long term effects of amitriptyline

Has anyone been taking it in low doses for sleep for years?

You sound so similar to be with the past medications and side effects. I seem to cop everything from most meds!

I've had Amitriptyline in the past but only briefly, it did wonders for my sleep but ended up making me lose my short term memory and become very agitated the next day. Which is what Seroquel seems to do to me too. I didn't give it all that long though, so if it's working for you now maybe just keep it up?

My Aunt has taken it for close to 10 years, regardless of the " will not lose effectivness over time" it certainly has lost it for her. She has had to increase dose alot over the years and apparently is at Max dose and its isn't helping her at all now.

it is working very well, I just need to determine if there are LT effects - something I might not notice right away.

Do not want to go that route... I think the reason I do not have side effects is the low dose - increase that and I will be eating everything in sight as my mother was many years ago, on max dose... Do not want that.

Yes , don't go up unless you absolutley have to .

I took 10mg amitriptyline for sleep for over a year and never got any side effects from it, nor did it lose effectiveness over that time, but that's just me. My Mum has been taking it for years at low dose for neuropathic pain and it has lost its effectiveness and she's needed other meds for her fibro. I couldn't find any side effects that were specified to be from long term use in the BNF (British National Formulary - UK prescribing guide), so I guess it could be any of the normal listed side effects, but less risk due to low dose maybe(?).

*Willow*

I've been treated with Amitriptyline for many years now due to two fractured lumbar vertebrae and cervical compression (thrown head first into walls tends to do that). I have had to increase my dosage to silly amounts just to get any result out of it at all. I was prescribed it for two reasons - due to the spinal injuries I get pins and needles or burning sensations in my feet, and... I didn't sleep. I have been wondering about long term effects myself, since for the first time in my life, my memory has begun to suffer after I resumed taking it after a hiatus of 8 years. To get any effect from it at all, I need 200mg at night. It won't be long before that will cease to do any good either.

I very much miss having my near photographic memory.