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Starting remeron WD week 8. Still insomnia and morning anxiety

Posted , 7 users are following.

nicolas77734
nicolas77734

Hello,

I am on Cipralex 10 mg and off mirtazapine since 7 weeks (15mg during one year for sleep).

I tapered down from 15mg to 7.5mg (5 weeks) and gradually with 1.875mg steps towards 0mg, each step lasting 10 days.

I had a very hard time coming down from 15mg to 7.5mg, anxiety, stress vulnerability, mood swings-irritability appetite loss and insomnia but things stabilized after 5 weeks.

The other smaller steps were less difficult.

After and since last dose, except a few days, I feel miserable mostly in the morning. The stress vulnerability is the only thing that has really improved. Anxiety is more physical than mind related. The irritability or general dissatisfaction mood swing is also less extreme. Insomnia has gotten worse and worse starting week 3 after last dose. It is very difficult to fall asleep and whenever I sleep it is a light interrupted sleep that is difficult to maintain. I sometimes take 0.5mg xanax with delayed action but doesn't help a lot. As soon as I wake up, usually quite early, I often feel overwhelmed by tensions in my body (arms, throat chest, gut ... etc ...) and get up in a miserable state. I found that cardio exercise is the best to feel better but finding the time and motivation is not easy during the week. 

I have the feeling that my brain isn't producing melatonin but instead too much cortisol.

I was expecting things to go better after 7 weeks. I have read about the wave and window patterns of withdrawal healing. Last week I may have had a few window's days and I am probably in a wave these last 2 days.

The hard thing is to know if this WD will have an end and when.

If someone recognize himself in this situation and/of likes to share his experience, this would be really much appreciated. 

Thanks, Nico

1 like, 25 replies

25 Replies

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  • greta63936
    greta63936 nicolas77734

    Posted

    Hi Nico

    I took 30 mg Mirt for about two years when my husband was terminally ill, with a short two month break when I unsuccessfully tried to come off it, not knowing the importance of a slow taper. I subsequently tapered over about four months and am now about 13 weeks since stopping completely.

    I was really getting back to normal at about 12 weeks off, but unfortunately had a bad scalding accident at that time which put me right back, so I'm not a typical example any longer. I found my new rather shaky foundations after Mirt have been tested and I have some low days. However I'm determined to hang on in there, Mirt is not the answer and probably other anti-depressants aren't either. They just paper over the cracks which may still be around when you try to come off, but at least you get rid of the side effects of the drug.

    You have come so far, I would strongly recommend you hang on in there for another couple of months, I'm sure you will find things improve.

    Best of luck,

    Greta x

    • nicolas77734
      nicolas77734 greta63936

      Posted

      Hi Greta,

      Thank you for your message.

      I won't give up and will hang on a couple of months but really hope things are going to improve. Life is not easy right now with this constant strong anxiety and this suffering that no one sees.

      Best wishes to you too.

      Nico

      I will never return to Mirt.

  • nicolas77734
    nicolas77734

    Posted

    Hello all,

    here is a little update on how things are at 9.5weeks after my last mirt dose. I don't know if it is worth doing this, maybe that will help someone one day.

    Globally, nothing has improved. I don't feel depressed but the pain I feel because of all these anxiety symptoms and its unpredictability just don't make me enjoy the life at all.

    Morning anxiety had a huge peak a week ago. Stomach, throat, chest pain, feeling like a void at some abdomen place, weak legs and arms were just an unbearable pain. I guess the chronical lack of sleep doesn't help. The pattern "feeling bad in the morning and good in the evening" is still present apart from few exception.

    Sleep is very poor even with 1mg xanax (delayed action) about 5 hours. My doc prescribed me 25mg Seroquel and I also take 0.5mg xanax (delayed action). With this, it is possible to sleep about 7 hours. I have to say that it is hopeless to try without all this chemical aid now. My heart beats so fast that there isn't anyway I could fall asleep. Since improving my sleep with the Seroquel, morning anxiety has improved. But who knows about tomorrow?

    Today I woke up with bearable anxiety and it didn't last for long. Morning was fine and I was quite happy about it. At 1 pm, just before lunch and within 1 minute, I got a painfull stiff neck and accelerated heart rate that lasted until 5 pm. The tension caused by this stiff neck was strong enough to completely spoil the afternoon. I also noticed a kind of slight fog in my head as it is often the case when I am feeling anxiety.

    I am always wondering if all this can be due to the brain neuronal reorganization after stoping the mirt. I try to convince myself that this is possible by reading the post https://patient.info/forums/discuss/mirtazapine-withdrawal-19353?page=29

    from Kerk and miami1. I wish I knew them to share my experience with.

    But god, that's such a hard time. Where is the end of the tunnel? 

    Nico

     

    • Calmer
      Calmer nicolas77734

      Posted

      Ahhh I looked at the thread you mentioned above, its over a year ago, in fact I think it may be more like over 2 years old because in all my time I havn't seen it before.  People shift away maybe.

      Nico, these symptoms are all listed as WD, have no fear that its due to anything else.  Palpitations, brain fog, neck pain less but mentioned quite often).

       

    • candy20021
      candy20021 nicolas77734

      Posted

      Hey Nico I'm currently on my 35th day after stopping mirtazapine 30 cold turkey, unaware of the outcome and unintentionally I've stopped and found myself in a lot of trouble..,I wanted to know more about your throat symptoms, did it feel tight or like very tense?? I'm having similar symptoms and was wondering, if is from just been stressed about the whole withdrawing process...please let me know...I hope you are feeling much better, let us know know if you're better😊

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