Anxiety & IBS vicious cycle
Posted , 5 users are following.
Hi.
I had (what I assume was) a tummy bug a few weeks ago. Not a particularly dreadful one, but my few hours of diarrhoea coincided exactly with the few hours our toilet was out of action due to building work on our house! So I spent a horrendous time dashing in the car to the nearest shop with a toilet, and then knocking on my next door neighbours door as well... Anyway, a couple of days later I started to be anxious that I might have something seriously wrong. The following day anxiety and agitation hit me like a brick wall. Since then, I've had six weeks where most (but not all) days have followed a similar pattern - urgent visits to the loo all morning, accompanied by varying degrees of anxiety. During the day I cannot face much food, but the anxiety and tummy seem to settle during the afternoon, so that most evenings I feel pretty normal. Only for the same cycle to start up again the next day. I should say that I am on antidepressants (Venlafaxine) and since March have also been on Mirtazapine, which I feel have done me more harm than good. So I have just last week started (with GPs blessing) to wean of the Mirtazapine. Obviously I realise this could also be having an effect on my anxiety. I'm just so fed up of the vicious cycle I'm in, and cannot seem to break it.
1 like, 19 replies
Bornfriday13 Sadiejayne
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carolyn79 Sadiejayne
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carolyn79 Sadiejayne
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Sadiejayne
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carolyn79 Sadiejayne
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Sadiejayne
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carolyn79 Sadiejayne
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Calmer Sadiejayne
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Alarm bells are ringing when I read the advice being given is it takes 2 weeks to WD and 2 weeks extra for more side effects, if you will pardon me for not agreeing here. I know it's hard and we are all different, but as you have been on Mirt' since March, 8 months? then I would do a very slow WD if I were you, if you want to avoid more anxiety and stomach upsets, insomnia etc ... for an informed choice you may be interested - there is a very good website that explains and I will add it following this post - when I put it up the Moderator will remove my post and hopefully put it back on again later.
There are many folk from this forum who have tried to WD quickly and suffered terribly, having to retake Mirt' then becomming physically and psycologically dependant on it for fear of further WD symptoms, so best get it right first time. Bear in mind also that full WD symptoms can take up to 2 weeks to appear - as it says in the article below.
It sounds unusual that the stomach issues suddenly started when you were settled on both drugs, tell me if I'm wrong, not having made an adjustment to the dosage or adding anything else into the mix?
I hope youu will soon feel more settled, best wishes
C x
Calmer
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http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1024-why-taper-by-10-of-my-dosage/?&gopid=16335#entry16335
Best wishes
carolyn79 Calmer
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Sadiejayne
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Calmer Sadiejayne
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No not waffling at all. I'm hoping that you don't suddenly have an onset of WD at the 2 week point of tapering as you did a 50% going to 15 from 30, fingers crossed for you, but if you do have a reaction at that point at the very least you'll know what it is.
And yes, Carolyn79, my doctor said the same, 2 WEEKS !!! quoting the apparent "guidance" of their "pharmaceutical advisors" being the Maudsley Hospital here in UK - I cannnot believe that and in fact I gave her a copy of the 10% I had printed off, hoping that it may rub off a little !!
Sadie, I would strong recommend trying to get your doctor, or ask your pharmacist to track down the original Mirt' you took with out the colouring - that's the trouble with the generic meds, I'm sure the pharmacy would help you, they're in the business of helping people get well afterall. Are you in the UK ?? I deffo' think I'd work at it - I don't think you're over-analysing, just taking care of yourself I'd say.
Let us know how you get on, keep posting here, and we'll help in any way we can.
Best wishes.
Sadiejayne
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Calmer Sadiejayne
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No I wouldn't say to stay at 15mg, I would go back a step or two as I think the WD 'could be' really bad ... you've gone down too fast hun, no wonder you're anx' is so high. I think if you try and stay at 15 it may well be too much for you, or anyone. I would go back to 30mg tonight, (I totally understand you don't want to) and THEN WAIT to stabilise, it may take a few days, but hey, it's got to be better than this - a slow wd is tried and tested.
Are you on facebook at all??
C
Sadiejayne
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A lot of the probs with needing advice from the professionals is that they just don't have the time to properly talk through what's best (I'm talking GPs here cos that's all I'm currently under). And getting referrals takes weeks or months. Right NOW is when I need help lol!
Calmer Sadiejayne
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