Tricyclic Antidepressants

Pain, mood, sleep, etc..

Question:

what does the melatonin actually do ? isnt that the stuff that is made naturally if u hang out in the sun ? why cant u use it more than a day or to , whats dangorous about it ? – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Like many on here, I have problems with pain that also go with my moods. I >find a.d’s have little, if nil, effect on pain. Yes, I use Tylenol #1’s for >pain…only a tiny bit of codiene…and I use it at the same amount, only as >needed. (So please, no speeches about "addiction" crapola..thank you:-) >I am now experimenting with a larger dose of a suppliment…melatonin. Yes, >I had problems with it before, but now only use it for 2 days at a time, >max! It was when I got into 4-5 days straight using it was a problem. With >some days of really bad pain, I am trying a small dose of codeine, and yes, >6mg of melatonin (I don’t advise anybody to take that…but that amount has >not proved any harm.). I find I can cut right down on my minimal benzo use, >and get a bit of a nice reflective, relaxed sleepy feeling before bed. (I am >a 6′2" 240 guy, so the amounts may reflect the need for larger doses.) >Whatever you do *DON’T USE MELATONIN STRAIGHT FOR MORE THEN A DAY OR TWO!* >Give it a few days rest before use again. >I am gonna try say two days on, then for a day or two, only take a tiny >amount like 0.5mg’s or something of melatonin. I am on Nortriptyline, but it >doesn’t help with the sleep. I am on Risperdal PRN in case everything goes >all whacky, but find I rarely need or use it anymore. >After about 7 or so years of all of this, I think I not only know my >body…I know what I am doing, and have the right to try out some new >things. >I *still* say the connection with depression is in our pain system, or part >of the cns that regulates pain. Pain, mood, sleep, energy, relaxation…I >think it is all connected. Now, if only the *drug companies* would get on >this! >Gesssh.. >Ciao >Jay

Response:

Hello Jay- >Like many on here, I have problems with pain that also go with my moods. I >find a.d’s have little, if nil, effect on pain. Yes, I use Tylenol #1’s for >pain…only a tiny bit of codiene…and I use it at the same amount, only as >needed. (So please, no speeches about "addiction" crapola..thank you:-)

I don’t think they are strong enough–but it depends on your pain.  I’m off to take a vicodin–I alternate vicodin and tylenol #3.  I don’t use them daily–but I might use them daily for up to 4 days, then take a few days off–depends on my pain levels. >I am now experimenting with a larger dose of a suppliment…melatonin. Yes, >I had problems with it before, but now only use it for 2 days at a time, >max! It was when I got into 4-5 days straight using it was a problem. With >some days of really bad pain, I am trying a small dose of codeine, and yes, >6mg of melatonin (I don’t advise anybody to take that…but that amount has >not proved any harm.). I find I can cut right down on my minimal benzo use, >and get a bit of a nice reflective, relaxed sleepy feeling before bed. (I am >a 6′2" 240 guy, so the amounts may reflect the need for larger doses.) >Whatever you do *DON’T USE MELATONIN STRAIGHT FOR MORE THEN A DAY OR TWO!* >Give it a few days rest before use again.

Melatonin is normally used to correct a sleep cycle that is off–for example, it works great for jet lag.  If your sleep patterns are fairly normal, there are other things much better than melatonin to help you sleep, eg., 5htp, L-tryptophan (script in usa and canada), valerian root, chamomile, etc.  Also, inositol, a form of b-vitamin really helps me sleep.  Also, melatonin is contraindicated in ppl with depression or bipolar–as it can mess with other neurotransmitter systems.  I must assume you have tried other things and melatonin works better for you–YMMV–if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. <g> >I am gonna try say two days on, then for a day or two, only take a tiny >amount like 0.5mg’s or something of melatonin. I am on Nortriptyline, but it >doesn’t help with the sleep. I am on Risperdal PRN in case everything goes >all whacky, but find I rarely need or use it anymore.

I hope your doctor knows what you are doing.  Nortriptyline is a tryciclic anti-depressant and they have pain releiving qualities–at least upon waking.  I took two of them for a while, and they did help the waking pain–but did not help me sleep as they were supposed to do.  I take 150 mg of trazadone at bedtime–it gets me to sleep.  I also take 100 mg of 5htp, inositol every night for sleep.  At 4 am, I take another 150 mg of trazadone and I can go back to sleep and get 8 to 9 hours of sleep.  Not all of it quality sleep–which is why I need so much sleep. Neurontin has been the best daily pain med and mood stablizer I’ve ever been on. It does not help me sleep–AFAICT–but my daily pain levels have gone from around a 7 to a 4, most days.  A major improvement. >After about 7 or so years of all of this, I think I not only know my >body…I know what I am doing, and have the right to try out some new >things.

This is why I assumed you have tried other things.  It takes time, trial and error to figure out what works for you and sometimes what works for you is not necessarily the recommendation of medicos.  Which is why I say, "if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it" If I’m "wired up" near bedtime, I either make a tea of valerian root, kava kava and chamomile or I take the extracts.  This will calm me down enough to fall asleep.  I don’t do this often.  And all my docs know what I take. >I *still* say the connection with depression is in our pain system, or part >of the cns that regulates pain. Pain, mood, sleep, energy, relaxation…I >think it is all connected. Now, if only the *drug companies* would get on >this!

I agree–but I find the medical community often mistakes depression for pain. If you are in daily pain, the kind Peter, Lynda, Sasha, I and others have–you are going to be depressed.  If you are already clinically depressed or bipolar, that depression can be devastating. The drug companies ARE researching the connections between pain and depression–which is how they found out that tryciclic ADs can help some pain patients.  And the combo of trycicllic ADs with some NSAIDS do seem to have pain releif for pain that is not caused by inflamation.  I tried it–but unfortunately, I had a very bad reaction to the Elavil and the NSAID–so it won’t work for me.  But, I DID see some results by the 3rd day–I had to stop the regime on the 5th day due to a serious health issue that developed. Frankly, I could not pee–and that is most uncomfortable and a major health risk. HTH, Nancy to email me, remove the Z. administrator/creator/moderator alt.med.fibromyalgia.recovery.info (moderated) alt.support.depression.manic.moderated

Response:

Filed under: Nortriptyline (Allegron)