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Help! Can't seem to wean myself off amitriptyline.

Posted , 3 users are following.

liz54943
liz54943

I've been taking 40mg of amitriptyline a day for nearly 7 months. I take it for anxiety, and feelings of dread that started out of the blue, at the start if the year.

It took quite a while for them to work consistently, I was very up and down for the first 3 months. But once they settled I felt fine again. Anxiety gone. Felt content and optimistic again. I enjoyed this for a couple of months then decided to wean myself off. Dropped dose to 30mg a day. Felt great for 2 weeks, then anxiety and dread came back.

Went back up to 40mg and within 5 days felt great again. Enjoyed another 2 months if this, and decided to wean off more slowly. So alternated 40mg and 30mg for 2 weeks. Was fine. Then switched to just taking 35mg every day. Within 5 days the anxiety and dread were back. Took 40mg last night and feel fine again today.

Why can't I even drop 5mg a day without symptoms coming back? My life is much better than at start if year. I don't understand it?

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • pam39536
    pam39536 liz54943

    Posted

    Hi Liz,

    maybe you are trying to wean off too soon . I too suffer from anxiety , amitryptaline didn't agree with me at all. If the tablets work don't be too quick to come off, if you are feeling ok.Try dropping one  5 mg a week , a couple of weeks later drop 5mg on 2 days in the week . I can get bad days for no apparent reason . If you were a diabetic you wouldn't try to stop your tablets because you felt better ...I hope you feel better soon 

    • liz54943
      liz54943 pam39536

      Posted

      Thanks Pam.I actually believe it is my hormones causing my anxiety and low mood. Have been referred to a Menopause Clinic and my gynaecologist thinks I am peri menopausal. Classic symptoms include onset of sudden anxiety, feelings of dread etc. I'm due to start HRT next month, and my gynaecologist promises the extra oestrogens will make me feel much better. 

      Might wait until I start the HRT before dropping dose again. But will follow your advice about just dropping 5mg once, twice a week. It will take ages to come off them at that rate though.

  • si6996
    si6996 liz54943

    Posted

    I sounds to me like you are taking the medication for more reasons than just anxiety. you may have a chemical imbalence in your brain that the meds are stabilizing for you. Unfortunately the human brain runs like that of a cars engine. You have to have the right amounts of all the fluids (gas, oil, transmittion fluid, power steering fluid, ect..) if you dont want you car running sluggish & rough. the chemicals in our brain (our engine) have got to be in the right amounts as well or we dont run right either. I would recommend staying on the meds as your doctor has perscribed them to you. As my mother used to tell my father all the time "Ifin it aint actin up don't go a tinkering with it er your libal ta break somethin fer real." Yes my mother was a country hick talkin woman but to this day still is 1 of the wisest people I know. Good luck to you. 
    • liz54943
      liz54943 si6996

      Posted

      Thank you for replying. If you can read my above post you'll see it's likely my hormones are causing my problems. Hopefully once the HRT kicks in coming off amitriptyline will be much easier.
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