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45006 Hello


45006

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I've been off and on a bunch of anti-depressants since I was about 14 in the mid 90s, mostly SSRIs (I'm 40 now). I've tapered myself off of most of them pretty successfully (maybe a little fast a few times, but generally over several months). However, I have been taking 50mg of Amitriptyline for just over a year now to help with post-surgery/chronic pain. It did help! But I realize that, among a few other side effects that I don't love but are tolerable, it's been making my vision TERRIBLE, and I'm an artist and that just doesn't work for me (I figured this out because I accidentally missed a few doses back in Dec 2020  and my vision GOT BETTER). I'm mostly looking to taper to a MUCH lower amount to see if I that will reduce my vision issues and perhaps completely quit the drug at some point. I asked my doctor about this in Feb 2021 and he was amenable, noted that I might have a return to chronic pain, but was willing to see if it worked. He told me he would give me a months supply of 50mg/day, but in 25mg pills, and to alternate taking two one night and one the next for a month, then just dropping down to 25mg after that. After a month of doing that I was doing ok, but felt kind of strange, so I opted to continue this pattern for another month. After another week, I realized this was making me feel really off and decided to start cutting up tablets instead, which is tricky with Amitriptyline. I started taking a pill and a half on the regular about mid-April 2021. I did ok with this but was getting a bit spacey and definitely kind of sad feeling, and it was getting a bit harder all the time to sleep. I was also starting to forget things as I was talking about them, which is disturbing.  I usually have a decent memory, although it's taken a beating the past three years due to very active chronic illness and resulting chronic pain. But the memory thing since adjusting the Amitriptyline has been next level.

 

I planned to stay on the pill and a half for about a month to even out. Around mid-May 2021 I started to get crazy gastro symptoms, which matches up with the chronic illness I have. I was terrified that it was coming back with a vengeance. I was starving, but couldn't eat more than a bite without getting instantly nauseous, even water started making me nauseous. This lasted about 3 weeks, and then started to clear a LITTLE. During this whole time I started taking higher and higher amounts of cannabis (I'm a medical patient) at night to help me sleep, although sleep was getting more disrupted. One night, when I knew I had to do about 8 hours of driving the next day I knew I needed to get a good sleep so I decided to pop 50mg on a hunch that it would help me sleep. It did! I slept like a baby through the night and awoke feeling refreshed rather than feeling like I'd had a workout of hard won, broken up sleep. Not thinking too much of this, I continued my taper down to a pill and a quarter. I've been doing that since last week (June 7). My sleep has gotten even worse and the gastro nausea has returned. Magically I finally put together the taper and the symptoms and started searching about amitriptyline withdrawal. I stumbled across a single Reddit post where someone mentioned that they had crazy gastro symptoms and bloating during their taper of amytriptyline! Same as me. While I do think that at least some of my symptoms come from my chronic illness flaring, I think this somewhat sudden onset of nausea, confusion and exhaustion, and insomnia, is mainly due to the withdrawal from amitriptyline. I upped my dose back to a pill and a half a few nights ago and woke up in the morning with no bloating! It's been months, probably since back in February when I first started the taper, that I haven't been bloated! Luckily, this random person on Reddit provided a link to this website about making liquid solutions and she also mentioned the 10% reduction rule.

 

I made my first 10% reduction and decided to try going back up to 40mg (my hope is that, since I've been reducing for several months already, although poorly, my tolerance is that I don't need quite as much 50mg). I finally slept last night! I don't feel 100%, but I feel a lot better. So I'm going to see how this works for now and start doing the truly slow taper. This drug is insane. Once again, doctors telling you "oh you're on such a low dose, shouldn't experience side effects/easy to get off the drug" is woefully inaccurate. Here I go again on my own.

 

1995-2005 Various SSRIs. Luvox, prozac, maybe paxil, definitely Celexa, don't remember everything

2020 Winterish - 50mg amitriptyline

2021 Winterish -  started taper down to about 31.25mg ami, realized in June 2021 I was withdrawing

2021 mid-June - back to 40mg, feeling better but vision problems got worse again

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  • Altostrata changed the title to 45006 Hello
  • Administrator

Welcome, @45006

 

To help us out, follow these instructions Please put your drug and withdrawal history in your signature You may need to use a computer to do this.

 

Skipping doses is a terrible way to taper, causing drug blood level fluctuations every day. Your tapering might have tipped off withdrawal symptoms, aggravating your gastro problems. Did you observe any changes in your vision while you were reducing?

 

How do you feel since you went up to 40mg? When did you do this? If it helps, you might want to stay at that level for some months to let your system settle down.

 

Please see Tips for tapering off amitriptyline

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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Hi, yes, well it was my doctor who told me to skip doses so....maybe someone should let him (and all doctors) know this. Incidentally, I asked my brother-in-law (a psychiatrist) about the dose skipping method for amitriptyline and he said that was a recommended way of doing it (i.e. he backed up my doctor). Anyway....

 

I went up to 40mgs for the past maybe 5 days and I am already feeling better. I'm sleeping again, my gastro issues aren't as bad and I'm thinking a little more clearly. I noticed that my vision had been improving somewhat, especially when I got closer to the 25mg mark, and it has gotten worse since I went back up to 40 mg, which is disappointing but also proves my theory that these drugs are messing with my eyes. I want off this drug ASAP, but I also don't want to lose my mind again. I'll stay here for a month before I try reducing again.

 

 

1995-2005 Various SSRIs. Luvox, prozac, maybe paxil, definitely Celexa, don't remember everything

2020 Winterish - 50mg amitriptyline

2021 Winterish -  started taper down to about 31.25mg ami, realized in June 2021 I was withdrawing

2021 mid-June - back to 40mg, feeling better but vision problems got worse again

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  • Administrator

Well, you got withdrawal symptoms from this stupid tapering method, which is not recommended but a kind of folk wisdom among doctors, who lack the imagination to divide tablets or use a liquid to taper. Strongly recommend you report this in writing to whatever authorities might be interested.

 

Also see NEVER SKIP DOSES TO TAPER

 

You might inform your brother-in-law and your psychiatrist about this. This method drives people to this Web site when they develop horrible withdrawal symptoms from skipping doses. We have no choice but to inform them their doctors don't know what they're doing. 

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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