Amitriptyline

[Debbimac]

I take Amitriptyline for nerve pain,20mg at night,which work well. However on occasions they don't work so well and I step it up to 30mg,this improves my pain relief. I never know how long to continue on the higher dose before I step down to 20mg again? Could you please advise.

[Dr Sandeep Bawa]

Hi,

Your GP should be able to advise you regarding dosaging - in practice going up to 30mg should not be a problem - we occasionally use higher doses - but this would depend on any other medication you take/ side effects etc etc.

please make an appointment to speak to your GP for clarification.

Hope that helps

Dr Bawa

[wendygreen]

Hi,

I'm glad that the amitriptyline is helping with your nerve pain - however I'd still recommend following all of the lifestyle advice within this online clinic, as this could also help you to manage your pain, so that you're less reliant on this drug. As I'm sure you're aware, as well as potential benefits, all drugs have unwanted side effects.

In particular you may benefit from a referral to a physiotherapist, who should be able to show you some exercises that will help to correct the specific causes of your nerve pain - for example bulging discs often improve with suitable exercises.

Also, assuming it's a disc problem that's causing your nerve pain - watching your posture may help to relieve the pressure on the discs and nerves, thereby easing your symptoms. In a nutshell, aim to keep your ears, shoulders and hips aligned.

I hope this helps.

Wendy