HPgirl6899: Amitriptyline taper too fast for being on so long?

[HPgirl6899]

I have been taking Amitriptyline for 8 years now

 

I was up to 200mg day and wanted to stop taking it.

 

I was worried about the long term effects but now

 

the possible withdrawal is even worse

 

 

 

 

I told my doctor I wanted to get off it

 

Three months ago the doctor dropped me to 150mg

 

Two months ago I dropped to 100mg

 

These symptoms started here

 

One month ago I dropped to 50mg

 

 

 

This here the symptoms

 

Diarea , head ache, anxiety , fatigue , sadness, hopelessness , restlessness

 

bone, joint and muscle pain, runny nose, nausea

 

 

Is the taper schedule to quick for being on this medicine so long?

 

Can these symptoms last years ?

Edited May 31, 2021 by Karma
Name update

[Altostrata]

Welcome, HPgirl6899. I moved your first post here, to be your Introductions topic.

 

If you got withdrawal symptoms, the taper is too fast for you.

 

You may be able to relieve them by backing up on the dose. I might try going back to 100mg, see if that lessens the withdrawal, and stay there for a month.

 

Then I might taper more slowly from there. Slow tapering reduces the risk of prolonged withdrawal symptoms.

 

The good news is amitriptyline comes in a range of dosages 10mg-150mg (see Tips for tapering off amitriptyline), which means you have options for tapering at 10mg or 5mg or even 2.5mg by cutting up tablets.

 

Do you have any tablets left?

Edited May 31, 2021 by Karma
name update

[Claudius]

I wonder how dangerous Amitryptiline is. I know several people sho used it, got benefit from it and got off without any problem. Though this med is pretty old, there are hardly (if any) horror stories about it while there are so many about PAxil and Effexor.

I do not plan to use an AD again but have thought by myself that IF I would ever need to try anything, IF the nasty tinglings from PAxil WD never cease, I would try this one, starting with the low dose. But again, no plans to do that now.

Is there any knowledge of potential horrendous WD from Amitryptiline? Am I right in my view that it is much less dangerous and harmful than Paxil or Effexor?

[Altostrata]

They all have withdrawal problems, Claudius. Amitriptyline carries a warning about withdrawal just like all the others.

[miriza]

Please, please, please, stay away from amitriptyline (Elavil, a TCA), if you have not taken it yet. This is an evil drug, as evil as the SSRIs.

This drug should be called "El Evil." See reviews here: http://www.askapatient.com/viewrating.asp?drug=12703&name=ELAVIL. This drug made me extremely rageful and impulsive especially in the mornings as soon as I woke up. It wasn't until I found many similar reviews on askapatient.com that it made me realize that drugs were my problem all along...drugs were making me ill. I was on 75 mg of Elavil and even people on 10 mg who were put on it for migraines complained about suicidal thoughts, rage, impulsivity.

 

Yes, a lot of people can stop taking the TCAs without major withdrawal problems, but that was not the case for me. I am struggling with the same mental/physical/emotional/soul symptoms as SSRI withdrawal. I am extremely ridiculously hypersensitive to psych meds, so I may be an exception, but just be aware that any psych drug is potentially dangerous.