having had a horrendous experience on and coming off ven...

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having had a horrendous experience on and coming off venlafaxine which was prescribed experimentally for a physical condition and not depression i was put onto zispin for depression because of my bad reaction to venlafaxine...go figure!

within a week of taking zispin i had gained 10lbs in weight (so rapid it stretched my stomach, a very uncomfortable feeling) - it actually wasnt true weight gain just massive water retention. i also lost all sense of reality.

my reaction to this stuff (or coming straight off one onto the other?) was so bad i was put on a psych ward for a few days but no admission from the doctors that the drug flipped me out - yes the drug was causing the weight gain but no the psych episode was all me. they kept me on it, i did settle down eventually although the weight wouldnt shift.

i've now taken myself off it completely by tapering for two months - halving the crumbly soltabs isnt very easy. (incidentally im sure that the soltab fizzy version of the drug causes the bloating and the mirtazepine non-branded tablets dont) anyway im all clean now, from this at least. havent told the doc yet that im off it. i've lost over a stone in a fortnight so im underweight again - i told them it was fluid!! the weight by the way didnt seem to have anything to do with how much i did or didnt eat. i have to say even with a reasonably rapid withdrawal i experienced no really nasty withdrawal effects from the drug. the weight gain sucks...what are they thinking giving this to depressed people! Do bear in mind thought that you may well lose it when you eventually stop the drug - i definitely have, and very quickly. after this and venlafaxine i will refuse any anti depressant medication i may be offered. it just isnt worth the side effects and the withdrawal has to come eventually. as for what they're meant to do i didnt notice any difference in mood but if i consider how this all started im pretty sure i dont need medicating for depression. so for me the intended effect was negligible, side effects were awful and withdrawal was ok

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5 Replies

  • Posted

    I have been clear now from Mirtazapine Zispin Soltab for 5 days now, I was on 45mg per day, the highest dose I was told, my depression was still awful, lots of weight gain, mood swings etc etc! After having been tried on many different anti depressents for 11 years now, among epilepsy medication & sleeping tablets & sedatives at night, The side effects took control. My concern at the moment is the withdrawal from the Zispin, most of the time I am anxious, I can't sleep, I get the shakes, go cold & shivery even whilst inside, I feel sick, the panic attacks are beginning again. Could anyone please let me know what they experienced from their withdrawal from this drug? Thanks for reading this & the best of luck to you all.:roll::roll::roll:

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  • Posted

    I would appreciate to know others withdrawal symptoms from ZISPIN SOLTAB MIRTAZAPINE, Thank you:shock:

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  • Posted

    Hi, I have previously been taking 45mg Mirtazapine for a couple of years now. Just recently my mood dipped again and the panic attacks started getting worse. Doctor decided to change Mirtazapine to Venlafxine so I have been taking 15mg of Mirtazapine for 5 days now. I too feel anxious, off balance,panic attacks have increased, sleep disturbance and loss of appetite. In two days I have to stop the mirtazapine altogether and start the venlafaxine. I feel extremely nervous, how do you tell what are withdrawl symptoms and what are side effects from the new drug???sadsadsad

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  • Posted

    Mirtazapine at 45mg gave me terrible panic attacks, weight gain and mood swings. Of course this was touted as a sign of the progression of my being ill, rather than the medication. I have no come off it completely. I have really struggled sleeping and eating, and generally feel quite unwell and anxious and morose. However, this is a perfectly natural response to coming off them. It is worth trying to stick with it; the alternative is being told that you need to stay on them for good, which is nonsense!

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  • Posted

    I was prescribed mirtazapine 30mg 4 years ago, during the last 2 I have been on 15 mg. A month ago I had the courage to stop taking it, and within 2 weeks I was feeling hypersentive, tearful, and this week the panic attacks have started again. I am devastated, really scared and wondering whether I am ever going to be able to recover my sanity without drugs.

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