Amitripteline Start up

Thank you for replying Sheena, very grateful.

What dose were you taking that helped with your sleep Sheena?  Did you have start-up symptoms at all?

Thanks for the advise for WD, I understand AD's are difficult to taper ugh ... !  Been there, did a long slow taper (over a year) to end up with the original condition that I took the med to begin with "insomnia".

It's crazy, I was told Ami at a low dose (10/20 mg) was the safer bet.  Do you think this wrong then ?

Hi Calmer, l was on 50mg for most of the 20 years and slept well. I've been tapering very slowly (2.5mg cut every 6 weeks) and now down to 12.5mg. It's harder to get to sleep, l'm waking a bit in the middle of the night and waking up earlier. However, I'm pretty happy with the amount of sleep I'm getting at this stage. At the same point last time l tried coming off l wasn't sleeping well at all and ended up having to take other meds as well. I tapered a lot quicker that time so looks like that's the key.

As l said most GPs aren't really totally up with the reality of Amitriplyline's side effects and wd symptoms. Do as much research as you can before you start increasing the dose.

Thank you, may I ask why you want come off it now?  

Yes I know what you mean, Gp's are pretty much in the dark about the restructuring of the brains chemistry & the necessity to do a slow taper.

How do you manage to measure 2.5 mg at each taper - liquid ?

Yes I'm researching now, I have done homework on my one other AD & how to taper, I just don't want to keep taking it if it's not going to work.  I was thinking 20 mg would be more than enough (?!?) but just don't know.  Did 20 mg not hold your sleep enough ?

I've got a pill cutter and cut the 10mgs into 1/4s.

My sleep was good at 20mg but l needed a higher dose for the pain (lots of spinal problems causing various types of pain).

I have wanted to come off for years as l'm sick of the weight gain that comes with taking Ami and concerned about the possible Alzheimer's and kidney problems with long-term use. It wasn't really helping with the pain. I'm in just as much pain now on 12.5mg as l was on 50mg. So there's no point being on it for that. If l start having sleep problems again l will be looking at natural remedies only.

Ami effects people differently both while on it and coming off it. I'm just so anti-medication these days that l don't even want to see you start on Ami. But, also, sleep is hugely important so you gotta do what you've gotta do to get sleep.

PS. I never had any sleep problems before starting on Amitriptyline. Ami has created the sleep problem. I sleep well on Ami but any attempts to come off have been a mess due to not being able to sleep without it. I've been tapering down from 50mg for a couple of years now. I stayed on 25mg for a year or so can't remember exact time now. I'm trying to allow my brain to slowly start to produce whatever it is that Ami stops it from producing.

Sorry for your suffering, I know how hard it is to get off these drugs - it took me 16 months to come off a Mirtazapine - another tetracycline AD for sleep.  I took it for insomnia & have ended up back where I started.  Like you I needed to come off it for various reasons.  I was thinking Ami trip was the better of the 2.  Like you I find it hard to sleep now off the Mirt !! 

My 10mg amitriplyine is tiny. I have a pill cutter, but I don't think it would work with this tiny pill.  Do you mind telling me how someone could do this?

My 10s are the small blue ones about 4 or 5 maybe 6mm in diameter (just an estimate as I'm travelling and don't have anything to measure with). They aren't scored but l have been cutting them ok in the cutter. It's an Australian brand. Others on this forum have access to ami in liquid form (in the UK I think).

Thanks, my 10s are hot pink.  They are not scored. I am in the U.S.  My plan was to reduce them without talking to my dr. I know this is probably is not recommended, but every time I talk to them about reducing dosage, it seems I come away with increased dosages. I have multiple sclerosis and they tell me I need to accept the fact that I will need meds for the rest of my life.

Thank you Brenda.  Did it work straight away for you from day one or did you have to wait for some time?  Days?  Weeks?

My thinking is, if it is "revving me up" or I'm having adverse reaction, I don't want to have to take it for weeks & weeks to have to then try & get off it.  Hmmm, trickybyo know I guess.

Been taking it a long time but I think it worked fairly quickly like a few days.

Thank you for replying Bob, it's interesting to read your story.   I have taken 10 mg for only 4 nights but still can't sleep / I am still wondering if they rev me up more & am trying to find if Ami had that reaction with anyone else.

I'm glad they work well for you, sounds like you have more than your share of difficulty.

Wishing you well.