my just now 18-yr old granddaughter has had digestive problems for over 2 years and especially now is cramping after eating. Her physician today prescribed nortriptiline. She weighs only 97 pounds, and is 5'4, but she weighed only 95 pounds a month ago, having lost 10 pounds during Nov. and Dec. She is a senior in high school, and her mother said that her doctor had said this medicine (she takes no other medications), would numb the nerves in her stomach, and she is to take 10mg at bedtime. My daughter asked about side effects, and I thought that information should have come with the medication when dispensed, but she apparently does not have it. After reading the side effects, and on top of knowing that her problem constantly for 2 years has been digestive, and the first side effect to which you should call your doctor immediately is stomach and abdominal pain, we obviously have concerns. Taken with the fact that her doctor first had suggested a psych eval today, and then said no, because she obviously is not depressed (she got engaged on 1/2), we are obviously concerned about starting this medication. She lives in a rural area, and her doctor is almost 100 miles away--and also the area she lives in is under winter weather advisories. We are hesitant about starting this. Better to have stomach cramps than to suicide. Her stomach does hurt her so bad at times that it brings her to tears (it did Friday last week). We want her well, but not at the cost of her life. A family friend/pharmacist last night said many people with digestive problems have improved when switching to a gluten-free diet. Her doctor today said that she had been tested for cyliac (sp) 2 times, so he ruled that out. What to do--where to go? We just want to get her well and a functioning adult.