worriedmom2: Nausea/heartburn one month after stopping Elavil

[worriedmom2]

Hi -

 

 My 10 yo daughter had acute stomach pain for several months (4/13 start).  The GI put her on 25mg Elavil daily (7/29).  She took it for 2+ months, but ultimately, it was surgery (9/23) that relieved the pain - they found and clipped an adhesion that was pinning her colon to her abdomen, and removed a normal looking appendix.  The doctors won't speculate on which or what caused the pain to start or stop, however.

 

 She stopped Elavil 5 days before surgery (9/17) and had a very hard weekend, I didn't realize there would be a withdrawal effect, but her heart was racing (initial EKG was bradycardic and by the end, she was at the very high end of normal) and we were a bit panicked about the drug, and knew surgery was a few days away.  

 

  As noted, surgery was successful, and she spent a couple easy weeks healing from the laparoscopy. All was great until 10/17: four weeks after stopping Elavil she got some acid and nausea.  It is now 12/6 and she has constant heartburn and reflux.  She has trouble sleeping, she's nauseous when hungry, refluxing after she eats. 

 

 GI wants to... try another SSRI!  

 

Is it possible she is suffering form something related to the Elavil?  Has anyone seen something like this?

 

Many thanks!

 

 

Edited December 6, 2016 by scallywag
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[scallywag]

worriedmom2 -- Welcome to Surviving Antidepressants (SA)
 
Nausea, GERD, and other GI issues  are both common adverse effects of sertonergic medications and symptoms of withdrawal from the same medications. The gut has the majority of serotonin transmitter and receptor cells in the body, so medications that affect the brain's serotonin also affect the GI tract. For an overview of withdrawal symptoms, please read the discussion at this link.:
What is withdrawal syndrome

 

Ginger and mint as herbal "teas" or tisanes can be helpful. Here are 2 topics where people discuss what has worked in easing digestive symptoms:
Digestive problems, nausea, bloating, GERD
What to do for dizziness, queasiness, and nausea

 

It's possible that a reinstatement of a very small dose of Elavil will ease or alleviate your daughter's symptoms. Please read at least the first post in the discussion at the following link to inform yourself about reinstatement, its benefits and risks;

About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms

 

Some other topics that are relevant.

Acid reflux

Acid reflux medications may cause other problems.

 

I hope you'll find the information in the SA forums helpful for your daughter's situation. I'm sorry that you and your daughter are in the position that you need the information, but am glad that you found us.

[nz11]

WM2 how is your daughter?

Tell me she wasn't pushed onto an ssri

[bijay]

I know this is an older post but I just wanted to say that something similar happened to me when I did a quick wean of 10 mg. of Elavil.  A few weeks later I started to wake up with acid in my throat, and had a very acidic stomach, along with other symptoms.  Elavil is also a potent anticholinergic and antihistamine and can reduce stomach acid, but there can be a rebound effect of increased acid output when it is stopped.  I hope your daughter was able to find some relief.