Does anyone here have any experience taking Amitriptyline? If so, please let me know.
Many of you know that I've had chronic tension headaches for about 20 years. I get about 200 headaches per year, with the summer and winter being worst. These are NOT migraines.. They are completely different. Google "tension headache" if you are curious about them.
These are NOT caused by any diet or lifestyle issues -- at least not in my case. I know the exact cause most of the time. It's usually due to holding my neck in a bad way (especially if I sleep with my neck in a bad position), but also appears when rapid temperature changes occur, such as an A/C or heater quickly changing the room temperature. I inherited them from my mom, though mine are worse than hers ever were. They showed up in my mid-20s, which is the typical age for them to appear.
Tension headaches are not indicative of any greater medical problem. They do not affect one's lifespan or cause any other health issue.
Up until now, I figured I would just have to live with these, taking Excedrin whenever one showed up. However, I read about Amitriptyline today, which supposedly prevents them in some people.
Amitriptyline is usually for depression, anxiety, and ADD. I do not have any of these conditions. However, regardless of the reason you took it, please let me know your experience with Amitriptyline, including side effects you felt, and whether it was effective for you.
I always keep 2 Excedrin with me during radio, in case one shows up while I'm doing it. I also carry them around when hiking, skiing, playing poker, or anywhere else away from home. While not debilitating, these are very frustrating to deal with, especially due to their frequency.
Please do not give me other suggestions on how to stop the tension headaches (unless it's another medication), as each person is different. I know the cause of these (neck issues and temperature changes), and there's no way for me to prevent them without medication.
Also, please do not make junk/troll posts in this thread. I will delete such messages and ban anyone from the thread who trolls it.
I don't like taking medication unless I know there's a clear purpose and benefit from it, so that's why I'm asking out here of others' experiences with it, even if for different conditions.