Drug | Range of effective doses | Common adverse effects | Rare/uncommon adverse effects | Contraindications |
Amitriptyline19, 30–32Nortriptyline | 25–100 mg qds25-100 mg qds | Weight gain, constipation, asthenia, dizziness, somnolence, fatigue, blurred vision, dry mouth, drug interactions | Cardiac arrhythmia, syncope, orthostatic hypotension, pancytopenia | Acute recovery phase following myocardial infarction, cisapride use, monoamine oxidase inhibitor use, hypersensitivity to tricyclic antidepressants |
Petasites (butterbur)33 | 75 mg bd | Nausea, bloating, flatus, vomiting, diarrhoea, dyspepsia, lower abdominal pain | Dysgeusia, insomnia | Hypersensitivity, pregnancy and lactation |
bd, twice daily; qds, four times daily.