with 25)
> Tolerating it very well so far..
>
>

I was on 75 mg.

 

thnx a lot Maxime! (nm) » maxime

Posted by Sunbath on August 22, 2009, at 19:08:23

In reply to Re: Nortriptyline for sleep / how much weight gain? » Sunbath, posted by maxime on August 22, 2009, at 18:03:02


This is the end of the thread.


Show another thread

URL of post in thread:


Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ


[dr. bob] Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD, bob@dr-bob.org

Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.