Amitriptyline hydrochloride
Drug Name(s): generic only
Class: Antidepressants
Type: Tricyclic
Used off-label in the treatment of fibromyalgia.
Dosage
Form(s): tablet
10 to 50 mg once a day before bedtime
Special Instructions
Do not drive or perform other potentially dangerous activities until you know whether the medication will impair your ability to do them safely.
Take 2 to 3 hours before bed to reduce morning grogginess.
Talk to your doctor before stopping the drug. Your dose may need to be slowly reduced
Potential Side Effects
Constipation, dry mouth, groggy or drugged feeling, weight gain
Be Aware
Older adults and those with cardiovascular disease should use this drug with caution.
Combining this drug with alcohol or other depressants (including antihistamines, narcotics and some dental anesthetics) can make side effects more severe. Also, many of the medicines used to treat fibromyalgia work by boosting the amount of serotonin in your body. Taking two or more of them together could lead to a potentially life-threatening condition called serotonin syndrome. Symptoms usually begin within hours of combining the drugs and include confusion, agitation, irregular heartbeat, unstable blood pressure, tremors, muscle rigidity, nausea and vomiting. If you have these symptoms, stop taking your medication and seek immediate medical help.
Call your doctor if you experience dizziness, hallucinations, mania, muscle spasms, difficult speech, suicidal thoughts, unusual bleeding or bruising, arm or leg weakness or numbness or yellow skin or eyes
