E-tarded, I need some info.

[sinergygrl]

I am about to start taking Elavil. It is an anti depressant. However, I am not being prescribed the normal antidepressant dosage because I am not taking it for depression. To treat a person for depression they must have at least 150mg, I am only recieving 25mg. I am taking it because I have been having some health problems and the doctor can't figureout what it is, but has prescribed me elavil because it has been helpful to people in getting rid of the pain. Can I roll while on this? I know that it still somehow effects the saratonin, but I wasn't sure if it would make that much of a difference because the dosage is so low. Something I found on the internet said that:

A benefit that is supposed to help me is the blockage, or reabsorbtion of certain neurotransmitters (serotonin and noradrenaline) which cause the brainto misinterpret or ignore pain impulses.

Thanks!

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I'm going to a pretty place now where the flowers grow.

[saintjsc]

I'm not e-tarded..but i've seen bad cases of people mixing antidepressants with drugs.

Elavil General Information [posted 10/9/98]

Question: please tell me the do's and don't with this new pill called elavil

Answer: Elavil belongs to a class of drugs called tricyclics. They are effective for depression and pain control. Elavil is relatively sedating which can limit it usefulness. It takes about 3 weeks or longer for the antidepressant effect to begin, you will also experience a dry mouth and constipation. This pill can be very toxic in high doses and can cause cardiac arrthymias if not monitored correctly.

----------------------------------found on the elavil website--

Now being that it's some form of an anit- depressant ..no matter the dosage..this particular antidepressant will clearly raise seratonin levels.

MDMA depletes seratonin levels.

I think this may be a war and if I were you I know I wouldn't go ANYWHERE near Ecstasy.

just lookin out..

jsc

[e-tarded]

Some info on your meds

Amitriptyline tablets

What do amitriptyline tablets do?

AMITRIPTYLINE (Elavil®, Endep®) is an antidepressant. Amitriptyline can lift your spirits by treating your depression, especially if it is associated with sleep disturbance. Improvement of sleep patterns can be the first benefit of treatment. Your prescriber or health care professional may prescribe amitriptyline for other conditions, such as relief from nerve pain. Generic amitriptyline tablets are available.

What should my health care professional know before I take amitriptyline?

They need to know if you have any of these conditions:

•an alcohol problem

•asthma, difficulty breathing

•blood disorders or disease

•diabetes

•difficulty passing urine, prostate trouble

•glaucoma

•having intramuscular injections

•heart disease or previous heart attack

•liver disease

•over active thyroid

•Parkinson's disease

•schizophrenia

•seizures (convulsions)

•stomach disease

•an unusual or allergic reaction to amitriptyline, other medicines, foods, dyes, or preservatives

•pregnant or trying to get pregnant

•breast-feeding

How should I take this medicine?

Take amitriptyline tablets by mouth. Follow the directions on the prescription label. Swallow the tablets with a drink of water. You can take the tablets with or without food. Take your doses at regular intervals. Do not take your medicine more often than directed. Do not stop taking except on your prescriber's advice.

Contact your pediatrician or health care professional regarding the use of this medicine in children. Special care may be needed.

Adolescents, 12 to 18 years old, and elderly patients over 65 years old may have a stronger reaction to this medicine and need smaller doses.

What if I miss a dose?

If you miss a dose normally taken at bedtime to avoid daytime drowsiness, it may be better to miss that dose. If you take more than one dose a day and miss a dose, take it as soon as you can. If it is almost time for your next dose, take only that dose. Follow your prescriber's advice on missed doses. Do not take double or extra doses.

What other medicines can interact with amitriptyline?

Amitriptyline can interact with many other medicines. An interaction can be very important or fairly insignificant. Make sure your prescriber or health care professional knows about all other medicines you are taking. The most important medicines are listed below:

•alcohol

•barbiturate medicines for inducing sleep or treating seizures (convulsions)

•blood thinners

•cimetidine and ranitidine

•clonidine

•diltiazem

•female hormones, including contraceptive or birth control pills

•linezolid

•lithium

•medicines for anxiety or sleeping problems, such as diazepam or temazepam

•medicines for colds and breathing difficulties

•medicines for hay fever and other allergies

•medicines for mental problems and psychotic disturbances

•medicines for movement abnormalities as in Parkinson's disease, or for gastrointestinal problems

•other medicines for mental depression

•seizure (convulsion) or epilepsy medicine

•thyroid hormones

Tell your prescriber or health care professional about all other medicines you are taking, including non-prescription medicines, nutritional supplements, or herbal products. Also tell your prescriber or health care professional if you are a frequent user of drinks with caffeine or alcohol, if you smoke, or if you use illegal drugs. These may affect the way your medicine works. Check with your health care professional before stopping or starting any of your medicines.

What side effects may I notice from taking amitriptyline?

Side effects that you should report to your prescriber or health care professional as soon as possible:

•abnormal production of milk in females

•blurred vision or eye pain

•breast enlargement in both males and females

•confusion, hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that are not really there)

•difficulty breathing

•fainting spells

•fever with increased sweating

•irregular or fast, pounding heartbeat, palpitations

•muscle stiffness, or spasms

•pain or difficulty passing urine, loss of bladder control

•seizures (convulsions)

•sexual difficulties (decreased sexual ability or desire, difficulty ejaculating)

•stomach pain

•swelling of the testicles

•tingling, pain, or numbness in the feet or hands

•unusual weakness or tiredness

•yellowing of the eyes or skin

Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report to your prescriber or health care professional if they continue or are bothersome):

•anxiety

•constipation, or diarrhea

•drowsiness or dizziness

•dry mouth

•increased sensitivity of the skin to sun or ultraviolet light

•loss of appetite

•nausea, vomiting

•skin rash or itching

•weight gain or loss

What do I need to watch for while I take amitriptyline?

Visit your prescriber or health care professional for regular checks on your progress. It can take several days before you feel the full effect of amitriptyline.

If you have been taking amitriptyline regularly for some time, do not suddenly stop taking it. You must gradually reduce the dose or you may get severe side effects. Ask your prescriber or health care professional for advice. Even after you stop taking amitriptyline it can still affect your body for several days.

You may get drowsy or dizzy. Do not drive, use machinery, or do anything that needs mental alertness until you know how amitriptyline affects you. Do not stand or sit up quickly, especially if you are an older patient. This reduces the risk of dizzy or fainting spells. Alcohol may increase dizziness and drowsiness. Avoid alcoholic drinks.

Do not treat yourself for coughs, colds or allergies without asking your prescriber or health care professional for advice. Some ingredients can increase possible side effects.

Your mouth may get dry. Chewing sugarless gum or sucking hard candy, and drinking plenty of water will help.

Amitripyline may cause dry eyes and blurred vision. If you wear contact lenses you may feel some discomfort. Lubricating drops may help. See your ophthalmologist if the problem does not go away or is severe.

Amitriptyline may make your skin more sensitive to the sun. Keep out of the sun, or wear protective clothing outdoors and use a sunscreen. Do not use sun lamps or sun tanning beds or booths.

If you are diabetic, check your blood sugar more often than usual, especially during the first few weeks of treatment with amitriptyline. Amitriptyline can affect blood glucose (sugar) levels. Call your prescriber or health care professional for advice if you notice a change in the results of blood or urine glucose tests.

If you are going to have surgery, tell your prescriber or health care professional that you are taking amitriptyline.

Where can I keep my medicine?

Keep out of the reach of children in a container that small children cannot open.

Store at room temperature between 15 and 30 degreesC (59 and 86 degreesF). Throw away any unused medicine after the expiration date.

NOTE: This information is not intended to cover all possible uses, precautions, interactions, or adverse effects for this drug. If you have questions about the drug(s) you are taking, check with your health care professional.

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~*P*L*U*R*~

Four Simple Words To Live By....

[e-tarded]

Tricyclic antidepressants

History: Imipramine is considered the prototype tricyclic antidepressant. The tricyclic antidepressants are chemically derived from a three-ring aromatic nucleus that has three forms: dibenzazepine (imipramine), dibenzocycloheptene (amitriptyline), or dibenzoxepin (doxepin).

Imipramine was first synthesized in the late 1940s and was approved for use for depression in 1959 and for enuresis in 1973. Clomipramine was introduced in the 1990s, but it is indicated for treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder, not depression. Since the introduction of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as fluoxetine (see other antidepressant Overviews), the use of tricyclic antidepressants has decreased. The SSRIs have a more well-tolerated adverse effect profile than the tricyclic type antidepressants in depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Fluoxetine, and presumably other serotonin-specific agents, appear to be inferior, however, to desipramine and other norepinephrine-active drugs in the treatment of diabetic neuropathy.[274]

Mechanism of Action: The precise mechanism of action of tricyclic antidepressants is not fully understood. It is believed that these drugs interfere with the reuptake of various neurotransmitters at the neuronal membrane. This results in a potentiation of the neurotransmitter at the post-synaptic receptor. Imipramine, a tertiary amine, inhibits the reuptake of serotonin more than do secondary amines, which inhibit primarily norepinephrine. Because imipramine is metabolized to a secondary amine (desipramine), however, classification of tricyclic antidepressants according to type of neurotransmitter affected is problematic.

Mood elevation secondary to antidepressant therapy occurs only in depressed individuals and may require 2-3 weeks of therapy. Adverse effects, however, can be seen within a few hours. The delayed antidepressant effect has led to reconsideration of the reuptake theory because blockade of neurotransmitter reuptake occurs much more rapidly than the clinical antidepressant effect. Improvement in the depressive state might result from the correction of an abnormal neurotransmitter-receptor relationship.

Distinguishing Features: The tricyclic antidepressants can be differentiated by several features. The most important clinical distinction is based on the number of ligands bonded to the nitrogen on the "tail" attached to the tricyclic ring system: tertiary or secondary amines. The tertiary-amine tricyclic antidepressants (amitriptyline, clomipramine, doxepin, imipramine, and trimipramine) tend to be more sedating and have greater anticholinergic effects. The secondary amines (desipramine and nortriptyline) are metabolites of the tertiary amines (imipramine and amitriptyline, respectively). The secondary-amine tricyclic antidepressants are generally better tolerated.

Besides major depression, the tricyclic antidepressants are useful in a number of other clinical conditions. Imipramine has been used for childhood enuresis, amitriptyline has been successful for short-term treatment of fibromyalgia,[720] and protriptyline has been used as a respiratory stimulant in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.[242] Amitriptyline, desipramine, doxepin and presumably other tricyclic antidepressants with activity on norepinephrine are effective agents for diabetic neuropathy.[274] Tricyclic antidepressants have also been used in the management of neurogenic pain, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children over age 6 (usually only after therapy with methylphenidate and pemoline fail), eating disorders, and panic or phobic disorder, although these are not FDA-approved uses.

The tricyclic antidepressants can also be differentiated based on the dosing and plasma concentration range: amitriptyline (starting dose 25 mg TID, dosage range 50-300 mg/day, therapeutic Cp range 60-200 ng/mL); clomipramine (starting dose 25 mg TID, dosage range 50-300 mg/day); desipramine (starting dose 25 mg TID, dosage range 50-300 mg/day, therapeutic Cp range 125-250 ng/mL); doxepin (starting dose 25 mg TID, dosage range 75-300 mg/day, therapeutic Cp range 110-250 ng/mL); imipramine (starting dose 25 mg TID, dosage range 50-300 mg/day, therapeutic Cp range >180 ng/mL); nortriptyline (starting dose 25 mg TID, dosage range 50-200 mg/day, therapeutic Cp range 50-150 ng/mL); protriptyline (starting dose 5 mg TID, dosage range 15-60 mg/day, therapeutic Cp range 100-200 ng/mL); and trimipramine (starting dose 25 mg TID, dosage range 15-90 mg/day). Of all the tricyclic antidepressants, nortriptyline has the most well-studied relationship between response and plasma concentration. Tricyclic antidepressant plasma concentrations are always measured 12 hours after the evening dose and before any morning dose. If the drug has active metabolites, they are measured as well and added together.

Adverse Reactions: A wide variety of cardiovascular side effects can result from the use of tricyclic antidepressants because they exert a direct quinidine-like action, possess strong anticholinergic activity, and potentiate norepinephrine. Drowsiness is the most frequent central nervous system (CNS) adverse effect. The adverse effect of sedation may be used therapeutically by administering the tricyclic antidepressant at bedtime. Tremors can result from norepinephrine-reuptake blockade. Seizures and alterations in EEG patterns have been observed more commonly in children than in adults.

Ocular manifestations of the high anticholinergic activity of the tricyclic antidepressants can result in blurred vision due to loss of accommodation, mydriasis, and increased intraocular pressure. Increased intraocular pressure can precipitate a crisis in patients with angle-closure glaucoma. Gastrointestinal manifestations of these drugs' high anticholinergic activity include dry mouth (xerostomia), constipation, urinary retention, paralytic ileus, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, anorexia, diarrhea, and jaundice.

The effects of tricyclics on the endocrine system can cause sexual dysfunction including libido changes, impotence, testicular swelling, painful ejaculation, breast engorgement and galactorrhea in females, and gynecomastia in males. The syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone (SIADH) has been reported. Glucose metabolism can be altered and should be monitored in patients with diabetes mellitus.

Photosensitivity, rash, erythema, urticaria, fever, and pruritus are generally indicative of allergic reactions.

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~*P*L*U*R*~

Four Simple Words To Live By....

[e-tarded]

Ok now my reply. Depending on how long you are going to be on these meds. I would actually just wait a while to roll. One being that there can be no cross interactions, secondly your giving your body a rest. If you are not going to permanently be on them, just wait to roll. It will make the roll that much better. I know of people that have rolled on ssri's and maoi's. It's really not something I recommend. Better to be safe then sorry.

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~*P*L*U*R*~

Four Simple Words To Live By....

[sinergygrl]

Thank you everyone for all of the information. My doctor told me absolutely nothing about elavil and I was having so much trouble finding info on it. I am going to be on it for about 6mo-3 years. That is one long break from rolling! Geez. But, I already have partial complex seizures, and I don't want to take any chances in making them worse. Thanks again for everythig! I am going to start it after my Christmas break is over, that way I can have one last roll... sniffle sniffle and I don't want any nasty side effects ruining my X-mas break.

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I'm going to a pretty place now where the flowers grow.