Amitripiline Withdrawal symptoms
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Hi, I was taking 75/100mg of amitripiline for chronic pain. (5 Yrs) The pain has now disappeared & i came off amitripiline over 6 weeks. After about 3 to 4 weeks, i am still waking up extremely early & having trouble going to sleep. But the main thing that concerns me is, i have developed a prickly sensation all over my body which i have had for about 7 weeks. The doctors thinks this has nothing to do with withdrawal from amitripilne, i have had antihistimines & creams which has no effect. Has anyone experienced this sensation on withdrawal.
3 likes, 184 replies
hedy62689 patrick34872
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Hi yes definitely experienced this for a while when I came off Valium. Withdrawal seems to be the same with any addictive drug !! I suffered as I was on it for a long time as you. It's something you have to go through. I tried 1000mg of hemp oil capsules a day, helped a lot with twitching under the skin and muscles. You may experience other things it's all part and parcel of it. Just hang on in there. Im afraid most doctors are not very supportive or sympathetic because they don't know. This link should help you. Good luck 😉
ruth88365 hedy62689
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I developed pins and needles on amytriptyline, in my arms and am now maybe five weeks off it but still feeling the annoying tingle in my hands and sometimes at night in my arms. Did you ever experience that?
Mrsaeiou patrick34872
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I am going through this same thing with the prickling sensation. Did it ever go away for you?
patrick34872 Mrsaeiou
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Hi, no I still have it. I had the prickling sensation mainly in my buttocks, thighs & stomach. After a year of this sensation, I started getting it in my hands & fingers. I would wake up in the middle of the night with my whole body burning & eyes feeling like they were being pricked from the inside. The doctors sent me to a neurologist who explained it has nothing what-do-ever to do with amitripiline. He has seen this many times, when pain disappears the body sometimes experiences this pricking sensation. I had no reason for the pain & no real diagnosis. The neurologist says it was probably fibromyalgia. However he says it should disappear within time. Also the doctors gave me gabapentin to help with the pricking, it seems to take the edge off. Also the neurologist recommended gabapentin. After 18 months off amitripiline, I now don’t think it was the cause & probably was masking the sensation. I really feel for as this is an extremely uncomfortable experience. Why were you taking the amitripiline?
Mrsaeiou patrick34872
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Mrsaeiou patrick34872
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Nettie50 patrick34872
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Hi Patrick. I am experiencing these symptoms you describe as an all over body micro zapping itchy feeling. Incessant. Driving me crazy and very stressful. I had been taking just 10mg of Endep -Amitriptyline daily for a nerve condition. I was about 12 days post stopping meds when it came on. To prove a point I took 10mg last night and it reduced to itching zapping by 50% during the day. My doctor said it could be a side effect. I am now stressed as I don't want to go back on it. I have been in the drug for 6 months. Very effective for a nerve condition. Has your itching feeling gone and how long did it take post meds.
reese75404 patrick34872
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I’ve been taking amitriptyline for the last 4 almost 5 years at a low dosage of 15mg. When I tell u I thought this was the answer to all my problems I shortly realized it was horrible. I stopped taking it for the pass two weeks and everything hurts. I’m always fatigue, every morning I have really bad chest pain and my heart hurts. When I was taking it at night, id fee my heart start skipping beats and I’d have sharp pain in my chest. I was taking it both for depression and migraines. After the first two years of taking it it stopped helping my migraines, it came to a point where I was only taking it to keep me from being nauseous and dizzy. I had nightmares whenever I’d skip two or more days of taking the medicine. I read a lot of people’s review of the medicine and it scares me because I’m having the same symptoms and I’ve been taking it only at a low dosage.
jocelyn05873 patrick34872
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Hi, I was also taking 75mg Amitriptiline for sleep & Mild depression. I have been off it now for 4 weeks. I am typing this message to you at 5:30 am because I am up all the time. The only time I sleep is during the day when I have work to do and I Just have to cat nap all day. I have muscle twitching all the time. Also lots of pain and stiffness in my arms and legs.
This is a total nightmare.
mary75226 jocelyn05873
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Ugh I understand the feeling. how's it going now
george89013 patrick34872
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I've been taking 50 mg for twenty years , they just stopped working . I was told by the doctor as we get older less sleep is needed . Doubled the dose , still no joy . I'm considering coming off Amitripiline all together any advice
anita49406 patrick34872
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mary75226 patrick34872
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This thread is a bit old now, but can anyone share how they are doing at this time? I hope everyone has gotten through their own personal nightmares of withdrawal and are beginning to feel more like themselves. I'm feeling quite depressed and anxious, wondering if I'll ever sleep again and looking for some hope! ❤️
cole47512 mary75226
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I can tell you that I am now better. I wouldn't say I'm 100% my old self but it's been over a year now since my withdrawals and I feel pretty much like myself again. for me i didn't start to feel normal again until bout 5 months after my withdrawals started even though it was really hard I got through it I hope e everyone else's experience wasn't hell like mine.
also I was taking amitriptyline for almost a year when I quit.
mary75226 cole47512
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Cole, thank you so much for your update. I am SO glad you are feeling better and got through it. I hope if anything you walked away a stronger version of your old self. Thanks for offering hope. Stay well and continue to keep getting better.
kate3637 mary75226
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Mary how have you been since you posted? Any improvements? I just tapered off and stopped about 2 weeks ago after 100 mg for around 10 years, and I have weird symptoms, just curious how you're doing after some time?
mary75226 kate3637
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Hi kate, i am still struggling with the insomnia. the insomnia is quite severe. its been difficult to say the least. how are you? what symptoms are you experiencing
kate3637 mary75226
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Thanks for the reply. I'm having this ringing / buzzing in my head that is so loud it's unbelievable. I get the brain zaps, usually only noticeable when I'm lying in bed trying to sleep, but they are there all day, really. I'm dealing with some major GI symptoms, but they started before the taper, and I was actually hoping coming off the amitriptyline would help. Sometimes I have nightmares, they are decreasing though. It's only been several weeks, but I can tell it's going to be a long process.
mary75226 kate3637
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stay strong. ive seen many recover from this and you will too. i hope it doesnt last long for you. did you taper down slowly? its recommended to taper 10% of your dose every few weeks. you could always reinstate if the symptoms arent letting up and taper more slowly if you didnt. ive been told by others going through this and by others very knowledgeable in withdrawal that you'd want to reinstate sooner rather than later (within three weeks) otherwise theres less chance of reinstating helping your symptoms. once your CNS is destabilized from a rapid taper or cold turkey going back on the med does not always alleviate the withdrawal symptoms if you've been off for too long and then you just have to wait it out. some feel better in weeks, others it takes months/years. you just dont know. survivingantidepressants.org has some great info on tapering and withdrawal. hope you feel better soon!