Severe reaction to ampitriptyline

Treatment and medication
1

I am a 32 year old mom that was started on 10mg then 20 mg after 1 night. It was to help with tingling in my right foot from physical shape change after pregnancy. The VERY next morning I woke up I had:

-Intense tingling in my legs

-Could barely use my legs they were cramped so badly my toes turned deep blue

-Loss of coordination in hands and legs

-tremors

-an odd tense of calm despite being physical more unwell then ever

-nauseated

-unable to swallow well

-weak voice and throat, e.g.: singing was only possible in a whisper

-the sense of hunger was gone

-change in speech pattern and a slur

-weakness

-extreme vertigo with quick movements or in the car

-unable to express emotion the same

-sensitive to noice

-decrease sensation during lovemaking

-racing heart hourly

-unable to manage temp changes, heat increased my heart rate

-intolerance to caffeine (I LOVE coffee)

-couldn't taste food the same (e.g. I tried a teaspoon of Tabasco sauce and only felt the tingle of it down my throat and on the tip of my tongue)

-reading books was difficult... I could see the words but trying to say the words took effort

-severe constipation

-felt like I needed to urinate at least hourly but couldn't actually empty my bladder

-lightheadness

And more I'm sure I've missed some. It was terrifying! But I wasn't thinking well, nor did we think to call the pharmacist. I tried calling the doctor 3 days in (driving was impossible) and I don't think he realized (I said I can't walk!) how bad I was. He said to continue on it. The symptoms either intensified or lessened as time went. Long story short I stayed on for 10 days and stopped cold turkey, finally thought to call the pharmacist. He told me to go immediately to the ER (I said, too late that started 10 days ago). He said my body was not metabolizing amitriptyline - I was essentially poisoning myself. I lost 10 pounds in 6 days, it metabolized my muscle. I've been off for 1 week and am still experiencing withdrawal symptoms. Anyone else had such a bad experience?

2

Oh dear, what an awful time for you. I had a totally different experience but equally upsetting in that after 3 weeks on Amitrip. I developed Sudden Onset Acute Angled Closure Glaucoma and within 36 hrs of onset I had gone blind in my right eye. I was fortunate in that I was taken to hospital and had emergency laser eye surgery that gave me back most of the sight in right eye and also stopped left eye following same problem. Drugs of this type affect our brain chemistry and central nervous systems but we, the patients are rarely informed by our GPs or Consultants of the side effects and withdrawals caused. We have to do our own research before taking the first pill or capsule to safeguard ourselves now. You will get over the withdrawals but it may take time....you may feel suddenly better for a while and then wham, it's like groundhog day. I wish you healing and a brighter future - always remember RESEARCH everything!!

3

Oh man that sounds awful too! My sight got weird in that I couldn't tell depth the same and got sort of like a weird aura around items that were bright. How long do you think side effects will last? I feel awful

4

The effects can last just a few weeks but for some months I'm afraid. It is so very individual it cannot be put into time frames. How long were you on this drug. It doesn't take long for it to affect your brain chemistry but takes a lot longer to get back to what you would call 'normal'. You might want to look into some natural remedies and also magnesium is a very good choice to help with tremors, muscle spasms and cramps, pain, dizzy spells etc. Our soil in the UK, and other Countries, has little magnesium left to be present in our veggies etc. and it would be a good idea to source say, Magnesium Glycinate if you can and start to take at least 600mg a day. It helped with my energy levels too.  You do seem to have had a very extreme reaction to this drug - did your GP suggest anything you could take to ease things? Mind you, I don't think I will ever trust anything a GP says until I research it ever again. Just take it day by day, baby steps if you like until you start to feel stronger and better. Look after yourself with diet, lots of fish oils from Salmon, tuna, sardines, pilchards etc. until you start to build yourself back up again. I am sorry you still feel so awful but it will end I promise you, I just don't know when I'm afraid. We both had very severe reactions triggered by Amitriptyline and I think the body needs time after such a physical and mental assault. I do hope you start to get well soon. Keep me posted please x

5

Wow, Sorry you are going through this. I have not had any side effects, luckily. I take 2-25mg tabs once a night to help me sleep through the night. It actually helps me. 

6

Thank you! I will do that! Such a buzzard health month, never have I been so unwell in so many ways! Thanks for the encouragement it's been hard trying to be brave through all this and be as "normal" as I could so as not to frighten my little ones.

7

That sounds a dreadful experience. I am glad you stopped when you did! I hate the old "carry on" and the symptoms will disappear. You know your body and know when something is not right.

Amitriptyline is the first med that has given me a good night sleep but the next day effects are not worth it for me. I find I am very clumsy and disoriented. For example if I go to pick something up, I would reach to the right of that object by like 15cm! Was scary for me. Also got bad temours as well.

Decided to stop after 3 days. I know it wasn't long enough, but it just didn't seem worth it.

8

Hi, I know it’s been 5 years since your post but for the past 10 days I’ve just been scouring the internet day and night for some sort of answer as to what’s happening to me, and your severe reaction post caught my eye.
I was prescribed 10mg amitriptyline for fibromyalgia 17 days ago.
On the 2nd day I felt completely detached, vacant, couldn’t drive, could hear myself speaking but didn’t know what I was saying.
from then it got a million times worse. severe anxiety, massive rushes of adrenaline constantly. Constant palpitations, can’t sleep, eat or function. Bad thoughts, felt like I was having a nervous breakdown.

After the 7th day I rang my gp and said my side effects were too severe, can I just stop and they said yes.
Here I am 10 days after my last dose. With absolutely debilitating anxiety, panic attacks, freezing cold 1 minute, sweating the next. Still feel very detached. Can’t eat or sleep.
Even went to the hospital last night as I couldn’t stand the anxiety for 1 minute longer. They did bloods, all was ok so they sent me home. I was begging them to keep me in. They are basically saying it can’t be the amitriptyline as it can’t even be in my system now. I know it is as I wasn’t like this before.
Rang the doctor today and have been given diazepam and propranolol. Even the diazepam is only lasting an hour and half as the anxiety is that severe.

It’s literally been the worst 3 week of my life, and I’m so scared that this will be it now and I’ll always feel like this.

I was just wondering how you got on in the end, and whether you felt better after a while x

9

Hi, I took 10mg amitriptyline once at start of year. It gave me severe reaction with brief ear ringing then dead feeling and then agitation and then calmness. I got irregular heartbeat for few days. After this I developed insomnia because I was anxious I guess. But I’ve never been mentally stable again since. I was having mental issues before this after trying birth control but they would have gone away I think. I don’t know. my life pretty much given up on it since this all. I don’t think or feel normally anymore. I’m always moody and horrible and apathetic. I had really severe cognitive issues and symptoms I don’t want to talk about. I used to be the opposite. I don’t want to believe its related to these drugs or the other drugs I tried for sleeping from doctor. But reading the glaucoma story is really shocking that the drug can cause damage like that. I think you sound ok Sally. you’re maybe anxious? Don’t worry. Anxiety is means your body is working well still.