Off Mirtazapine for 18 months and still going through hell
Posted , 5 users are following.
Hi! I was on Mirtazapine for 14 years and have been off it for 18 months now and am still having horrendous w/d symptoms almost 24/7. The symptoms I'm still having r: chronic insomnia (no sleep most nights and days sometimes for several weeks at a time), burning, tingling, numbness throughout body and head, vibrations throughout body and head, burning brain, adrenaline surges, blurry vision (could be from cataracts on both eyes scheduled to b removed at the end of January 2019), chronic exhaustion and fatigue, hearing loss, myoclonic jerks, panicky, jittery, and the list goes on.
I also suffer from hypothyroidism/hashimotos disease, adrenal exhaustion, am still recovering from cancer surgery I had just over 2 months ago to remove a basal cell carcinoma from my head and one on my ear and a skin graft and believe I've had a big set back from the anesthitc they gave me (propanothol)?, Fentynal 1 shot and 1 shot of an antibiotic.
Is it still normal 2 be suffering so intensely at this point in my recover? I was also on Gabapentin 4 14 years (off for 3 1/2 years), Seroquel for 3 1/2 years (off for 2 /4 years) and Zoplicone for 7 months (off for 3 1/2 years).I feel like I can't go on much longer like this. I've had some windows but they are small and don't last very long. Is there any hope of my recovery? I'm getting weaker and weaker every day. Can barely function at this point. I'm all alone and have no one to help me with anything.
I was wondering if anyone would b willing to b my buddy and either do a Facebook messenger video chat or phone chat with me? I have free long distance in Canada and United States so if would like to msg. me on my cell and let me know it would b greatly appreciated. My number is 1-250-516-3413. Thank u.
0 likes, 14 replies
robert_88686 barbara48848
Posted
Hello Barbara, Can I ask why did you come off mirtazapine and what dose were you on. Would I be right in assuming if you went back on the medication you wouldn't suffer? Gosh it's horrendous reading what you going through, look forward to reply.
barbara48848 robert_88686
Posted
Hi Robert 88686:
I came off the Mirtazapine and all the other psych meds as they were literally killing me. I am extremely paradoxical to both Mirt and Seroquel as they both have antihistaine bases and I am paradoxical to antihistamines. I will never, ever touch another psychiatric med again in my life. I should never have been on them in the first place. I'm not psychiatric. I was put on benzo's at the age of 12 due to having panic and anxiety attacks and chronic insomnia which I now believe was caused by my thyroid and I've probably had a thyroid problem most of my life. I came off the benzo's over 27 years ago and then due to my thyroid malfunctioning and not showing up on the tests for over a year, I was put on Seroquel, Remeron and Gabapentin.I was able to get off the Seroquel after a year or so but stayed on the Remeron and Gabapentin and was on them for 14 years. I don't do well on psychiatric meds and now I don't think I can take any pharmaceuticals anymore. I pray everyday that God will take me home so I can b free from all this suffering. I can't take much more of it.
Morning_Rain barbara48848
Posted
Hello Barbara
Did you taper off mirtazapine? And if so, what did that look like?
barbara48848 Morning_Rain
Posted
Yes, I did a slow taper off all the psych poisons. However due to the fact I was extremely paradoxical to Remeron because of its antihistamine base I did jump off the last 2.25 mg. of it as it was literally killing me. I never did stabilize no matter how long I held my taper so I just reduced it every 2-3 weeks and went through the hell I had to to get totally off it. My G.P. still firmly believes I am in protracted w/d as these can go on for 2 years or more. I am terrified this will never get better and I will either remain like this for the rest of my life or I will have to find a way to end it. I just know I can't go on much longer like this. I am not living, I'm barely existing. Is it normal for w/d to go on this long at this intensity? Have u seen others suffer like this for this long?
Morning_Rain barbara48848
Posted
Barbara
So sorry for your suffering.
What mirtazapine percent were you dropping by?
And were you cutting and slicing pills or using liquid for your dose reductions?
One is not considered in protracted w/d until after 18 mos off.
barbara48848 Morning_Rain
Posted
Hi Morning_Rain!
I am now 18 months of being totally off all my psych poisons, Mirtazapine being the last one. I believe I was dropping by about 5% every 2-3 weeks. As I never stabilized no matter how long I held my tapers for and I was horrendously paradoxical to both Seroquel and Remeron due to their antihistamine bases, I need to get off them as soon as possible. I believe I was having them compounded so as to get the same dose each time. Even doing this I was in living hell the whole time I tapered and it has remained the same for most of my w/d. I've had some small short windows since tapering but nothing to write home about. It appears that every time I get a window the symptoms come back even more intense the next time. At the moment I feel like I'm back at square one as my symptoms r still really intense almost 24/7.
Morning_Rain barbara48848
Posted
Barbara
You were on mirtazapine for 14 years!
Did it ever help you for why you took it? And if not, why were you on it so long?
Morning_Rain
Posted
Also Barbara, how many taper attempts were there and what was the highest dose you took?
Morning_Rain barbara48848
Posted
Also Barbara, you keep saying you're paradoxical to antihistamines and therefore ADs with antihistamine properties,.
Have you been DNA pharmacogenetic tested showing you're "paradoxical"?
Guest Morning_Rain
Posted
Yes. I have a background in mental health and a related degree. I have never heard the term "paradoxical to antihistamines" and from a chemical standpoint, mirtazapine is only similar in that it make encourage a certain drowsiness.....
Morning_Rain Guest
Posted
Hi Marie
Actually, mirtazapine has antihistamine properties in a big way, it has two very strong antihistamines in it's chemical makeup profile.
My question to Barbara was if she was DNA Pharmacogentic tested showing paradoxical to mirtazapine where she does not metabolize it (liver) properly.
barbara48848 Morning_Rain
Posted
When I say I'm horrendously paradoxical to antihistamines it's because they do the exact opposite to what they r supposed to do. They totally hype me up big time instead of calming me down. I don't need any DNA Pharmacogentic test to know what these drugs did 2 me. I wouldn't trust any test that has anything to do with Big Pharma anymore. I trust what my body is telling me and it's not just the Seroquel or Remeron that does this to me, it's any antihistamine. Many years ago I took Atarax or Hydroxine for a few months and it did the same thing and it threw me into a hell of a w/d for a long period of time. It's just like a benzo. I can't even take Gravol as I have the same reaction. I would rather die than take another pharmaceutical ever again. I have found a wonderful, caring, extremely knowledgeable and supportive herbalist and G.P. that I trust who both believe I'm still in w/d which can last up to 2 years and sometimes even longer. Going back on any of these poisons would just kill me. They don't even suggest I go back on any psych med ever again and I won't. I made it through Benzo w/d over 27 years ago and I'll make it through this even if it kills me in the end.
Morning_Rain barbara48848
Posted
Barbara
BIG pharma has ZERO to do with DNA testing.
There are several types of DNA testing as well a companies that do it "customer direct.". The one test I referred to is pharmacogentic, which has several types covering nearly every drug on the market showing if you're compatible with it or not (metabolize - liver). The same goes for supps and herbs, There is DNA testing for that as well.
You might want to look it up and read to understand it so you're not so afraid of it.
I hope you find your way. God Bless.
Morning_Rain barbara48848
Posted
Barbara
Big Pharma has zero (nothing whatsoever) to do with DNA testing. If anything, BP very much dislikes DNA testing of pharms because people will be less likely to take them because of the results.
You really should read about the subject so you understand it better.