Is Fibro Pain Keeping You Awake at Night?

If you suffer from sleepless nights due to the pain of fibromyalgia, your doctor may have prescribed a sedative such as Amitriptyline. Are chemical sedatives the best answer for fibro-related pain that keeps you awake?

Are you educated on the risks of taking sleep sedatives longterm? The object of this report is to help you learn more about the side effects of sleeping pills, particularly the sedative amitriptyline, as well as to offer alternative medicine approaches to managing the pain of fibromyalgia.

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Question on health care and healing: My fibromyalgia pain keeps me awake at night but I'm not sure I want to take the prescription sedative my doctor suggests. Is amitriptyline safe to take, so that I can sleep better at night?

Healing Facilitation Response: I have never been a big fan of prescription sleep aids though I have used them at various times at my life.

In fact, I've used Elavil before - which is one name for amitriptyline. I took it about 20 years ago, when I had spiraled into a deep depression on coming up against some childhood memories that I wasn't ready to face.

I hated the way it made me feel, kind of like a zombie, but when I have spoken to other people who took it, they said it had the exact opposite effect on them.

Each person's metabolism is different so monitoring the effect a drug has on you and keeping in frequent communication with your doctor are vital when taking prescription drugs of any kind.

I have a very sensitive system and have never found a single prescription sedative that didn't make me feel groggy and hung over the next morning so I turned to natural sedatives for those nights when I just can't get to sleep.

However, I am aware that an occasional night of insomnia and have a sleep disorder associated with fibromyalgia are two different things. Missing good sleep long term can make fibro symptoms even worse and make pain management much more difficult for fibromyalgia sufferers. In such cases, getting a good night's sleep (even if it is chemically induced) is better than no sleep at all.

Chemical sedatives are often prescribed to fibromyalgia patients, to help with sleep problems. Since you asked about amitryptyline in particular, I've gathered a bit of info on that particular drug. Since it is an antidepressant it is often prescribed for depression but is also sometimes prescribed for insomnia.

Even though this article just deals with this one sleep aid, most chemical sedatives have some risk of dependency and/or side effects that should be considered so be sure to fully discuss all risks and potentials for reactions with any prescription sleep aid. One of the most common side effects is dry mouth.

There is a long list of potential side effects when taking amitryptyline. THIS IS ONLY A PARTIAL LIST. You should not take it if you are on MAOI therapy or have a history of seizures, for example. Be sure to tell your doctor if you have liver problems, heart problems or thyroid problems too.

Additionally, there are strong concerns when giving this particular drug to anyone under the age of 18. Some resources I checked even say it should not be given to children under the age of 12. If your child's doctor has prescribed this drug, it's vital to monitor the behavior of the child very, very closely because reactions can give way to thoughts of harming themselves or others, quickly worsening depression, and more.

Other things you should know about this drug:
1. Amitryptyline should not be discontinued abruptly
2. It may take several weeks on this drug before you feel better
3. Tell your doctor if you take MAO) inhibitors (Nardil, Parnate, Propulsid, etc.)
4. Inform your doctor if side effects you experience persist or become severe

THIS IS ONLY A PARTIAL LIST! Talk with your pharmacist for other potential side effects.

Common side effects you may experience when taking amitriptyline:

Throwing up
Becoming too drowsy
Feeling weak or tired
Getting over-excited
Upset stomach
Feeling overly anxious
Dry mouth
A tingling feeling in the extremities
Blurry vision
Sweating profusely
Feeling confused or addled
unexplained weight loss or weight gain
Feeling unsteady on your feet
Having nightmares at night or other problems with sleeping well
Feeling restless for no reason
Having trouble urinating or becoming constipated to point of discomfort.

More Dangerous Sleep Aid Side Effects:

The following is a partial list of more dangerous potential side effects which should be reported to your doctor immediately:

Hallucinating
Feeling faint or dizzy
Any facial swelling (or swelling of the tongue)
Restlessness to the point of being unable to sit still
Any type of unusual, unexplained bleeding
Hands that shake uncontrollably
Any yellowing of your skin
Any yellowish look to the eyes
Heart flutters or palpitations,
Rapid heart beat
Strong chest pai
Any problems speaking or slowing of your speech
Unusual bruising
Muscle spasms in your neck, jaw area or your back
ny severe skin irritation or seizures.

THIS IS ONLY A PARTIAL LIST! Talk with your pharmacist for other potential amitriptyline side effects.

Part Two: Alternative Medicine For Fibromyalgia / Spiritual Factors

Important Health Care Disclaimer: The information in this article on fibromyalgia and the sleep disruption that can often occur with fibro sufferers is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice or treatment from your health care professional.

If you have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia or any of the related conditions including Epstein-Barr Syndrome or Chronic Fatique Syndrome, please consult with your health care professional about sleep aids, the side effects and risks, and your options for regaining restful sleep. If indicated, also consider seeing a mental health professional for tips on reducing excess stress and worry in your life or for help with emotional issues that may be exacerbating your fibromyalgia symptoms.