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Tapering off amitryptyline and my pain is returning with a vengeance

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deborah38629
deborah38629

Ive been on amitryptyline for a couple years now. I was put on it for chronic pain and sleep. My dr raised my dose to 200 mg at bedtime which helped me sleep, but I gained a ton of weight, terrible water retention, and its affected my sleep apnea causing me not to go into REM sleep. My sleep dr has me down to 100 mg at bedtime and since Im down 100mg my pain is returning with a vengeance!! Im still on a large dose of lasix for the water retention, cant imagine the pain if I still had all that fluid on me. My question is, is it normal to have so much more pain tapering off this medication, and is there another medication that similar to amitryptyline without the side effects of the amitryptyline?? Im miserable😭

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2 Replies

  • borderriever
    borderriever deborah38629

    Posted

    Hello Deborah

    Yo have been on a large dose of Amitryptyline and they have reduced your dose to a more moderate level and now you are suffering your pain is back and causing you problems again

    I was introduced to this medication to control nerve pain, I took 75mg and I personally reduced the dose down to 50mg several years ago. The lower dose in my case is basically reducing nerve pain still and I did not have any problems knocking the dose down.

    This medication is an old Anti Depressent, they class it as a dirty drug and there are better ones that can be tried. The main problem is a total withdrawal of the medication and if you can lower the dose further it may be better to stay on this medication

    I have been on this medication with Opiates for over thirty years I have a real problem with my weight.

    You have to consider a reduction to zero and a further introduction of another drug that may have the same problem. Personally I do not know the condition you suffer from, and that may be the decider on the pathway that is offered to you. 50mg works for me and I will leave well alone with this medication as it reduces pins and needles and cramps

    Sorry I cannot suggest any other pathway, be advised by your Specialist

    BOB

  • amanda59745
    amanda59745 deborah38629

    Posted

    Hi Deborah, that is a large dose of Amitriptyline , i was on it for nerve pain at the most i was on 30mg for a month then reduced to 20 and then 10 mg. It took me over 10 months to reduced to 0. I have some nerve pain return but am going to try herbal medication now. I do not Know your history so hard to comment re your pain but , it is an old medication and there are many more to try. When my gp said to stop 10 mg as it is a small dose i thought i will cut 10 mg in half and take 5 mg for a week. Well i go to day 3 of 5 mg and was in agony not just with my nerve pain but pain in every muscle in my body even my eyes hurt so was straight back on 10 mg after 1 day and a chat with my GP  the symptoms took 8 days to go. I fear your pain is increased due to the anticholinergic effects. How long have you been reduced? i fear this is too big a drop you will need to taper much much slower. I have posted on here many times as too have others look back on the threads and keep us posted xx hugs xx.  
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