If you have started taking its great if it helps you, but the withdrawal will be awful insomnia and probably lots of pain. So possibly best to keep going if you've started unless the symptoms disappear. When I stopped taking it after two weeks it caused a lot more pain the effects of I'm still recovering months later.

The withdrawal sounds really bad...can that happen even if one has taken 1 or 2 pills.

Cliffman

Not likely...
You can search here and read past posts from older members here who have moved on...
Use amitriptyline and nortriptyline as a keyword.
I don't recall many complaining of withdrawal.
The doses used for PN are very low, compared to the old therapeutic use for depression which was over 10 times the PN type doses.

I took nortryptyline and was up to 50mg. It helped a bit but my vision got really blurry so I had to stop. It wasnt helping enough to continue anyway. I was really worried about withdrawal because of what I heard but I experienced no withdrawal. I was also on gabapentin for four months ( up to 1400mg) but weaned off of that too because It wasn't helping much. I just stopped about 4 weeks ago ( slowly weaned) and I didn't experience any withdrawal from that either.

Despite thinking I haven't healed AT ALL because my insane sensations haven't changed, my pain has calmed down. I still have pain all day everyday but I am now able to handle it without medication. So I am either used to the pain or it has improved a bit.

Just taking it once doesn't cause withdrawal, it only happened after two weeks for me. Just because it is a low concentration doesn't change the fact it is a strong mind altering drug that when if you stop taking it suddenly it will cause side effects in many cases. It makes you sleep like a log so insomnia for a few days if you stop taking it is to be expected like most sleeping pills. Can be pretty useful for some people though, I don't think it is for me.

Chris have you found any meds that give you relief and somewhat of a normal life?

Thanks

Cliffman

Amitriptyline is not a sleeping pill that I'm aware of. The dosage can be adjusted so you find it useful for pain relief and yet not feel groggy the following day, you have to work with your Dr to find the correct dose for you. The initial grogginess also gets less with time. I've been taking this for 10 months and it has helped me a lot.

Without any meds how well can you function? in other words can you work, drive, exercise, etc?

My hands, feet, legs don't allow for very much at the moment.

Cliffman

Hi Canagirl, hadn't seen you around the board in a while, and was wondering how you were doing. Glad to hear that you are at least doing a little better, Hopefully your pain will continue to subside

Yes your right it isnt a sleeping pill but it has similar effects to one. Im not taking medication because i can still just about function and go to work etc although it is painful i need to be able to think clearly for my job. A lot of these meds for pain interfere with the thinking and concentration power. Im trying alternative methods before i start on pain killers because id like to avoid a long term addiction if at all possible. Im trying TCM at the moment. My gp is checking for b12 and diabetes to try and find some underlying cause.