Re: Low dose nortriptyline
Originally Posted by
Librella
My doctor wants to start me on the lowest dose (10 mg) of nortriptyline for chronic pain and stomach problems, insomnia, and anxiety. I’m scared to try it because of side effects. I don’t want to be too tired to work. I heard you can get bad withdrawal if you stop it suddenly too. Has anyone taken it? Is it worth trying?
You should have few, if any issues taking 10mg. This is a very low dose. The usual starting dose for anxiety, or depression is 75mg. The tricyclic antidepressants generally produce fewer and less severe withdrawal symptoms than SSRIs and SNRIs and that would be even more the case from 10mg.
While low doses of nortriptyline are often prescribed for pain, 10mg is unlikely to do much for anxiety. The usual therapeutic dose range for anxiety/depression is 75-150mg (25-50mg for the elderly) with most needing to take at least 100mg for optimum results.
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The opinions expressed above are based on my observations and, where applicable, interpretation of cited data and are general in nature. Consult your physician before acting on anything stated.