Any tips on weaning oneself off of amitriptypline?

You should consult with your doctor before trying that. Many antidepressants are linked with high risk for suicide, so even though you may feel well now chances are you might crash and burn if you fiddle with the level. That said, it is your right (in the US) to go on and off your meds whenever you please, provided you are not being held in an institution as insane. I still highly recommend that you at least let someone know you are doing it, and have regular check-ins with that person to guard against a relapse into whatever condition the drugs were prescribed for.

I did it with Zoloft many years ago, when it was sort of a fad to prescribe antidepressants for everything. I felt that I was taking it unnecessarily, and I knew that sudden cessation was bad. Tapering off gradually is important.

I agree that you should consult your doctor; of course that is the correct advice. I’m just acknowledging that I didn’t.

I think maybe I was taking several a day, but I’ve forgotten the exact dosage now. I counted out what I had left and reapportioned my supply. Using a little simple division and simple fractions, I worked it out so that I took a somewhat reduced quantity for the next 3 weeks (maybe 2/day?) and a further reduction for 3 more weeks (that must have been 1/day). Then I was off. It was faster than the recommended rate (a month at each level), but it caused me no problems.

Can you get one month’s additional supply of 10’s so you can transition from 25 to 20 to 10?

If not, how about if you were to alternate the 25’s and the 10’s in a worked-out pattern that gradually favored the 10’s until it was all 10’s?—say,
25, 25, 20
25, 25, 20
25, 25, 10
25, 20, 10
20, 20, 10
10, 10, 10
etc.?

This is just theoretical, you understand, Gail. I still think a doctor should oversee this process.

I also recommend asking your doctor, I was taking 4, 10mg per day, I went to 3 per day for a week, then 2 per day, then 1 per day, then off for good.

i don’t recall as having a whole lot of problems getting off of Amitriptyline, 10mg 3x/day. I just quit after they wanted me off my meds for 72 hours for some testing, so I pretty much went cold turkey. I was pretty uncomfortable for the first day and a half with tinnitis and some mild vertigo, but nothing unmanageable. I took that opportunity to quit Clonidine as well. The Doctor substituted two other blood pressure medicines to take it’s place. I am now on Effexor for my depression and Anxiety Disorders. I have tried to cut back the dosage and it is very very uncomfortable. If they mention Effexor for your treatments, kick them between the legs as hard as you can!

Thanks, everyone. I was taking only 25mg/ once a day and am already at only 10mg/day. It seems effortless. But I will double check with Doc. tomorrow. The problem is he is a new PCP and I have seen him only once. My former guy was lured from private practice and ditched 2000 patients, including me.

There is also our estimable local pharmacist, whose advice I have taken in the past.

My plan is to take no drugs for now.

The condition that the drug was prescribed for was insomnia and muscle aches and pains, for which it didn’t work. So I will have mild insomnia and some muscle aches and pains without the drug, in theory, at least.

My former doc. said, when I weaned myself off a low dose of Zoloft, after I had come to the final week, to simply lick a tablet once every evening for that week.

Take 10 mg every other day or awhile then every 3rd day. It shouldn’t be hard.

@Rarebear; Thanks. After a week on 10mg/day I notice no issues. I appreciate the advice. That was what my instincts were telling me. And I do have the fall-back of licking a tab. nightly for the final week.

I am on 10 mg. yesterday, Thursday and Sunday. That’s it. It will have taken four weeks.

Follow-up; I am off the Elavil. I forgot exactly when I took the last one, three days later than the previous. Being distracted by sore knees was the perfect incentive.

No side effects or withdrawal symptoms.

Thank you, @rarebear, for your always-accurate advice.

Sadly, @rarebear is no longer on fltuther. That’s a big loss.