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Does anyone have withdrawal info on Nortriptyline???

Posted , 29 users are following.

jennifer85396
jennifer85396

I was on Nortriptyline for a year for migraine prevention.  I found it was making me extremely tired and my heart race.  I unfortunatelly stopped it two weeks ago abruptly.  Does anyone know how long wtihdrawal symptoms last for.  Still feel jumpy, brain zaps, insomnia and headache. Any help would be so appreciated.

 

2 likes, 68 replies

68 Replies

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  • cindy53908
    cindy53908 jennifer85396

    Posted

    Hi, I've been on Nortriptyline for about 3 years for migraines. Recently I've been getting dizzy/fainting.

    I don't know that I believe the Nortriptyline is the cause. My doctor had me stop taking Nortriptyline (25mg) abruptly back in November. This was prior to me finding out later I should have weaned off of it "slowly".

    It's been nearly 2 months and my painful 4-5 day migraines are back. I called his office and his nurse told me to start taking it again but take half my normal daily dosage (12.5 mg) which is hard to do with a capsule. I just went back to my 1/day 25 MG capsules. It's been a week and I've had a horrible migraine every day since my body is now used to being "off of it" since early November.

    I'd rather have the "occasional" dizzy feelings than the horrible migraines like the one I have right now going on Day 6.

    Hope this helps you.

  • patricia_82161
    patricia_82161 jennifer85396

    Posted

    I would give your doctor a call. It is unsafe to stop cold-turkey like that. You are playing with brain neuro-transmitters. They typically want to wean you off slowly so your body can adjust without trauma. Best to you. 
  • jessica76554
    jessica76554 jennifer85396

    Posted

    Hello, everyone! I have been taking 175 mg of nortriptylin for at least a year with some success. It has been giving me anxiety and I now am in the process of weaning myself off of this dosage. My mother warned me of a few possible withdrawl symptoms, the main applying to me (so all I really remember) being a flu like feeling, dizziness or tunnel vision, and insomnia. These have all been occurring as a reduce my dosage and I've actually had to increase my dosage to slow down these effects. After reading through this forum, I can look back on days I felt similar symptoms and will definitely be more aware of what's happening now. Another interesting fact my family doctor told my mom is that the weaning process would take 3-4 months, maybe more. Hope this will be able to help someone! And if anyone has any questions, I can always ask my mom, she's a worrier and seems to have found every article ever written about nortriptylin, it's side effects, and withdrawl symptoms.

    • TheGooseberry
      TheGooseberry jessica76554

      Posted

      I have been on 50mg of Nortirptylene for Vestibular Migraine related symptoms for nearly a year, prior to that Amnitriptylene, but that would make me feel tired every morning. I have struggled with heart palpitations and am now reducing my dose by 5 mg per week. The doctor had prescribed gabapentin but I will not start that until fully off Nor so I can see the difference in side effects. I benefit from it for IBS too and have noticed coming off has increased symptoms but being careful with diet might help e.g. Low FODMAP. I also believe my hair is a lot thinner than before too. For the palpitation I have seen a few cardiologists, I actually ended up with Ventricular Tachacardia, too bit this may have been cause by other medications. Cardiologist don't believe there is a link but coming off the Nor will let me know. Side effects I have experienced, the random muscle spasms especially on the face, sharp head pain (though this is momentary), increased anxiety etc all common by the sounds of it. I am sure everyone will get through it, just don't rush reducing dosage, it isn't good for you.

    • heather24624
      heather24624 jessica76554

      Posted

      Hi Jessica-

      How are you doing today and how was your taper?  I was only on 25mg and reduced to 20 and then 17.  I’ve felt pretty bad with withdrawal symptoms.  I went back up to 20mg five days ago and am hoping to find some relief soon.

  • joycemadine
    joycemadine jennifer85396

    Posted

    Hi Jennifer how long were you taking it for I have ben taking them for 2 weeks only and was wondering if it would be ok to just stop .
  • estell73151
    estell73151 jennifer85396

    Posted

    i have been taking Nortrptyline for a few years, for nerve pain associated with my M-S. Was up to 90mg. Decided to reduce, but the local doctor I was under at the time, I had shifted doctors from when I first started taking. Had no idea of what it could do, if I reduced. So we cut the amount by half. Result, I completely lost contact with myself, for about 2min. This is a long time, when you find yourself in a busy train station not knowing what you are doing, why you are there or even who you are. I still didn't know it was the Nortrptyline. Changed Dr's yet again, for something else. When I did eventually read the side affects, it rang a lot of bells. So I approached this new Dr about coming off. Decided to do it slowly and carefully. Came gradually down to half a tablet every second day. Got a lot of pain in the knees, that woke me up at 5am, that I associate with the half tablet. I found meditation helped ease the pain, and within a few hours there wasn't any. Am off the medication completely 4 days ago. Still get early morning  pain, but it is decreasing .

  • retamay
    retamay jennifer85396

    Posted

    Hi all, I've been following this link and it has helped enormously. I was on  10mg Nortrip for 8 months for facial nerve pain, decided to slowly cut down so went on 5mg and all hell broke loose with me ticking all withdrawal symptoms. 2 months on and down to 4mg and left with a residual dizzy/lightheaded, drunkish feeling and overwhelming exhaustion.  Can you advise me if you had these leftover feelings even after two months. Pharmacist told me today keep going very slowly but warned me it could go bad again after I pop the very last 2mg. Thanks

    • heather24624
      heather24624 retamay

      Posted

      Hi retamay,

      How are you feeling now?  Have you completed your taper?  I'm also tapering from 25mg which I've been on for 1.5 months.

    • retamay
      retamay heather24624

      Posted

      Hi Heather. I’m off the gear now but ended up halving the 10mg to 5 then shaving off scraps every day down to a crumb and didn’t have any withdrawals after I took the last scrap.  But I did 4 to 0 over 6 weeks. I learned my lesson going from 10 to 5 without being aware of withdrawals.   It has made me sooo weary of other meds.  Good luck with it all and the reason you are taking allegron. 
    • heather24624
      heather24624 retamay

      Posted

      I’m on it for migraines, but I think the medication has actually made it worse.  I only have capsules - did you have tablets that you were able to cut?
    • retamay
      retamay heather24624

      Posted

      I had tablets Heather and used a small blade to shave them.  Could you swap to 10mg tablets n take two, making 20mg and go down from there. I have found I get heaps more current knowledge from forums, the pharmacist and google. I am so sorry about your migraines. I now have 24 hour headache so have referral to pain clinic specialising in central pain sensitisation. Trying to stay away from meds. Thinking of you - pain can be a lonely place. 
    • heather24624
      heather24624 retamay

      Posted

      Hi Retamay-

      Have you found any relief for your headache?  Some non- prescription things that I’ve done:  vitamin B2, co-q10, magnesium (all recommended by my neurologist), massage therapy every other week and acupuncture.

      I dropped from 25mg to 20mg for 7 days and then went down to 17mg.  Before I made the drop to 17, I started feeling pretty bad.  After 4 days at 17, I went back up to 20 to settle my body’s down.  That was about 5 days ago.  I still have some symptoms from the decrease:  anger, anxiousness and my arms, hands and chest are burning/itching.  I was wondering how long did it take after you dropped from 10 to 5 to feel better?

    • retamay
      retamay heather24624

      Posted

      So sorry for the late reply Heather but I did answer and couldn’t get it to send. Anyway it took a couple of months from the 10 to 5 jump to feel human but still with side effects. Then 6 -8 weeks to go from 4 to 0.  I found it helped to write a few lines about my daily symptoms in my phone Notes.  I had started to have bladder/urinary problems and along with Allegron not really helping was the decision to give it up. I have a list of quirky symptoms and in the end I was getting confused with what was withdrawal and what was just me feeling unwell. Thanks for the Q10 suggestion, I’ll give it a go. 
    • sigal96621
      sigal96621 retamay

      Posted

      Hi.

      Im taking nuri for 3 mon. i missed a dose 3 times, and every time the pain in my chest went worst. i would like to tapper it off, my doc gave me nuri liquid. i supposd to take 4 ml for a week (7.5 mg) and so on for 4 weeks. how do you take your 5mg?

      thanks

    • retamay
      retamay sigal96621

      Posted

      Hi, I took tablets. I don’t want to sound over-the-top but if you have the time I would be going down in half ml doses and spread the whole thing over two months.  Good luck and maybe you could help others by posting how you are doing since it might help others. 
    • Joyous18
      Joyous18 retamay

      Posted

      I have been on nortriptyline for 8 months taking 30mg a night I have put on a stone in weight and I can say that it hasn’t reduced my migraine attacks but it has reduced the severity of them my doctor said to reduce 30 to 20 then 10 which I have done gradually and have been of it for 2 days but feel very light headed dizzzy and feeel sicky I didn’t have any palpitations while on it but am having them now I have read all the side effects of coming off it just wondered how long before i feel  human again I know that everyone is different and react to things differently so it seems a week maybe any advice would be helpful

      Js

    • Andre777
      Andre777 retamay

      Posted

      Yes same here. I was on 37mg for 2 years which I took for lower back pain.

      I started weaning off In August and I'm now (November) on 10mg. It's getting really difficult and the side-effects are getting really bad including flu symptons, insomnia, poor sleep, busy dreams and constantly feeling tired. Apparently the worst side-effects are when reaching 10mg or less.

      No one ever warned me how bad this drug is! It was so easy to start taking it but I never expected it to be so hard to get off it! I probably have another 3 months to go before I am completely free of this drug. I'm now using small amounts of Zopiclone to fight the insomnia. However I am trying to avoid taking Zopiclone every night to prevent getting addicted to that medicine.

    • retamay
      retamay Andre777

      Posted

      unless you are in a rush Andre I would hover on 10 to let your body catch up if the doctor is ok with that. I started shaving tablets so that I could go down extra slow. I know its easy for me to say but try and relax into it Don't fight it. You'll start to feel better and sleep better so dont start feeling anxious over it. Good wishes

    • Andre777
      Andre777 retamay

      Posted

      Thank you so much - that's really good advice. I'll let you know how its going in about a month or so.

    • heather24624
      heather24624 Andre777

      Posted

      I was able to get a liquid form of nortriptyline and tapered the last 10mg by taking a little less each day. It's been three weeks since my last dose. I've had a bad migraine the past few days but I have chronic migraines so it may not be related to the medication. The withdrawal symptoms have been tolerable.

    • retamay
      retamay Andre777

      Posted

      Yes, do that Andre. So much of any forum can be based on "OMG!! Can I get through this?" Its great to read follow-ups, you never know your quick few lines in a month or so could very well help someone.

    • Andre777
      Andre777 retamay

      Posted

      Well I have been reducing my dose using sandpaper every day since my last post and I am now down to the final 2mg. The withdrawal symptoms I mentioned in my earlier message are manageable so this method seems to be working. I started with 37mg in August so this is a significant reduction. Hopefully by the end of January I will be free of this medicine. I'm pretty excited about that thought!

    • retamay
      retamay Andre777

      Posted

      wonderful Andre and what a great way to start the new year. Not only are you off the drug, you sound so positive, so this year just has to get better and better Also feel good that your post will help at least one person in the forum. Good job!

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