Molly19: Amitriptyline withdrawal

[Molly19]

Hello everyone,

I am so glad I found this forum. I feel so lost and alone struggling to navigate this withdrawal. Here's my story:

 

I started 10mg of Amitriptyline on November 1st 2017. I was originally prescribed this for sleep when the doctor took my off my pantoprazole 40 mg cold turkey and I ended up very sick ( I was put on that because they thought maybe I had H. Pylori so once the test came back negative they took me off of it cold turkey.) Due to being so sick coming off the pantoprazole they decided the taper me off it properly by reinstating it and lowering the does by 25% each week. In the mean time he gave me amitriptyline 10mg to help me sleep as I felt so sick.  

 

I came off the pantoprazole properly this time, and decided I didn't need to be on the amitriptyline it was making me feel sick to my stomach and making me VERY dizzy to the point where I passed out and hit the floor. So I called my doctor who said just to stop the amitriptyline, it is not an addictive drug and he has never heard of withdrawals on this med. After his last cold turkey mistake I dropped down to 7.5mg of Amitriptyline and felt fine...until day 10 then was I sick!!!  After 9 days of this (extreme nausea, headaches, anxiety, aches etc) I couldn't take it anymore and reinstated to 10mg, within 24 hrs I was feeling much better but back on 10mg. Of course when I saw my doctor after this he rolled his eyes and said I must have had the flu. So fed up I got a new doctor.

The new doctor also felt that 10mg was such a low dose and withdrawals are impossible on this med. However the fainting and bouts of nausea concerned him, I explained this all started once I began taking this pill but he told me there is no way I could have such bad side effects on 10mg. He sent me for a CT scan on my head, lots of blood work, hooked me up to a blood pressure monitor, heart rate monitor etc.  In the mean time I passed out a few more times and continued to feel sick, finally he decided that I must be having an allergic reaction to the meds (im sensitive to meds anyways) since it was causing my blood pressure to drop VERY low.  He then told me I must come off them tonight!!  10 to 0 ill be just fine and he refused to give me any more refills because this drug is too dangerous for me this was in March 2018. I refused to go cold turkey (as i had no support on this) so I tapered off of 10mg over 50 days dropping .2mg per night which brought me to the end of my pills.

 

I have been off of Amitriptyline for 2 weeks now as I took my last dose on April 14 2018. For the first 2 weeks I experienced headaches, fatigue, aches, nausea, anxiety etc. I am now dealing with an emotional roller coast and nausea that comes and goes throughout the day. Some days are okay, some days are bad.  I have not had any fainting spells since I started tapering which is great but how long will this wax and wane nausea last? Im feeling really low at the moment. Everyone expected that once i was off the drugs I would be perfectly fine within a week or two and the doc will never admit there is withdrawals and just put me on another med :(  No one really understands, im hoping someone on here does <3 

[SkyBlue]

22 hours ago, Molly19 said:

 

I have been off of Amitriptyline for 2 weeks now as I took my last dose on April 14 2018. For the first 2 weeks I experienced headaches, fatigue, aches, nausea, anxiety etc. I am now dealing with an emotional roller coast and nausea that comes and goes throughout the day. Some days are okay, some days are bad.  I have not had any fainting spells since I started tapering which is great but how long will this wax and wane nausea last? Im feeling really low at the moment. Everyone expected that once i was off the drugs I would be perfectly fine within a week or two and the doc will never admit there is withdrawals and just put me on another med No one really understands, im hoping someone on here does ❤️

 

Hello Molly, and welcome to SA. I'm so glad you found this forum, too. I can promise you there are many here who understand your situation.

 

I am so sorry about what you have been through, from cold turkeys to extreme symptoms to denial of withdrawal. You have really been through a lot.

 

It sounds like you are most certainly in withdrawal. 

 

Unfortunately 0.2mg per night does seem too fast to reduce. 

 

Because you've been off for such a short time, I'm wondering if reinstatement (then tapering more slowly, at a maximum of 10% per month) might be an option. 

There are other moderators who are more experienced in this; I will check with them--I know you've reinstated already so I'm not sure what is best yet.

in the meantime please check out this thread:

http://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/7562-about-reinstating-and-stabilizing-to-reduce-withdrawal-symptoms/?tab=comments#comment-33809

 

I'll ask the other moderators about this. 

 

(Also, thanks for filling out a signature. That really helps.)

 

[Altostrata]

Welcome, Molly.

 

Congratulations on tapering as slowly as you were able with the amitriptyline you had. Too bad you still got withdrawal symptoms.

 

A little reinstatement, such as 0.2mg amitriptyline, might help while not disturbing your blood pressure. Any doctor can prescribe these drugs. Is there a doctor who's more understanding with whom you can work?

 

Otherwise, how have your withdrawal symptoms changed since you came off completely? It's a good sign you have windows.

[Molly19]

Hello Altostrata and Sky blue thank you both for responding...its been such a roller coaster. I will be discussing the option of reinstating with my doctor on Friday. I think because I was only on this drug for a few months and a low dose they want me to tough it out. OR run a bunch of tests because there is no such thing as withdrawals on this med and the internet is full of hypochondriacs according to one of my doctors. He thinks obviously there is something else going on it cannot be withdrawals especially on such a low dose.

 Sadly I live in a small town there are like 3 full time doctors all of which think the same I have seen all 3 now.

Yesterday I did not have any withdrawal symptoms it was wonderful. Today however I'm back to the nausea and aches and pains...very frustrating! I really appreciate your help though...Do either of you know how long the nausea will last? Also do you believe what i'm going through is withdrawals or something more serious?

 

Thank you for your help. I feel so alone and worried 

 

[Gridley]

I'm sorry you're going through this, Molly19.  As if the misery of withdrawal weren't enough, you have to deal with the doctors' obtuse denial of what you're going through.  These drugs are very powerful and can have a strong effect at low doses.  Some people are very sensitive to these drugs (you said you were sensitive to meds).  It sure sounds like withdrawal to me, especially given the very fast taper you were forced to do.  It is tragic these doctors don't know any better.  

 

This link lists common withdrawal symptoms.  Nausea is one of them.  

PDF Monthly List of Dr Glenmullen's Symptoms to Print & PDF Monthly List BLANK to Print

 

Unfortunately, there is no way to predict how long this will last.  It will end though.  

 

We understand even though your doctors don't.

 

 

[Altostrata]

Molly, you'll have to ride out the withdrawal symptoms. They should very gradually get less frequent and less intense. Please let us know if this does not happen.

 

Many people do better with fish oil and magnesium supplements, see
http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/36-king-of-supplements-omega-3-fatty-acids-fish-oil/

http://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/15483-magnesium-natures-calcium-channel-blocker/

 

A lot of people find them helpful. Try a little bit of one at a time to see how it affects you -- but don't take when you feel nauseous.

 

[Molly19]

Hello everyone thank you for your kind words.

I wish I was NEVER given these meds...especially because I didn't really need them. I do take magnesium and fish oil supplements to help my headaches and brain zaps they make such a difference. The nausea is my biggest issue especially after a good day. I would feel so hopeful it's over and then bam the next day sick again i would feel so hopeless.  But now that I found this page and read about waves and windows I understand what is happening to me. Being told it's all in my head  OR that i let the internet hypochondriacs convince me i am having these symptoms OR there is obviously something else going so i can prescribe you another med...all that was very disheartening. I can't wait to move the medical help in this town is horrific. Thank goodness i found this group. So basically everything im going through sounds like withdrawals...so I shouldn't panic there is something else wrong at this stage just wait for the withdrawals to pass.

 

Thank you everyone ❤❤❤ I wish you all a speedy recovery as well 💜

[Carmie]

1 hour ago, Molly19 said:

Hello everyone thank you for your kind words.

I wish I was NEVER given these meds...especially because I didn't really need them. I do take magnesium and fish oil supplements to help my headaches and brain zaps they make such a difference. The nausea is my biggest issue especially after a good day. I would feel so hopeful it's over and then bam the next day sick again i would feel so hopeless.  But now that I found this page and read about waves and windows I understand what is happening to me. Being told it's all in my head  OR that i let the internet hypochondriacs convince me i am having these symptoms OR there is obviously something else going so i can prescribe you another med...all that was very disheartening. I can't wait to move the medical help in this town is horrific. Thank goodness i found this group. So basically everything im going through sounds like withdrawals...so I shouldn't panic there is something else wrong at this stage just wait for the withdrawals to pass.

 

Thank you everyone ❤❤❤ I wish you all a speedy recovery as well 💜

 

Hi Molly, 

You are definitely not a hypochondriac. Don’t listen to the doctors, they haven’t got a clue. 

 

There are sooo many withdrawal symptoms you can get n sometimes u may feel like a hypochondriac but believe me, you are not.

 

A while ago I had to have a filling replaced and I had lots of tooth pain and jaw pain and and an earache and I stupidly thought I had an infection. Nope, that wasn’t the case. I did need to get the filling done but the dentist said that my nerve wasn’t exposed and my pain was psychosomatic.

 

Later on I  read that other people had these pains while going through withdrawals. 

 

I have similar symptoms that happen all the time when I get withdrawals but every now and again new symptoms pop up and when I check out whether other people have had these symptoms in withdrawals, Yep, that’s nearly always the case. The CNS affects every part of our body. 

 

That’s not to say don’t get checked out if you think something is really wrong but more than likely it’s withdrawals.

 

Wishing you all the best Molly💚💚

 

 

 

 

[Molly19]

14 hours ago, Carmie said:

 

Hi Molly, 

You are definitely not a hypochondriac. Don’t listen to the doctors, they haven’t got a clue. 

 

There are sooo many withdrawal symptoms you can get n sometimes u may feel like a hypochondriac but believe me, you are not.

 

A while ago I had to have a filling replaced and I had lots of tooth pain and jaw pain and and an earache and I stupidly thought I had an infection. Nope, that wasn’t the case. I did need to get the filling done but the dentist said that my nerve wasn’t exposed and my pain was psychosomatic.

 

Later on I  read that other people had these pains while going through withdrawals. 

 

I have similar symptoms that happen all the time when I get withdrawals but every now and again new symptoms pop up and when I check out whether other people have had these symptoms in withdrawals, Yep, that’s nearly always the case. The CNS affects every part of our body. 

 

That’s not to say don’t get checked out if you think something is really wrong but more than likely it’s withdrawals.

 

Wishing you all the best Molly💚💚

 

 

 

 

I was initially worried when the doctor said that but some withdrawal symptoms have basically disappeared. The nausea seems to be getting better..i think I have a day or a few hrs without it then it's back. So I'm assuming that's the window and wave thing everyone talks about which is a classic withdrawal pattern. So I'm thinking that must be it.🤔

[Carmie]

On 5/3/2018 at 4:39 AM, Molly19 said:

I was initially worried when the doctor said that but some withdrawal symptoms have basically disappeared. The nausea seems to be getting better..i think I have a day or a few hrs without it then it's back. So I'm assuming that's the window and wave thing everyone talks about which is a classic withdrawal pattern. So I'm thinking that must be it.🤔

 

Im so glad your nausea is getting better.

 

Yes, all these weird symptoms we get are the windows and waves cycle we all go through.

 

The thing is we get symptoms we don’t even relate to withdrawals but yep, I’ve found that many of them are. I’ve had earaches and toothaches but no infections. I had a burning mouth for a long time last year but it eventually went away.

 

Withdrawals affect our CNS which pretty much affects everything in our bodies. 

 

Hope you are coping okay Molly, sending hugs🤗

[Molly19]

Yes i am doing alright. Furious and worried...but alright. I saw my doctor again I explained that nausea is getting better less intense, less often etc. I had nausea while on these pills too along with other side effects (dizziness, fatigue, fainting, foggy head) didnt have any issues until these... anyways so I went in for my appointment he totally disregarded withdrawals...(they dont exist in his mind) and said that the nausea is most likely IBS (don't have any of those symptoms) or perhaps gastroparesis..... Gastroparesis sound very serious... but im assuming I would have other symptoms beside my nausea spells that come and go with no pattern whatsoever.... I need to move and find new medical care. Thats like telling someone who has the odd headache..oh must be a brain tumor. Sorry for the rant...just so frustrated and now worried of course its something else, even though i think its withdrawals..hearing a medical professional say nope..must be something else way more serious you can't help but worry (especially with the anxiety I have too coming off of this)...sorry again about the rant he is an a** !

[Songbird]

11 hours ago, Molly19 said:

he is an a** !

 

Yep, he totally sounds it!  You were smart to do your own slow taper.  It's great that your nausea is gradually improving - it's a good sign that your body is gradually sorting it all out.   Have you tried ginger?  If I ever feel nauseous I find ginger tea helps me a lot.

[Molly19]

12 hours ago, Songbird said:

 

Yep, he totally sounds it!  You were smart to do your own slow taper.  It's great that your nausea is gradually improving - it's a good sign that your body is gradually sorting it all out.   Have you tried ginger?  If I ever feel nauseous I find ginger tea helps me a lot.

Thanks Songbird, the last few days have been great. However yesterday and today I have had really bad anxiety (lots of crying) and feeling nauseous. Some of which im sure is due to my appt with Grumpy now im worried there is something else wrong and I will never recover. But I keep telling myself if it was something bad...and not withdrawal I doubt I would be having these wave and windows. Im only 3 weeks off this med, I was very sensitive to while i was on it and tapered quickly so perhaps my body just needs time to heal. I just hope thats what is causing the nausea :( Sorry I just feel so overwhelmed, scared, sick, etc today 

[Gridley]

Stressors (like an appointment with a horrible doctor) are very likely to cause increased symptoms.  That is completely normal.  As Songbird said, the fact that your nausea is slowly getting better is a great sign.  A setback due to stressors is just a blip.

 

Health anxiety (thinking there's something terribly wrong with you) is a common withdrawal symptom.

 

Yes, your body needs time to heal.  Please try to avoid stressors whenever possible.

[Molly19]

Thank you for your kind words. It just hard hearing your nausea is probably a chronic disease that we can't do anything about...no way it's withdrawals. So of course I looked it up since it's my health and i want to know what is wrong. Then after reading all the info and sad stories it scared me even more I am already suffering with anxiety (never had it before this drug). Plus I think I'm in another wave yesterday and today have been HORRIBLE for anxiety and the nausea has lasted all day. But for a week I was doing great and that's  big step  😊 it's just been a bad two days and I want this to be over and have my life back

[Gridley]

You can see from the following link that nausea is a common withdrawal symptom.

 

PDF Monthly List of Dr Glenmullen's Symptoms to Print

 

By the way, are you on any supplements?

[Molly19]

Hi Gridley,

 

I am taking magnesium and Omega supplements and a probiotic that my naturopath suggested. That's an interesting chart Ill print it off maybe if I can see improvements it will help the anxiety. Thank you so much for that  

[Molly19]

Hello everyone, 

 

I hope I am posting this in the right forum. I have been off of amitriptyline now for just over 3 weeks. The nausea is improving but seems to be the worst in the morning.... is this common with withdrawals?? My doctor thought perhaps i have acid reflux but I don't to be on another pill if its a well known withdrawal symptom. On a bad day the nausea lasts all day, but on a good day it is just there for a bit in the morning.

 

Thanks for your help everyone I really appreciate it.

[Molly19]

Hey everyone sorry to post again. Last night was so rough and I'm so scared 

 

 I have experienced some anxiety it comes and goes generally pretty mild. However last night I went to bed no problem but woke up shaking/shivering and super scared, then I would get to hot and sweaty. I'd calm down and go back to sleep then it would happen  again. My poor fiance barely got any sleep I feel so shaky/anxious today....what is this?? Is this a panic attack? I didn't have these issues until coming off this med.Going to the doctor at 2pm today.

Does anyone have any natural remedies they can suggest?

[Gridley]

It is likely that your increased anxiety is due to the stressor of your doctor's appointment.  If you'll look back at your earlier posts, you are improving.  I wouldn't read too much into your experience of last night.  Whenever I have a bad stressor coming up, I get a lot of anticipatory anxiety.  Then things settle back down.

 

These links may be helpful for your doctor's appointment:

 

How do you talk to a doctor about tapering and withdrawal?
 
What should I expect from my doctor about withdrawal symptoms?

 

Have you tried Epsom salt baths or footbaths if you don't have a tub?

 

 

 

 

Edited May 10, 2018 by Gridley

[Songbird]

Hi Molly, I think your issues may be from more than the amitriptyline withdrawal. 

 

PPIs are not psych meds but are turning out to have many of the same issues.  Just like ADs, doctors have thought them harmless, prescribed them to just about everyone and insisted there is no withdrawal.  It is becoming more evident that PPIs do some quite serious stuff to the body and do have a withdrawal syndrome. 

 

I think it's possible that your body did not handle amitriptyline all that well because it was already in PPI withdrawal.  PPIs can also cause low magnesium levels, so magnesium supplements could be a good idea.  Nausea and acid reflux can be symptoms of PPI withdrawal.  Many people find ginger an effective treatment for nausea.  I like to sip ginger tea, but other forms of ginger are also okay.

[Melissa5000]

Hello Molly, I am sorry you are suffering so bad. In september 2017 I "tapered" 25 mg amitriptyline to zero because my painspecialist said it was no problem. 

I want to tell you that I do recognise all your symptoms! In the first 4 weeks after I quit I felt very nauseas. I also suffered anxiety, sweating, dizzynes and above all many aches and pains. Severe muscle pains, tendon pain,  nerve pain, burning feelings, tinitus and many more symptoms. At the moment I am not that nauseous anymore. Only sometimes very mild and very short. It can stay away for many weeks. It is most likely that your symptoms will fade with time. Stress or when you are very busy can cause your symptoms to come back more intense. At least that is my experience. You are so lucky that you were not on a high dose. I wish I was... 

 

I hope you recover very soon. Don't give up hope! 

[Molly19]

On 5/14/2018 at 9:32 AM, Melissa5000 said:

Hello Molly, I am sorry you are suffering so bad. In september 2017 I "tapered" 25 mg amitriptyline to zero because my painspecialist said it was no problem. 

I want to tell you that I do recognise all your symptoms! In the first 4 weeks after I quit I felt very nauseas. I also suffered anxiety, sweating, dizzynes and above all many aches and pains. Severe muscle pains, tendon pain,  nerve pain, burning feelings, tinitus and many more symptoms. At the moment I am not that nauseous anymore. Only sometimes very mild and very short. It can stay away for many weeks. It is most likely that your symptoms will fade with time. Stress or when you are very busy can cause your symptoms to come back more intense. At least that is my experience. You are so lucky that you were not on a high dose. I wish I was... 

 

I hope you recover very soon. Don't give up hope! 

 

Hi Melissa :) Thank you for responding I have been off the amitriptyline for 4 weeks the nausea was getting better and now it is bad again. I wish I was never put on this drug. How fast did you taper and how long were you on this drug for?  I'm sure stress is playing a role in it to as im frustrated im not better and the nausea has been bad the last couple days. I'm glad to hear you are feeling better. :)

[Melissa5000]

I started 30th january 2015 with 25 mg amitriptyline. In april 2015 I updosed to 50 mg. In october 2016 I tapered 25 mg. My dose was 25 mg in october 2016. In september 2017 I tapered my last pil of 25 mg to zero. 

The first pil I weaned gave me hardly any problems. Some lack of sleep and feeling a bit off for just 2 weeks. So I didn't expect much trouble when I tapered my last pil. Boy what was I wrong! Big mistake. Now I pay the price for it...... Ahum.

 

It is a very good sign that you allready had a window on nausea. I feel sorry for you that you fell back into a new wave of nausea. But that first window you had is very hopeful!

[Molly19]

Hey everyone 😊

 

I hope everyone is doing well. So I just finished 2.5 weeks of feeling great and then BAM last night I felt SUPER nauseous, headache, dizzy, super anxious etc. I hate these "waves" as im sure everyone does. I have been off amitriptyline now for almost 8 weeks! So im wondering is it normal to still have waves and Windows?? I have found lots of info on SSRI waves but what about tricyclics? How long can this nasty pattern last. I look forward to the day where it is an everlasting window! Thank you in advance for your help.😊

[Molly19]

Hey everyone 😊

 

I hope everyone is doing well. So I just finished 2.5 weeks of feeling great and then BAM last night I felt SUPER nauseous, headache, dizzy, super anxious etc. I hate these "waves" as im sure everyone does. I have been off amitriptyline now for almost 8 weeks! So im wondering is it normal to still have waves and Windows?? I have found lots of info on SSRI waves but what about tricyclics? How long can this nasty pattern last. I look forward to the day where it is an everlasting window! Thank you in advance for your help.😊

[Songbird]

Hi Molly, I moved your update to your original intro topic, to keep your info together in one topic - you can add all your updates here.

The waves and windows pattern can last for quite a long time , but how long is very individual and not predictable.  In general the waves tend to become milder over time.

 

[Molly19]

Thanks Songbird, im sorry I posted it in the wrong section.

Hopefully someone can offer some advice or coping strategies.

I had 2.5 weeks that were great barely any symptoms. Now I feel horrible again so anxious, dizzy, nauseous and constant headache. I'm so sick of this and scared. I have been off this drug 2 months now I was only on 10mg for approx 5 months. I know everyone's withdrawal period is individualized but I really hope it won't take years to feel normal again. Im sorry I'm just having a really bad night, I'm really struggling with this wave...😔 I thought I was over this horrible withdrawal I feel so disappointed and lost

 

[Songbird]

Hi Molly,  I'm thinking relaxation exercises might be helpful for you.  They work to calm the nervous system, reducing anxiety and other symptoms of the "fight-or-fight" response (which can include nausea).  Relaxation exercises can include gentle yoga, progressive muscle relaxation, gentle yoga, calming breathing exercises, meditation, guided visualisation and so on.  It's best to do them regularly, e.g. once or twice every day.  I like to use recordings with gentle music and a calming voice giving the instructions so I don't really have to think about what to do.  You might have to try a few things to see what works best for you.

[Molly19]

20 hours ago, Songbird said:

Hi Molly,  I'm thinking relaxation exercises might be helpful for you.  They work to calm the nervous system, reducing anxiety and other symptoms of the "fight-or-fight" response (which can include nausea).  Relaxation exercises can include gentle yoga, progressive muscle relaxation, gentle yoga, calming breathing exercises, meditation, guided visualisation and so on.  It's best to do them regularly, e.g. once or twice every day.  I like to use recordings with gentle music and a calming voice giving the instructions so I don't really have to think about what to do.  You might have to try a few things to see what works best for you.

Thanks Songbird I'll give those a try...I have tried meditation but really struggle to find peace and turn my mind off. I'll try the other suggestions 🙄 thank you for your help I really appreciate it.

[Gridley]

Try this very simple yoga pose for anxiety.  It has helped me:

 

Lie on the floor with your legs up on the wall, more or less (less is fine) at a 90 degree angle.  Support your head and lower back with pillows as is comfortable.  15-20 minutes helps with anxiety.

[Molly19]

40 minutes ago, Gridley said:

Try this very simple yoga pose for anxiety.  It has helped me:

 

Lie on the floor with your legs up on the wall, more or less (less is fine) at a 90 degree angle.  Support your head and lower back with pillows as is comfortable.  15-20 minutes helps with anxiety.

Thank you Gridley I'll try this! Thanks so much🙄

[composter]

Hi Molly,

It's been several months and I'm wondering how you are getting along. My case is very similar to yours. We both:

• started on the same dose (10 mg),
• were on it for a relatively short time (1-3 month),
• and (I'm guessing by your username) we are both female, around the same age (18-25)

I reinstated to 10 mg after a hellish withdrawal episode, but I'm still not feeling back to normal. Did you feel leveled out in March 2018 when you started your taper or did you taper because you had no other option?

Are you still experiencing withdrawal symptoms?

[Molly19]

Hey Composter,

 

Yes I am female I was on 10mg for a total of 6 months. After feeling sick everyday and passing out since I started them the doctor FINALLY agreed that maybe just maybe it could be the pill and to stop them overnight. I originally tried to stop them on my own after being on them for nearly 2 months I only dropped to 7.5mg BUT I experienced such an awful withdrawal I ended up going back up to 10mg. The doctor refused to refill the prescription as it was so harmful so I only had what pills I had left to taper. I went from 10 to 0 in 40 days dropping .2mg everynight. I found that a constant slow drop was easier than dropping and stabilizing. I had to buy a pill crusher and a little jewellery scale to do this but it was worth it. 

 

As you can see from my previous posts that it was still a crappy experience! However i am now off these pills thank goodness and SURPRISE no more fainting... I still do experience some withdrawal symptoms that seem to come and go specifically waves of anxiety and nausea. I wouldn't up your dose if you are trying to quit. I would stabilize on 10mg then start to drop down slowly, it sounds like you are sensitive to the drops like me and many others. Are you on facebook? There are some great forums there for help especially these two: Amitriptyline (usage and withdrawals) and Amitriptyline takers.  Also have you have checked out the patient forum https://patient.info/forums/discuss/amitriptyline-withdrawal-583205 there is a wonderful thread started by a lady named Amanda who had a horrible time coming off this drug, the forum is now full of people sharing this struggle. I definitely recommend you check those out, they really helped me.

 

Hopefully this helps, I know exactly what you are going through and it is AWFUL. Though my symptoms have improved a lot i'm still not completely over it, I suppose over time my body will heal from this poison.

 

[composter]

Thank you so much for your reply and for sharing those resources. The FB group especially looks to be a useful place to connect with others on the same drug.

 

I don't know if I will do a constant slow drop like you did but I will definitely look into the pill crusher and jewelry scale to make precise measurements. Thank you for the reassurance. I have hope knowing that others with similar issues on 10 mg are able to come off and feel functional.

[Molly19]

Topic title:  Withdrawal relapse?

 

Hello everyone I discontinued 10mg of amitriptyline in April 2018 (after being on this 6 months) I had a terrible reaction to it so my doctor said to stop. After reading about withdrawals I decided to taper off using what pills I had left  I came off of 10mg in 40 days. Really fast i know! But the drug was too dangerous for me to stay on. The first few months after stopping were horrible. Then  I started to experience  waves and windows. Each time the wave was a little better. By November I had maybe 4 bad days a month- so awesome! 😊Then at the end of December everything thing changed I'm back to the bad anxiety and nausea that i experienced when I first started withdrawal. It has been over a month now. I get a couple good days here and there but I was doing much better 2 months ago than I am now. Is this a common thing that happens?? Or should I be worried? Any insights or tips would be greatly appreciated. I am not on any other meds.

 

 

Thank you all from the bottom of my heart❤

 

Edited February 11, 2019 by ChessieCat
added topic title