Shown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by jen C. on August 23, 2000, at 15:45:00
Okay here we go again with medication switch. This time it is because
Elvalil is cheaper than Rebox. Please someone tell me that I will not be nauseous
on this as I was on prozac and Effexor. I can't take that again! My doc has
started me on 50mg per day. Is this too high of a starting dose? He says to take
it at bedtime. I know about the probability of weight gain, but if this gives me
relief from the misery, I'll take a few pounds extra. I'm also losing weight rapidly as
I have no apetite whatsoever. Someone please PLEASE give me some hope about this med! I've heard
that all the new drugs are compared to it so it must be something good! Please tell me if I'm right
that the most common side effects are drowsiness, constipation,sweating,blurry vision, and < sigh > weight
gain. Please tell me I don't have to put up with the debilitating sickness that I have had. I know I sound like
I'm obsessing, I'm just desperate to find a tricyclic that will work, and my doc told me to try this one and I
don't know much about it. Please help gang!many many thanks for all replies!
jen C
Posted by bee on August 23, 2000, at 16:29:05
In reply to Elvalil....please NO horror stories! HELP!, posted by jen C. on August 23, 2000, at 15:45:00
Jen
I have been on Elavil, off and on (mostly on), for 10 years. I have tried all the SSRIs and couldn't stay on them.
The Elavil works great for my depression. I am currently on 80 mg. It does give me dry mouth and carbohydrate cravings. I know this because if I decrease, the cravings for cakes, cookies, etc... stops. I have gained weight.
I never noticed increased sweating. I know imipramine caused increased sweating but not this drug.
It did not make me nauseous. I sometimes feel faint if I get up too quick.
Right now, I am going to try another tricyclic to see if I can get away from the cravings.
So, for depression, insomnia and anxiety, the Elavil worked great! The highest I went up to when I was badly depressed was 150 mg. At that dose, I slept great!!
Good luck.
Bee
Posted by stjames on August 23, 2000, at 17:42:44
In reply to Re: Elvalil....please NO horror stories! HELP!, posted by bee on August 23, 2000, at 16:29:05
> Right now, I am going to try another tricyclic to see if I can get away from the cravings.
>James here....
Don't expect a different TCA to not have these cravings. Doxipin is the worst of all the TCA's
in this respect. Excellent AD, though.james
Posted by bee on August 23, 2000, at 19:10:04
In reply to Re: Elvalil....please NO horror stories! HELP!, posted by stjames on August 23, 2000, at 17:42:44
I thought that Elavil was the worst for the cravings and that is why I am trying something different. God, I hope not! I'm pretty well down to a few last medicines to try and am getting disheartened.
I realize that everyone reacts different to medications so it may work. Any other thoughts or medications that give you good sleep, no anxiety or nervousness, and no cravings?
Keep in mind that I live in Canada so some medications may not be here.
Help, please!
>
> > Right now, I am going to try another tricyclic to see if I can get away from the cravings.
> >
>
> James here....
>
> Don't expect a different TCA to not have these cravings. Doxipin is the worst of all the TCA's
> in this respect. Excellent AD, though.
>
> james
Posted by jen C. on August 23, 2000, at 19:35:50
In reply to Re: Elvalil....please NO horror stories! HELP!, posted by bee on August 23, 2000, at 16:29:05
Bee,
Thanks for the reply. This gives me hope that maybe I won't need a really high dose so maybe I
won't gain weight if I watch my cravings. Good to know about the nausea though or lack thereof.
Good luck in your search. Desipramine might be better for you if you can stand the activation of it.
I took Reboxetine for almost a year which is a cleaner version of Desipramine...or so I've been told. I hated to go
off Rebox because of its not being available here and to expensive to import. I thnk it was begining to
poop out on me anyway. Oh well, here's to Elvalil!jen
Jen
>
> I have been on Elavil, off and on (mostly on), for 10 years. I have tried all the SSRIs and couldn't stay on them.
>
> The Elavil works great for my depression. I am currently on 80 mg. It does give me dry mouth and carbohydrate cravings. I know this because if I decrease, the cravings for cakes, cookies, etc... stops. I have gained weight.
>
> I never noticed increased sweating. I know imipramine caused increased sweating but not this drug.
>
> It did not make me nauseous. I sometimes feel faint if I get up too quick.
>
> Right now, I am going to try another tricyclic to see if I can get away from the cravings.
>
> So, for depression, insomnia and anxiety, the Elavil worked great! The highest I went up to when I was badly depressed was 150 mg. At that dose, I slept great!!
>
> Good luck.
>
> Bee
Posted by Phil on August 23, 2000, at 19:59:50
In reply to Elvalil....please NO horror stories! HELP!, posted by jen C. on August 23, 2000, at 15:45:00
jen C,
Elavil, amitriptyline, is one ass-kicker of an AD. I took it for several years, a few of those at 250 mg. You will probably gain a little weight.
I liked the drug in that I had more energy than on any drug since. Slept better than I ever have in my life.
My overall weight gain was probably 15 pounds but alot of that was muscle mass from running and biking my ass off! Lot's of energy!!
Beware of chocolate..don't even think about it. :-)
Good luck with it.
Phil
Posted by SarahB on August 23, 2000, at 20:17:46
In reply to Elvalil....please NO horror stories! HELP!, posted by jen C. on August 23, 2000, at 15:45:00
Hi, Jen! I loved Elavil! It was the only AD that has ever really worked for me, I was at 75mgs a day it it was wonderful! I actually lost weight on it! (no more comforting myself with food)... good luck, it's a good one!
Sarah
Posted by jen C. on August 23, 2000, at 21:55:36
In reply to Re: Elvalil....please NO horror stories! HELP!, posted by SarahB on August 23, 2000, at 20:17:46
> Hi, Jen! I loved Elavil! It was the only AD that has ever really worked for me, I was at 75mgs a day it it was wonderful! I actually lost weight on it! (no more comforting myself with food)... good luck, it's a good one!
> SarahSarah,
Woohoo! That sounds great! I hope this one does the trick. After Rebox and Prozac
I am at a loss as to what to do. I hated the weight gain on Prozac and Rebox was great til
now (plus it's not available here) so I have to try this. I am so glad that it seems to be
doing well for some...and that the side effects aren't hideous like effexor. That I could NOT
take again. I'm glad you've had success on it and I look forward to a decent night's sleep
without an antihistamine tommorrow night! Thanks so much for the reply!jen
Posted by jen C. on August 23, 2000, at 21:59:44
In reply to Re: Elvalil....please NO horror stories! HELP!, posted by Phil on August 23, 2000, at 19:59:50
Thanks Phil, I'll keep that in mind! I appreciate all the
great replies I've gotten. I'm getting more and more
psyched up to take the dose tommorrow night now.< g > Thanks for the info!
Take care!jen
jen C,
>
> Elavil, amitriptyline, is one ass-kicker of an AD. I took it for several years, a few of those at 250 mg. You will probably gain a little weight.
> I liked the drug in that I had more energy than on any drug since. Slept better than I ever have in my life.
> My overall weight gain was probably 15 pounds but alot of that was muscle mass from running and biking my ass off! Lot's of energy!!
> Beware of chocolate..don't even think about it. :-)
> Good luck with it.
> Phil
Posted by stjames on August 24, 2000, at 2:14:43
In reply to Doxepin the worst for cravings, really?, posted by bee on August 23, 2000, at 19:10:04
I hope not! I'm pretty well down to a few last medicines to try and am
getting disheartened.
I realize that everyone reacts different to medications so it may work.
Any other thoughts or medications that give you good sleep, no anxiety or
nervousness, and no cravings?
Keep in mind that I live in Canada so some medications may not be here.
Help, please!
James here....Most people find doxipin the most sedating. It is also the worst for
cravings like sugar and chocolate. I started taking AD's in 1985, b4 there
was Prozac, so I have been on several TCA's. Doxipin for me was the
strongest AD of the TCA's and also most sedating and most anticolonergic.
Cravings were nothing on Elivil compared to doxipin.This is fun Bee, you are just like me ! Only the nor-e effecting meds work
on me too; you and I have the same reactions to meds. I've been on all the meds except the MAOI's and AP's. Prozac was the only one I could
tolarete, and I stuck it out for 3 months, the last one at 40mgs. Nothing. Like a cup of espresso with milk. I'm on Effexor and
Remeron, now, either would be a good possibility for you. Since Effexor is prescribed in
your country it seems your choices are few. For me Effexor does not cause
cravings. There may be ways for you to get Remeron thru some manufacture programs.Sleep, well Effexor is not so good about that, your best bet w/o Remeron
would be to take a small dose of whatever TCA, at night, hopefully enough
for sleep will not cause the cravings.Ok. Here is some advice from an old time hand when it comes
to depression. Mine started in 1980-01 and I was medicated in 1985.
1985 is very special to me. I call it my "Summer of Love"
as this is when the sleeper awakened from his sleep of several years.
I found I have made some poor choices while depressed. I was a few credits
from a music degree and all I wanted to do is get away from music for a
while. Being creative while depressed is a chore but is a joy if I am not. I had
more or less ended a long term relationship with Mr. Wonderful when I told him
I could not be present for now but please don't go. Actually I had not been present
for 2 years so John did not see this as a good sign, and left. A simple act could of
stopped this but by 83-84 I was incapable of being there for someone I am still in love
with.You are wondering about the advice, eh ? Do remember I have ADD ! Depression is
a significant, chronic process. Depression is like cancer, find it, medicate and treat it
aggressively for a while and back off and see what happens. If undertreated it will come
back and get worse. My depression has been well controlled since 1985
but I do have breakthru depression every 5 yrs or so. When they happen
they are far worse that the worst pre med. I don't wash, do change clothes don't
leave the house. The first time it happened I ran thru clothes at about the 3 month mark.
Even I would not wear my clothes at that point ! I managed to do a load of clothes.
I decided it was better to throw away the rest. I did save the good clothes, but after 7 years
in retail management I had a mazillion tee shirts of all sizes and type and a 90 day supply of
daily Calvin's plus boxers whice went in the bin. I had been using my clean clothes as towels for some time
for my weekly bath, at that point the cats avoided me if it got too bad, like at a week, so they helped as best they could.Remember that the 2 common side effects in AD's , generally, are weight and issues of sex function/drive. No AD is free of these effects in a majority of the population. Some can find med(s) that only have one of these effects and a lucky few find something that has none of these.
There are augmentation strategies for the sex function/drive issue. The weight issue is coming along with why many people gain weight, in general. Depression is a big deal, so I am glad there are meds to treat it and I will deal with the (side) effects. I'm happy. I've been real happy since I left the retail rat race (1995) . New Mexico heals.
Peace and love from the high desert of northern New Mexico,Saint James
mailto:the_saint_james@yahoo.com
http://www.la-tierra.com/stjames"J'ai seul la clef de cette parade sauvage."
Les Illuminations, Arthur Rimbaud (1854-1891)
Posted by adniL on August 24, 2000, at 20:41:50
In reply to Elvalil....please NO horror stories! HELP!, posted by jen C. on August 23, 2000, at 15:45:00
There's always hope. Anything is better than depression. I hope the Elavil works for you.
This is the end of the thread.
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