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Symptoms Getting Worse After Being Off of Amitriptyline (Anti-Depressant)

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Posted 7/12/2017 1:57 PM (GMT -5)
Before I was diagnosed with lyme I was put on amitriptyline for headaches, muscle aches and insomnia. It helped greatly with sleep and noticed most of my GI symptoms stopped on it as well. I am treated by a great LLMD and I was feeling pretty good after two months of pulse antibiotic treatment with tetracycline. My doctor wanted to start me on Fluconazole so i stopped taking the amitriptyline because it interacts. I believe I experienced severe withdrawal symptoms including panic attacks and heart palpitations and a bunch other symptoms. Around the same time my fogginess got much worse, stomach symptoms are worse and depression and anxiety are pretty high. I am now in my 4th month of treatment.

It has now has been over two months since being off of amitriptyline and I am on my second round of fluconazole and tetracycline and my symptoms have not improved. I was wondering if anyone has had any experiences getting off of amitriptlyline and lyme symptoms getting worse? I was so optimistic I was getting better and this has really effected me.

Post Edited (ashley978) : 7/12/2017 2:39:44 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 7/12/2017 2:36 PM (GMT -5)
Welcome to Healing Well Ashley!

Glad you found the site. Take some time and read through the New to Lyme section that's pinned at the top. There is a lot of very useful information in there.

It's unfortunetly pretty common to experience some level of withdrawal when stopping taking an anti depressant. When you add in the anxiety and depression that can be caused by herxing it doesn't really surprise me that you experienced severe symptoms.

Treatment causes bacteria die off which is toxic for our systems. That's what a herxheimer reaction is. It does make you feel worse and often makes it feel as if you are worse. You need to increase your detoxing to help minimize those symptoms. In addition to all the things listed in the New to Lyme section that you can do to detox you can ask your LLMD for things that will assist your body. There are supplements that help a lot.
Posted 7/12/2017 3:02 PM (GMT -5)
Thanks jspsf for the information I will check it out! I am pretty familiar with herxing and they usually start a few days in once I start on my meds and usually last for about a week and can get pretty bad. I am 2 weeks on meds on and two weeks off usually. I am wondering if the amitriptyline was helping or masking my symptoms? I have been on a decline for the last two months (since off of the amitriptyline) and the meds I have been on don't seem to be helping much.

I am just wondering if anyone else had a similar experience on or getting off an antidepressant similar to amitriptyline?
Posted 7/12/2017 3:12 PM (GMT -5)
I think it was masking or at least lessening the symptoms. I had to google amitriptyline. It's not one of the really common drugs that posters have asked about. You might want to edit your post title to Symptoms getting worse after getting off antidepressant. I think you'll get more responses and input. That should help you get someone who's experience more closely mirrors yours or at least I hope so.
Posted 7/12/2017 3:14 PM (GMT -5)
Welcome, Ashley!

It sounds like you are experiencing some withdrawal from stopping the antidepressant cold turkey. It's too bad that your Dr didn't have you taper off slowly.

Add to it the dieoff from treatment producing toxins.

Increase your detoxing - gradually adding a new method every few days.
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