Amitriptyline Withdrawal and Addiction

I have been on Amitriptyline for almost 10 years (since I was 13) for migraine prevention. I take a dose of 50 mgs at bedtime. Although it has completely eliminated my migraines, I have  tremendous cravings for sweets and have a very hard time losing weight. I also have been perpetually tired since beginning the medication.  I am tired of taking the drug and dealing with the side effects. When I forget a dose, I can bound out of bed in the morning, and feel much more alert.  

I have tried several times to wean myself off the drug (with a physicians supervision) by getting 10mg pills and decreasing the amount by one pill every two weeks.  I can successfully wean myself down to 1 pill per day, but after completely stopping the medication, I have severe migraines for days.  They are completely debilitating, and so so painful.  The symptoms resolve only when I continue with my 50mg dose, no less.  I can't handle the withdrawal symptoms.

I would also like to get pregnant in the next couple years, and I don't want to be on the medication when I do so.  I really need to find a solution. Does anyone have any similar experiences, or have any advice? Are there any medications to help with the withdrawal symptoms that I could discontinue after I have been off the drug for awhile?  Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

[LadySundown]

I have been taking amiltriptyline (elavil) for over 20 yrs for depression. It's an antidepressant, but it's used for other things. It's a very old drug but none of the new ones work on me. I take 300mg at bed time. It was raised recently from 200mg. That sounds like a large dose and it would be for someone who just started taking it. I started on a much lower dose, but over the years it had to be raised to stay at a therapeutic level. There is a sedative in it, which is what's making you feel tired and drugged. I don't remember my dreams hardly ever. I have said this before in other posts but...when I take my night time elavil I better be close to bed or I will be asleep in about 40 minutes no matter where I'm at.
Could you mention to your dr. how it's making you feel?? Maybe you only need 25mg. Let me know how you're doing. There aren't that many people on it here. I'm also tapering off fentanyl pain patches.
Take Care......LS

[fishmeal]

Elavil has a high amout of antihystemine in it and when I was taking it, it was lights out at night.  Have you tried others?  (antidepressants?)

[LadySundown]

Hello,
Over the years I have been put on the newer SSNRI's and they work in a different way which doesn't work for me at all. My family dr. sends me to a psychiatrist once a yr to get my meds evaluated. Elavil has been good to me so I guess I won't complain (although I have in the past. lol)
I hope your day was good and your night is even better.
Take Care.....LS

[silenus]

i have also been taking amitriptyline for about 10 yrs for migraines.  i still get migraines on 40mgs, but on top of it, i feel a general sense of looking at life through a glass pane.  like you, if i skip a dosage, i wake up with energy and a sense of possibility.   i have attempted to deal with the sluggishness via caffine (lots of expresso), but i want to quit it all.  just searching about on google, i came across www.labelmesane.com  the organization's purpose is to help people withdraw from prescription meds.  the website includes a video from geraldo on fox news interviewing one the the founders.  interesting . . .   good luck!

[tudey]

Hello, I have been taking Elavil for 27 years and I really dont care if I ever stop taking it because it has helped me with so many things.  I have never gained weight with it, I sleep very well, It has helped with headaches in the past and really I do not think it interfers with my life.  I am 55 and will probably always take it.  But that is not answering your question and sorry about that, if you feel you do want to go off it.  Then do it ever so slowly and it should go well.  I did go off it a few years ago but in a short time and had an awful time so just do it very slowly and your body will not react the same as faster.  I hope this helps.
Tudey

[stoppingfentenyl]

I'm in chronic pain and was given 25 mg amitriptaline. If I get side effects I will quit and am far from the clinic so will have to withdrawal and wondered how hard it is. I was hoping to hear how to come off of it...I see this website listed here so will try. If I can't come off of it I don't want to take it. Benzos are that way. Also fentenyl. But I am in severe pain and since I can't get adequate pain medication thanks to addicts actions or so they tell me...I may try this drug to see if it helps. I wish they'd just make safe drugs. That would be the answer. For the person who posted who wanted to have a baby...I'd bite the bullet and get off this and all meds. Having a disabled child certainly isn't a good thing and meds have side effects some affecting fetus so I hope you get off of it ok.    

[KNW1314]

I have a history of migraines and chronic tension headaches. I was addicted to Firocet (Acetaminophen, Butalbital, and Caffeine) for 10 years and Elavil (aka Amitriptyline) was the only thing that worked on my severe chronic tension headaches to allow me to stop taking the Firocet (which I was at the point of taking one to two pills every two or three hours around the clock to get any relief). Along with some other treatment options for the migraines (botox injections and imitrex taken as needed), I started taking 50mg of Amitriptyline every night and then weaned off the Firocet over a week period. It worked great and after a few weeks of being off the Firocet and taking the Elavil, I was having much fewer headaches. I did, however, start to gain lots of weight. Within 90 days, I gained 30lbs despite continuing my normal exercise routine (nothing extreme, but I work out 2-3 times a week). Five days ago I quit taking the Amitriptyline cold turkey. It has not been plesant - I have had two severe migraines and have generally been nauseous since I quit taking it. My doctor gave me Zanaflex to take at night, so I have not had trouble sleeping and I do wake up with more energy. I am starting to have the constant tension headaches that I had before - the ones that lead me to taking the Firocet and then the Amitriptyline- but I am hoping to get everything out of my system and then try something with less side effects. My doctor said it could take up to 2 weeks to get through the withdrawals. For me, the drug is not worth the weigh gain and so I am just trying to make it through. Thought it might help to share my experience.

Good luck.