Does anyone know how long Ami stays in your system for?

[Issy2017]

Ive just been prescribed 10mg of Amitriptyline for chronic headaches, neck, jaw and back ache.

I just wondered how long this med stays in your system?
I have a night out coming up and want to be able to enjoy a few glasses of wine.
Will I be ok to just not take it that night or will it still be in my system despite skipping it?

Thanks guys x

[MyNameIsTerry]

The trouble with Amit is that it can enhance the response to alcohol. Whilst it has a Moderate interaction warning, which is common with many antidepressants (and doctors may be fine about using them together e.g. mine was fine with drinking on Citalopram once I was more stable) it does have a more specific wording about alcohol inhibiting the Amit which can mean you have more thna usual not being eliminated.

This may be less of an issue if you don't take it regularily (i.e. daily use) since it will have longer to be eliminated anyway but that's a question for a professional really.

Amit has a half life of 10-50 hours. If you go by the standard pharmacokinetic calculation for drugs in general, and it differs per drug and even per human due to other factors (hydration levels, kidney issues, etc) then multiple that by 5 and you are at <5% of the drug which is classed as clinicall insignificant. Multiple by 7 to get to 0%.

Each half life drops the existing drug level by 50%. For example, after 10-50 hours (1st half life) the drug is at 50%, hence the term half life, but after a further 10-50 hours (2nd half life) it goes to 25%. Normally people take drugs daily so they never get to these levels as they are topping back up again as the previous tablet(s) is/are clearing but if you completely stop then this method shows how what's left in your body is eliminated.

It's only a few glasses of wine so my thinking is you may be ok but it's really for a professional to say. You could ask a pharmacist, they know a ot mor about drugs & interactions than GP's anyway.

[Issy2017]

Wow - thank you for the detailed response Terry. Really appreciate you taking the time x