Marcy: Amitriptyline tapering

[Marcy]

I was prescribed Amitriptyline after overuse of hands due to hard work. sept 2021 The medicine helped with pain at nights but I felt dizzy when the dose was increased from 10 to 30Mg. Allso got  dry mouth and got constipated. I have got 2Mg capsules from Dr and I have been tapering from 10 MG in May this year to 6Mg today.  Feeling weak in legs and arms and have  some joint pain. I have been on 6Mg for a month I am a bit afraid to taper further for the moment. Cant get 1Mg capsules so I might try to cut a capsule in half to get down to 5Mg  i.e. 2+2+1 Mg

Edited October 4, 2023 by FireflyFyte
Updated title

[FireflyFyte]

Hi Marcy,

 

Welcome to SA. Please summarize your drug history in your signature by following the instructions at How to Summarize Your Drug History in Your Signature. You may need a computer to complete this.

 

You can read information about tapering amitriptyline at Tips for tapering off amitriptyline.

 

3 hours ago, Marcy said:

I have got 2Mg capsules from Dr and I have been tapering from 10 MG in May this year to 6Mg today. 

 

Did you drop directly from 10mg down to 6mg? We recommend dropping no more than 10% of your previous dose per month. You can read more at Why taper by 10% of my dosage?.

 

3 hours ago, Marcy said:

Feeling weak in legs and arms and have  some joint pain. I have been on 6Mg for a month I am a bit afraid to taper further for the moment.

 

I would hold, and stabilize, before making another drop. We don't recommend that people make cuts if withdrawal symptoms are too pronounced.

 

Thanks,

 

Firefly

[Marcy]

18 hours ago, FireflyFyte said:

Hi Marcy,

 

Welcome to SA. Please summarize your drug history in your signature by following the instructions at How to Summarize Your Drug History in Your Signature. You may need a computer to complete this.

 

You can read information about tapering amitriptyline at Tips for tapering off amitriptyline.

 

 

Did you drop directly from 10mg down to 6mg? We recommend dropping no more than 10% of your previous dose per month. You can read more at Why taper by 10% of my dosage?.

 

 

I would hold, and stabilize, before making another drop. We don't recommend that people make cuts if withdrawal symptoms are too pronounced.

 

Thanks,

 

Firefly

 

[Marcy]

Hello and thank you for answering, I stepped down from 10 mg to 8 Mg may to sept and from 8 to 6 Mg in september. I have tried to taper during last winter . I splitted the pills and used a small scale but the Dr said the content of the pills is not a homogen mixture and it is better to use extempore capsules ( containing powder of amitriptyline) The pharmacy cant deliver 1Mg capsules. It might be possible to order 1Mg from Holland but thats complicated. // regards

[FireflyFyte]

From our resources, it looks like cutting, and weighing, the pills is a viable option but if you are concerned about varying concentrations you could try making a liquid solution from your pill and tapering via liquid.

[Marcy]

On 10/4/2023 at 12:41 PM, FireflyFyte said:

Hi Marcy,

 

Welcome to SA. Please summarize your drug history in your signature by following the instructions at How to Summarize Your Drug History in Your Signature. You may need a computer to complete this.

 

You can read information about tapering amitriptyline at Tips for tapering off amitriptyline.

 

 

Did you drop directly from 10mg down to 6mg? We recommend dropping no more than 10% of your previous dose per month. You can read more at Why taper by 10% of my dosage?.

 

 

I would hold, and stabilize, before making another drop. We don't recommend that people make cuts if withdrawal symptoms are too pronounced.

 

Thanks,

 

Firefly

I shall meet the Dr  next week about my tapering. If I reduce the dose from 6 to 5Mg the step might be to big, (16%)hence I should try to reduce  to 5,4Mg. I am afraid  I can´t measure

so exactly but I give it a try. I have been told that Amitriptyline can cause muscle weakness and joint pain for people over 60, that is one of the reasons why I want to taper, secondly

I have Raynauds  phenomen in hands and that Amitriptyline can cause poor blood circulation for some people. When I taper further from 5Mg I need a better method to reduce 10%.

I shall read tips for tapering Amitriptyline // regards Marcy

[Marcy]

On 10/6/2023 at 9:56 AM, FireflyFyte said:

From our resources, it looks like cutting, and weighing, the pills is a viable option but if you are concerned about varying concentrations you could try making a liquid solution from your pill and tapering via liquid.

I can make a liquid solution as well using a syringe and a scale to measure the volume and concentration. The question is ..How do I swallow. Fill a capsule or just add to a glass of water?

[FireflyFyte]

On 11/10/2023 at 3:16 PM, Marcy said:

I can make a liquid solution as well using a syringe and a scale to measure the volume and concentration. The question is ..How do I swallow. Fill a capsule or just add to a glass of water?

 

If you opt to make a liquid solution, you can simply drink your dose. 

[Marcy]

Thank you. I crush one 10mg pill and solve it in water, use 50% of the volume one day and the rest next day. Hence I get 5mg a day.(Is it ok to store the solution in room temperature?) Tapered  to quickly to 4 mg from 6 so i step back to 5mg and hold for a while. Got to much anxiety, tingeling in legs /hands and pain when I was on 4mg. I am afraid this will take some time.

[Gertie]

Hi Marcy, I just came across your story and I wondered how you are doing now?  Have you continued tapering, and how are you feeling?

[Marcy]

On 7/9/2024 at 7:36 PM, Gertie said:

Hi Marcy, I just came across your story and I wondered how you are doing now?  Have you continued tapering, and how are you feeling?

Hi Gertie, well I managed to taper Amitriptyline down to 0.3 Mg April 2024 but I got severe neck pain in may and MR showed I had a hearniated dicsc so I reinstated  to 10Mg in order to reduce pain.  The disc is healed and I am shaving 10 mg pills using a scale, for the moment I have tapered down to 0,7mg. I feel very weak , i.e. jelly legs and weak arms, and have poor sleep. Could it be so that lack of sleep make it hard to build muscles? I wake up 02.00 because of pain and tingeling.  I walk 10.000 steps every day but the legs dont get much stronger. I have read that Amitriptyline can cause weakness so the only way is to continue to taper and find out if it is true.