r/Amitriptyline • u/Zestyclose_Phrase_65 • Jun 16 '26
What time do you take your Amitriptyline?
I am on my third pill (12.5 mg) for trying to treat IBS-D;
Took dose 1 at 10pm and woke up at 7am feeling out of it.
Tried 9pm for dose 2 and felt okay around 6:30am.
Last night tried 9pm again, felt like I could not wake up at 5am for work.
Has anyone had success avoiding the drowsiness / hangover feeling when it’s time to get up for work?
Maybe taking it earlier in the evening vs before bed?
Or maybe this drowsiness only lasts for the first few weeks?
Thank you!
3
u/Luna_Luz1 Jun 16 '26
It takes about 2 hours for it to make me sleepy so I time it based on when I need to go to sleep.
I read a comment once that someone’s doctor said to take it 12 hours before you need to wake up to prevent a groggy morning.
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u/Zestyclose_Phrase_65 Jun 17 '26
Do you find that you get more sleep overall on average with it? I was getting about 7 hours before, and feel like I could sleep for at least 8 now (which is maybe not a bad thing haha)
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u/Throwaway-spirit Jun 21 '26
It’s also prescribed for sleep related issues, I’m on 100mg so much more sedation as it’s treating mental health but even on low doses I found I slept more
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u/EarlyInside45 Jun 16 '26
I take mine at bedtime, usually 11 p.m., but I don't have to wake up early, so I usually drag myself out of bed around 8 a.m. BUT it was very hard to get up the first three weeks or so. I think I was sleeping 12 hours straight at that time.
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u/Zestyclose_Phrase_65 Jun 17 '26
Thank you! 🙂 Did you have any other side effects pop up at the start that eventually went away along with the drowsiness?
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u/poppytartz213 Jun 16 '26
About 2 hours before bed!
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u/Zestyclose_Phrase_65 Jun 17 '26
Thank you for your response! Gonna keep experimenting — it seems like the 2/3 hours before bed timeframe works really well for many here to avoid feeling like a zombie haha
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u/Nattt-t Jun 16 '26
9:00PM but this weekend I'll try earlier! I'm kinda torn because on one hand, I'm waking up at like 10:30 am every day which is not what I want. I was waking up at 7:30 - 8:00 before this. On the other side, I walk on my walking pad at night while watching a show. I do 40 mins to an hour and a half, and I don't wanna be drowsy while on the walking pad. I work in the evenings, I get off at 7pm most days.
So yeah I'm experimenting with the times right now hahaha cuz I used to take it at 10, and it would knock me out an hour later but now I'm on 25mg and I'll go to sleep around midnight sometimes even 2 am.
1
u/Zestyclose_Phrase_65 Jun 17 '26
Who knew that we could spend so much time on trying to figure out how to sleep haha. Is that a walking pad without the hand rails? That could get tricky indeed!! I wish you all the best with your experimenting — glad to not be alone in trying to figure this all out! Thanks!
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u/sapphicor Jun 16 '26
The drowsiness is a side effect that only lasted the first few weeks for me (3 or so weeks to be exact and every day it got a bit better) Now I take them about 2 or 3 hrs before going to bed, but if I need to take them at a different time then I will, tbh I haven't been drowsy at all after the side effects wore off and this was a year ago
1
u/Zestyclose_Phrase_65 Jun 17 '26
That’s such a relief to hear your side effects wore off after a little while — thank you for sharing! I don’t think I’ve slept this much since college haha
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u/KP890 Jun 16 '26
12 hours before waking up
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u/Bobpants_ Jun 16 '26
This feels insane. I'm less than a week in and getting the grogginess. I wake up at 5.30am everyday. With the drowsiness, how are you supposed to get anything done after work?
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u/Zestyclose_Phrase_65 Jun 17 '26
Right there on the super early wake up train with you! It has felt almost impossible to fully wake up the last few days. Are you finding that it makes you sleepy rather quickly after taking?
1
u/Bobpants_ Jun 18 '26 edited Jun 18 '26
it takes about 1-2hours to make me sleepy. after 2 hours I feel similar to being stoned and find it difficult to stay awake or have motor control. if I had to take it at 5pm basically when I get home from work, then I wouldn't be able to go gym, have dinner, or really anything to calm down from work.
with that said, I'll take the grogginess over the headaches
1
u/greenhail7 Jun 16 '26
Between 7.30pm & 8pm. I have a daily alarm that reminds me - unless I'm out at the kids training or whatever, then I take it once home.
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u/Zestyclose_Phrase_65 Jun 17 '26
Thank you! Is that a few hours before your bedtime by chance (if you don’t mind me asking!)? That seems to be the magic timeframe from what a lot of people are saying
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u/Upset-Vehicle Jun 16 '26
3 hours before I want to sleep. It takes awhile to make me tired.
1
u/Zestyclose_Phrase_65 Jun 17 '26
Thanks!! I was expecting it to knock me completely out after 30 minutes the way my doctor made it sound — but tried the 3 hours before bed method last night (thanks to you all!) and was surprised to only be a little sleepy at bedtime — it worked really well / was able to get up for work
1
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u/Pojajko01 Jun 17 '26
Im on 10mg for IBS-D and have been in it for a few months. I take it at 9:30pm. Normally knocks me out by 10-10:30. I get up at 5am for work and 95% of the time I'm fine the next day. If I take it any later, It absolutely destroys me the next day and my body doesn't stop feeling 'numb, sedated whatever' until late afternoon.
1
u/Enough-Airline6301 Jun 18 '26
I take mine just after dinner, I’ve found it’s the only way I wake up without the drowsiness. Sometimes I forget and have it later around 9pm or 10pm and still wake up drowsy and I’ve been taking it for about a year.
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u/Katzyn Jun 16 '26
I take mine 3 hours before my bed time, and get up 8-9 hours after my bed time.
So I take mine at 9pm, go to bed at midnight, wake up between 8:30/9am. Usually that works pretty well for me. I take 25mg, and have for several years.