Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => Other Health Discussion => Topic started by: shrosphirelass on March 21, 2021, 11:44:12 AM
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I have been in more or less constant pain for nearly 3 months caused by dental issues. I have had 2 root canals which are both yet to be completed due to continuing issues. The dentist has suggested that I may be experiencing nerve pain and has suggested taking low dose amitriptyline. I was prescribed this a few years ago for headaches / migraines but only took it for a few days as it made me feel sick and dizzy so I'm a bit nervous about it, but am desperate to be pain free. Has anyone any experiences of it and what sort of dosage?
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Morning. Sorry that I haven't asked how you are recently, there's been a bit of a hassle with Mother ::). Sorry that you are still in pain, I remember toothache well.
I was given it for trigenimal neuralgia and it did nowt :-\
Could you be referred to an oral-maxillary surgeon?
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Hi shrosphirelass,
Yes I’m taking Amitriptyline for Facial Pain Syndrome (headache, jaw and face pain that comes and goes and moves to different parts of my face or head. Started with year of sinus pain always the headaches and facial pain. I was going to my dentist complaining of sore teeth, they told me nothing was wrong. In the end my doctor sent me to a ENT specialist. And after a scan that picked up nothing, I explain the pain and got told I have facial pain syndrome. The ENT specialist started me on amitriptyline in December on 10mg. I started improving but got to six weeks and started getting worse again? Two weeks ago they up my dose to 20mg. I seem to be improving again.
The only side effects I had was being sleepy, but as my doctor said the side effects will go away in a week or two. When I started on the 10mg it made me very sleepy, I found when I went to 20mg my side effects didn’t last as long.
I don’t know why I have this problem, my doctor had never heard of it when I told her. I think it’s menopausal related as with all my other random body pains.
If you do give it a go, try low dose, the side effects will past, so maybe take it easy for a week or two. After 6 weeks it should be doing it’s job and no pain, if you still got pain you might have to up the dose.
Good luck, and let me know how you go
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:thankyou:
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Thanks both, great to hear it worked for you Lycola. Im going to wait until the end of the week to see if the root canal treatment makes it settle then I am going to try it. Off to brave the pharmacy to pick up the prescription later!
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I wonder how long Amitriptyline will take to 'kick in' ? Would it be wise to take it sooner rather than later, in case any dental intervention aggravates the area?
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Apparently from reading research articles, it starts to kick in after a few days which is much quicker than the 3 weeks that it would take for antidepressents
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My ADs kicked in almost immediately ;) but it was 3-4 months B4 I began to feel benefit.
What have you decided - to wait or get Amitriptyline into your system
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Am planning on starting on Thursday if no improvement (a week after the last treatment session). Hoping for a miracle in the meantime!
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I really feel for you, facial pain is tiring.
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I believe it can take up to two weeks to start working. And up to 6 weeks for the full effect. If it doesn’t work after six weeks it’s not going to.
I believe it took a week to feel any reduction in pain and slowly it kept improving. But at five weeks it slowed down and I went a little bit backwards, so that’s why they put my up too 20mg. It’s been two and a half weeks now and I seem to be improving again.
The ENT specialist said once they find the right dose for me (I see him every two months) that I would be on it for one year. At that point they will ween me off, and see how I go. If the pain comes back they will put me back on again.
Please let us know how you get on and good luck and hopefully not much side effects. I don’t mind the being sleepy, I go to sleep really quickly. And the still feel groggy and sleepy in the morning only lasted for about one week.
My last tip before I go, I was told to take it 12 hours before you woke up in the morning. So for me I get up early like 5.30am every morning, so I take it with my dinner so about 5.15pm. :D
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I have been in more or less constant pain for nearly 3 months caused by dental issues. I have had 2 root canals which are both yet to be completed due to continuing issues. The dentist has suggested that I may be experiencing nerve pain and has suggested taking low dose amitriptyline. I was prescribed this a few years ago for headaches / migraines but only took it for a few days as it made me feel sick and dizzy so I'm a bit nervous about it, but am desperate to be pain free. Has anyone any experiences of it and what sort of dosage?
I was given it for nerve pain in my back 10-20mg
I LOVED it, took the pain away, I always slept well BUT it made my dry eye so bad I was warned how my corneas were suffering and so had to stop :(
I now have to suffer the back pain and deal with the already dry eye
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Am planning on starting on Thursday if no improvement (a week after the last treatment session). Hoping for a miracle in the meantime!
There is such a thing as memory pain, where the cause of the pain is cured but the nerves still respond.
It often happens when we experience pain for long periods, such as your case. There are ways to overcome this. If you do a Google, there are help websites which may be useful.
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Shadyglade I don't think it's memory pain its that the nerves have been disturbed by the treatmnent and need to settle, though Im not a 100%!
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It's complicated stuff isn't it.
Do hope you get it sorted soon as I know how draining pain can be.
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Id rather they took the molar out, but the dentist wont as he says that if he does that I may still have the pain, but of course we don't know.
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Hi shrosphirelass,
Yes I’m taking Amitriptyline for Facial Pain Syndrome (headache, jaw and face pain that comes and goes and moves to different parts of my face or head. Started with year of sinus pain always the headaches and facial pain. I was going to my dentist complaining of sore teeth, they told me nothing was wrong. In the end my doctor sent me to a ENT specialist. And after a scan that picked up nothing, I explain the pain and got told I have facial pain syndrome. The ENT specialist started me on amitriptyline in December on 10mg. I started improving but got to six weeks and started getting worse again? Two weeks ago they up my dose to 20mg. I seem to be improving again.
The only side effects I had was being sleepy, but as my doctor said the side effects will go away in a week or two. When I started on the 10mg it made me very sleepy, I found when I went to 20mg my side effects didn’t last as long.
I don’t know why I have this problem, my doctor had never heard of it when I told her. I think it’s menopausal related as with all my other random body pains.
If you do give it a go, try low dose, the side effects will past, so maybe take it easy for a week or two. After 6 weeks it should be doing it’s job and no pain, if you still got pain you might have to up the dose.
Good luck, and let me know how you go
I bravely started the amatryptiline last night and I was very surprised at how groggy and other worldy Ive felt all day. Hope this doesn't last too long. This morning I don't think I could have driven and been safe!
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You should get used to it but take it 7pm ish
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The grogginess should improve a little bit each day. What mg have they started you on?
I found the grogginess improved as the day went on.
Remember to take the medicine 12 hours before your usual wake up time.
I actually like that part of the medicine, not the first week of grogginess but the fact I fall to sleep very easily.
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Not quite so bad today, but didn't sleep well but that's probably down to the tooth / jaw discomfort. Only started on 10mg. Have a low grade headache / general muzzyness feeling, same yesterday.
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Hopefully it will improve everyday, it was over a week before I saw any improvement. Have they told you to go back in 6-8 weeks so they can check to see if the medication is working?
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The prescription (via a nurse practitioner on the advice of the dentist) was only for 28 days, so Im going to have to make another appointment for a review. Felt very tired first thing but less groggy for the rest of the day today, so that's a great improvement. Pain is also a bit better but I don't know whether that's the amatriptyline or the root canal healing.
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It can take up to six weeks to work and feel the full effects, so my ent specialist gets me to come back after 2 months. Because how ever I feel then it’s not going to change.
And my box of amatriptyline came as a box of 50 and I was over giving my script with 3 repeats.
I’m happy to hear you’re starting to get over the side effects and feeling better
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Hi shrosphirelass,
Just wondering how you are going with Amitriptyline? Any improvement?
I hit the four week mark and the facial pain seems to be getting worse again? I will continue on my medication and hopefully it will improve. If not I’ve got appointment early May. I don’t understand why I start improving then go backwards.
I hope the medication is working on you
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Thanks for asking Lyncola, I am still really sluggish in the morning and generally more tired than normal, but ok apart from that. My teeth are much better (don't know if its related or not) but Im still aware of something in my jaw. I have a phone appoimntment with my GP for a review next week so Ill see what he says, he's pretty good when I actually get to speak to him.
My sister takes amitryptyline for IBS and she had to keep increasng up to around 60mg and she has now been on this dose for years and it has changed ger life. Maybe you need a bit more too.
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Glad to hear your feeling a bit better, I’ve got IBS too, never had a problem before menopause, I managed it with avoiding food that triggers me. But I can be up and down and I’ve noticed amitriptyline hasn’t made any difference when I do have a bad day.
The facial pain has seem to improve a bit again? Let me know how your GP appointment goes :bighug:
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How is the facial pain?
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THanks for asking CLKD , it is improved but still there. I don't think the amitriptyline is having much effect but will carry on with it until I finish the dental treatment. Ive got part 4 of the root canal next week if he thinks its viable with the low grade pain still there. Not looking forward to that but tbh Id do anything if there was a guarantee Id be pain free!
Lyncola The GP wouldn't put them on my repeat. He gave me two months more then said I should wean myself off the which I agree with, but if the pain gets worse stopping them Ill have to restart. How are you doing?
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Hi Shropshirelass,
I too have face pain and TMJ but mine is caused by stress clenching. There is a good exercise video on Youtube for TMJ by Adam Fields (American and who is very easy on the eye by the way ;)), I have just started doing them so am hopeful it will help my head, jaw and neck pain.
Hope you manage to find some easing of your symptoms?
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Still two weeks until my ENT specialist appointment. And I get good days and bad. But since starting amitriptyline I haven’t had a 100% pain free day? It improves but then goes backward after 4-6
I will ask him if that’s normal until I find the right level of medication. I question Dr Que Hee how long I could be on this medication. He said once they find the right level for me I will be on it for one year, then they will ween me off. If the pain comes back they will but me back on.
Good luck on root canal
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Any updates Girls?
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Thanks for asking CLKD,
After being moved up to 20mg off Amitriptyline and having 13- 25 facial pain and headaches per day. I had my ENT appointment and expected to be moved up on 30mg or something. Well my ENT specialist decided that it wasn’t working and took me off. I’m now taking Pregabalin (which is a nerve blocker) been on it for a week, and now getting 70- to over 100 facial pain and headaches :'(
Going by my doctor I have to allow 4-6 weeks for it to work. Then they will up the dose. If it doesn’t work I’m making appointment in August for a neurologist. Yesterday I got to talk to my doctor about what neurologist I want. I’ll pointed out how much worse I am without Amitriptyline. She agreed and said must of been doing more then we thought. I asked her if the new medication doesn’t work and the neurologist can’t help me, could I go back on Amitriptyline. She said yes that she would allow me to have it. I told her I didn’t understand why Dr Qu He didn’t up my dose of Amitriptyline. She told my she agreed with him about the level I was on. And that the benefits of Amitriptyline must outweigh the negatives.
Will keep you informed, hopefully Pregabalin will kick in, if not I’m happy to hear my doctor will let me go on Amitriptyline again.
Hope your feeling better shrosphirelass?
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I'm so sorry to hear you are feeling so bad Lyncola. I do hope the meds kick in soon. I know my sister has been on 50mg of amitriplyline for years so I'm surprised they didn't try you on that.
I have been quite good. For the last couple of weeks my pain level has been at a discomfort level and truly wonderful. However, yesterday I got that naggging toothache feeling again. I'm hoping its neuralgia aggravated by hay fever.
Ive had one root canal completed (and waiting for a crown) and have the first second part of 2nd root canal; (which is a reroot treatment as the 1st dentist missed one of the roots) scheduled for early July. By the time all my dental treatment is finished its going to be September and hopefully I will be pain free.
I'm still taking 10mg amitriptyline but don't thing it makes any difference. For me I'm convinced its all dental realted and my next course of action is to have the tooth out if the pain continues.
Thanks CKLD for asking and let us know how you get on Lyncola. I really feel for you, pain is just dreadful.
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Update
How are you going shrosphirelass?
My update is my wisdom teeth did after 8 weeks get better and stopped hurting me. My headaches and facial pains are still on going, I’ve hadn’t had a headache, facial pain free day since October 2020.
I’m now on 87.5mg off amitriptyline. On Christmas Eve I will be on 100mg, the highest I’m allowed to use. I thought it was improving slowly with an average of 10-15 per day. But the last four days has been backwards. This does happened to me, I get three days of what I call sinus pains, but my doctor and neurologist say it isn’t sinus. The pain runs down my cheek and puts a pain through the top of my front teeth. That started in August the pain in the mouth had my dentist look when I was complaining about my wisdom teeth and she said there’s nothing wrong there, could it be sinus?
Anyway I’m going back to see my neurologist in February ( was supposed to be about now, but couldn’t get an appointment until end of January, and then on Thursday they rang up and said he having the day off and moved me to 9th of February).
So I thought I would update everyone and see how you all are going?
Big hugs from Australia and Merry Christmas :)
Lyncola ;D
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Facial pain is awful :-\. I had neuralgia for several months in the 1990s and Amitriptyline made no difference. I can still feel the area where the stabbing pain ended up, it's like a bruise.
After all that while I would, in the New Year, stop taking it.
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Pain feeling better today, I know what you all are saying about coming of amitriptyline. But before I went on it I was about 70-100 times a day at least. Now I’m about 8-14 on a good day, with a bad about 5 days a month, where the pain is constant or about 25 times a day. So I am better on amitriptyline then off.
He did put me on a different medication, it made no difference, thank god. I did research on the medication, you only supposed to take it for two weeks. And it’s supposed to help heal broken bones. Plus it affected my IBS big time. Why would he put me on medication that you are not supposed to take for a long time. The risk was heart attacks. Silly man.
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Sorry things are not much improved Lyncola. Ive been good, my issues are teeth related mainly though I do think that stress causes a big part. I get twinges and they are often after episodes of stress and I think maybe I clamp down and this causes the pain. I also get dreadful stomach pains which are stress related.
I am having my crowns done in February and hoping that this doesn't unsettle things. The dentist suggested this was a possibility. Anyway, I hope you manage to have a restful Christmas and Seasons greetings to you all.
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Glad to hear your doing better shrosphirelass. Merry Christmas to you and I hope all goes well with your crowns in February :)