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[discogirl]

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to give an update.

My lovely gp has prescribed the amitrypline in liquid form, so once I've got the medicine, I will swop over to the liquid form and start tapering.

My gp has said that because I was on only 10mg I could just stop the tablets!!! But given peoples experiences of withdrawal I didn't want to chance that.

[Minusminnie]

Hope it goes well for you.

Thanks. Just shows GPs can prescribe liquid they just don't let you know about it.

[discogirl]

He is a really nice gp. But your right its all down to finances with nhs now.

i only hope im ok going from pill to liquid form but im determined to get off them xx

[Penguin]

Oh that's amazing, well done discogirl, really pleased he's done that. Did he give you advice on the taper plan with the liquid or are you working that out on your own?

[discogirl]

Hi penguin

No he didnt give me a tapering plan. I might have to work that one out for myself.

He was all for me stopping it straight away! I told him i was taking cbd gummies to help with sleep and hes quite an advocate of cbd.

Bit frightened of starting the taper but hopefully if i do it carefully that will minimise the side effects.

let me know how you get on xxx

[Penguin]

Hi penguin

No he didnt give me a tapering plan. I might have to work that one out for myself.

He was all for me stopping it straight away! I told him i was taking cbd gummies to help with sleep and hes quite an advocate of cbd.

Bit frightened of starting the taper but hopefully if i do it carefully that will minimise the side effects.

let me know how you get on xxx

I will do, my appointment is next Tuesday!
Amitriptyline has a half life of between 10 and 28 hours from what I've read, whereas citaloptan half life is 35 hours. So I guess the key is to have a hold point for each reduction of a decent amount of time, like at least a couple of weeks so that you allow time for any side effects to show.

[Penguin]

Hi penguin

No he didnt give me a tapering plan. I might have to work that one out for myself.

He was all for me stopping it straight away! I told him i was taking cbd gummies to help with sleep and hes quite an advocate of cbd.

Bit frightened of starting the taper but hopefully if i do it carefully that will minimise the side effects.

let me know how you get on xxx

As scary as it is, I am also feeling quite excited about the thought of being free of this drug which definitely isn't working, and finding something that does.

[Hollyboll]

Specialist advice generally is that even the RCS is too fast - unfortunately psychiatrists are people who prescribe drugs.

For anyone trying to taper, I'd recommend looking at Critical Psychiatry / survingantidepressants.org / the work of Horowitz / Healy - lots around including on youtube.

Idea generally is to reduce by 10% not more than every month or so - your CNS needs time to catch up and stabilise.  That means the reductions get very small as you get to lower doses.  So it's easier with liquid although there are other options - lots of info on survingantidepressants.org

Some people are fine doing halving and quicker etc but a lot of people have problems - hence even the RCS updated its guidelines and the Critical Psychiatry movement (all of whom, like Horowitz and Healey are psychiatrists).
 
The effective half-lifes can vary from hours to days - or even longer for some - I don't think it's really about whether something is listed as 28 or 35 ... and as always different people react/metabolise differently.  Best practice isn't to shorten the hold just because something has a short half-life - but to give yourself proper chance to stabilise after each decrement; it's just that a longer half-life might give you a less bumpy ride / side-effects ... and for those with particularly long half-lives (eg fluoxetine) any effects might only emerge a lot later. 

HTH and good luck to all
xx

[discogirl]

Hi Hollyboll

Thanks so much, such a lot of good information.

Yes I agree, I intend to reduce by no more than 10% so my CNS can stablise. I've been on 10mg in tablet form for 2yrs and pick up my liquid amitriptyline on friday.

I am intending to go slowly so I agree that 10% reduction would be fine.

I think the half life of the amitry is between 9 to 15 hours I think, not as long as fluoxetine, but I am currently taking cbd gummies at night to help with sleep however  the cbd and the amitry both get metabolised through the same enzyme which means that the AD stays in my system longer.

Thanks so much for your advice x