Coming off Amitriptyline quickly after 20 years.

[Thetoasterhasbroken]

I’m putting this on for my dsis as she’s not on MN.
She was put on 20mg of amitriptyline over 20 years ago due to IBS and sleep issues. She has never had a break and has taken them religiously every day ever since.
About 6 weeks ago, she started getting heart palpitations. Her GP told her to stop the Amitriptyline, basically cold turkey, straight away.
Since then she feels awful, headaches, nausea, anxiety, can only get about an hours sleep each night and it’s really affecting her life right now.
I thought being on a med for 2 decades would warrant a slow withdrawal surely?

I suggest she go back to the doctor, discuss the symptoms she is having and whether weaning off is possible. The doctor will know if it is possible or if she needs to get off as soon as possible. Maybe s/he can prescribe something to help with the discontinuation symptoms?

Jesus christ, that is not a med to come off quickly. She should have been cross tapered onto something else to ease the withdrawal.

Go back to GP and tell them about the symptoms she is having. It might be that the medication is too dangerous to stay on and thus is the lesser of evils but there must be a way of easing the transition.

@Thetoasterhasbroken hows your sister now? X

I feel for her I was on amitriptyline 20+ years and stopped cold turkey and I still have insomnia 4 yrs later it's a hell of a withdrawal