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Nightmare withdrawal

Posted , 3 users are following.

catali
catali

Help please! Would be v grateful for any advice. After 20 + years on seroxat GP suggested transfer onto mirtazapine. Despite tapering this has failed spectacularly with appalling insomnia, anxiety and mental turmoil. Now being advised to transition back to the seroxat in order to relieve these truly frightening symptoms. I now seem to be in an impossible situation....do I go back to seroxat knowing that I probably can't face trying another withdrawal attempt (this is the second) and that it is probably becoming less effective for me and/or doing me other damage? Mirtazapine seems to be almost as bad so I don't think there is any point in staying on that. My history of recurrent depression means I probably need to have some kind of long term medication so rejecting all antidepressants is also hugely scary. Any thoughts please? Thanks.

0 likes, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • dani40249
    dani40249 catali

    Posted

    Hi, I understand your dilemma. I’ve been there many times over. Withdrawal is so scary because you don’t know what is causing what. Are the symptoms withdrawal? Are they the new drug? Is it the condition coming back? It’s so hard to navigate and such a cruel thing to go through. But there is a light at the end of the tunnel even though it doesn’t feel like it when you’re in the middle of it. There has to be a reason you decided to go off the seroxat. Can increasing the seroxat to a higher dose fix the problem? If not, then you should continue getting off it. I have found if you tapper slowly or go off faster, you will still suffer terrible withdrawal. So my advice would be to get off it as soon as possible and get onto the Mirtazapine at the therapeutic dose the doctor recommends. Personally I have found Mirtazapine really helpful for anxiety. I’m on it at night time plus sertraline during the day. Good luck, you will be ok. Hang in there 😊

    • catali
      catali dani40249

      Posted

      you've got it exactly! I'm in such a state of anxiety that the decision about what to do next is impossible to make. Current plan was to go back to seroxat but I can't bare the idea that I'm going back to such a difficult drug to come off. My compromise was to go back to just 10mg but I'm told this may not be a therapeutic dose so would be in danger of relapse.

    • dani40249
      dani40249 catali

      Posted

      Totally get what you’re going through. I think you should stay off seroxat because going back on is a dead end for you especially if it’s only 10mg. Maybe give Mirtazapine a go. It will fix the anxiety or at least calm it. Take Xanax or Valium to get you through the horrible withdrawals. It will pass. You aren’t having a relapse, it’s the withdrawal causing the instability of brain chemicals and the increase of anxiety. If sleep is a problem take 15mg of Mirtazapine at night- works wonders for me.  Hang in there, good luck! 
    • catali
      catali dani40249

      Posted

      I know but I can't stand this withdrawal and it might go on for a very long time. The withdrawal from Mirtazapine is described as even worse as it has a shorter half life and is affecting even more brain chemistry. I'm feeling v miserable and completely stuck. My decision making faculties are so bad its impossible to go one way or other. the default position is to do what the GP suggests and revert to seroxat......maybe withdraw slower..........try something that isnt ssri/snri?

  • Purpleheather
    Purpleheather catali

    Posted

    I’ve been on Seroxat over 23 years. I thought about coming off and trying Sertraline, but from what I hear it’s not as effective. I have anxiety, depression, insomnia and OCD. I can’t see why it wouldn’t work any more, so agree with the other comment, maybe you need a higher dose? I’m on the highest dose for now (60 mg). If you’re already on 60 mg, it’s possible to combine with something else. I combined with Mirtazapine for a year. It worked for me, but I was concerned that Mirtazapine can make you put on weight, so came off it.

    All anti-depressants can have side effects. Drs aren’t so keen on prescribing Seroxat now as there have been so many stories of adverse effects. But as you (like me) have been on it so long, if it works, then why change?

    I plan to cut down when things in my life have improved. I went down to 40 mg before, and was fine. Hope this helps.

    • catali
      catali Purpleheather

      Posted

      Thank you so much for this.....I've never been beyond 20mg seroxat. Do you think you get any side effects from using seroxat? I was getting symptoms that I put down to overuse of it eg increasingly bad "restless legs" in the evenings. More frequent episodes of anxiety also made me suspicious that it was becoming less effective. Hence trying to change. I didn't like the idea of putting on weight on Mirtazapine either. I now don't like the idea of being on any of these drugs, but at the same time I'm petrified of a relapse to depressive illness. I'm really stuck. So glad of your replies though! Thank you!!

    • Purpleheather
      Purpleheather catali

      Posted

      The only side effects I get are when I’ve been ill with a fever. I get these horrible electric shock like sensations, zaps, in my head and feel dizzy. This is supposed to be a symptom associated with withdrawing from Seroxat. So all I can think is that maybe when I’m ill, the Seroxat is somehow blocked from working?! I’m prepared to put up with that though because of the benefits I gain taking Seroxat. Never heard of restless legs being a side effect, but you never know! I think I can honestly say Seroxat saved my life. Obviously it won’t be right for everyone though.

      I was ok with Mirtazapine weight wise, but I was very ill at the time and had lost a lot of weight. When my appetite came back, I decided to stop taking it, but it did definitely help me sleep.

    • catali
      catali Purpleheather

      Posted

      yes know the zaps and they were very bad when I first stopped the seroxat. I just can't stand the thought of going on mirtazapine and it being even harder to come off. Doesn't bare thinking about. Also can't bare to go back to full seroxat dose so half dose is only thing I can think of...if it takes away some of the withdrawal symptoms. Impossible to know. First day back down to 15mg mirtaz hasnt been good Im afraid

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