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Upping medications-side effects?

Posted , 4 users are following.

mere03725
mere03725

Hi-I’m on 150 mg of nortriptyline and 125 mg of traz. I jumped up this past Friday from 125 mg of nort and 75-100 mg of traz. Since then, I’ve been jittery, shaky, eyes hurt and foggy. Also increased anxiety. I’m wondering if this is due to the increase in meds or just plain old anxiety. I also gave birth two weeks ago, so hormones might be at play. Thoughts?

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  • Guest
    Guest mere03725

    Posted

    I believe it could be either of those things. No real sure way to know. 
  • jan69708
    jan69708 mere03725

    Posted

    Yes sounds like medication side effects, although I’m not on that medication I’m on cotalopram but I’ve just upped my dose and I’ve got those side effects too. The jittery shaky feeling is the worst. And my head feels thick and full
    • mere03725
      mere03725 jan69708

      Posted

      How long have you been on the increased dose? Yes! Foggy and tired! 
    • jan69708
      jan69708 mere03725

      Posted

      4 days now, but after a phone call with my doctor today I’m going back down to 20mg tomorrow. The dose is too high for me
    • mere03725
      mere03725 jan69708

      Posted

      Yeah, I hear yah! I’m ready to stop the med to be honest but scared of withdrawal. 
  • heather24624
    heather24624 mere03725

    Posted

    Hi - I was on 25mg of nortriptyline, tried to go down to 20mg and had horrible side effects.  Very anxious, burning/itchy skin, tinnitus, head pressure and neck pain.  I waited it out for a few weeks and most of the symptoms stuck around so I just went back up to 25mg two nights ago.  I was jittery yesterday morning, a little shaky today and yesterday.  This morning, my stomach is upset. 

    I'm not sure about trazadone... I only took it one night and really hated how I felt the next morning.  But I can say that I've experienced the same as you are feeling with nortriptyline.  My doctor said to give it at least a week to see if my "discontinuation/withdrawal" symptoms have improved, but I already feel a little better going up on my dose.  I think things will even out in the next couple of weeks.

    How has nortriptyline been for you otherwise?  I only started taking it mid-January.

    Congratulations on the baby!!!!

    • mere03725
      mere03725 heather24624

      Posted

      Nice to hear from another nortriptyline user. I’m actually on a much higher dose. Do you use it for headaches or anxiety? My doc tests my blood to see what the nortriptyline level is and mine has been low so she upped it. I have been on it since mid-January too. So, it’s been 6 nights on higher dose and I still feel super foggy, anxious, etc. I would have thought by now it would have evened out??

      Nortriptyline has been ok-I can’t seem to get the dosage right. I’m sure a lot had to do w preg hormones and now getting back down to normal hormones.it felt decent but now I think my dosage is messed up. What about you? Traz def can work for sleep but can leave a super hangover. 

    • heather24624
      heather24624 mere03725

      Posted

      I'm on it for migraines.  Did you feel those symptoms at any other increase in dose?  Sounds like you tapered up pretty quickly if you've been on it for ten weeks.  I know that ADs take a while to work in general and each increase can take a while.  Are you increasing because the lower dose isn't working?  Are you on for migraines or anxiety?  I didn't find too many people that are on nortriptyline when I was looking online to try to get some help with my dose decrease.

      I decided to get off of it after six weeks thinking that it wasn't helping because my migraine hadn't gone away and I was experiencing a little blurred vision and froggy voice.  Going down in dose really messed me up for almost a month so I'm back at 25mg and hoping that I'll settle out there.  I'm already feeling a little better.  I've decided to give it more time to see if it works.  I did just find out that I have a sinus infection and fluid in my ears so that could have been the cause of some of my symptoms.  It's really hard to tell with these medications.

    • mere03725
      mere03725 heather24624

      Posted

      I felt jittery before and shaky but not for this long. This seems different, increases anxiety, etc. maybe it’s hormones from child birth too. I jumped up quickly bc my doc measured my levels and the ideal range is 75-150 and I have been all over the w range. 

      I’m scared to get off of it. Ugh.

  • racheld1975
    racheld1975 mere03725

    Posted

    It is possibly all of the above in combination...talk to your doctor about the medication concerns but it may also be the just giving birth and anxiety kicking into overdrive. Hang in there!!!
    • mere03725
      mere03725 racheld1975

      Posted

      Totally!! I wish I knew what it was from! Like I’m shaky, jittery and I’ve gotten plenty of sleep. Arg! I’m seeing doc tomorrow. 
    • racheld1975
      racheld1975 mere03725

      Posted

      Do you drink anything with caffeine in it??? If so STOP...easier said than done I know but caffeine is horrible if you have anxiety and are already feeling jittery. Good luck with the doctor tomorrow!!!
    • mere03725
      mere03725 racheld1975

      Posted

      Thanks, I’ve started to a bit but it makes me feel so jittery!
    • mere03725
      mere03725

      Posted

      Update. I saw my doc today and it turns out my nortriptyline level was too high-169 and therapeutic dose is 75-150. So that explains why I was feeling so jittery. I decided though that I want off of it. Hope it’s the right choice. I’m pretty nervous. I’m gonna stay on trazodone and lexapro 10 mg. Once I taper off the doc will see if I need to increase the lex. The doc thought nortriptyline was working well but I don’t like all the side effects. 

      What do you think? 

    • heather24624
      heather24624 mere03725

      Posted

      Are you making the decision to get off of nortriptyline based on what just happened or due to some other side effects?  Personally I would give it time at the dose that was working for you without the jittery/anxious feelings.  I mentioned that I had trouble going down 5mg - it was 20% of my total dose.  I would taper very slowly if you want to get off of it.   I’ve never been on lexapro so I don’t know what the side effects are there.
    • mere03725
      mere03725 heather24624

      Posted

      It’s based on other issues and I’m not sure I want to be on it long term. I’m gonna taper slowly and if I feel terrible, I can always stay at whatever level if need be. I’m pretty nervous to do this! 
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