Amitriptyline. It is an old style anti depressant which at low doses works as a muscle relaxant. I was reluctant tobtake it and for the first month I had to sleep 10 hours a night and had a foggy head. But honestly it helped every muscle in my body that had carried all the tension from the pain. Combined with steriods it was a godsend. The sleep effect wears off for most people but the muscle effects last much longer. I continue to take 10mg daily, and steriods on and off while I wait for biologics approval
Interesting. I’m a bit leery of any mood altering drugs, simply because from experience I have very strange reactions to them (Wellbutrin felt like taking speed to me, even at the starter dose), but I’ll keep it in mind.
I agree. My concerns were similar as I react so quickly to things. I onlybtried it because I had a GP who had PsA who suggested it.
Amittriptyline is a tricyclic and is incredibly effective for pain at low doses especially nerve pain. We are talking less than 10% of the starting dose as an anti-depressent.
Yes it has helped a lot with nerve pain too.
You too, huh?
Yup! I noticed it this year as I was on it several times and at one point at work I wanted to Hulk Smash a supervisor that I normally like. Took a step back and went, huh, that was a more extreme reaction than the offense really warranted, lol.
I laughed because Subliminal’s description was so … so … ME on 'roids! Not that it’s a laughing matter!
It is comforting to know I’m not the only one
I took low dose (10-20 mg) nortriptyline for neuropathy in my feet…it saved my life, I swear. I’m not sure, but I think it’s similar to amitriptyline. If you have neuropathy, I’d suggest trying–I’m very sensitive to meds and always take the lowest dose of anything. Nortriptyline stopped the neuropathy and it did have some interesting other effects, I worried way less while I was on that stuff. I think it caused an extremely dry mouth, but the benefits definitely outweighed the bothersome SEs.
Yeh, fair enough, not worth it if that’s the case! When my flares are bad, I seem to be able to take a truckload of prednisone before I notice that, but I’ve had it a bit, so I suspect I’m becoming tolerant to it (which is another problem all it’s own…)
Catchphrase for personal behavior on prednisone: “that escalated quickly”!!