Withdrawing from nortriptyline

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I have been on nortriptyline for 8 months for migraine prevention and I can’t say that it has reduced my migraines but they have been less severe . I am now reducing the dosage I was on 30 mg a night so I have reduced to 20 then now 10 I seemed to be having palpitations which I didn’t have when on it but my weight has increased while on it also  another reason for reducing and come off it .i have tryed a number of migraine preventions in the past but might consider the magnesium route but which one and dosage is another issue I currently take Zolmitriptan for my migraine attacks which is my life  safer and works very well for me . I am also finding I am a little light headed and not sleeping well I think another side effect of withdrawal  I think I might be going back to my head ache specialist to see if there is something else I can try but I have tried a few In the past whichhavent really helped I have also had MRI to make sure there is no nasties I am 59 so post meno and was told I should start to get less migraines but not seen it so far  be nice to hear from anyone who is going though similar .

JS

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6 Replies

  • Posted

    Hi JS,  I am the same age and last year decided to go to a Neurologist for migraines.  I experience the throbbing above the eyes and the silent (body migraines of weakness, lightheadedness,etc-without pain) migraine. The doctor prescribed me noritriptyline for migraines and wanted me to get off the prednisone which I had been taken as needed for 5 yrs  from my PC-the prednisone dose help me.  I will try to stay away from meds if I can and tylenol  , Ibprofrin , any of that stopped working years ago. Anyway the noritrip didn't work was on it from may to september and I didn't like the way I was feeling and decided not to return to the doctor for quite a few reasons.  So I spoke with a pharmacist and he told me how to wean off of it, although I think I did it soon than what he suggested.  The first two weeks I had some symptoms after that fine and felt back to myself.  What helps is magnesium, not synthetic magnesium that stays in the stomach and colon, but magnesium in foods such as cashews, pumpkin seeds ,some veggies that go directly into the blood stream and the vitamin riboflavin that is abundant in almonds.  It worked for me and a few others I spoke with.  I usually have 3-4 servings a day.  Too, "Austra" makes a great spray on magnesium that absorbs thru your skin into the bloodstream and that is good (I have that too I used when out for day ) as well. The best thing to do  is research on alternative safe ways.  I hope you feel better very soon.  I didn't think I would ever feel better . 

    • Posted

      Hi cindy thanks for your reply you say you didn’t get the pain with migraines I do it’s like a knife in your head and the pain makes me feel sick migraines are a restriction of the blood vessels in the  brain and so I have tried abstaining from coffee, chocolate and other triggers but nothing has helped I have also seen a neurologist he prescribed a very high dose of q10but I came out with hives I was allergic to the colour of the tablet coating .but the nortriptyline did help with less severity but I’ve put on a lot of weight so I’m coming off it slowly but getting some side effects but I was fine whilst on it I could try the magnesium route but you say not the tablet form I don’t Think i would get enough from the foods though would I ? .it is mine field and you only want to feel freee of pain and the horrible migraines 
    • Posted

      I think my second sentence I wrote throbbing above the eye and silent ones without pain.  The throbbing then thru my head in pain.  I certainly do understand what you are going thru. Many people think migraines and headaches are the same.  Big difference.  I am a brain tumor patient so I live with tolerable headaches everyday, and had a spinal leak after surgery (had the biggest surgery cause tumor on artery and 12 cranial nerves that control body)  because partial bone removed near brain so got a spinal leak and had excruciating head pain. had another surgery 5days later to stop leak while in ICU for 2wks so after 21days in hospital , Had to take codeine for few months to to stabbing headaches. Well, all the codeine with tylenol I believe helped keep the throbbing and other debilating migraine symptoms not occurring but my body seemed to reject Ibprophren and tylenol  later on for migraines which led me to migraine meds that cause rebounds, then to prednisone and that is what help though I only take when necessary. I do drink diet pepsi for the caffeine and when I had abruptly stopped drinking it I got pain.  I couldn't understand why the magnesium form in tablet wasn't working for me (didn't know there were many forms of magnesium in tablet) and found out thru searching on the net that it doesn't go into the blood stream to brain, to put it j, it ust cause supset stomach and stays there.  I make cashew butter , other nut butters or just eat the nuts.  Some veggies are high in magnesium,   Like i said the company "Austra" has a product with true magnesium you just spray on and it works.  I just happened to love food and rather get it from that but I also have the Austra magnesium spray on hand too for when I can't get to the magnesium in foods.  My former Neurologist said would lose weight on the noritriptilyn I didn't find that for me.  I have come across anything with Q10 going to search on that.   I have experienced those hives too, but from tomatoes last year.  Oh, I took about 3wks to come off of the northrip. 

    • Posted

      due to my memory I forget things,   If you like cheese (that was migraine causing for me, chocolate too) raw cheese I did well with and I forget the reason but something being it doesn't go thru the process that depletes things that pasteurized cheese does.  Don't know if you have seen the alternative pills in health food stores for migraines.

    • Posted

      Oh cindy so sorry to hear of your brain tumour that must have been an awful time for you hope you are ok now but sounds like your still suffering I agree that people who don’t suffer from migraines don’t really understand it’s. Not just a headache and ibropruphen and paracetamol doesn’t even touch the sides of  a migraine I take Zolmitriptan as mentioned for my attacks but I have read up on magnesium and I am going to try liquid magnesium as I’m not good on taking tablets I will stop taking nortriptyline first as I have been on just 10mg for about 2 weeks now so slowly coming off it then give it a go I haven’t had a blood test to see if I am magnesium deficient but it won’t hurt anyway .the Austra spray you refer to where do you get it from I will research it 

      thanks 

      Js 

    • Posted

      Thank you, I'm actually doing good , though I have issues. Here are some informative articles and the site for "Austra" Walmart sells it online as well.  

      Magnesium info

      https://www.naturalnews.com/046401_magnesium_dietary_supplements_nutrient_absorption.html

      https://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/types-of-magnesium/

      If you decide to use nuts such as cashews, almonds-riboflavin, pumpkin seeds, etc.  Traders joes is priced well and if you look on some of the bags no oil such as canola oil, veg oil is not in, however some do have oil.  I always purchase without oil.

       

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