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[shrosphirelass]

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?

[CLKD]

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?

[Lyncola]

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

[CLKD]

 

[shrosphirelass]

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!

[CLKD]

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?

[shrosphirelass]

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

[CLKD]

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

[shrosphirelass]

Am planning on starting on Thursday if no improvement (a week after the last treatment session). Hoping for a miracle in the meantime!

[CLKD]

I really feel for you, facial pain is tiring. 

[Lyncola]

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. 

[Annie0710]

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

[Sparrow]

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.

[shrosphirelass]

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%!

[Sparrow]

It's complicated stuff isn't it.

Do hope you get it sorted soon as I know how draining pain can be.