Need help please :(
Posted , 9 users are following.
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 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
chris_2017
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Can't see how you edit posts here, I meant to say 'anxiety bordering on panic'
chris_2017
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Anyone? Please? I'm in a dreadful state here and I'm by myself. I feel utterly overwhelmed by these rushes of anxiety...
evergreen chris_2017
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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 evergreen
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evergreen chris_2017
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chris_2017 evergreen
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Oh my God, that's awful! I don't know how I can get through a fortnight of this
evergreen chris_2017
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chris_2017 evergreen
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evergreen chris_2017
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chris_2017 evergreen
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Yeah I was 100% in every respect before I started tapering. Thursday would be amazing. thank you
sarah24378 chris_2017
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On another point how did you end up in acute benzo withdrawals. I am doing a benzo taper soon.
chris_2017 sarah24378
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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 chris_2017
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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 sarah24378
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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
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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 chris_2017
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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 Calmer
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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...
Calmer chris_2017
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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 chris_2017
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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 Calmer
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Thanks
chris_2017 evergreen
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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
chris_2017 Calmer
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ann55375 evergreen
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ann55375 evergreen
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evergreen ann55375
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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 evergreen
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evergreen ann55375
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