How Long Can Elavil (Amitriptyline) Be Detected In Your System?

Elavil, a brand name for the drug amitriptyline, has a half-life of approximately 20 hours. This means it will take about 20 hours for your body to clear half of the amount of drugs consumed.

On average, it takes about 4 to 6 days for Elavil to be cleared from your system.

This detection window can be much longer in people who have taken larger doses of the drug for a longer duration.

Elavil Drug Test Detection Times

The average window of drug test detection for Elavil is 5 days. Because Elavil is classified as an antidepressant, it is not commonly included in routine drug screenings.

How Long Does Elavil Stay In Your Urine?

Elavil can remain detectable on a urine drug test for up to 5 days. Detection can be as fast as 5 minutes after the first dose of the drug is taken.

How Long Does Elavil Stay In Your Saliva?

Saliva is an uncommon testing method for detecting Elavil. Most tricyclic antidepressants are detectable for up to 48 hours in oral fluid.

How Long Does Elavil Stay In Your Blood?

Blood can hold traces of Elavil for 2 to 4 days. Blood testing would only be utilized in a healthcare environment or in the event of a law enforcement request.

How Long Does Elavil Stay In Your Hair?

Most tricyclic antidepressants can remain detectable in hair for up to 90 days. It often takes more than 7 days for Elavil to be detectable in a hair drug test.

Can Elavil (Amitriptyline) Be Taken Long-Term?

Elavil was designed for long-term use in people with depression. Studies performed on the side effects of this drug have shown relatively few negative effects from long-term use.

In some cases, doctors may try to wean a person off Elavil by slowly reducing the dose over time. It is possible to only need to take Elavil for a short amount of time.

Weaning should only be done under the supervision of a doctor and is often an attempt to discontinue the medication altogether.

If you have co-occurring mental health conditions such as substance abuse and depression, you can be treated for addiction and mental illness at the same time in a recovery center.

How Long Do The Effects Of Elavil (Amitriptyline) Last?

Depending on the reasons why a person is taking Elavil, the effects of the drug may last for differing amounts of time.

In people taking Elavil for depression, it is common for the doctor to prescribe a daily dose that is only expected to last for about 24 hours.

For people who are taking Elavil to help with insomnia, or lack of sleep, it is recommended they take one dose every evening before bedtime.

Doctors will sometimes prescribe Elavil as a pain reliever for nerve pain. For these people, it can take 4 to 6 weeks for the medication to be effective against pain.

Find Treatment For Elavil Addiction

Addiction to prescription drugs can feel like an overwhelming weight on your shoulders.
If you are working to overcome addiction to Elavil or other medications, you are not alone.

Spring Hill Recovery Center is a facility that is dedicated to helping people overcome addiction.

With a focus on treating the whole individual, the treatment approach at our Massachusetts rehab center involves individualized programs that target every aspect of addiction.

Your recovery journey can start today. Give us a call to learn more.