Amitriptyline/nortriptyline for abdominal wall pain

First, that’s a lot of pain—and I hope you get relief…I am familiar with amitriptyline which helped several of my issues. All my docs are okay with it, including the osteopath and the oncologist…Normally an antidepressant given at 150mg—off-label for pain it is 5 or 10mg…. It can make you sleepy, so best taken at night…it also can make you thirsty…your docs probably have checked for any interactions with meds you are taking, for it to be safe for you. Good luck.

I understand your concerns about side effects of taking drugs to help a problem only to create different problems. You may want to review what others are discussing about adhesions and nerve entrapments. They may have ideas of non-medical options.

- Abdominal Cutaneous Nerve Entrapment Syndrome (ACNES) Discussion
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/acnes-abdominal-cutaneous-nerve-entrapment-syndrome/
- Abdominal adhesion, symptoms, and therapy or surgery? Discussion
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/abdominal-adhesion-symptoms-and-therapy-or-surgery/
If you haven’t reviewed, here is information drugs your gastroenterologist recommends:
- VeryWell Health Nortriptyline vs Amitriptyline
https://www.verywellhealth.com/nortriptyline-vs-amitriptyline-similarities-and-differences-8410179
- Mayo Clinic Nortriptolyne Overview
https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/nortriptyline-oral-route/description/drg-20071998
- Mayo Clinic Amitriptyline
https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/amitriptyline-oral-route/description/drg-20072061
I am tagging @artemis1886, @findbecky and @emo. They may have information from their or a family member’s experience with amitriptyline or nortriptyline that may help you. While you wait for them, and others to comment here you may want to search for the drugs from the home page. From there you can browse through what others have been discussing.

You mention having issues. If you are comfortable it may help others to know how to comment if you provide more about the symptoms/problems you are having. Also, do you have specific concerns about either of these drugs, and do you take other medications that may interact?

@jlharsh wish I could provide more insight, but I take Amitriptyline to help prevent migraines. I’ve been on a steady dose of 100mg nightly for almost a year now (working up from 10mg) and haven’t experienced any side effects myself.
I wish you all the best.

Amitriptyline causes sleepiness and weight gain. I can’t take it. I will sleep all day. I gained weigh my normal size 8 and I got up to a size 20, My weight went back down when I went off of it.

It makes me pass out. Horrible drug if you ask me but I can see all our bodies are different.

@findbecky what would happen if you reduce the dose ?

@mj50 wow ! Not the med for you ! Was your dose more than 1omg ?

@nycmusic it would not help with migraine prevention if I had a lower dose. I started at 10mg initially and kept a log of my migraines. My doctor had me slowly work up to a dose that prevented 75% of my migraines each month - which is how I ended up at 100mg.

@nycmusic I honestly don't remember since it was quite a while ago. But it was prescribed for sleep and it just knocked my out for days on end. If they're giving you a low dose, perhaps that's the difference. Interesting.

I have taken 10 to 15 MG of amitriptyline for over 20 years because epigastric abdominal pain that took 18 years to diagnose. It actually was MALS. I had success surgery and decided to keep taking it because it helps me sleep at night. I have had no side effects from this medication.