Freedom15: reinstated amitriptyline after CT by doctor

[Freedom15]

Have held a extra week and this has really helped the situation. 

 

Considering holding now till after Christmas to give me a bit of stability over the festive season.

 

Starting to have times where i feel carm and relaxed and that my own feelings are starting to show back again over the drug induced mess i was.

 

This really is making me feel that i am still here and hopefully once the meds are fully out of my body i will be back for good.

 

At least being on the lower dose there will be less longterm damage hopefully to my self.

[Freedom15]

Not good news today...

 

After being off work for a year i was called in to see my manager and was told they are no longer going to employ me. 

 

Bit up setting really that after being with them for nearly 10 years this has happened because of the stupid medication.

 

I will continue on with my plan tho to get off the mediaction safetly and maybe this will mean i may be able to hold longer now

as no pressure at momment as jobs gone. 

[Petunia]

Hi Freedom,

Its good to hear you are having moments of starting to feel better, this is a good indication your nervous system is recovering. I'm sorry you lost your job, but as you mentioned, this eases the pressure and you will be able to taper slower if you need to. You will get another job, maybe a better one.

[Freedom15]

Thanks Petunia i appreciate your kind words.

 

The most important thing now is doing this good and proper so i never have go on any of these medication ever again.

 

Everyone around me at the center has said that i seem like massive weight has been lifted from my shoulders.

 

It was quite pressure as always worryed about losing job and this was pushing me to reduce faster.

 

I have managed to get his far but i do need to take it slow now i really feel that both physicaly and mentaly.

[Fresh]

I hope that now the pressure of work is out of the way , you heal faster and feel more relaxed.

You've come a long way baby   .

[Freedom15]

Hi Fresh thanks

 

Just bit tired with it all Fresh. Yes i have come along way and made progress but still suffer cronic daily side effects from medication which changes through the day to less then its time to take stupid

 

meds again.

 

Holding longer now between drops as the reductions have got harder now.

 

Still live in hope of beating this stuff and becoming med free.

[Sarabera]

Hi Freedom, I'm also on amitryptiline, have been on it (or some form of tricyclic) for 34 years now. Congratulations for all the great progress you have made! Obviously I haven't been able to get off it all this time, but I'm confident with a very slow taper that I can get there, as I have been as low as 6mg before. I tried to do a jump from 6mg, obviously that didn't work very well and I'm back up to 12.5 mg.  I'm really curious as to why you don't take the whole dosage at bedtime (or do you and I misunderstood?) Best wishes on your continued success with the taper and I will be watching closely.

[Freedom15]

Hi Sarabera

 

I take the full dose at 7pm every night.

 

I am down to 1mg now but the side effects of meds/withdrawl is hard.

 

Its alot easier than the higher dose but its hard.

 

I have daily tremours. pins and needles in hands and feet and across face. blurry eyesight. numbness across head and face that wears through day but never gone. memory issues.

and generally feeling unwell most time.

 

Good luck with your reduction.

 

I reduced at 5% at higher dose and have now been reducing at 10% lower dose but i am holding longer now than i was before.

 

I was only put on this stuff for headache prevention and all this has happened.

 

Anyway i have made progress and i am alot better than i was.

 

Its a slow process but will be worth getting myself back.

 

I am sure you will also get to achive your goal of coming off the medication.

[nz11]

Well done on getting to 1mg Freedom

goodness i cant believe you put on amitryptiline for a headache and then later switched to citalopram.

 

Have you considered making a 'yellow card complaint . i think thats what you have in your country right?

[Freedom15]

Hi nz11

 

Yes my doctor has said once i am off the medication she will fill out the "yellow card" altho i am not sure what difference that will do tbh as they have been using the medication since 1950ish

 

Yep it is common practise now in the uk to issue amitryptiline for headache and migraine prevention.

 

Also any kinda long term pain and sleeping issues.

 

Didnt work well for me though unfortunatly and as you have read has caused me alot problems.

 

Yep instead looking at the medication and issues that i started to have for headaches i was convinced by the doctor i will ill and needed to take

further antidepressents.

 

Its very worrying really because altho i have managed to now take control of my reduction and recovery many others wont have a clue to whats going on.

[Freedom15]

Feeling tired today with being drugged up 24-7.

 

The lower the meds gets the more messed up i realise i have been.

 

No body should have to live like this everyday.

 

I am still holding at 1mg which has been 16 days now.

 

This is the longest hold i have done so far in my reduction as i have been doing weekly drops before.

 

I think i am a mix of daily adverse reactions/side effects and poss withdrawal from the dose changing through the day.

 

I am going try hold for month and decide if drop again by 10% after that.

[WiggleIt]

I thought reductions were supposed to be smaller toward the end of a taper?

[Freedom15]

Just wanted to share i had a good day today.

 

Even tho i am still getting heavy sedation with meds and all other stuff just felt good.

 

Even my friends around me said i was seeming more happy today like my pre drugs person i was.

 

I was also able to do my hobbie which is racing rc cars.

 

Thought it would be nice to just share this so as to show my progress.

[Sarabera]

HI Freedom, good to hear you are having a good day, hope it is the start of a new trend! Have you had any problems with insomnia (I read a lot of this thread but not all)? That is the biggest worry of mine as far as tapering. I don't have a lot of sedation from amitryptiline at all anymore.

Sarah

[Freedom15]

Hi Sarabera.

 

When i was Cold turkeyed i didnt sleep for 2-3 weeks. After reinstatment i have had the odd couple days after reduction where i wasnt sleeping good.

 

But other than that my sleeps been ok luckly.

 

I am still getting heavy numbness across head and face and my drain feels shut off even at such low dose now.

 

Will just keep doing what doing just doing longer holds now as my recovery time to stabilise seems take little longer now.

[Freedom15]

Havn't been feeling to good for past 3 days.

All over Tremours have been quite bad.

I think i am also coming down with cold so maybe this has triggered this possible.

This is above the daily issues i have from taking the meds that i have since reinstatement. 

 

I think i may have weighted up the dose wrong for 2 days so i am holding till i stabilise again and being more aware of the weight on the scale.

Its getting harder to measure as the difference between measurments now is so fine with being so low.

 

Was hoping to still measure on the scales till get to 0.5mg then swop to liquid and do the rest from that down to as close 0 as i can get.

 

Also feeling little tired in myself physically and mentially with the longness of not feeling good.

[Freedom15]

I have a questoin regarding liquid meds.

 

Amitriptyline comes in 25mg/5ml solutions.

 

Can i get this and add another 20ml water so its a 1:1 ratio

 

and then use this to reduce on ?

 

As i would be able to get 1mg to 1ml then and could reduce from that via a 1ml syringe.

 

I am also presuming this will prob be more presice than weighting on scales now.

 

Any help or advice on this would be helpfull

 

Thanks

[Sarabera]

Depending on what the solution used for the liquid amitryptiline, and if it mixes well with water, that might work fine. But why don't you save yourself some bother/money, and make your own amitryptiline solution. Amitryptiline dissolves quite well in just water. Throw a 25 mg. pill in 25 mls of water, and you'll have a good solution in no time. Shake well before bringing it up in the syringe. I've purchased some Ora-plus to make the solution a bit thicker, but it is not necessary if you shake before dosing.

 

This was my plan for tapering off ami. Much more accurate than dry cuts/weighing. But my taper is on hold right now, because I am apparently having a benzo issue that needs to be ironed out first.

Sarah

[Freedom15]

Hi Sarabera

 

thanks for your reply.

 

I was actually thinking of going the ora-plus route as well after reading it up on the forum.

 

The weighting of the dose isn't accurate enough now at such low dose and i prob got away with it at higher doses.

 

plus i think i may go to a lower reduction as well now on the lower dose and that will be possible via the liquid.

 

I have ordered 1ml syringes to use as well now.

 

I got 10mg tablets so i will do 10mg tab to 10ml of distilled water.

 

I am currently at 0.8mg so from liquid that will be 0.8ml.

 

Its taken this long to understand the simplicity of the liquid route.

 

Prob cause my head was smashed on the meds for so long.

 

Thanks for coming back to me anyway.

 

Hope you are feeling better now as well.

[Freedom15]

One thing i forgot to mention is the change over from tablets to liquid.

 

I know they say you should try to take some tablet and liquid then go over to the liquid fully but i am not sure

how if its possible at such low dose of tablet already and if i need to worrry and just go straight over to the liquid.

[Fresh]

Hiya Freedom , it's easier to divide a bigger dose - with such a tiny amount you'll have problems getting an accurate weight measure.

Some people transfer with little trouble.   I'm crossing my fingers for you that you're in that group.

 

[Freedom15]

Hi Fresh,

 

I am just waiting on the syringes and distilled water then i will give it a go. I will also let everyone around me know i am changing over and to

be aware if i start going weird.

 

I am pritty clued up on how i feel by now and whats my normality of symptoms to what isnt so if it isnt going right i can always go back tabs.

 

Hope you are well btw ?

[Fresh]

I'm very well , thanks for asking.    Enjoying summer.

 

Check on the link about making liquid from tablets. I think if you use distilled water and keep it in the fridge it's good for

one week.

This thread has relevant info. for you http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2693-how-to-make-a-liquid-from-tablets-or-capsules/page-3

[Freedom15]

I think cause i was so ill with medication and unable to understand simple tasks the liquid thing totally blow mind lol.

 

But after watching the video it is so easy and will defornatly make the dose reductions easier and more accurate.

 

I think that will really help me now as thats whats needed is stability with dose as any small viration of dose i feel being so low.

 

I will update once i got all bits together and go for it.

 

Still classed as winter here in uk but its been pritty mild tbh with one day snow so its been ok.

[Freedom15]

Friday the 12th i lost my job due to me no longer being capable of working with the current side effects and withdrawl issues from the medication.

 

Its so frustrating the life changing effects these medication has had on my life and none of it has been positive.

 

Will continue on living the hope i will get off the meds and recovered.

 

Always trying to stay in the solutions and not the problems altho its hard when you are tired and broken most days.

[nz11]

Sorry to hear you lost your job Freedom.

Wdl is very very difficult and how anyone can go through this and hold down a job is beyond me. Its a struggle to just survive each day.

Looks like you are doing a great taper so i am sure this is just a wave that weill pass soon

hang in there.

[Sarabera]

Sorry to hear that, hopefully it will open the way to a new and better job. You are so close to the end now!

Sarah

[Freedom15]

Thanks for your messages its appricated.

 

What worrys me the most at momment is that i am still getting heavy daily medication effects at 0.5mg

 

and also the changing over to liquid and having an adverse effect.

 

If i do another drop via the scales that would be 30% reduction and i have always tryed to go no more the 10% as advised.

 

This is why i got change over to liquid to alllow lower drops now.

 

I just feel like i have lost all memory of what it felt like being none medicated at the momment cause i been in adverse effects from the drug for so long now.

 

Sure i will get through it just testing mentally and physically.

[Freedom15]

OK so i am getting ready for the change over from pill to liquid.

 

I really wish i had done this earlier cause its going to make it so much easier.

 

Only thing i am worried about is i cant do part pill and liquid and then cut out pill will just have to go straight over to it being so low.

 

I am going to do a 1:1 solution with 10mg tab and 10ml distilled water.

 

I got a 1ml syringe to use for dosing.

 

I will store the liquid in fridge for up to 3 days then remake new.

 

I am going to have to ruffly get what dose i am on now cause i am at 0.004mg weight which is about 0.4?mg of medication.

 

I think if i got to 0.40mg or 0.4ml in the syringe and see what that is like.

 

I can normally tell if dose is to high or low the next day.

 

I am just very nervous about the change and the potential to going into extreme withdrawl.

 

Will trial one dose sunday night and see how i am monday with it as i will not have my kids at weekend for 2 weeks so it gives me a bit freedom to get things right.

 

Will give good hold once fully onto the liquid before reducing again.

 

Hopefully i am going to be doing this correct so if anyone has any advice thats always appricated.

[Freedom15]

Ok i come down with cold last night so i am going ot hold to tue night to do the change over test.

 

Also i generally dont go into the recovery center on wednesday so i think that will be a better day to do it.

 

Recieved my PIP application and its been refused as they say i am to do normal things even with the horrific withdrawl side effects.

 

Will look at seeing about challengin git but doesnt look hopefull.

 

The mortgage company was waiting to see what the outcome was of this so another thing to worry about if lose house now or not.

 

Will contact them wednesday as well to see what can be sorted.

[Freedom15]

Ok so tonight is the night.

 

I have gone to liquid as test.

 

Will update what has happened tomorrow.

[Freedom15]

Ok i am making the liquid up now one thing that seems to be a problem is that it seems to be very grainy in the water like its not fully desolving?

 

I have left it for ages and then swish the solution about before taking the dose out of it.

 

Willl the grainyness cause issue is this possibly needing to do a 2:1 ration instead to get it to desolve more or is this

how its ment to be....

[Freedom15]

Ok the swop to liquid seems to have been ok. I was feeling a bit different for few days but seem to be no different now

 

than how i am on the medication generally.

 

Had some bad news today the mortgage company is going to start reprosession of my house in 3 months so

 

this is just another blow to the whole situation. 

 

Will try not ot let it get me down altho its hard not to.

 

will be on lower dose by then so maybe able to handle the situation better.

[Sarabera]

Hi Freedom,

Looks like you are very close to being off! I am also using a liquid solution right now, and it is working well. I had quite a mess earlier, and ended up doing a close to cold turkey--I am on about .7 mg right now, and it is amazing how I can even feel that small dose. Very sorry to hear about your house. We will be off this awful drug soon!

Sarah

[Freedom15]

Hi Sarah,

 

Glad you are getting there and although you been through bit ups and downs you are stablising on the lower dose.

 

I am currently at 0.36mg which is so mad that it still effects me quite bad and it was good in way that you to are feeling it at

lower dose as it made me feel like i wasnt just different.

 

Still got quite few months till i am off altho i am closer now to being off than ever so that is positive.

 

I truely also have to say this is defornatly an awful drug and in my eyes shouldnt be prescribed.

[Freedom15]

Forgot to say i am doing 5% reductions again but more regular than the 10% to see how this is.

 

I did this when i was on the higher dose with success.