✅ Prescription / Indication:
Amitriptyline 10 mg tablets are prescription-only medications primarily used for:
- Depression (especially major depressive disorder)
- Neuropathic pain (e.g., diabetic nerve pain, postherpetic neuralgia)
- Migraine prophylaxis
- Tension-type headaches
- Insomnia (off-label, due to its sedative effect)
- Fibromyalgia and other chronic pain syndromes (off-label)
📄 Description:
- Generic Name: Amitriptyline hydrochloride
- Strength: 10 mg
- Form: Oral tablet (film-coated or plain)
- Drug Class: Tricyclic Antidepressant (TCA)
- Common Brands: Elavil®, Amitone®, Tryptomer®, Sarotena®
Mechanism of Action:
- Inhibits reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine (SNRIs) at nerve terminals
- Exhibits anticholinergic, sedative, and pain-modulating properties
🌟 Advantages / Uses:
- Effective for multiple conditions: depression, chronic pain, sleep issues, migraine prevention
- Low dose (10 mg) often used for:
- Sleep disturbances
- Migraine prevention
- Neuropathic pain
- Long history of use and extensively studied
- Low cost and widely available
🔬 Nature / Pharmacology:
- Onset of Action (for depression): 2–4 weeks
- Onset of Action (for pain/sleep): 1–2 weeks
- Half-life: ~10–28 hours
- Metabolism: Liver (CYP450 system)
- Excretion: Kidney
📦 Common Packaging:
- Blister strips of 10, 15, or 30 tablets
- Tablets are often round, colored (blue, green, or yellow) depending on brand
- Marked with strength and manufacturer’s logo or code
🧊 Storage Conditions:
- Store at 20–25°C (68–77°F)
- Protect from moisture and light
- Keep away from children
👨⚕️ Patient Advice / Precautions:
✅ Do:
- Take once daily, usually at bedtime (due to drowsiness)
- Swallow whole with water
- Follow doctor’s dosing instructions exactly (can be increased gradually)
- Tell your doctor if you have history of heart problems, seizures, or glaucoma
❌ Avoid:
- Abrupt stopping (may cause withdrawal symptoms: nausea, headache, irritability)
- Taking with alcohol or other sedatives (increases drowsiness)
- Driving or operating machinery until you know how it affects you
- Combining with MAO inhibitors (dangerous interaction)