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Sonrisamia: Amitriptyline withdrawal symptoms?


sonrisamia

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Hi everyone,

 

Happy New Year! 
 

I came across this site by reading the Reddit thread about amitriptyline so I’m hoping you can help me before I go out of my mind with worry. 
 

I started suffering from insomnia a couple of years ago - I never had trouble falling asleep but would wake up at 3 am and not be able to get back to sleep - but it got worse in August 2023 and my GP put me on amitriptyline. I started at 10mg but it did nothing so she increased the dose to 20mg a night. When I fell asleep, I slept fine but it would always take me ages to get to sleep so I didn’t love it as I felt like I had just changed the insomnia round to pre-sleep rather than after some sleep, if that makes sense. I also started to put weight on and I started to snore, which disturbed my husband. I therefore decided to come off amitriptyline. 
 

My GP told me when I started taking it that I could stop at any time…so this is what I did. No taper, just cold turkey. That was on 12th or 13th December 2023. Since then I have had a constellation of odd symptoms that have got me feeling very worried and anxious, especially as I already suffer quite badly with health anxiety. 
 

It started with extreme itching in the palms of my hands and the soles of my feet as well as in my eyes with a stuffy nose and a cough. At first I thought it was related to dairy because it came on after drinking coffee and a cup of tea with milk and sugar. It then became a bit more generalised - coming on after eating a store bought sandwich, for example. I went to my local pharmacy and they told me to take fexofenadine 120mg once a day, which does seem to have helped the itching. 
 

Since that point, the itching has turned into a burning/tingling/prickly sensation in my cheeks predominantly although I have also felt it all over my body. My cheeks sometimes go pink when the pain is really bad. This was especially acute after eating some cheese at Christmas - something I have done always and never had a reaction to. I have had sweats and chills and found it very hard to regulate my body temperature. I’ve had diahorrea, nausea (both pre and post eating), a cough/wheezing (which came on after cheesegate), acid reflux, hearing my heartbeat pounding in my ears as well as insane amounts of anxiety. I read somewhere that amitriptyline is a histamine moderator so I wonder if some of the allergy symptoms are being caused by the sudden rush of histamine in my system? I always react badly to mosquito bites so have wondered for a while if I might be a bit histamine sensitive. I also read that GI and GERD symptoms can come from amitriptyline withdrawal which might explain the nausea, diahorrea, cough etc. 
 

I guess what I am looking for here is to see if this rings true for anyone else before I lose my mind with worry. I saw my GP today and she told me that it could be any number of scary things so now I’m doubting the assumption that the symptoms are withdrawal-related with the associated hike in my anxiety levels. She is doing blood tests so we’ll see what those come back with. 
 

Any advice or pearls of wisdom you have would be very gratefully received! 
 

Thank you so much in advance. 
 

January 2023: 1.25mg Ramipril, upped to 5mg, for high blood pressure. 
August 2023: Amitriptyline 20mg per night for insomnia; GP told me I could stop taking at any time. 

December 2023: Stopped taking amitriptyline without taper per GP’s advice.

December 2023 - now: horrible, scary symptoms, possibly withdrawal? 

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Posted (edited)

Welcome @sonrisamia,

 

7 hours ago, sonrisamia said:

My GP told me when I started taking it that I could stop at any time…

 

We hear that so often unfortunately. 

 

7 hours ago, sonrisamia said:

so this is what I did. No taper, just cold turkey. That was on 12th or 13th December 2023. Since then I have had a constellation of odd symptoms that have got me feeling very worried and anxious, especially as I already suffer quite badly with health anxiety. 

 

You are still in the window of time when you could reinstate a smaller amount of the AD to try and reduce the WD symptoms. If you want to do this, let us know here, and someone will suggest an amount to reinstate.

 

About Reinstating and Stabilizing to Reduce Withdrawal Symptoms

 

Recovery from a Cold Turkey

 

What is withdrawal syndrome.

 

7 hours ago, sonrisamia said:

a burning/tingling/prickly sensation in my cheeks predominantly although I have also felt it all over my body.

 

The above and the other symptoms you mention sound very much like WD symptoms: Daily Checklist of Antidepressant Withdrawal Symptoms (PDF) 

 

Some other helpful links:

 

Windows and waves pattern of stabilization

 

Emotional Spirals

 

Non-drug coping strategies

 

Melatonin for sleep

 

We don't suggest many supplements, but two that many of us find helpful are magnesium and omega-3 fish oil. Here are the links for info about those. Add one at a time and start with a low dose to see how it affects you. 


Magnesium

Omega 3 Fish Oil

 

Avoid alcohol. 

 

Please post any updates here in your thread. It is helpful to keep everything related to your journey in one spot. You are very welcome to jump onto someone else's page and interact with them. The encouragement members give each other on this site is wonderful to see.

 

Sing out with any questions. 

 

Once again, welcome to S.A.

 

Emonda.

Edited by Emonda
fixed a typo

Please don't send me PMs. I am not a doctor. My comments are based on my personal experience with ADs and tapering. Consult your doctor about your own medical decisions.

Start of taper: Jan ’22 Vortioxetine 15mg, 

End year 1: 4.5mg, 

End year 2: 2.38mg, 

Year 3: 8 Feb 2.19mg, 21 Mar 1.99mg, 2 May 1.83mg, 13 Jun 1.69mg, 25 Jul 1.50mg, 14 Aug 1.46mg, 3 Sep 1.43mg, 10 Sep 1.40mg, 17 Sep 1.37mg, 16 Oct 1.34mg, 23 Oct 1.32mg, 30 Oct 1.29mg

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Thank you so much @Emonda
 

Interesting what you say about reintroducing - it has been about 3 weeks since my last dose. If I wanted to do that, what dose should I take? I will read the links you sent - thank you. 
 

If I don’t reinstate, is there a risk that these symptoms become permanent? I will also look into the supplements - are there any particular ones that are good (I am UK-based) or are they all much of a muchness? 
 

I really appreciate your help. 

January 2023: 1.25mg Ramipril, upped to 5mg, for high blood pressure. 
August 2023: Amitriptyline 20mg per night for insomnia; GP told me I could stop taking at any time. 

December 2023: Stopped taking amitriptyline without taper per GP’s advice.

December 2023 - now: horrible, scary symptoms, possibly withdrawal? 

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  • Administrator
33 minutes ago, sonrisamia said:

If I don’t reinstate, is there a risk that these symptoms become permanent?

 

Not permanent, but they can get very unpleasant and last many, many months, if not 18 months - 2 years.

 

35 minutes ago, sonrisamia said:

it has been about 3 weeks since my last dose. If I wanted to do that, what dose should I take?

 

It's a best guess, and everyone is different.

 

If three weeks, maybe 50% of the last dose. If four weeks, maybe 25% of the last dose.

 

It's best to start smaller, and you can increase from there after say 2 weeks. Some people experience kindling if they reinstate the original dose....and you don't want that. Less is best.

 

 

42 minutes ago, sonrisamia said:

I will also look into the supplements - are there any particular ones that are good (I am UK-based) or are they all much of a muchness?

 

I'm not familiar with brands in the UK, unfortunately.  Someone else may chime in with their thoughts.

 

I hope this helps.

Please don't send me PMs. I am not a doctor. My comments are based on my personal experience with ADs and tapering. Consult your doctor about your own medical decisions.

Start of taper: Jan ’22 Vortioxetine 15mg, 

End year 1: 4.5mg, 

End year 2: 2.38mg, 

Year 3: 8 Feb 2.19mg, 21 Mar 1.99mg, 2 May 1.83mg, 13 Jun 1.69mg, 25 Jul 1.50mg, 14 Aug 1.46mg, 3 Sep 1.43mg, 10 Sep 1.40mg, 17 Sep 1.37mg, 16 Oct 1.34mg, 23 Oct 1.32mg, 30 Oct 1.29mg

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Thank you again @Emonda

 

One last question, if I do reinstate at 50% of the original dose (so 10mg a day), is there a risk that the symptoms don’t resolve or even get worse if my system is then confused? I understand that everyone is different and I seem to be sensitive to the effects of this so interested in other people’s experiences before I make a decision. 
 

I wish I had never taken this to be honest. It was “marketed” to me as an easy, quick-fix solution but I’ve spent the last three weeks thinking that I am dying so it doesn’t seem worth the pay off (which, for the original insomnia was actually pretty limited). It seems to me that doctors don’t actually really understand these drugs? Which in itself is a terrifying thought given the effects they have. 

January 2023: 1.25mg Ramipril, upped to 5mg, for high blood pressure. 
August 2023: Amitriptyline 20mg per night for insomnia; GP told me I could stop taking at any time. 

December 2023: Stopped taking amitriptyline without taper per GP’s advice.

December 2023 - now: horrible, scary symptoms, possibly withdrawal? 

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  • Administrator
20 hours ago, sonrisamia said:

If I do reinstate at 50% of the original dose (so 10mg a day), is there a risk that the symptoms don’t resolve or even get worse if my system is then confused? I understand that everyone is different and I seem to be sensitive to the effects of this so interested in other people’s experiences before I make a decision. 

 

It's a best guess. If in doubt, start lower, and see how you go. If you feel more comfortable at 25%, try it for two weeks and keep notes of how you are doing.

 

20 hours ago, sonrisamia said:

I wish I had never taken this to be honest.

 

Many of us feel that way. We just need to accept the past and focus on the future.

 

20 hours ago, sonrisamia said:

It was “marketed” to me as an easy, quick-fix solution

 

Anything but this...

 

20 hours ago, sonrisamia said:

It seems to me that doctors don’t actually really understand these drugs? Which in itself is a terrifying thought given the effects they have. 

 

Agreed 

Please don't send me PMs. I am not a doctor. My comments are based on my personal experience with ADs and tapering. Consult your doctor about your own medical decisions.

Start of taper: Jan ’22 Vortioxetine 15mg, 

End year 1: 4.5mg, 

End year 2: 2.38mg, 

Year 3: 8 Feb 2.19mg, 21 Mar 1.99mg, 2 May 1.83mg, 13 Jun 1.69mg, 25 Jul 1.50mg, 14 Aug 1.46mg, 3 Sep 1.43mg, 10 Sep 1.40mg, 17 Sep 1.37mg, 16 Oct 1.34mg, 23 Oct 1.32mg, 30 Oct 1.29mg

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