Amitriptyline (Elavil) is a tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) that has been used to treat major depression since its approval in 1961. It is regarded as one of the most popular tricyclic antidepressants of all time and has been regarded by the World Health Organization as an “essential medicine” or a drug needed in a basic health system. Although it is only approved by the FDA to treat depression, it is sometimes used off-label as a treatment for migraines, neuropathic pain, fibromyalgia, and nocturnal bedwetting (in childhood).
The drug works by inhibiting reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain. It tends to increase serotonin significantly, while affecting norepinephrine to a moderate extent. These days, Amitriptyline is not commonly used as a first-line treatment for depression, but throughout the 1960s and 1970s, it was considered one of the best options. Some documentation even suggests that its efficacy may be superior to other antidepressants, including SSRIs.
Although this is an older drug can work well to treat depression, not everyone is going to have a positive reaction to taking it. For some individuals the side effects may be overwhelming and intolerable. For others, it may not be effective in reducing their depressive symptoms. Finally there are those who have had success taking the drug, but found that its antidepressant effects wore off over time. There are also people who just want to stop taking an antidepressant and function drug-free again. If you are considering going through withdrawal, below are some important things to keep in mind.
Factors that influence Amitriptyline withdrawal
Whenever you quit taking a medication, there are factors that will influence the severity of your withdrawal. These factors include things like: time span over which you took the drug, your dosage, how quickly you tapered, as well as other individual factors such as physiology, habits, and environment.
1. Time Span
How long were you taking Amitriptyline? If you were taking it for a short duration, chances are that your body and brain didn’t develop a tolerance or become reliant on the drug for functioning. Thus, those who took it for a short period of time (i.e. weeks or a couple months) should have an easier time coping with the withdrawal period. People who were on the drug for an extended period of time (i.e. years) will likely have a much tougher time with the withdrawal.
2. Dosage (50 mg, 75 mg, 100 mg, 150 mg)
Most people end up taking anywhere from 50 mg to 150 mg of the drug at bedtime. However, in more extreme cases, the dosage of 150 mg may be exceeded. The maximum recommended dose of this drug to be taken daily is 300 mg. In general, there is thought to be a relationship between dose of the drug you take and the severity of your withdrawal. Individuals who are on a lower dose such as 50 mg are thought to have an easier time coping with symptoms compared to those who were on the daily maximum of 300 mg.
3. Cold Turkey vs. Tapering
Did you quit taking Amitriptyline cold turkey (abruptly) or did you conduct a gradual taper? If you quit cold turkey, it essentially shocks your central nervous system because it will still have been expecting to receive the drug. In order to reduce withdrawal symptoms, the best method is to conduct a gradual taper based on how you feel to reductions in dosage.
To be on the safe side, experts recommend tapering by 10% of your current dose per month. If you feel this is too slow and/or you don’t notice any extreme withdrawals, you can tweak the percentage to suit your needs. Understand that if you are taking a sustained-release version of the Amitriptyline, you may want to talk to your doctor about counting the little “beads” or converting to the non-sustained release version while tapering.
4. Individual Factors
There are always other individual factors that can influence the difficulty of your withdrawal. Individual physiology tends to play a big role in determining how someone will react to withdrawal. Certain people may not experience many withdrawal symptoms, while others will experience every unwanted symptom imaginable.
It should also be noted that personal habits such as: diet, exercise, social life, productivity, etc. can also play a role in influencing how a person is able to cope with their withdrawal. Additionally if you are on any other medications, it may make the withdrawal process easier.
Amitriptyline Withdrawal Symptoms: List of Possibilities
Below is a list of possible symptoms that you may experience when withdrawing from Amitriptyline. Understand that you may not exhibit every symptom listed below during your withdrawal. This is just a collection of symptoms that people have reported, with the two most common being dizziness and headaches.
- Anger: During withdrawal it is common to experience increased anger. You may get angry at other people or angry with your circumstances. This is usually caused by neurotransmitter levels being abnormally low. As they increase, your anger should continue improving. Do your best to contain your anger and learn productive ways to cope with it.
- Anxiety: When withdrawing from this medication, you may notice that you feel more anxious than usual. This is due to the fact that your serotonin levels dropped after you stopped taking the medication. Low serotonin is thought to contribute to significant anxiety during the withdrawal period. Your serotonin levels and neurotransmission will eventually return to how they were prior to your usage of the drug.
- Appetite changes: Some people who take this drug report increases in appetite. If you experienced an increased appetite while on this antidepressant, your appetite may be reduced when you quit taking the medication, and vice versa. Appetite changes can lead to weight loss or weight gain when you stop taking the drug.
- Body aches: In some cases this drug can actually help to reduce body aches. When you stop taking it, you may feel achy all over for no apparent reason. Keep in mind that it may take a few weeks before the aches start to subside. In the meantime, consider getting a massage if this symptom becomes difficult to deal with.
- Crying spells: It is common to cry a lot when you withdraw from an antidepressant. Crying is considered a natural release of emotion and can actually promote healing. Most people that end up crying during withdrawal do so as a result of the increased depression that they initially experience.
- Depersonalization: Do you feel like you aren’t the same person that you were prior to taking the drug? It is common to feel depersonalized or as if our normal emotions and personality has been sucked out of our body. Understand that as you experience healing, your natural emotions and personality features will return.
- Depression: When you quit this drug, you may notice that your initial depression returns. For some individuals, they may notice that not only does the depression return, it actually increases in severity. Depression may increase in severity because your neurotransmitters are likely abnormally low and your brain has become vulnerable and sensitive. As you heal, your depression should either subside or return to how it was pre-Amitriptyline.
- Diarrhea: There have been reports of diarrhea upon discontinuation of this drug. If you have diarrhea, you may want to consider picking up some over-the-counter Imodium to help with your situation. Typically diarrhea should not last more than a week following your last dose.
- Dizziness: Feeling dizzy is perhaps the most common complaint people have when they stop taking Amitriptyline. You may feel lightheaded, as though you have balance issues, and uncoordinated as a result of the dizziness. It can be overwhelming, especially in cases of people who quit the drug cold turkey. Even though it may seem never-ending, just know that it will eventually get better.
- Fatigue: Another very common symptom is that of lethargy or fatigue. You may feel tired all the time and lack energy to complete even basic tasks. Keep pushing yourself through these feelings of tiredness, but honor them in times when you think a little extra sleep would be beneficial. It can be difficult to deal with this symptom, but your energy levels will eventually rebound.
- Flu-like symptoms: In some cases, people get really sick when they stop taking this medication. You may experience nausea, headache, fatigue, aches, and dizziness – leading to a set of symptoms that mimic influenza. If you gradually taper off of the medication, you will reduce your chances of feeling “sick” during the withdrawal.
- Headaches: Some people take this drug specifically to treat their migraine headaches. If you were taking it to treat headaches, you may notice that they reemerge when you stop taking the drug. In order to reduce your chances of dealing with bad headaches, it is recommended to always gradually taper.
- Hypersensitivity: During withdrawal you may notice that bright lights and/or loud sounds become very bothersome. Your visual and auditory processing may become hypertensive and moderately loud noises may sound extremely loud. As your nervous system heals and the parasympathetic functioning is restored, hypersensitivity should be reduced.
- Insomnia: Some individuals take this drug for insomnia and/or notice that it helps them fall asleep at night. When withdrawing, you may notice profound insomnia to the point that you cannot get a good night’s sleep. Understand that insomnia may be temporarily worsened during withdrawal and that you can cope with it by learning ways to lower your arousal.
- Irritability: You may become increasingly irritable during the early weeks of withdrawal. You may feel like lashing out at other people and as though you have taken on a mean persona. This is usually a result of neurochemical changes that you are dealing with during withdrawal. If you feel irritable, you may want to practice some sort of relaxation technique and/or exercise.
- Itching: Feeling itchy is a very common side effect of this particular drug, but a less common withdrawal symptom. If you feel itchy, it could because you are in early stages of withdrawal and still have the drug in your system. Realize that once you stop the drug, the itching should subside within a week.
- Joint pain: In addition to feeling body aches, you may notice some joint pain. This could be a result of norepinephrine changes – a neurotransmitter linked to pain processing. Realize that the pain you are experiencing may be temporarily more severe during the early stages of withdrawal.
- Memory problems: Some people report issues with memory retrieval and feel as if their short and/or long term memory has worsened. If you are having difficulties with your memory, just know that this drug is not associated with any long term memory damage. In other words, as your brain heals itself, your memory should return to normal functioning.
- Muscle pain: This drug is sometimes prescribed off-label to treat people with various types of pain. It can reduce muscle pain while a person takes it, but when they come off of it, the pain may be even worse. This is due to the fact that norepinephrine levels drop when a person quits the medication. It can take awhile for them to stabilize and the increased pain sensitivity to subside.
- Nausea: You may feel nauseated if you quit this drug cold turkey. Nausea occurs because your body has gotten used to receiving the drug on a daily basis and was incorporated in its functioning. When you stop taking the drug, nausea is a common response from the body.
- Panic attacks: Since this medication affects serotonin levels, when you stop taking it, your serotonin levels can drop. This can result in increased levels of anxiety, which in turn can cause a person to experience panic attacks. Panic attacks experienced during withdrawal will subside once our serotonin levels are restored and when we learn to relax.
- Poor concentration: Many individuals report that withdrawal from Amitriptyline takes a toll on their ability to focus. Completing work-related tasks, schoolwork, and/or taking tests may become extra difficult. Additionally doing something simple like reading a newspaper may seem tough. Understand that you may temporarily experience poor concentration, but your brain will eventually restore its natural ability to focus.
- Restlessness: Some people report feeling restless when they initially stop taking this drug. They are unable to sit still and are fueled by inner agitation and anxiety. If you feel restless, you may want to engage in some sort of relaxation exercise to calm your nerves and/or get some exercise to burn off energy.
- Sleep changes: During withdrawal, your sleep cycle can easily get thrown out of balance. You may find it difficult to fall asleep at night and/or difficult to stay asleep at night. You may have weird dreams, nightmares, and feel tired all the time. Many people report feeling unable to fall asleep at night, and extremely lethargic during the day. Understand that as your brain recovers, your sleep cycle should eventually normalize.
- Suicidal thoughts: During withdrawal it is relatively common to feel suicidal and increasingly depressed. If these thoughts become overwhelming, be sure to seek immediate medical attention. Understand that the potency of suicidal thoughts tends to increase during withdrawal because your serotonin levels are low and neurotransmission tends to be chaotic. The longer you have been off of the drug, the less these thoughts should occur.
- Sweating: Many individuals note that they sweat profusely when coming off of this antidepressant. Increased sweating is common when a person quits taking a drug that their body has become accustomed to receiving. When the drug supply is cut, sweating is a physical reaction that many people have. Sweating may occur throughout the day and/or at night.
- Vomiting: Although vomiting is an extreme withdrawal symptom, it is one that is sometimes reported. Usually those who report vomiting were on a high dose, quit cold turkey, and ended up feeling very sick with high nausea. Just know that vomiting should not last more than a few days.
- Weight changes: Some people gain a fair amount of weight while taking Amitriptyline. In the event that your weight gain was caused by the drug, you should lose the weight that you gained while taking it. Additionally if you lost weight while taking this drug, you may gain some weight back that you lost while taking it.
Note: It is understood that amitriptyline stays in your system (along with its metabolites) for a period of 4 to 21 days after discontinuation; suggestive of high interindividual variability. Some users will eliminate the drug quicker (in around 4 days) than others (nearly 21 days). As a result of variability in elimination speed, severe withdrawal symptoms may emerge sooner or later depending on how long your body retains amitriptyline (and its metabolites) in your plasma.
How long do Amitriptyline withdrawal symptoms last?
There’s no telling exactly how long Amitriptyline withdrawal will last. For some people who were on a low dose for a short-duration, it may only take a few weeks before they feel 100% back to normal. For others that were on the drug for an extended period of time at a high dose and/or those who quit cold turkey may end up dealing with withdrawal symptoms for months following their last dose. It is important to avoid getting caught up in comparing how quickly you recover to how quickly someone else recovers – everyone is different.
In order to speed up your recovery, it is recommended to engage in healthy activities such as: getting adequate exercise, eating a healthy diet, getting proper sleep, forcing yourself to socialize and stay productive, and seeking the help of a professional if you need it. The less stress you have to deal with in your environment and the more you push yourself to engage in healthy activities, you will increase the speed of your recovery. Although withdrawal symptoms may be overwhelming at times, continue pushing through them and realize that in time they will get better.
Withdrawing from an antidepressant can be a frustrating experience, especially if you didn’t know what to expect. Do your best to talk to other people about how you feel and consider seeking the help of a therapist if you lack social support. If you have gone through Amitriptyline withdrawal, feel free to share your experience in the comments section below. You may really help someone else who is going through the same thing.
I am so pleased to find this site and realize I am not alone. I’ve been on this drug 10mg on and off for 10 years. I am now down to .25mg. I still wake up feeling very down but not every day, my head feels clearer but I still get panicky especially in the mornings. I’m not going to give up and hope you all find the strength to carry on. Good luck.
This is an update: After trying to taper off of Ami for 10 months, I just couldn’t continue, I had to start taking it again. I had been on it for 14 years for migraines. 10 months of severe insomnia, total brain fog, severe hair loss and beginning to feel suicidal, getting migraines every single day for three weeks. I’m back on 25 mg and can live my life again. This stuff is horrible and I commend anyone that is able to come off and stay off of it.
On low dose for a fortnight. Gave up cold turkey 4 days ago. Initially vertigo, nausea and tremors. Now just have severe tremors. Is this normal? And if so, how long is it likely to last?
14 months ago I had a car accident causing damage to vertebrae and discs in my lower back. 7 months ago I developed sciatic nerve pain which was caused by disc fluid leakage irritating the sciatic nerve. My doctor prescribed a number of medications of which one was amitriptyline. I have recently stopped “cold turkey” and finding it difficult to deal with the withdrawals.
These consist mainly of fatigue, low mood and anger. I have not been myself since I have been taking this medication and I am pleased to be off it even with current issues which I am sure will dissipate over time. In hindsight there are better alternatives to dealing with sciatic pain and this type of medication should be a last resort.
It deals with the symptom but not the cause or long term solution. In my case it has caused more issues than it has prevented. Fortunately I was able to find a solution for my pain by a series of stretches and exercises focused on core strength. I hope my message can help someone else get through the side effects and withdrawals of amitriptyline.
I was put on this medication many years ago. When I approached the doctor to ask how to come off it he said “We know how to put people on, but we don’t know how to take them off.” (Cheers.) The intelligence it requires to write a name on a piece of paper appears to be the intelligence it requires to be a medical doctor…
Oh yes, and the empathy. I have tried to come off it, but the symptoms are too severe. The doctors now demand a monthly visit to prescribe one months drug that they got me addicted to… legal drug lords? I copy and alter the prescription, which is not illegal, but they are unethical and immoral.
Ok. I am in week #2 of cutting my dose to 2.5 mg. every other day (I cut the 10mg. pill into 4ths’ish and skip every other day). What a rollercoaster. I am seriously not stable; not dangerous, just a little mean and moody. I am having trouble falling asleep (and I even take .25 mg. of xanax every night to help me sleep). I am a zombie at work and I am in constant motion at home (my house should be cleaner, really).
I have caught myself “zoning out” while I’m driving–not cool!!!! How can such a small dose affect me so much? I’m not a sissy, nor a lightweight. I will stay on this dose for the month of April and probably May…it seriously takes that long for me to adjust to a small dosage reduction…I have been trying to get off this stuff for months (6+, at least). I am still determined!
Hi all. Still hanging in here. I’m still on the cutting in half dose. It’s not been easy, but as Sunny said… I am determined to get off this horrible medication. I have had every single symptom plus tingling in my fingers. I’m drinking lots of water, flushing my system. Total brain fog and forgetting a lot.
I cannot wait to be off this stuff and have my life back. Lots of Praying and so thankful for my husband and kids/family. I spoke to a pharmacist and another doctor and they both said they were not aware of such horrible withdrawal symptoms… I was like really… You prescribe this junk.
It amazes me how fast medications are prescribed and filled. I will never take anything again without lots of research. Keep the Faith everyone and thanks for sharing your story.
Hello there, I’m so glad I found this site. I have been on 10mg of Amitriptyline for 1.5 years now for IBS but I have decided to come off it, I don’t think it is helping much, my IBS has improved but I don’t think its from the Amitrip, it mostly makes me feel exhausted. My doctor said to cut down to 5mg for a week, and then I can stop. I’m cutting my 10mg pill in half but it is not coming out perfectly even, will there be a problem if I’m not cutting it perfectly in half.
It has been 3 days since I cut my dose in half and yesterday my stomach felt so sensitive, I had diarrhea and I felt very weak, like I had the flu, I also felt super anxious, all this while I was at work. I’m not sure if I should go to my doctor and asked to prescribed 5mg pills instead, I’m determined to get off of this stuff as I know the longer I take it the more difficult it will be to stop in the future.
I am so thankful to have found this site and thankful for all the info. I was put on 25mg seven years ago for Fibromyalgia. I’m on day 5 of cutting the dose in half. It’s been horrible; panic attacks, dizzy, flu-like symptoms, nausea, fatigue, severe dry mouth, body aches, etc. This stuff is horrible.
My Dr said just stop taking it. Dr’s are not educated on medications they prescribe. I’m fighting through it, but very hard. Thank goodness for my husband & family. I’m doing yoga, praying, walking and gonna start soaking in our hot tub to help detox more (I just read body cleansing & detoxing helps). Thank you to everyone & prayers for healing to all.
Hi Mini: They do say the taper should be gradual…very gradual, I think I read 10% per month, so your cutting your current does by 50% is not gradual, but I admire your determination…you go girl!!!!! I have had some success tapering the dose, very slowly… was on 25 mg. now down to 2.5 mg…over a 6 month period, so far, and still not off the drug completely (taking for migraines–didn’t really help).
I turned into a zombie. I lost interest in family and work friends, and was perfectly happy, by myself…still am. Hopefully my personality will return…if not, oh well, I really don’t care. What a horrible medicine! Take care.
I was on amitrip for 27 years for pain, increasing dose to 70-100 mgs until bad reactions in Dec 2015 so had to quit cold turkey. After 2 months the nerve pain is intolerable and constant, other side effects nothing compared to the pain. My sudden reaction to the drug meant that I can not take other nerve pain drugs either (gabapentin, pregabalin) or codeine. I’m having regular acupuncture and TENS machine help a bit.
I’m now 2 months into withdrawal and have no idea how long this nightmare will last. I am 72 and realise the body is not so efficient ar dealing with problems at my age. My acupuncturist assures me tthe nervous system will calm down in time. But how much time? If anyone has any ideas or advice I’d be pleased to hear them. Bella
Hi Bella: I can’t believe they made you quit cold-turkey…when you say you had a bad reaction, after 27 years, what happened? I do know they recommend you taper off very gradually…cutting the current dose in half, is not considered gradual. I can’t imagine what you must be going through.
I have only managed to get down to 2.5 mg each nite (I cut the 10 mg pills into 4’ths), and can not get off this drug. I was hoping to start skipping every other day, but, can’t right now…a few upcoming family obligations require me to be stable:).
I do have a TENS machine (I never thought to try it) and I can say that taking the lowest dose of xanax (.25 mg.) each night does help me sleep. I hope your symptoms subside, soon. Be well.
Hi all – thanks for the tips and suggestion. I’ve been on 25mg for about 6 months. It was prescribed to me after shingles as I was experiencing severe post-herpetic nerve pain – my rash appeared on my face and scalp. The pain and tingling was unbearable… I read up on the possible side effects and knew the risk of withdrawal – but I thought it was worth it for the benefit of restful sleep at night, lessened stress during the day and minimized nerve pain.
Now that I’m 20lbs heavier and experiencing a slew of other side effects (including severe sun sensitivity, even with high SPF) – I want off! Any and all suggestions are appreciated – can I cut my 25mg pill in half? Should I ask my doctor for a lower dose? Can I get melatonin at any OTC location (CVS, grocery store)? Thanks in advance for any advice.
Jenny I am cutting my pills in half. I’m on day 5.
I stopped cold turkey a week ago…so far I’ve noticed increased sweating, headaches, nausea and decreased appetite. I’m hoping these symptoms are mild and short lived… we’ll see. How long do you plan to take 1/2 pills?
My Neurologist recently prescribed 10mgs of Ami once a day at night before bed for my terrible insomnia. It was working but the 10mgs was too high of a dose because it was making me feel sleepy during the day so I decided to cut them and half and this was working better BC I was sleeping and felt well during the day.
However, two weeks into taking this drug had flu like upper respiratory symptoms and then lost my sense of smell and taste. I went to ENT to have him check out my ears, nose and throat and he said everything was clear and he asked if I was taking any maintenance drug and told him I was taking Amitriptyline and he said that this drug can cause loss of smell and taste. So he suggested that I taper off – which I did.
I dropped to half of a half and then stopped altogether last Saturday. My insomnia came back like a vengeance I experienced some itching and rash on my chin. My sense of smell hasn’t come back, but my sense of taste is slowly getting better. I go see the Neurologist tomorrow to talk to him about this issue. Now after reading all of these comments I don’t want to go back on this drug.
I may cancel my appointment altogether because all my doctor wants to do is throw drugs at my problems. I do have trouble sleeping so I tried half of a 3mg Melatonin last night and it helped me sleep so I will take again tonight. I want to thank everyone for their helpful comments on this website. It gives me hope to know I am not alone in this fight. Hope everyone gets better!
I was on 75mg of this stuff for over 13 years for migraine prevention. It worked at first the. Turned against me. I quit it cold turkey because my neurologist out me on topamax (which has been wonderful). My last amitriptyline was 2 weeks ago. At first I felt amazing!! Then everything hit the fan. All the withdrawals happened. Yesterday the headaches started. My husband has been wonderful and friends and family have been supportive. I’m a dog groomer so I can’t call out sick to work.
I’m taking it day by day. After work I basically go home and lay in bed with my dogs. They definitely know I’m not feeling well. I’m hoping o feel relief in a few weeks. I refuse to let a drug withdrawal take over my life. Reading that everyone else has gone through the same thing has made me feel not alone. It definitely helps. I hope you all get better soon. Stay strong. We are all above this drug!
Stacey, I would suggest you try taking Calcium d glucarate. It is a detoxicant and that is what you need for the problem you are having. It works!
This is my last week at 2.5 mg. (I cut the tiny pill into quarters (‘ish)). My sleep has recovered (I do take .25 mg. xanax for sleep), my headaches are still every other day (‘ish), but I have periods where I feel normal, a little hopeful and sometimes even happy. Next week I am dropping to 2.5 mg. every other night.
I suspect this will be the ugliest battle so far, as I will really be depriving my body of it’s constant supply. I will probably cry often, have headaches even more frequently and be unable to sleep, but it will be progress. For the month of March, I will keep at 2.5 mg. every other night. I manage at work by drinking hot tea (decaf) and listening to books on tape at my desk or music on my phone.
I do exercise – DVD’s (walking and strength bands) in my living room every other night or every night if time permits and I think it helps. I also gave up meat…if I’m not willing to kill it, I have no right to eat it, right? My giant goal is to actually care about something. That’s what this drug did to me…it made me stop caring about things. (I do love my puppies.)
Thank you for leaving all your comments. After reading them I realized it was better not to quit instantly. After using Ami 10 mg for 4 years I quit 4 weeks ago. First week I took one day one tablet and the other day a half. Second week I only took half tablets (5 mg). Third week one day half a tablet and the other day none. And from the fourth week on none. So far so good. Some minor sleeping problems and some headaches, that’s it. I’m keeping my fingers crossed it will reduce after time. Best of luck everyone.
I was taking 70mg a night for over a year. Felt no positive effects for my insomnia and fibromyalgia pain. I have now taken 5-htp and it helps wonders so I went cold turkey from amitriptyline. Very sweaty and sick feeling. Hope it leaves quickly.
Still on 2.5 mg every night. Some difficulty sleeping (I take .25 mg xanax for sleep)… it’s not really working right now. On the weekends I take .5 mg–that works). What I find is that I can keep going well past my normal bedtime. I’m still awake, but I know I need to sleep in order to stay awake at work.
I do feel my normal personality returning in drips – brief flashes – I’ll take it. The 10 pound weight gain is gone, yay. 2 more weeks at 2.5 mg, then I’m reducing to 2.5 mg every other night in March. I have all the symptoms, but they are manageable because I am tapering super slow (6-8 weeks on each lowered dose).
I am still getting migraine headaches, pretty much every other day, but the Imitrex does work. Can’t take it for every headache though… I try to limit it to 2-3 per week. Some headaches I just have to ride out. Progress is slow, but it’s still progress. Good luck everyone!
Hi. I too am reducing my dose from 40 to 10mg /0 right now. I itch a lot too and am having headaches and am scared if a migraine comes along as I was on amitriptyline to prevent migraine but was reduced to ten mg while in hospital recently and thought now is the time to come off this drug once and for all after twenty years.
I wonder how you are all coping with work as you go through these withdrawal symptoms? I am off work right now on sick leave for something else but I dread not sleeping and having to get up for work. I gave in last night and took another ten mg pill but reading the blogs here has given me the strength to continue to get down to zero and feel normal again.
I feel this drug deadened me and my emotional response to things over the last few twenty years but I hope I can cope at work . So I say ‘Be brave we will make it.’ Thanks everyone who posted here. Success stories would be really great to read .
Hi Maggie, Have been on Amitriptyline for around 15 years and am swapping to another as it is no longer as effective. Unlike a lot of other posts, I see no reason to slate this drug nor the withdrawal effects. Like any other drug, it works for some and not all. Yes the side effects are hard but so are the conditions that people are using the drug for.
I have had severe headaches and insomnia and dizziness. Not at all pleasant but I am determined to approach them positively – the depression I have lived with for years is million times worse than the withdrawal symptoms. Perhaps I am fortunate because my doctor has moved me across to another effective medication so I am able to tolerate the withdrawal.
My only suggestion for insomnia is that sometimes you have to accept it. Get up and do something not too challenging and this occasionally helps to fall back asleep even if only for a short time. Good luck.
Hi, I started on 10 mg of Amit and over 2 years it as been increased to 50 mg. I decided I had had enough of this drug as my migraines were still there and pain. My doctor said he was glad I was coming off it as I am on Prozac as well for anxiety and depression. It’s been about 3 weeks now since reducing it from 50 mg to 5 mg and I have had all the withdrawal symptoms from upset stomach to insomnia. But the worst one of all is depression!! Any one else suffered from depression coming off this vile drug? Thank you.
Have been on 50mg daily for over 2 years. During Christmas I ran out and decided to quit cold turkey… 3 weeks later I felt itching all over my body like bugs are crawling in my skin and strange tingling in random places. I decided to get back on them and have been for 2 weeks now, but still suffering the itching. It’s a nightmare.
Wow, I can’t believe you all have to deal with this too. I’ve been on 50-75mg for years, for migraines and diarrhea caused by maintenance chemo drugs. I got scared a few months back when I was given the drug by another manufacturer and had a serious reaction. Also the weight gain is a killer, I need to feel good about myself, being on this drug is making that hard.
I begged my doctor to take me off of it, so decided to do it on my own, cut down to 25mg. I fear I will never sleep again, although going to the bathroom again is nice. Has someone made it to the other side? Please tell me this is all worth it.
Well, I just started week 3 at 2.5 mg. (I cut the pill in 4th’s) and last night was the 1st night I could not sleep. I even take .25 mg. xanax for sleeping, and still I laid awake. My elbows hurt, my shoulder hurt, my knees hurt, and I kept having panic attacks and sitting bolt upright gasping for air… when I finally drifted off, I had some weird dreams.
I didn’t realize what was happening until this morning and I remembered this site. I am sooo tired today, but I can’t give in… the fight is long and hard. I will stay on 2.5 mg. for the month of February and then drop to 2.5 mg. every other night for the month of March. Believe it or not, it is taking longer to get off this medicine than the amount of time I took it.
Sunny, you will probably need to go to a liquid titration now, to get a more accurate dose and reduce by smaller amounts. Fortunately amitryptiline disolves in plain water quite quickly and well. Then use a 3 ml syringe to draw up your dose. I would definitely not recommend going every other night–that would be dreadful and hard on your system (I know doctors often recommend this–ridiculous!).
You could even try micro-tapering, which involves diluting the medicine quite a bit, and dropping by a teeny dose every day or so, many have good results with that. Benzobuddies has a lot of information on tapering, liquid titration and microtapers for anyone that is interested. I still haven’t started my taper–I developed a mild benzo dependence and am still tapering off that before I start the amitriptyline.
I have been on 35 mg for 4 years. I stopped cold turkey and have been going through a myriad of symptoms for the past two months. Some days I feel normal others I wake up with incredible muscle and joint pain. Sometimes the pain is so bad it hurts just laying in bed. I have been taking Epsom salt baths for 20 min at the very least which helps relieve some pain for the moment until it passes.
I’ve also been very anxious and depressed with no explanation other than I’m experiencing withdrawal. Every other symptom listed on this web page I have experienced as well. The symptoms vary day to day in intensity and length of time. I keep telling myself I have made it this far (2months) so I’m just having courage and holding out. You can make it too!
Ok, I’m so flippin pissed! I asked my pharmacy if running out of this medicine for just a few days would cause my any issues. I’m disabled and was having issues getting someone to pick up my medicine. Well they hung up on me and after several attempts of calling back to a busy signal, I gave up. I am sooooooooo sick!
Nausea, vomiting, intense sweating, diarrhea, very moody easily angered, the side of, and every other one of the stupid side effects that I wish I would have known prior ever even taking this medication. This stuff is awful if you run out of it. So don’t ever run out of it and I suggest tapering off if you decide to ever stop it. One more time the medical professionals have failed me.
I am still fighting to get off this drug. I am in the middle of my 3rd attempt to reduce from 5 mg to 2.5 mg (such a stupid amount, I know), but I can’t get past it. I have had 10 migraines so far in 2016. My imitrex does work for the headaches, but you are not supposed to take it so often… most things I read say not to use it more than 2-3 times per month.
I’m using that much each week (and the RX only gives a 9-pill pack each month). I do take xanax to sleep (just .25 mg), but that lets me sleep. I have had brief flashes of “normal”, but only flashes… still zombie-like most of the day (happy to keep to myself at work). I am going to stick with the 2.5 mg dose through the month of February, then I’m not sure how to reduce further (cutting the 10 mg pill into 4’s is challenging enough with a pill cutter), how will I cut it into 6ths?
I do know this is a tough drug to kick; what makes me so angry is that it never worked for my migraines, anyway, so now I still have migraines and a slight amitrip addition to deal with. Good luck everyone!!!
Hi. I’ve been on varying doses from 10mg to 50mg for around a year. I managed to get down to 10mg relatively easily but going down from ten has been the most difficult. I started off trying to split the pills myself but it was impossible to get the dose completely accurate each day. These slight fluctuations made the symptoms worse.
I spoke to my Dr and ordered some Amitriptyline Hydrochloride Oral Solution and a small syringe. This way you can accurately measure your dose each day and move down by a smaller amount. I’m currently experiencing really bad withdrawal symptoms though so I’ve clearly moved down too fast.
Only on 10mg of this drug for tendon pain for 10 days before bad side affects. Ended up in A&E with head pain, confusion, unable to talk properly. Stopped Ami and side effects got worse and after 10 days admitted to hospital with heart rate of 109, sweats, shivers, headache, increased tinnitus, stomach pain, high BP and just a little paranoia. Medics can’t find any physical reasons all bloods fine, X-ray of chest and abdomen, ECG all fine.
Waiting for CT and ultra sound scans. Looking at this site shows similar symptoms. I’m So peed off as the ortho specialist said that this drug wasn’t suitable for the pain I was suffering. My GP gave me no warning of what lay ahead in the 7 minutes it took him to decide what was wrong, examine my ankle and write a script.
I tapered off over 4 weeks, lots of side effects, but the worse is the itching. Been off it 2 months now and still itching. Anyone know if it will ever stop?!
I am in the same situation as you Sharron. Regarding the itch, it is driving me crazy. I stopped Amitriptyline 3 weeks ago, after taking it for 17 years, and the itching is driving me mad. It is worse in my legs and arms and keeps me awake most of the night. Did your itching eventually settle down?
I’ve been taking 300mg (6 tablets) for severe depression for over 3 years. My doctor helped me with the initial weaning process and I found I was okay reducing my dosage to half over quite a few months. Reducing further than that took even longer as my sleep suffered horrendously. If I ever forgot to take my medication at night I would wake hourly if not more frequently.
My body told me if I was weaning too quickly because of how badly I slept. I’ve slowly weaned down to one tablet a night and was on that dose for a couple of months. I went down to one tablet every second night and it’s now been a week since I’ve had any tablets. I didn’t even realize the side effects (other than sleep) until now I’ve stopped completely. I have constant nausea and muscle aches for 6 days.
I’ve taken pregnancy tests to make sure that’s not the reason I’m so nauseous but now I’ve stumbled onto this site I realize it’s probably withdrawal! If it’s no better in a week I think I will be going to the doctor to see if there is anything he can do to help with it. My depression is under control, but I’m now worried of it does return that I don’t want to use this drug again! I tried about 6 other antidepressants before finding this worked for me, I don’t want to have to go through that again either!
I’ve been taking amitriptyline for 18 yrs & after it seemed to interfere with further progress from symptoms from 2 bad injuries. I was told no withdrawal symptoms were possible rereaptedly & was put on 9 x25mg in the 21st 5 yrs yet was at 5 x25mg in recent yrs. The drug simply was not helping, had obvious counter helpful affects & I feared the long term effects.
A wish to focus on psychedelic & natural therapies I began tapering over 2 yrs down to 2 then 3 then 2 then 1 for months. Finally I took the last dose & expected insomnia & likely wd symptoms for a month. Well…I was soon sick beyond I had imagined. My Dr knew nothing if this & it was clear I was educating him. The dizziness became lack of ability to walk without falling…loss of clarity now 2 weeks in.
Then the flu & vomiting, the tired constant mix tape of severely disruptive symptoms made me realize how toxic this drug gas been & the claims assured me these drugs had no WD!!!! The weight loss was 17 lbs. It’s now 3 months since I last took it & I despite the pain, sickness, cycles of symptoms that keep coming back in waves. There are days where when I do feel good I know it is the right move for me.
I reduced benzo meds in 1/2 in under 4 months 8 months ago & had none of the intense issues as I feel still in a crumpled heap, energy low but I know it will be much better getting back to nature. Maybe short-term use would have been helpful for me but all these yrs later it’s time for the change. Eating well helps…do whatever you can when you feel better days. Do not get frustrated as I can tell through the haze of the moment it is worth it for me.
I’ve still got pain meds & remaining benzos to reduce as I get this over with…but I am encouraging that you talk to your Dr about all you go through as they’ve not been in many cases trained in any modern way in use & stopping use of these meds & you can help inform. Stick with it. You can get back to health without taking these meds for a lifetime.
Wow, reading all these comments has certainly been eye-opening for me. I have been on tricyclics for 34 years, the majority of them on amitryptiline. I was originally prescribed it to treat IBS and depression. Most of the last few years have been low dose—12.5 to 25 mg. I never really worried about it very much because the doctors always said it was such a low dose, don’t worry, it’s not addictive, etc.
I had half-heartedly quit a few times for a day or so, never had any issues with that, so I though quitting would be fairly simple—now I realize that was the “honeymoon period”, it was still in my system. Two years ago I started progesterone which completely removed my chronic depression. No really good reason to be on amitryptiline any longer. A year ago I began to eat much better (low carb, primal-ish), started researching the effects of this drug, especially on blood sugars and acetylcholine, and became highly motivated to get off of it.
After working down to 6mg, I dropped it. The first few days were not bad at all (honeymoon), then insomnia and stomach issues came back with a vengeance. Two weeks out I gave in and went back on–I had NO idea getting off it (even such a small dose) would be so difficult! After tapering off a benzodiazephine (sleeping drug), I know how to do this, it’s going to take a lot of time. I know there are no easy answers for insomnia (believe me I have tried EVERYTHING!).
I so appreciate those who have posted their experiences, and especially the updates. I will post back here with updates as I go along. Not taking this drug every single night will be a strange experience, but I’m really ready to move on without it.
I’ve done more research, and NOT ONE person here (well maybe Adam) has come off of this drug properly! In order to avoid severe withdrawal effects, you need to drop by 10% (of LAST dose), and hold for 2 weeks to a month (or longer if necessary). If you try to taper too fast, or cold turkey, it will take about 2 weeks before you even really feel the w/d side effects, and they can get worse for a while.
So if you are recently off the drug and miserable, consider re-instating at a low dose and doing proper slow taper off. It may seem counter-intuitive, but the lower your dose gets, the slower you need to taper. I am still in the process of preparing to taper, and expect that it will take quite a while, perhaps up to two years. But it’s worth it to avoid the problems with insomnia and stomach issues that I’ve had in the past.
I will probably be using a liquid titration to get accurate doses (I’ve done this before with a benzo and it worked well). It is very unlikely your doctor will give you this information, and know how to taper properly to avoid w/d effects. I’ve gotten a lot of information from the website Surviving Antidepressants. Please don’t try and get off this drug too quickly! Save yourself some grief and do it carefully and slowly.
An update about where I am now (from 12.5 mg, 34 years)–I had a really difficult winter, with benzo and z-drug dependency. Amitryptiline seemed to go paradoxical on me–that is, it seemed to give me heart palpitations and make me feel wired, rather than putting me to sleep. I was using the benzos and z-drugs to overcome that, otherwise I got no sleep.
In desperation, I pretty much cold-turkeyed everything at once (I feel like such a hypocrite!). It was brutal, but bearable for 6 days, and then my stomach blew up on me. I’ve reinstated at 1.5 mgs (titrating a dissolved tablet) and am doing much better. Amazing how that little dose is still so powerful. I’ll start tapering that soon, hoping to be off it completely not long from now!
I have been taking this for 3 months, 25 mgs a day, for intercystial cystitis. I decided a week and a half ago that I would stop because I didn’t like the way it made me feel… Like I was numb to everything. I have gained weight as well, but didn’t know that was a symptom. So on day four of quitting cold turkey, I started having withdrawals!
I had no idea it would be like this. Did any of you have a numbing sensation in your face and mouth, with your tongue going completely numb? It feels kind of like an electric shock, I get dizzy when this happens as well… And it’s happening more frequently, about every 5 mins. A few times it’s also felt like an electric shock shooting up my spine! I didn’t see this as a withdrawal in the list, and am wondering about it.
I’m not on other stuff, and know this has to be it. I’ve also been extremely fatigued, and irritable. I couldn’t have imagined this happening! I didn’t even know this stuff was so hard core. I feel deceived by my doctor. I’m never taking this crap again. I’m sticking out these withdrawals, it is worth it in the end. I’ve been off it now for 10 days, and I already feel more as a human being.
Anyone have any input in my withdrawals? It’s kinda freaking me out. My bones have been aching as well, but this numb tongue, face, and lips thing is terrible!
I don’t recommend anyone try quitting this medication cold-turkey. If you take the time to read through the posts, you will see the withdraw side effects don’t start for at least a week. As you taper down your dose, you have to give your body several weeks to adjust to the lesser dose, before lowering the dose again. A few days is not enough time for your body to adjust.
It really take 6-8 weeks, at least, at each level. Everyone finds out quickly how horrible this medication really is and many end up in the ER or doctor, just to be put back on the medicine. It steals your personality and your relationships with family , friends and co-workers. I am still taking 5 mg every night (month 2 at 5 mg.), but I have noticed a little more of myself shining through, not a lot, but a glimmer, and I lost the 10 lbs. I gained…yay.
January 1, I am cutting to 2.5 mg. every night and March 1, I will drop to 2.5 mg. every other night and hopefully by Jun 1, I can just stop (that is my hope). I have the red 10 mg. pills and I use a pill cutter to halve them and then halve the halves (not exact, but pretty close). Good luck to everyone trying to get free from this medication…Slow and steady wins the race.
I have been taking 10mg a night for a sleep disorder for 5 years. I have gained weight have spells of deep depression I get angry I cry uncontrollably and I lost my desire for intimacy and it is literally ruining my marriage of 15 years. I quit cold turkey a year ago and it was awful… nausea, trouble concentrating, dizziness, and couldn’t sleep.
I use cannabis tincture for my asthma and I am planning to up my dose. What I would like to know is if anyone knows any natural supplements that can help ease the symptoms of withdrawal? I am set to start tapering this week I am scared and nervous, but I do not want to lose my husband over medication.
I was on this drug for a week and had muscle spasms, real shocks, so I quit immediately. Not sure what to do now as I still have chronic depression, IBS, but don’t want to take any drug at all. Any suggestions?
Hi Tom, I don’t have any advice for your depression but can suggest, if you haven’t already, that you consider probiotics for your IBS. There are many good brands to choose from but I’ve been very happy with one from Vitamin Shoppe with 13 billion colonies. I hope you’re doing okay with tapering off the amitriptyline.
Hello everyone. I was prescribed Amytriptaline (25mg at bedtime) for migraines, headaches and loss of sleep. The first day I took it I already knew that this was a drug I had no desire to continue taking, I felt like crap. I however listened to people who said I should give this a honest try and take it for awhile to give it a chance to work. I took it for a month and felt only slight relief from the headaches, so my dosage was increased to 50mg.
Again there was no real relief from headaches and my sleep patterns did not change much. I became unmotivated, listless and starting to isolate from friends and family. I decided that 3 months on this stuff was too long and quit cold turkey. The first 2 or 3 days were ok, but after that I started to suffer an almost constant headache, vision problems, feeling not quit connected, irrational fears, itchiness, fatigue and some mild flu-like symptoms.
Fortunately I was not on it long and I am not suffering near the the symptoms that many of you are/or have. And although I do have some withdrawal symptoms, I feel much better knowing that this shall pass and I will no longer be taking this drug. I was not made aware that there would be withdrawal symptoms and how severe that they might be. I would have normally researched this drug prior to taking it, however for some reason, this time I did not.
I will in the future be sure to do some independent research into anything that is prescribed for me. If I had read this page prior to taking this medication I would have never started it, but rather looked for a healthier alternative. I have read some useful suggestions here regarding some possible natural alternatives for me. I thank everyone for sharing their experiences, I have learned much from them. I wish you all success in not only getting off this drug, but in finding a healthier way to manage the original condition that it was prescribed for.
Hi all, I trying to come off Amytriptaline for the 3rd time! I was only taking 10mg at night but it has been the haqrdest drup I have EVER come off! (I have JRA so I have been on a lot of strong pain relief over my life.) Anyway 1st time I went straight from 10mg to 0mg and had no withdrawal symptoms until 2 weeks when I became manic and soooo emotional I had to re-start.
2nd time I went to 5mg to stop and within 3 days I was dizzy, sick, bad guts, over anxious, weird tongue, pain in arms etc etc so I had to go back up to 10mg and the symptoms got immediately better (evil drug its so addictive). I am so deperate not to be on this drup so my GP gave me liquid form so i could reduce in my own time. I started last Wednesday on 10mg and by 2 days ago I had reduced to 6mg without many more symptoms than a bit of irritability.
I am now feeling quite crappy and I was wondering if one of the possible withdrawal symptoms could be hormonal upset? eg irregular periods, sore boobs, emotions swaying etc…? Thank you sooo much for your help, I love this site and it stops me feeling alone in my darkest hour withdrawing. I just wish I was never put on this drug and when I finally succeed in getting off of it I WILL NEVER TAKE IT AGAIN! -Ella xx
Hi, I’m not sure how old this site is or if anyone’s still reading this, but I thought I’d comment anyway. I’ve not read all the comments (there seems to be thousands) but from the ones I have read, people seem to be split into – people on it for c. 20 years, people on it for just 1, people on 25mg or those on 100mg. I don’t really fit in to any of those! I’ve been on it for around 10 years & on an average dose of 200mg a day.
I was prescribed for both severe depression & chronic pain (I have something called Loin Pain Haematuria Syndrome, or as I call it “my B*tch”). I REALLY want to come off it, it’s all so complicated I’m not even sure what it’s actually doing any more. It might sound stupid, but I kinda want to stop taking it to see what the ‘real’ me is like. Does that make any sense??
I’ve probably come down too quickly, I’m at 100mg now after 2 months & I’m struggling, but I’m loathed to put it back up. I just can’t fall asleep until I just can’t stay awake. Lights out at midnight, asleep by 4.30am! Then, once I am asleep, I just can’t wake up, my life’s flying out the window! Add to that dizziness, headache, sweats, uncontrollable crying fits (very unlike me), anger for no good reason & the sheer thought of food making my stomach churn.
How long does this last? I’m a degree student &, well, you can imagine! I know you probably have no answers yourselves, but I’m just looking for a little reassurance from people who have been there, done that & come out the other side sparkling…please? Before my discomfort overcomes my will power! My email is vjemmb[AT]Gmail.com.
Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. I hope that nobody feels the way I do, & that all your battles with this psychiatric ‘wonder drug’ are victories. If I can help anyone in return, please feel free to contact me. My best wishes to you all, Ruby
Fifteen years ago, I had shingles which was misdiagnosed twice. I finally had a diagnosis of shingles but by this time, I was broken out over my entire chest and back and the lesions kept coming. The lesions were biopsied and sent to lab. I ended up with post-herpetic neuralgia. With that I received nerve block and received a tines unit for the pain. I was first placed Neurontin 300 mg twice a day and eventually placed on Elavil 25 mg at bedtime.
Some twenty five years later, I am trying to come off of the Elavil. Today is my 9th day. I feel sick, tired and useless, whereas I have always been energetic. I will survive and only wished I had known before the effects it has on the body. I realize sleep is vital for all types of sanity, but since I am now retired, I am hoping I can do this alone.
Cold turkey is vicious. Many fail and end up at the ER and back on the meds. If it gets too tough, you should try to wean down to 1/2 of the 25 mg, then 1/2 of the 1/2 and so on…remembering that it take several weeks for our bodies to adjust to each dose reduction.
I was prescribed between 50-100mg for migraine about 8 years ago, and have been on 50mg for the last few years. I have to say the medication was a godsend for me as it was extremely effective in controlling my migraines and associated headaches. I was having four or five attacks a week which was extremely debilitating and impacted on my work and sickness record.
As someone mentioned in a previous post, now that I have been through the menopause, the migraine attacks settled down. I accidentally went cold turkey almost four weeks ago as my prescription had run out and there was a delay in sorting a new one out. Initially I was very worried that the migraines would come back with a vengeance, but this did not happen so I persevered.
So far the only withdrawals I have had have been disturbed sleep and very mild headaches, but I was getting them anyway so I can put up with them. I also suffer with fatigue, so it’s actually quite nice to feel so awake instead of falling asleep all the time! I am also on a lot of other medication which I suspect may have helped minimize withdrawals.
I count myself lucky that I have not had any of the terrible withdrawals that some of you have described. All I can say is persevere, and try not to go cold turkey if you can help it. Things will get better, and it’s another step to becoming drug free. Good luck!
Here’s what I don’t understand one little bit… All of us are put on these types of meds by doctors, ridiculed for being on them, but never helped by those same doctors to get off of them. Something wrong with this picture?
I have taken 100mg for the past 17 years, for fibromyalgia. I tried to go cold turkey while on vacation in Jamaica 1 year ago, and had the worst flu-like symptoms in the world. I thought I was going to die of the muscle, and joint pain. It cost me 3 days of my holiday, but I learned that the medication was better to take than the withdrawal symptoms, because at the end of the day I’m pain free with it.
Does it not affect your personality?
Has anyone had problems with runny nose and sneezing after quitting amitriptyline? In my research, I haven’t noticed these as being symptoms, and I’m just trying to find out if there’s a link between my quitting of amitriptyline, and these continuous irritating symptoms.
I think the runny nose and sneezing probably fall under flu symptoms.
This drug has been horrendous. I was on 25 mg for 6 or 7 weeks than tapered down to 20 and 10. I’m now on 10 every other day but feel the withdrawal symptoms more than ever. Slow tapering with exercise eating right and support from family and friends is all I can suggest. Today I told my mother that these meds are “barbaric”.
10 mg every other day is probably the same as me taking 5 mg every day. It’s impossible to get off this medicine. I will try to lower my dose to 2.5 mg every day in a few weeks (I cut the 10’s in half, then I will cut the halfs in half). It is taking months, but I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Update: I have been off of this medication for several months now. I do have frequent headaches – always have – but nothing unbearable. My sleep pattern is a bit different but it’s easier to wake up now. I still have some anxiety occasionally (which was NEVER a problem prior to taking this medication) but knowing that I have a Xanax in my purse makes me feel better. I rarely take one (and a half one at that), but knowing that it’s there is comforting.
I would rather have the headaches and sleep issues than be on this medication. It still infuriates me that my PA insisted that there should not be any withdrawal symptoms with the low dosage I was on (25 mg). However, I have learned the hard way that my children and I are very sensitive to most medications. In my situation, getting off of this medication was worth the withdrawal. I’m glad I did it. 11/25/2015
My headaches are in full bloom (4-5 per week), (they were only reduced to 3-4 per week on the medicine), so what’s an extra headache or two per week, right? My xanax makes sure I sleep at night (lowest dose .25 mg.) and sometimes I need one during the day, but not usually. I do hope to be off this medicine soon (currently at 5 mg per day). Good job, Robin. You bolstered my hope.
I am still taking this medicine but missed almost a week and was just looking to see if how I was feeling was related to missed doses. Anyway, this information is not only concise and informative, but it is also delivered in a supportive and proactive manner. Whoever put this together, and I am sure it was a group effort, has done a fantastic job.
Being on medication for whatever reason is hard enough at times, being told it will pass and giving timelines is all fine but doesn’t address individuality or the fears of what a person is going through. Thank you for taking the time to address how it can make us feel, allay our fears and give ways to help in the meantime. It meant alot to me.
I’ve been going through the withdrawals for about a week now. I was on 75mg for 6 years and I quit cold turkey. My symptoms are flu like and stomach issues, as well as headache and dizziness. I’m also having a hard time concentrating. The flu like symptoms come and go, as well as the dizziness. It’s not as bad as I expected it would be. It’s totally doable. I’m just hoping it will be over sooner than later.
Hi Cassandra: He can’t go cold-turkey. It doesn’t work…read the other posts; people end up in the hospital and back on the amitrip. He is suffering, I’m sure, but it will not end well. The only way to get off this drug is a super-slow-gradual weaning, like taking 5 mg less every night over the period of several weeks. I have been weaning down for months (currently on 5 mg. every night) and I still can’t just quit.
His personality changes are from the medicine. I withdrew from my family and my co-workers. They all noticed and commented…I didn’t even care enough to offer a reply. I was just happy to be in my own head. You should speak with his doctor about the proper way to get off this medicine. It is a very old drug and doctor’s prescribe it for everything.
I hope he can find success getting off the medicine…I am still waiting for my personality to return and I am only taking 5 mg. each night. There is no quick fix. If he does end up at the hospital…they will put him back on the medicine. Good luck, and hang in there…your old husband seems to be fighting his way out. -Sunny
First of all, I am not the person taking this drug it is my husband, but I am looking for support all the same. My husband was prescribed a 50mg dose once a night from his doctor about 9 months ago for “sleep”, and despite my protests he began taking it. Now his mother is SEVERELY schizophrenic (we are talking in a padded cell doesn’t know who she is schizophrenic), and it is my firm belief that unless you actually NEED antidepressants you shouldn’t mess around with them.
Before he started taking them he was happy, healthy, he exercised, was social, and the list goes on. After he started taking them his personality completely changed. He stopped wanting to exercise, he gained about 25 pounds, he became withdrawn, our sex life pretty much ceased to exist, he stopped talking to me, friends, family, he became depressed, and I feel like I lost my husband. Why am I telling you all of this? I am at a loss as to what I should do.
He has complete meltdowns over things like socks on the floor, our close friends say he’s no longer “happy”, but they think it’s marital problems and no one but myself knows he’s on any medication. For the first time since I’ve known him (we’ve been married for 2 years, but I’ve known him for almost 8) he became physically violent with me. This is a man who until the last 6 months has been a rock for me. He is the type of person who is calm, understanding, he’s kind and gentile, for him to even raise his voice is completely unexpected and for him to become physical…
I feel like I am in a twisted version of Alice in Wonderland. I don’t want people to get caught up in the physical part, I am here seeking help because I am at a loss as to what I should do. The kids and I (we have 3 children) have since moved to a friends house and he is currently detoxing, I just need some sort of support from others who are either experiencing this first hand and can offer me some sort of insight, or from those who have had to watch from the sidelines like myself.
I want my husband back, I am so upset with his doctor I could scream! She didn’t do a family history, she didn’t do any blood work, she hasn’t conducted a followup to see how he’s doing, this woman in my opinion shouldn’t be practicing medicine if she just hands out prescriptions like candy. I am sorry to vent like this, but I’m not sure where to turn and I’m feeling very isolated.
He is 2 days into his detox and he has chills, a fever, he can’t keep anything in or down, he’s very tired, depressed, and my hope is this will all be over soon. Again, any insight is welcome, and thank you for providing a source of support for this issue.
Hi Cassandra, I am so sorry to hear of your troubles and hope things have settled down a bit. I can’t really suggest anything else other than getting your husband to change his GP as she doesn’t sound very helpful. If your husband is no better or is still struggling, it might be worth getting him to his (new) GP as there must be some way of managing his reaction to the medication. With best wishes, Jan
Please be very careful about taking mind altering anti depressants for pain and try something else. You may have a broken body but do not want a broken mind as well. I took 10mg for a year as painkillers and dismissed the odd time when I wanted to kill myself, it was not like depression or sadness, just an obsession to kill myself for no reason and it soon passed. But I never really felt any better or in less pain.
My Dr increased the dosage to 100mg as I was still in a lot of pain but had a lot of physical stuff to do because i had to move house and nobody to help me. I am a very docile person but became very angry all of the time, with everyone and totally obsessed with killing myself. I constantly wondered how I could hang myself in my new place, when I had baths to try and refresh myself, I thought about drowning myself.
One night, I threatened my new neighbors and the next say I knew that I would kill myself, if I had to stay in my new house so and to A&E. Those idiots did not ask what painkiller I took, dismissed me as a nutter and gave me sleeping tablets. Luckily, I refused to take them as they are lethal mixed. I never took anymore, had an awful time coming off them and no doctor advised to take it gradually.
I had all of the symptoms listed above plus what I think was tripping. Although, I have not even smoked dope as I am anti drugs, so unsure what that is like but I imagined crazy things which were not there.
Hi Amanda: I know what you mean about feeling angry on Amitrip. I also had feelings of incredible frustration (rage-like, but I didn’t want to hurt anyone or myself), but I did do odd things that gave me great pleasure…when the metal muffin tin would’n fit in the cupboard, I bent it in half and guess what—it fit:), and when I came home from the foodstore and tried to put things in the freezer and they didn’t fit, I would empty everything from the freezer (throwing the stuff on the floor, hard, then re-pack it and whatever didn’t fit got, thrown away…even the things I had just bought.
I know that was wasteful, but I felt so frustrated. I guess I was very limited on patience. I was taking the Amitrip. for migraine headaches and even though it cut them from 4-5 per week to 3-4 per week, the reward was not worth the side-effects. I am still on 5mg each night and weepy during the day, but I feel more clearheaded, so I have to keep going. Within the next week or so I will cut to 2.5 mg. each night (cutting the 10’s in 1/2 and then cutting the 1/2’s in 1/2) and try that for 2 weeks, then drop the 2.5mg to every other night for 4 weeks and finally attempt “freedom” after that.
This is the worst drug! I mentioned these things to my doctor and he said he has many patients taking high doses of this medication and they never complain about any of the things I mentioned; my guess is they are too “zombied-out” to notice much of anything or complain. I do use xanax (.25 mg) to sleep and during the day if I am feeling anxious at work. It has really saved me. I do hope you are feeling better, Amanda. Are you completely off the Amitrip, now?
I too have been taking 25 mg for about a year for migraines. I still got them (4 x per week). I lost all personality and really became a zombie. I actually get “trancy” (trance-like) when I drive…not cool. I decided a few months ago that I wanted my life back, I want to laugh and I want to care about things and I was not happy with the 10lb weight gain.
I cut back to 20 mg for about 6 weeks, then 15mg, then 10mg (each stage lasting at least 5-6 weeks). I cut back to 5 mg about 3 weeks ago and everything seemed fine, until today. I cried all the way to work…no specific reason, I just cried. What a goof. I remembered reading about the horrible time people have getting off amitrip. and decided to re-visit this website. I am so thankful you are all here.
I took a .25 mg xanax, settled into my desk and read all of your posts. We can get off this drug. We just have to remember the withdrawal effects every step of the way. Now that I know I may cry, I’m ok with it. I will wait another 3-4 weeks at 5mg then skip to 5mg every other day. I’m sure there will be additional side effects for that little move, too. Let’s get each other through this. P.S. Headaches are daily. When weren’t they, right?