Re: AMITRIPTYLINE/ ELAVIL/ FOR V V.

[Guest guest]

Dee,

(I know I'm answering old posts...still behind)

Just wanted to mention that my doctor prescribes zoloft specificly for

vulvodynia. You had mentioned in your post that you had never heard of it

recomended for vv. I take 50 mg of it a day. I will say that I havent

noticed any diffrence though in symptoms with or without it.

There are a couple of articles in some of the back issues of the NVA

newsletter where doctors have prescribed zoloft for vulvodynia. If you are

curious I will look them up and tell you what issue they are. If you dont

have the NVA newsletters, you can order back issues from them online.

Bunny

Reply-To: VulvarDisorders

To: " VulvarDisorders " <VulvarDisorders >

Subject: AMITRIPTYLINE/ ELAVIL/ FOR V V.

Date: Thu, 13 Dec 2001 22:06:14 -0500

HI Gabby

I'm so so sorry to hear that things are getting worse for you. *sigh* I

just feel so bad about that and know how you have got to be feeling. I was

there too once upon a time, so I can really relate to the pain and

frustration of it all. Of all the 98% of things I tried, one of the few I

didn't try were the 'Anti-depressants' or 'Anti-convulsants' (see below) as

I was just too leery of the side effects and I haven't heard of too many in

almost 3-4 years on this list mention them having been much help. *sigh* I

don't mean to discourage you hon, honestly I don't. And if anything, the

anti-depressants might help you cope with this damn disease.

Just a thought here, you know me, I have to say it,*chuckle* but have you

been trying to build up your tissue with the Estrace use rather than the

Estriol? I know that's not our missing Estrogen (or lack of) and is only

produced while pregnant in any measurable amts. so I'm assuming it wouldn't

work near as well as the Estradiol (estrace) Or would even take a lot

longer.

And then I wonder if you have considered adding the natural Testosterone

cream to sort of 'toughen' or strengthen that tissue? The reason I ask is

that I know it takes a long time and sometimes we can give up too soon

especially with the Estrace. *I really hate even saying that, but it's just

a thought and I'm just wondering out loud.

Just to clarify a few of the words :

1.Gabapentin or Neurontin (are the same thing) is an anti-convulsant and

probably works on the nerve endings and why it's supposed to help with the

vulvar pain (or other pain) . This is the drug generally MOST suggested

for we with Vulvar pain from a lot of various articles.

2.Amitriptylene or Elavil (are the same thing) is an antidepressant and used

for depression. BUT... ... in this article below THIS is the one they

suggest for V V pain, but it's not too typical a suggestion.

3. Zoloft is also for depression and is an SSRI, (selective serotonin

reuptake hibitor) and used for depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive

disorders etc but has a differnent mode of action than the others but 'I've'

never seen it suggested for VV pain.

All these drugs have their various side effects. Also if you were to use

the Neurontin/gabapentin I'm certain the dosage is not anywhere near what

one would use it for in the case of actual seizures such as in epilepsy.

Anyway hon, here's a short article on AMITRIPTYLENE (elavil) that is

suggested for VV pain. Sorry for my motormouth again. LOL but hope it

helps.

Oh by the way, I also have a longggg article and is all about Neurontin and

Vulvodynia but much more technical.

Best of luck to you, and hang in there hon, never give up!

Hugs

Dee~

Just had a thought. *sigh*, I think I'll send on that other article on

Neurontin/ gabapentin for Vulvodynia to the list even though it is long.

Sorry if I've confused you, but basically there are 2 options, one the

Elavil, the other the Neurontin that have been suggested but to 'me' it's

usually the Neurontin more... Doggone it after all that, I'm confused, haha

not really. Take care.

_____________________________________________________

J Reprod Med ,

Dysesthetic ( " essential " ) vulvodynia. Treatment with amitriptyline. (Elavil)

McKay M

Department of Dermatology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta,

Georgia 30322.

Twenty patients with chronic vulvar burning (vulvodynia) who had

relief of symptoms only after treatment with low-dose amitriptyline were

studied retrospectively. These patients had several factors in common, which

suggested a possible neurologic component to their symptoms.

The dosage of amitriptyline (initiated at 10 mg, gradually increased to

40-60 mg daily) was not sufficient to treat depression, but was in the range

effective for other cutaneous dysesthesias. This study defines dysesthetic

( " essential " ) vulvodynia, and describes a typical profile and symptom

pattern for patients most likely to respond to treatment with amitriptyline

(an average age of 66 with vulvodynia for three years).

Dysesthetic vulvodynia appears to be a subset different from vulvar

vestibulitis and other types of vulvodynia that are less responsive to

treatment with tricyclic antidepressants.

PMID: 8441136

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