sunset Posted June 8, 2013 Share Posted June 8, 2013 (edited) 11 days ago in midst of tapering K (now at 2.75 (was on 12mg) made what I think to be a bad decision NOW after reading up on) dropped 25mg amitryp (on for 31+yrs also) and experiencing sxs including depression, apathy, worsened lack of sleep, elevated anxiety, electrical sensations throughout and other emotional triggers exaggerated. I have been at the lower dosage of Amitryp for 12 days. Withdrawal did not hit for first 5 days. Not sure what to do. Have no support but online, live alone. Major stressors-divorce culminating and all ramifications associated, total familial alienation and abandonment. Not sure what to do. Reinstate? Tough it out? Reason for cutting on amitryp was after seeing it interacts with synthroid. At this point ready to go back on until K taper finished. NEED help! Since this post In the benzo forum, I was advised to post this here for the possibility of a quicker response which I would be very grateful for, believe me! Also as advised, I believe by Skylar (?) to reinstate which I have but I am now worried what I have exactly done to myself. Will this make the benzo taper worse causing a kindling effect or just what? I'm sorry, I've forgotten so much from when I got off effexor. The whole thing has me befuddled, only increasing anxiety. I know the synthroid isn't great for the body but my finances are so limited I can barely afford food never mind strategizing proper diet, though I am making a concerted attempt. Thank you so much in advance for each and every response/inquiry! Edited November 1, 2021 by ChessieCat increased font size Link to comment
lexicon Posted June 8, 2013 Share Posted June 8, 2013 Hi sunset, I am so sorry you are hurting. But please hang in there, someone with knowledge and expertise will be here shortly to guide you. Please know that you are in caring hands. Stay strong sunset. Sending you healing thoughts, xx Lexi Hello, I am tapering Lorazepam, and my daily dose is 1.125 mgs. I followed a long hold for 5 months, ( Nov-March 2019) hoping to find some stability, but it did not work. So I resumed my taper and hold pattern. For the last 3 years, I have been using a daily microtaper, cutting .001mgs per day, with holds as needed. Symptoms are head pressure, labored breathing, palpitations, abrupt surges of dizziness, this being my worst symptom for now, internal tremors, my latest nemesis, unsteadiness, anxiety, plus many other symptoms that cycle in, and cycle out consistently. Not a day passes, without grief I take no other meds. January 2013 - 15 day quick taper off 10 mgs of Lexapro, and 25 mgs of Sertraline, at a detox clinic. Link to comment
Nikki Posted June 8, 2013 Share Posted June 8, 2013 Hi and welcome.... Making large drops in a short time brings on the WD symptoms you are having. A 25mg. reduction in Elavil is huge. Go back up in dose to where you were. Stay put, stabilize and then when you are ready to taper again do it in very small amounts. There is a link here (I am pretty sure of) on how to taper the elavil. As for benzo's. I am sorry I don't know how to do that. There is a Benzo Forum here and lots of nice people willing to share. I have taken tricyclics and for me, they were alot easier to get off of than the ssri's, but again in small doses over time. Tapering two drugs at the same time, I would think would cause bad WD symptoms. It's like getting slammed twice as hard. You are not alone. There are alot of people here who have taken both the meds you are on and can offer lots of info. Hang in there, more people will be along. Nice to meet you Nikki Intro: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1902-nikki-hi-my-rundown-with-ads/ Paxil 1997-2004 Crossed over to Lexapro Paxil not available at Pharmacies GSK halted deliveries Lexapro 40mgs Lexapro taper (2years) Imipramine Imipramine and Celexa Now Nefazadone/Imipramine 50mgs. each 45mgs. Serzone 50mgs. Imipramine Link to comment
Administrator Karma Posted June 8, 2013 Administrator Share Posted June 8, 2013 Hi Sunset, I googled amitriptyline and synthroid and the drug interaction checker reports only a minor possibility of interaction - it indicates that minor interactions may not be clinically relevant in all patients and that generally only monitoring is required. I don't think I would be greatly concerned about this interaction, but I would monitor symptoms. Reinstating is good advice. The advice given to me was to taper my AD first and then work on my benzo. But I think since you are so far into your benzo withdrawal you might want to finish that out. I would then hold for a while to give any latent benzo withdrawal symptoms a chance to flush out and resolve before starting the amitriptyline taper. Here is our topic when you are ready to taper amitriptyline: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1099-tips-for-tapering-off-amitriptyline/. Karna 2007 @ 375 mg Effexor - 11/29/2011 - 43.75 mg Effexor (regular) & .625 mg Xanax 200 mg Gabapentin 2/27/21 - 194.5 mg, 5/28/21 - 183 mg, 8/2/21 - 170 mg, 11/28/21 - 150 mg, 4/19/22 - 122 mg; 8//7/22 - 100 mg; 12/17 - 75mg; 8/17 - 45 mg; 10/16 40 mg Xanax taper: 3/11/12 - 0.9375 mg, 3/25/12 - 0.875 mg, 4/6/12 - 0.8125 mg, 4/18/12 - 0.75 ; 10/16 40mg; 1/16 0.6875 mg; at some point 0.625 mg Effexor taper: 1/29/12 - 40.625 mg, 4/29/12 - 39.875 mg, 5/11/12 - Switched to liquid Effexor, 5/25/12 - 38 mg, 7/6/12 - 35 mg, 8/17/12 - 32 mg, 9/14/12 - 30 mg, 10/19/12 - 28 mg, 11/9/12 - 26 mg, 11/30/12 - 24 mg, 01/14/13 - 22 mg. 02/25/13 - 20.8 mg, 03/18/13 - 19.2 mg, 4/15/13 - 17.6 mg, 8/10/13 - 16.4 mg, 9/7/13 - 15.2 mg, 10/19/13 - 14 mg, 1/15/14 - 13.2 mg, 3/1/2014 - 12.6 mg, 5/4/14 - 12 mg, 8/1/14 - 11.4 mg, 8/29/14 - 10.8 mg; 10/14/14 - 10.2 mg; 12/15/14 - 10 mg, 1/11/15 - 9.5 mg, 2/8/15 - 9 mg, 3/21/15 - 8.5 mg, 5/1/15 - 8 mg, 6/9/15 - 7.5 mg, 7/8/15 - 7 mg, 8/22/15 - 6.5 mg, 10/4/15 - 6 mg; 1/1/16 - 5.6 mg; 2/6/16 - 5.2 mg; 4/9 - 4.8 mg; 7/7 4.5 mg; 10/7 4.25 mg; 11/4 4.0 mg; 11/25 3.8 mg; 4/24 3.6 mg; 5/27 3.4 mg; 7/8 3.2 mg ... 10/18 2.8 mg; 1/18 2.6 mg; 4/7 2.4 mg; 5/26 2.15mg; 8/18 1.85 mg; 10/7 1.7 mg; 12/1 1.45 mg; 3/2 1.2 mg; 5/4 0.90 mg; 6/1 0.80 mg; 6/22 0.65 mg; 08/03 0.50 mg, 08/10 0.45 mg, 10/05 0.325 mg, 11/23 0.2 mg, 12/14 0.15 mg, 12/21 0.125 mg, 02/28 0.03125 mg, 2/15 0.015625 mg, 2/29/20 0.00 mg - OFF Effexor I am not a medical professional - this is not medical advice. My suggestions are based on personal experience, reading, observation and anecdotal information posted by other sufferers Link to comment
sunset Posted June 9, 2013 Author Share Posted June 9, 2013 Thank you all. It is a true blessing I have here to come to. In time, I will add my medical history to the file. I was on 450+ Effexor when I started cutting and am now off for almost a year. Have been on various ADs for over 31 years but the SSRIs for 20. Perhaps, I can give a wee bit back here and just say that I made it through the Effexor withdrawal. Surely, after all those years being on it, if I can do it, you can to. I did this while alone as I am still with help from Paxilprogress and a bit of help from a facebook group. Had to do it according to Doc's scheduling which was way too fast but I've made it out the other end. Again my appreciation to all of you. Look after yourselves! Link to comment
Meimeiquest Posted June 9, 2013 Share Posted June 9, 2013 Just wanted to say hi! Sounds like you have accomplished a lot, and I'm sure you will continue to progress. 1st round Prozac 1989/90, clear depression symptoms. 2nd round Prozac started 1999 when admitted to dr. I was tired. Prozac pooped out, switch to Cymbalta 3/2006. Diagnosed with bipolar disorder due to mania 6/2006--then I was taken abruptly off Cymbalta and didn't know I had SSRI withdrawal. Lots of meds for my intractable "bipolar" symptoms. Zyprexa started about 9/06, mostly 5mg. Tapered 4/12 through12/29/12 Wellbutrin. XL 300 mg started 1/07, tapered 1/18/13 through 7/8/13 Oxazepam mostly continuously since 6/06, 30mg since 12/12, tapered 1.17.14 through 8.26.15 11/06 Lithium 600mg twice daily, 2.2.14 400mg TID DIY liquid, 2.12.14 1150mg, 3.2.14 1100mg, 3.18.14 1075mg, 4/14 updose to 1100mg, 6.1.14 900 mg capsules 7.8.14 810mg, 8.17.14 725mg, 8.24.24 700mg...10.22.14 487.5mg, 3.9.15 475mg, 4.1.15 462.5mg 4.21.15 450mg 8.11.15 375mg, 11.28.15 362.5mg, back to 375mg four days later, 3.4.16 updose to 475 (too much going on to risk trouble) 9/4/13 Toprol-XL 25mg daily for sudden hypertension, tapered 11.12.13 through 5.3.14, last 10 days or so switched to atenolol 7.4.14 Started Walsh Protocol 56 years old Link to comment
sunset Posted June 9, 2013 Author Share Posted June 9, 2013 Hi back Meimeiquest! Don't think I could pronounce that, lol! Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted June 9, 2013 Administrator Share Posted June 9, 2013 Welcome, Sunset. If I were you, I'd go up 12.5mg on the amitriptyline and see if that helps. Then you can hold at a slight lower dose of ami. It's not a good idea to change dosage on 2 drugs at the same time. While you're adjusting the ami, I would not change the benzo dose at all. There are many good reasons to taper the antidepressant before tapering the benzo, read http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2207-taking-multiple-psych-drugs-taper-the-antidepressant-first/ and see if it fits your situation. One you updose the ami, you could hold on both the ami and benzo for a while to stabilize, then taper the 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. Link to comment
sunset Posted November 1, 2021 Author Share Posted November 1, 2021 (edited) Starting to Taper Amitriptyline Again Hi! I've been tapering psych drugs since 2011 and should be an old hat at it by now but I'm absolutely dreading tapering the remaining amitriptyline. I honestly wouldn't even be doing it except I'm 66 and could conceivably end up in care (senior's residence or the like) and someone could have control of my medications and then CT me. I watched them CT my mother off a benzo while she WAS IN dementia all because a doctor clued in to the dangers of benzos (z drugs) causing dementia and then of course cue the antipsychotic etc prescriptions and goodbye Mom. I had no choice but to watch as my brothers had control of that. My doctor has assured me they don't do that anymore but I've seen too much with working in the community to accept that as Gospel. Anyhow, that aside, I'm down 5 mg and already recognizing the sinister, nastiness of the withdrawal which for me has come very close to being dangerous. My thoughts become very unhelpful to put it nicely. My plan is (just to thwart them CT-ing me) to taper 10 mg a year and have a life while doing it. (The best laid plans of mice and men) My life is pretty good now overall. Some relationships have been restored and I'm starting new ones. I have a church family, I'm a lot more balanced and my health is fairly good given the number of years I've been on these drugs (39 now). I've tapered effexor and clonazepam at insanely high doses but out of all of them, this one has been the hardest and I fear it the most. I've had many losses in my life because of Pdrugs. Like many I've been on many drugs and hauled off and put on another or dosages reduced and increased irresponsibly. My health has been severely compromised and for awhile I was bedridden. I have a diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS/ME) since 1991 and I honestly thought it was gone but its not so sometimes that causes issues as well. There are other chronic things but most are not that unusual and of course I deal with depression and anxiety but I'd rather have life with those than have my mind stolen again and yet here I am with it being commandeered by another withdrawal. Damn these stupid drugs anyway! 🤬 I'm dry-cutting this first 10mg and will look at liquid titration for the remainder. So this is me and my reintroduction to Surviving Antidepressants website and thank you to the admins for running this site. God bless 💗🙏 Edited November 1, 2021 by ChessieCat added topic title before merging with intro topic Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus ChessieCat Posted November 1, 2021 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted November 1, 2021 Hello Sunset and welcome back to SA, Congratulations on getting off the other drugs. That is a big achievement. As requested in my PM to you, please create your drug signature. For the drugs that you are already off, please include the date of last dose and the last dose you took. If you stopped these drugs more than 2 years ago, no specific tapering information is needed, but it would be helpful to state briefly how you got off the drug. Please see Post #1 of this topic for how to get non standard doses. There is information there about using ethanol/alcohol to make a liquid. tips-for-tapering-off-amitriptyline using-a-scale-to-weigh-and-measure-doses how-to-make-a-liquid-from-tablets-or-capsules 20 minutes ago, sunset said: I honestly wouldn't even be doing it except I'm 66 and could conceivably end up in care (senior's residence or the like) and someone could have control of my medications and then CT me. That is something that I wouldn't have even though about. I can understand you wanting to be off the drug before that might happen. I'm 64 so it's a bit closer to home than for some other SA members. * NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA * MISSION ACCOMPLISHED: (6 year taper) 0mg Pristiq on 13th November 2021 ADs since ~1992: 25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq: 50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity) Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021 LAST DOSE 0.0025mg Post 0 updates start here My tapering program My Intro (goes to tapering graph) VIDEO: Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management Link to comment
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