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amitriptyline withdrawal... advice please!

Posted , 7 users are following.

catali
catali

I'm looking for advice on the best way to get off 50mg amitrityline. Been taking it for c.18 yrs for fibromyalgia but now think it's affecting my short term memory and gives me high blood pressure. I'm recovering from a really bad episode of paroxetine (seroxat) withdrawal and am now on a half dose of 10mg of that.

Wondering if I should try reducing the amitriptyline before risking any further reduction of the paroxetine and if so, how much to reduce it by reasonably safely.

Would be grateful to hear other people's experiences! Thank you!

0 likes, 36 replies

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  • Lenny1949
    Lenny1949 catali

    Posted

    Do a slow taper on the amitriptyline. Maybe 10% every 3 or 4 weeks and don't reduce any other medication you are taking. You're taking 2 ssri's so be careful. Take it slow and don't reduce further until you are stable at the current taper. Read as much as you can on the taper schedule and do what is best for you. I went cold turkey and that was a big mistake seeing as I am still in withdrawal after 13 weeks. The muscle / nerve pain is the last to go as far as my situation. I wish you the best, but don't go too quick because it will catch up with you.

  • zara12737
    zara12737 catali

    Posted

    Hi Catali,

    First of all hope you feel better really soon. I have been taking this medication for the past year and half at 25mg, I recently decided to reduce because of my eye sight. It's getting really bad, and this is one of the side effect including many other bad things.

    I think the best way to reduce it is to slowly cut down, I cut a 25mg tablet in four now and in half a month before. I now take one fourth of the tablet which brings it down to 5mg now.

    I will then go to escaping a night and then tow nights and so on.

    Please reduce it slowly because you will have really bad withdrawals and it's not a happy feeling. If go slowly abs reduce slowly you will hopefully be just fine.

    Let us know if your progress.

    Best of luck...

  • Hopeandope
    Hopeandope catali

    Posted

    Hi,

    Probably best to speak with your gp.

    I was on amitriptyline for 20 years ( on 200mg )

    PLEASE taper off the amount you take slowly.

    I didn’t, had the worst year of my life and back on it again.

    Good luck.

    Ed

  • Paula2019
    Paula2019 catali

    Posted

    Hi Catali, my doctor advised me to only come off one med at a time. As you are still recovering from seroxat, I would concentrate on tapering off this really slowly by tiny amounts first. I have spent since last October coming off a cocktail of meds and am on just one now which will take the best part of a year to get off. Although I have found it painfully slow am recovering so well am pleased I took the slow route. You mention your blood pressure is high has this happened when in withdrawal? My blood pressure spiked when I was reducing Amit. Well worth discussing this with your doctor. My eyesight has improved too.
    • catali
      catali Paula2019

      Posted

      I noticed you've seen a neurologist, too. After lots of tests mine wants to attribute my problems (pins and needles, weakness, restless legs etc) to chronic fatigue syndrome. I was also diagnosed with fibromyalgia 18 yrs ago. I'm now much more inclined to think that the antidepressants are to blame (paroxetine and amitriptyline). What do you think?

    • Paula2019
      Paula2019 catali

      Posted

      All I can tell you is that I had chronic fatigue but called it constant exhaustion which has literally disappeared within the last week and have been off amit for around 5 weeks (need to check) and my neurologist just said I had parathesia (pins and needles, hot legs etc) due to the hemiplegic migraine diagnosis she gave me.  I have had one hemiplegic migraine in almost 8 months, when I used to get them almost weekly, the only thing that changed was coming of meds, so for me its proof that the meds caused all my neurological symptoms.  The only parathesia I have now is in my right foot, whereas I used to have it down my whole right side from head to foot.  Infact, I was a mass of symptoms,  and was constantly being checked for stroke and brain bleeds, now most of my symptoms have disappeared I no longer need to see my neurologist anymore.  I also had to see an eye specialist and was diagnosed with photophobia, thats completely disappeared and I had that for 3 years.  Outrageous! makes me angry just thinking about it.  I didnt know it was the meds for 2.5 years.
    • Paula2019
      Paula2019

      Posted

      I forgot to mention all the body aches and pains especially in my legs, they have gone too, apart from the odd morning, although I ended up on crutches due to progressive calf injury which the meds hid.  I cannot think of one part of my body that hasn't been affected.  I know meds affect everyone differently, so double check all your symptoms.  My doctor who now listens to me and looks after me well at long last says I am hyper sensitive to medication, thats an understatement.

    • catali
      catali Paula2019

      Posted

      That all sounds so similar, Paula, except I don't get migraine. I'm just so tired of getting blank stares when I talk about long term side effects and withdrawal symptoms to health professionals from my GP to mental health doctors. They really don't seem to ever have heard of these things. It's so disheartening.

    • Paula2019
      Paula2019 catali

      Posted

      Hi Catali, I experienced the same responses from them, which is one of the reasons I am on this forum to raise awareness, I felt so alone going through this.
  • charline94768
    charline94768 catali

    Posted

    Am also tapering very slowly, was on 10 mgs for eight years. Am down to 5mgs in the last three months.  I also have issues with my eyes, very dry and sometimes feel irritated.  Zara and Paula, I am wondering what your eye problems are? Are you seeing any improvements? My memory is also terrible, but I am 66 years old and am hoping it is more age related. 
    • zara12737
      zara12737 charline94768

      Posted

      Hi Charline,

      I have only been taking this medication for about two years now and I see a huge change in my eye sight. It feels like I have a really bad astigmatism, it is a little difficult to see sometimes abs requires me focus hard to make sure I see clearly. Specifically really closely and looking faraway. It seems like its geting worse day by day. So I decided to cut down slowly. Dry mouth is another problem I have, really as dry mouth specially at night. I carry a water bottle with me everywhere I go. My knees are hurting lately and I am not sure if this is also caused by this medication or not but I have an appointment with an orthopedic on Friday to find out why.

    • Paula2019
      Paula2019 charline94768

      Posted

      Hi Charline

      Since coming off these, my eyesight improved I had no idea that amit had affected them, I just put it down to age.  I used to get dry eyes, flashes in my eyes, floaters worse, movement at the side of my eyes, photophobia, had driving glasses for day and driving glasses for night, plus constantly wearing sunglasses.........all disappeared since coming off them, keep meaning to go to the opticians to get my prescription changed as only use my contact lenses for driving now.  My migraines have completely disappeared too, am wondering if that was to do with the eyes.  My memory was terrible, put that down to age, now my short term memory is back.  The positive changes have been amazing.

    • Paula2019
      Paula2019 zara12737

      Posted

      Zara, I had dry mouth and terrible aches including my knees, doctors didn't believe me that it was the medication, they believe me now.

    • Hopeandope
      Hopeandope Paula2019

      Posted

      Been on 200mg of amitriptyline for 20 years. Tried giving up last year but these little pills beat me and back on again. 

      Have dry mouth, aggressive pins and needles in hands/feet/legs.

      Have the manufacturers done clinical trials to see long term effects taking these meds?

      These pills do more harm than good.

      :-(

    • Paula2019
      Paula2019 Hopeandope

      Posted

      Hi Hope, I have searched the net for information on pharma trials and have found very little information. All I know is these are great for some people and awful for others. Am curious about long term affects. I know that you have to be careful taking these if you have high liver function and wonder if they can cause this plus you need to be careful if you have heart problems. Also watch for interractions with other meds, painkillers, herbal meds etc
    • zara12737
      zara12737 Paula2019

      Posted

      I have the same problem, and now my knees are hurting really bad. In fact I have an appointment with an orthopedic on Tuesday.
    • Lenny1949
      Lenny1949 zara12737

      Posted

      That would be the amit withdrawal. The pains, tension, digestion and everything else are from this horrible drug. It really messes with your mind and body.
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