amitriptyline withdrawal

Hi Bob, i am on liquid Amitriptyline 10mg/5ml and now i am currently taking 1.4 mg. I was on 30 mg  for a short while (3 months then reduced to 20 mg for a month then 10 mg in January 2017 now at my current dose. I plan to be off it by January.

Hi Turkessa, You are  experiencing anticholinergic effects from stopping Amitriptyline. If you have looked back over this blog you will see i and many others have been coming off of this drug for some time and experience these same effects. I am very sensitive to this drug and even dropping by 0.25 mg causes me nausea, headaches and belching. I agree it really helps with sleep but i cannot wait to be off this drug. I hope your symptoms do not last too long xx

Hi Andrew, You never really know what this drug (Ami) is doing to you until you try to come off it. Your symptoms could definitely be attributed to withdrawal. Ami effects everyone differently both while on it and coming off it. My old GPs always told me that I would be on it for life as it was too difficult to get off. Luckily my current GP is better informed and totally supportive of me coming off it. After a year of tapering I'm down to 5mg per night after over 20 years on 50mg. See if you can get some natural supplements to help with the symptoms. Amanda would be able to let you know what she's taking as her symptoms are similar to yours. Mine are more about spinal pain and insomnia both of which I am managing beautifully so far without resorting to other medication. In 2 months I'll be totally medication free for the first time in decades. Already I'm much fitter and healthier now at 56 than l was at 30. Don't go down the medication spiral if you can avoid it. Hang in there, you're heading in the right direction.

Hi Andrew, poor you having these awful anticholinergic affects when you only took ami for  a month, you are also like me very sensitive to it. I am still coming off this drug very slowly. Andrew i am  currently at 1.2 mg and i am feeling nauseous at every drop of 0.2 mg. I have started with headaches like sinus problems again today and dizziness which, i have had on and off on my slow taper. This medication effects everyone so very differently i know some who have  just stopped and been absolutely fine and others like me  who have terrible problems, i think some people like me are much more sensitive to medication.  Andrew because you just stopped the medication you may have these symptoms for a couple of months as your brain will need to start producing the chemicals that Amitriptyline stopped it producing. Amitriptyline has a half life that varies from person to person so half the drug from your last tablet could still be in your system some 11.45 days later (worst case senario). The remaining half of the drug then takes another few days to leave the body only then will you start to produce the chemicals Amitriptyline stopped your brain producing. I take omega oil capsules daily to help with the headaches but nothing helps with the nausea. It will pass eventually i promise, just take one day at a time. Keep me posted please x  

Thank you sheena

Hi Sammy

                I hope your symptoms don't last much longer.  Either way, I'm sure you are still happy to be 5 weeks free of Ami.  Are you feeling any better today?

After 5 weeks on 5mg I dropped down to 2.5mg two nights ago.  The sleep has been not as good but acceptable and that's ok by me at this stage.

 

Hi Sheena nice to see you have gotten down to 2.5 not far to go now, hopefully the sleep will improve as time goes on.

i am glad to be off ami but do not like the effects, at the moment nausea is pretty awful, headaches and the anxiety which comes and goes. I just long for the day where I feel healthy last time was when I was 38 am now 52. Feeling a little sorry for myself today.

 

Sorry to hear that you are having a bad day and I hope you feel real better soon.  

Hi Sammy sorry you are suffering still. Bloody nausea and headaches, i just know when i stop completely these will both be awful for me too. You will feel well again Sammy do not loose hope. You are allowed to feel sorry for yourself a little bit but wow Sammy your free from this drug whoop whoop, your body chemicals just need a little bit longer to sort themselves out. Hugs xx

Thanks Sheena and Amanda for your well wishes, I am so grateful to be off the Ami but when you are feeling good you forget to an extent how bad you actually felt until you plummet again, and then before you know it, it has passed once again talk about being on a roller coaster. 

Has anyone else had teeth issues since being on Ami?? I am off to dentist yet again the amount of fillings I have had done is huge, I now need another 6 done so in that respect glad to see the back of this med. never used to bother me going to the dentist now anxiety through the roof. Oh to feel normal again. 

Thanks for the support it really does help. Xxxx

Hi sammy, it could be the anxity we have experienced as this causes a dry mouth, which leads to decay. x

Hi Amanda

yes you are so right, I spent 2 days at dentist so all is fixed for now so hopefully when I go in for 6 month check it won't be as bad as in the past. 

The nausea has lifted thank goodness but the buzzy head is showing itself every now and then but nothing that I can't handle. Anxiety waxes and wanes so I will take that as a good sign that it will eventually cease.

i see a lot more have joined the group so glad that they all have found this forum and that between all of us we can give hope that you can with support get off this medication.xxx

 

Hi Sammy, Sheena, Diane, Dee and all the other on here struggling with this drug. So i have decided to take the plunge and after 4 days on 0.25 mg i did not take Amitriptyline last night. I am fine this morning but expected to be it will be, i usually get symptoms on day 3 so will have to wait and see.I was going to leave it another week but i am off work with a pulled back so thought i am off anyway and can stay in bed if i need to. I am hoping any symptoms will be mild and  fade quickly. Merry Christmas everyone. I will check back in in a few days. Keep focused and hugs to you all xxxxx    

Good luck Amanda..x

I’m still suffering with withdrawal anxiety nearly every day and it’s awful my sleep still  isn’t that good either it’s very broken but think I’m getting slightly more than what I was in the beginning seems now if I wake up I can go back asleep for a short while before waking again and that goes on all night I still cannot sleep for any longer than 3 ish hours straight.. I never had probs with sleep before  I used to sleep straight from 12-7 no chance of that now and don’t know if it will ever come back 

I can only hope it will 

Hey Amanda, Sheena, Diane, dee, Tessa and everyone else

Wow I cannot believe you just jumped liked that, fingers crossed all goes well for you but what a milestone when I first came on to the forum you were on your 3rd attempt and didn't think you could do it. Look at you now!!

Well done I am soooo happy for you it actually makes me quite 😭 emotional to think how far you have come.  Just take things slow and be kind to yourself.

Tessa I am at 6 weeks off and have had the same problem, toss and turn all night very little continuous sleep but i can say it does slowly get better as time goes on. I get about 5 hours now if I'm lucky a bit broken but I make sure to keep bedtime at roughly the same time and even if I do wake I will stay there regardless until at least 4.30am. I am finding that if you try to retrain your body clock by sticking to a routine it is starting to help.

and the anxiety I find comes and goes, I can feel great and literally bam Anxiety it may hang around for a few minutes or the whole day but just knowing that it comes and goes gives me a little reassurance that eventually it will go away for the most part.

Merry Christmas 🎄 everyone xxxxx

 

Thanks sammy..I'm hanging in there and hope things improve soon sleep deprivation is the worst

 

Hi Amanda

                   I am so happy to see that you have taken that final plunge.  I hope that you are dealing with it ok.  Looking back at your first post back in March we have all come such a long way.  It's been a long slow process but so very worth it.  I'm on day 8 of 2.5mg and doing pretty well.  I really think that the spinal retreat has done wonders for my sleep and general health. I am having very minimal sleep problems which is a huge bonus and only minor wd symptoms - a few little brain zaps, minor waves of anxiety and constantly bringing up mucus (which seemed to start around the drop to 5mg).  I just see it as a way of my body removing the poison from Ami so it's a good thing.

Anyway, I hope yo have a wonderful Christmas and a happy and healthy 2018  

Hi Sammy and everyone

                                         Just a quick one to say I hope you all have a very peaceful and enjoyable Christmas despite the various withdrawal symptoms.

Wishing you all a safe, happy and healthy 2018 xox

Hi EVERYONE day three of no Amitriptyline and no symptoms as such slight sinus issue but to be expected. Have a great Christmas and will check back in boxing day or the day after. Hope all remains well for everyone xxxxx

That's great Amanda. Have a truly enjoyable Christmas and keep feeling better all the time.

Hi Sheena, Sammy , Diane, Dee and everyone . Well this is morning 7 of being off Amitriptyline and no symptoms. I am on lots of  pain drugs for my back so could be masking things. I am sleeping well  but, again pain meds possibly helping. No nausea or anything so all good. I hope you have all had a good Christmas.  I think the slow gradual taper is the best possible way to get off this type of medication. xx 

That's really good news then amanda glad you are feeling ok X

Im still not sleeping properly at all - still hoping it gets better 

Hi Amanda well done that is so good to hear that you are off and no symptoms fingers crossed all goes well, I must admit the symptoms that do come and go are bearable just be kind to yourself and takes things slow especially to give  your back time to heal.

i am at week seven off and everything is going fine no major withdrawals, sleep is getting better I make sure I keep sleep routine the same every night to try and reset body clock, seems to be slowly working. Anxiety comes and goes same with sinus but that seems to be a little less as time goes on.

talk soon xxx

 

tessa, i know it's been a while but how are you doing with your sleep now? 2.5 months of ami after only being in for 2 months and my sleep is dreadful. 0-4 hours a night with a random 6 here and there. so anxious and depressed about this