Amitryptyline for treating insomnia

Amitryptyline for treating insomnia
Page content

Amitriptyline is a medication used to treat depression. However, it is frequently prescribed to treat insomnia. In addition to its unconventional use as sleep aid, amitriptyline has also been effective in the treatment of pain management that is linked to a variety of medical disorders. The amitryptyline dosage for insomnia will be individualized based on a patient’s characteristics and medical history.

How Amitriptyline Works

Amitriptyline suppresses serotonin reuptake and norepinephrine uptake. Serotonin and norepinephrine are both key neurotransmitters that are in charge of involuntary mood and body reactions. If there is little serotonin and norepinephrine, the indications of depression and often insomnia might take place.

How Amitriptyline Works

Amitriptyline was not ideally developed to use as a sleep aid. One of the leading benefits is the medication’s extensive half life, which is 12 to 24 hours. This surpasses that of almost all insomnia drugs and makes the medicine beneficial for individuals who have late-waking insomnia or those who have the tendency to wake up very early in the morning and are not able to go back to sleep.

How Amitriptyline Works

Amitriptyline has been considered very controversial for treatment of insomnia because one of the side effects is insomnia. In addition to insomnia, other side effects might include dry mouth, dizziness, weight gain, confusion, increased sweating, confusion, and dizziness. Also, patients that quit taking amitriptyline suddenly might go through withdrawal symptoms such as nausea, irritability, headache, and additional sleep disorders. In addition, some individuals might succumb to suicidal thoughts or other irrational behaviors which might get worse with time. It is best to give proper care and consistent monitoring of these cases. Patients that experience changes in their heart rhythm, seizures, or hallucinations should immediately contact their health care provider.

Amitriptyline Dosage

The amitryptyline dosage for insomnia will vary according to a number of factors like the medicine that a patient is taking at that moment, their age or medical condition. The dose of this drug is different for every patient. It is important to adhere to your doctor’s instructions and the directions on the label. In addition, the amount and duration of medication that an individual consumes will depend on the drug’s strength and the individual’s situation.

Amitriptyline must be prescribed from a doctor and comes in pill form with 10, 25, 50, 75, 100 and 150 mg strengths dosages. These pills can be consumed with or without food but must be halved into equal dosages of 40 to 150 mg within a day. Most often, amitriptyline should be administered at a low dosage and slowly increased if need be. The maximum daily dosage for the majority of individuals is 150 mg. However, those who are patients in the hospital might consume up to 300 mg daily.

References

Mayo Clinic: Amitriptyline

https://www.mayoclinic.com/health/drug-information/DR602731/DSECTION=proper-use

Insomnia.net: Amitriptyline as an Insomnia Treatment

https://www.insomnia.net/medications/amitriptyline/

Insomnia Bulletin: Amitriptyline: Knowing More About This Other Insomnia Medication

https://www.insomniabulletin.com/other-insomnia-medication

eMedtv: Amitriptyline Dosage

https://depression.emedtv.com/amitriptyline/amitriptyline-dosage-p2.html