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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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How To Withdraw From Amitriptyline?

I have been on amatripyline for twenty years at 10 mg, but recently it lost it s effectiviness , so my doctor put me on a high dose, but I am having trouble with the dose, if I wen myself off of the medicine how long will the side effects lost , I really want to be off of amatripyline .
Thu, 31 May 2018
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General & Family Physician,  's  Response
Hello and Welcome to ‘Ask A Doctor’ service. I have reviewed your query and here is my advice.

Please do not stop Amitriptyline abruptly and it should be tapered. As you are taking 10 mg daily, take 7.5 mg daily for one week, 5 mg daily for second week, 2.5 mg daily for third week and then stop. Now half life of Amitriptyline is 20 mg. If 10 mg is your blood level today, it will become 5 mg after 20 hours, 2.5 mg after 40 hours, 1.25 mg after 60 hours and 0.625 mg after 80 hours. In other words, blood concentration reduces to half after 20 hours and will become negligible in 100 hours from last dose. But as I said already do not stop it abruptly.

Hope I have solved your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
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How To Withdraw From Amitriptyline?

Hello and Welcome to ‘Ask A Doctor’ service. I have reviewed your query and here is my advice. Please do not stop Amitriptyline abruptly and it should be tapered. As you are taking 10 mg daily, take 7.5 mg daily for one week, 5 mg daily for second week, 2.5 mg daily for third week and then stop. Now half life of Amitriptyline is 20 mg. If 10 mg is your blood level today, it will become 5 mg after 20 hours, 2.5 mg after 40 hours, 1.25 mg after 60 hours and 0.625 mg after 80 hours. In other words, blood concentration reduces to half after 20 hours and will become negligible in 100 hours from last dose. But as I said already do not stop it abruptly. Hope I have solved your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.