I could not be more confused!!!!

[Soonerdean]

New doc just put me on a drug called Amitriptyline...not for depression but for cronic pain.  Why does this drug make me feel anxious, make my heart pound, kill my appitite and keep me up at night?  

This drug is not an ssri but a trycyclic...not really sure what that means..but it is an old drug mainly for depression.  I took Cymbalta for 3 weeks and had really bad side effects with that as well.  

Has anyone else experienced these types of symptoms also?  Do they go away with time are do they continue?  Really starting to get frustrated with this ****!

[hypnotik200]

i saw your comment
on my question page or w/e bout a drug that will help with anxiety and deppression i thank? im on celexa for anxiety but its a deppression med but it suposed to help with both im on 20 mlg and its helped me alot so try that and i thank u will fill a little better but thats just my advice good luck hope u get to feelin better!

[396SS]

I was put on a tricyclic too when I was having bad panic attacks.  It made my heart pound the first few days and then it just started making me sleepy.  It was a long time ago, so don't quote me on that b/c I don't remember what else they gave me that day.  I honestly started using it to sleep though, after a while b/c it did definitely make me sleepy.  Call your pharmacist and ask, that is what they are there for.  Ask questions!  Ask your doc too, they get paid to take care of you.  I am having chest pain pretty bad today with anxiety, so I'm sorry you are in the same place.  We'll feel better:)

[396SS]

I forgot to tell you what I had success with:

Remeron - makes you sleepy (but hungry - gained weight)
Zoloft (for anxiety/depression)
Ativan (for sleep)
Valium (for anxiety)
Ambien (for sleep)

Not all at the same time.  I took Zoloft, Ativan for sleep and Valium only as needed for a couple of years and it seemed to work okay.  

Also, you will go through rough spots and then you will feel better.  It is just something we have to accept and continue to improve upon.  I get ticked off at my anxiety all the time, but it seems to just make me worse.  I try to look at it as like a diabetic who is insulin dependent.  We all have our issues.

Hope any of this helps.  I agree with hating meds, but the ones I listed above were the best for me - except the weight gain with Remeron.  Try not to associate all symptoms with side effects - anxiety can do just about anything to you.