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Need help please :(

Posted , 9 users are following.

chris_2017
chris_2017

Hi all, new poster.

I'm in a terrible state. I was out on Mirtazapine this time last year for 'anxiety' and 'depression'. What I was actually going through was acute benzo withdrawal, for which I believe it us virtually useless, but that's irrelevant now: I've been in Mirtazapine at 45mg for nearly a year.

I want to come off this drug because I don't think it is doing me any good. My psychiatrist set me a tapering schedule which was one week 45 / 30 day about, then week two 45 one day, 30 two days, then supposedly onto 2 weeks at 30. I thought I was getting away with virtually no symptoms until halfway through week 2 I starteed to get 'head rushes' and anxiety...the first episode was only a couple of hours but he next day it was four hours, and by Sunday night I just had to go back up to 45mg. The anxiety bordering on own if I was experiencing was just unmanageable.

How long will it take for me to stabilise again? (I was totally stable on 45). TBH honest I'm resigned to just taking it again for good, I simply cannot face another long period of bad WD.

And here's another question and this is so stupid, I don't know if i took my 45 last night because I'm in such a state! I think I might have but I'm not sure rolleyes it's because I have other meds to take. I won't make that mistake again! whats the best course of action? I took 15 mg this morning. Should I take another 45 now in case I did miss that dose? Or might that make me feel worse? What's the least bad thing to do here? Please I am really in a bad way, it is very frightening indeed. I just need to hear that I can stabilise again. Thank you!

0 likes, 92 replies

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  • chris_2017
    chris_2017

    Posted

    Can't see how you edit posts here, I meant to say 'anxiety bordering on panic'

    • chris_2017
      chris_2017

      Posted

      Anyone? Please? I'm in a dreadful state here and I'm by myself. I feel utterly overwhelmed by these rushes of anxiety...

  • evergreen
    evergreen chris_2017

    Posted

    Fear of withdrawal from mirtazapine makes many people panic. Yoou are not alone. But it CAN be done and with virtually no WD symptoms. You just have to go very slowly. First of all you need to get yourself some 15mg pills and some 30mg pills and a pill cutter. Then you need to take the SAME amount each day, not as the doctors have you doing - alternating days etc. Your body is so tuned into this drug it notices this and you get severe WDs. I would suggest cutting the 15mg pills into quarters then take one 30mg pill plus 3/4 of a 15mg pill. Stay on that dose for two weeks and then cut another quarter of a 15mg pill. Do this every two weeks. You can go quicker if you feel you can cope, but do that slowly too, i.e. go for ten days then maybe next time 7 days but never less than 7. When you get down to 30mg you may need to go slower by using a liquid (I made my own). In the end I was cutting by only 0.1mg every 3 days. Good luck!

    ?I don't know what to advise regarding what to take tonight, but probably just take 30mg to make it up to 45mg?

    • chris_2017
      chris_2017 evergreen

      Posted

      Thank you very much. When should I stabilise again, does anyone know?
    • chris_2017
      chris_2017 evergreen

      Posted

      Oh my God, that's awful! I don't know how I can get through a fortnight of this sad

    • evergreen
      evergreen chris_2017

      Posted

      Sorry, I meant a fortnight to stay on the dose before tapering again. Usually day 4 - 5 is the worst after WD. After that it gets better.
    • chris_2017
      chris_2017 evergreen

      Posted

      So as I went back to the full dose on Sunday, when would you expect me to get some relief?
    • evergreen
      evergreen chris_2017

      Posted

      It depends on the person. But I would expect you should start feeling better by Thursday. However, this is only if your problems are due to withdrawal of the mirtazapine.
    • chris_2017
      chris_2017 evergreen

      Posted

      Yeah I was 100% in every respect before I started tapering. Thursday would be amazing. smile thank you smile

  • sarah24378
    sarah24378 chris_2017

    Posted

    First of all you are tapering too fast.

    On another point how did you end up in acute benzo withdrawals. I am doing a benzo taper soon.

    • chris_2017
      chris_2017 sarah24378

      Posted

      I stopped tapering benzos, I was doing it all wrong and it was unbearable. I got down to 3mg and I'm completely symptomless now.

      All I can say about benzos is to go as slowly as you possibly can. The only thing I've experienced which is worse than this is benzo WD. It is brutal. Be careful and go so slow.

    • sarah24378
      sarah24378 chris_2017

      Posted

      So you are still on 3mg ?

      How were you doing it wrong and from what dose did you start tapering ?

      Want to make it as bearable as possible.

      Sorry for your predicament. Should take at least 6 months to taper of 45mg of mirt.

    • chris_2017
      chris_2017 sarah24378

      Posted

      I went from 35mg to 3mg in nine months. I had a seizure which nearly killed me at one point. I went FAR too fast...with benzos, you simply can't go slow enough, would be my advice. My taper was crazy, more doctors dealing with something they just didn't understand.

  • chris_2017
    chris_2017

    Posted

    What about this issue of the 15 I took this morning?

    I'm fairly sure I did take the 45 last night, should I take 45 or 30 tonight?

    • Calmer
      Calmer chris_2017

      Posted

      Just go back to 45 mg tonight Chris, the extra 15 mg this morning shouldn't make any difference.  keep taking it until you are stabilised again, could be a couple of days, maybe more.  Hang on, you'll be fine honestly, 

      You need to get your head around what Evergreen is saying and make that plan to taper - doctors, even psychiatrists don't necessarily know how to taper from Mirt' ~ it is a little harder to come off than the more common AD's.

       

    • chris_2017
      chris_2017 Calmer

      Posted

      Thanks Calmer. I'll do that. Thank you very much.

      I honestly don't mind just taking it indefinitely. I really am done with WD of all kinds. I also have to get back to work in the next couple of months. I can't do that while tapering...if I mess up, I'm finished.

      I thought maybe I'd get lucky with Mirt WD. But no, I'm cursed I think... sad

    • Calmer
      Calmer chris_2017

      Posted

      Fear not, it's not so hard if you go slow ~ anyway you've had a shock to the system so I understand your reluctance.

      It's all about going slow, even if it takes a year or more like me !! Click on my name & follow the links under my status

    • evergreen
      evergreen chris_2017

      Posted

      I completely understand your thinking there, Chris. I felt the same way after my first botched attempt of trying to come off the mirt too quickly. In fact I stayed on it then for a further two years. I was happy and having the best sleep I had had in my life. Yes, I put on weight, but I managed to shed most of it by strict diet and exercise. I'd rather be happy and a bit fat than miserable and not sleep. However things were taken out of my hands when the mirt suddenly stopped working and I started feeling worse than ever and not sleeping again. When I added the weight gain to the equasion, I decided to come off it. If it hadn't pooped out though, I would have stayed on it for ever!

    • chris_2017
      chris_2017 evergreen

      Posted

      I don't get anything out of the Mirtazapine that I can tell...except this horror if I try to cut down.

      I am just very unlucky with meds rolleyes

    • ann55375
      ann55375 evergreen

      Posted

      I am down to 7.5 of mirtazapine for a year but still looking for an antidepressant which works. The low dose only allows me to sleep from 11 till 2am, then I take a diazepam.   Do you think i can taper down again whilst still not well.  I hate taking pills
    • evergreen
      evergreen ann55375

      Posted

      No. I have had enough of antidepressants. Since coming off mirt I have had some awful health problems. Firstly I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and now I have some digestive problem and have lost so much weight and feel so weak and ill. I don't want to take any more pills on top of the anti thyroid pills and the sleeping pills. I think the doctor would like me to though!

    • ann55375
      ann55375 evergreen

      Posted

      Very interested to hear your symptoms and sorry you have had to go through all this. Do you think the thyroid and digestive problems came from mirtaz?   I am asking as i have heard others with similar problems.
    • evergreen
      evergreen ann55375

      Posted

      They may well have done, yes, although I have now been off the mirt for a year and although my appetite has not been great since then, it never was before mirt either. The cramping and stomach growling and bloating are new (the last six weeks or so), so I think must be a separate issue. But the thyroid problems, who knows? I also developed stage 3 kidney disease whilst on mirt. It has improved a lot since coming off it, so I am sure that was down to the mirt. It is an extremely powerful drug.
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