GRcade

Has anyone had any experience with this medicine?

It's an antidepressant, yet I was prescribed a minimal dose (10mg before bed) for a suspected pinched intercostal nerve. But I feel strange on it. Weak, light headed, confused, bad memory, fuzzy vision with a strange dream-like sensation and bad co-ordination. And I feel really groggy when I wake up.

It's only been since thursday I've been taking them. A friend says I should stick it out and the side effects will vanish but I want to stop taking them now.

Stop taking it and see the doctor ASAP.

Yeah I will I think. Plus, for the first time ever, I just successfully guessed the next song to come on my music player's shuffle (out of a list of 410 songs) - which only adds to the dream-like sensation I've been feeling!

Double the dosage.

Nah, I'll do some research into their 'recreational' value and see if I can sell the bastards on.

God knows, those little blue Valiums (with the MSJ logo) are popular enough around here...

Lotus wrote:

~Earl Grey~ wrote:A friend says I should stick it out and the side effects will vanish but I want to stop taking them now.

Wat. Don't do this.

Which of the two (completely opposing) scenarios I offered for consideration should I not do?

Lot's of antidepressants have side effects, and most of these effects subside after a few weeks.

Just one of the things that happen when you mess with the bodies serotonin levels. Go online and see if other people are experiencing the same effects. I

I'm not a doctor but It sounds a bit odd being prescribed antidepressants for a trapped nerve.

Ironhide wrote:I'm not a doctor but It sounds a bit odd being prescribed antidepressants for a trapped nerve.

That's exactly what I thought.

I told the doctor that this is a source of discomfort and worry, so alarm bells rang when he said he was going to put me on these. In fact, he interrupted me a few times and seemed very keen to usher me out the door.

On the other hand, some Web research indicates that the dosage I'm on is used to tread a host of sundry ailments from bedwetting to migraines.

I've got another appointment Thursday, so I might mention all this - in addition to me saying about how I'm not taking well to these pills.

Another suspicious thing is how the doctor seemed to entertain the idea of a rib having been broken, then reset in a funny way, but not prioritise eliminating whether or not said rib is physically poking into my lung (which it feels like) over investigating the nerve angle.

I had a chest X-ray, which didn't show anything - but then the doctor told me the chest X-ray isn't even calibrated for bone! Soft tissue only...

Your doctor sounds gooseberry fool.

Amitryptilline is one of the first treatments for neuropathic pain. It has a 1 in 3 success rate.

It is an old tricyclic antidepressant (still used today), but the effective dose there would be 50mg +. The standard dose for pain is 10mg or 25mg - there will be no antidepressant effect.

But, these types of drugs have a nice hangover effect and make you feel drowsy. You cannot drink on them, and should take it around 8 or 9pm (so as to lessen the sleepiness the next day).

The effects do not wear off over time. There are other nasty side effects, but they are very individual.

It is up to you if you stop them. It is a tradeoff - is the pain better with them? Can you put up with the side effects? If you do not want them, go back to your GP and ask for an alernative treatment (there are plenty).

By the way - I teach this shite.

Codeine is the only way forward.

rawandpeace wrote:Codeine is the only way forward.

I hear that!

Wish I could get some.

And some Codeine...

We rarely use Amitriptyline as an anti depressant now. Your side effects seem consistent with strong pain killers. I wouldn't worry unduly.