Where do i go from here?

Posted , 7 users are following.

Ive been on all sorts of anti d,s for 13 yrs... all with horride side effects.. sweats..dizzy etc..im now on 60mg of mirtaz daily and have put on weight etc but side effects are minimal compared to the others. My prob is i dont know if they help and i tryed cutting dose down but day 2 got dizzy and felt like passing out etc..i dont like taking these things but i cant see myself ever getting off them now and im still struggling with daily life.....still put on a brave act to get thru the day at work etc but im getting tired of the fight within..wheres the light at the end of this tunnel...friggn doctors say i cant keep giving u pain killers for my hack as they r addictive...well wtf r anti depressants then...i cant stop taking this frap but thats ok...looking for other options but dont know where to turn...has anyone else been down this path? Or got any sugestions

0 likes, 17 replies

17 Replies

  • Posted

    Hi don

            How long have you been on 60mg mirtazapine? Did they make you feel better when you were started on them or have you not noticed any difference on them ?

    kaz

    • Posted

      Hi.. ive been taking for 18 months...the only diff. I found from my last ad was im not bursting out in sweats all day long.. but as for feeling better i have to say not realy..nothing noticable..and the doc that started me on them was a clown regarding his listning to what i had to say about things etc so i dont have time for him. . I tryed to cut back to 45 mg but id need a week or 3 off work to get thru it and thats not going to happen as i have bills to pay so im stuck here now on 60 mg and im not sure if there helping or not
  • Posted

    It sounds like your 15mg drop is way too high if a drop,could you not try dropping to 55mg and see how you feel in that dose for a few wks? I was took if 45mg overnight by my go last year and it was dreadful. I'm just in withdrawal symptoms myself now from 15mg it's been almost 6wks from my last mirtazapine. Maybe your gp could give you something to help?I use propanalol which do help with anixty...mirt is absolutely that worse thing to get off (Well for me anyway) if you want to send me a message I will try and help you as much as I can as I know how awful you must be feeling..kaz

  • Posted

    Hey Don,

    My Mom used Lidoderm 0.5% transdermal patches for her back woes...and some Ultram when it rained. She detoxed off of oxycontin and dilauded and alcohol all the same time. My thoughts are with you. I think we can be a resource for you.

  • Posted

    Hi Don

    Getting off Mirt' entirely?  In the long run its best to do a slow taper to avoid side effects, no more than 10% per month, or start t 5% every 2 weeks and if no problems after the FIRST 2 DROPS, try increasing a little to say 15% - but for most of us its a slow job to enable homeostasis.  

    Im noit sure which country you are in, but Mirt in the UK is available in liquid, Sol Tabs which dissolve more easily in water, or of course the tablets.  They might be availabvle in 30 mg, 15 mg and even 7.5 (not in UK) so thats something to work with to taper.  

    To make a liquid:  https://patient.info/forums/discuss/mirtazapine-making-a-liquid-to-help-tapering-614122

    And further reading: click on my name and follow the links or copy & paste them into your browser.

    Best wishes & good luck.

    • Posted

      Been on 45mg six years,worked well eventually,severe clinical depression with anxiety.would have stayed on for life as feel really well mentally,but for some reason last 18months or so severe nightmares,so took the decision to reduce (had hoped that just reducing dose would banish nightmares,and bizarre dreams,but not so) so decided want off this medication,and if needed try something else.still on citalopram 40mg,which I'm happy to stay on.gp advice drop 15mg at time,went down 30mg may,and stayed there three months,all withdrawels mentioned on this site (didn't research beforehand as didn't want to scare myself) and as withdrawels ( apart from sweats which started quickly) didn't happen immediately,didn't relate,thought I caught bug with nausea and dizziness etc,and then migraines,only when BP was sky high,had go on medication (always had good BP) then palpitations,that I started to research,and then realised it was all down to mirtazipine withdrawels.next tried 30mg down to 22.5mg had withdrawels just same,but no palpitations.Then tried 15mg,that was severe neck spasms so severe trapped up nerve in neck so within two days went back to 22.5mg.so now down to 15mg (after two drops of quarter of tablet) and having better days now on whole,but just when you think you are through it headaches,or anxiety spikes or neck spasms pop back.holding now until new year,and then seriously considering trying to convince GP prescribe liquid for slower taper,feeling bit anxious about last 15mg from horror stories I've read,and also by what I've myself experienced so far.did you get any withdrawels at 10% rate reduction?

  • Posted

    Hi Don, it's been 14 months since Mirt withdrawals and I'm still having to have a word with myself about keeping positive. 

    How I survived my hell ride ill never know. I had the weight of the world on my shoulders whilst realising family or friends were just being polite when saying "you know where I am if you need me"  the reality was I had myself only and the pressure of having to face my new reality on my own was grim. 

    I'm doing ok at the mo but only because I'm thinking of moving abroad Spain to start anew, the cost of living in the U.K. is sucking all the fun out of me and I've got to make some changes because I'm on edge a lot of the time about what will become of me. 

    I'm still prescribed an A/D unfortunately, I take Sertraline 100mg, without them I have an Anxiety Attack. I'm also being prescribed Promithazine ((Phenergan) 25mg  for sleep. 

     

    Doctors don't have a clue about A/D but I do know that Mirt caused my anxiety and I don't see it being any time soon for me getting off Sertraline. 

    There's no cure for this illness, its bloody exhausting.  Good luck 

    • Posted

      Hi Vikki.

      I agree with you on the mirt causing anxiety. I never suffered it until I was put on mirt and when I told my go that he said "tha ts impossible " I know my own mind and I know it defo was the mirt that caused...docs don't seem to have a clue when it comes to side effects he also told me there is no withdrawals when stopping them..... wish I'd knew about this Med before I took it

      Kaz

    • Posted

      Hi. Kaz hope you don't mind me butting in. I Had the same conversation with my doctor last week. She said it's impossible to be having anxiety from taking mert as she said it helps it. I said tell that to my racing heart and shaking like a leaf when it happens. She also told me how to withdraw the mirt and didn't use the word taper once and said you will not suffer with withdrawal at all. Anyway I went 4 days off it and it was unbearable so had to reinstate to 15 mg. Went back to see her and I actually said to her if I'd have carried on any longer like that I probably wouldn't be herevtontellnthevtale. She just looked at me and said nothing she was speechless. Not only did she get that wrong she made me withdraw something that I'd took for twenty years in the space off 5 days to swap with the mirt. Big madtake and how I'm paying for it now. My faith in doctors has hit complete rock bottom.

    • Posted

      hi ninjawarrior

      Docs make me so mad i was changed over night from my old AD to mirt last year and it never worked for me it made me sleep but that was all...i never had anixty until I took mirt... p doc said defo couldn't cause anxiety... funny how it just started when I was put on mirt...fast forward to now I'm now back on my old AD almost 6wks.its been awful time with the mirt withdrawals and who knows how long they will last but I am getting better days so just taking a day at a time but il never ever take mirt again... it caused me tummy probs too also I put nearly 2stone on in space of a yr...i just felt numb while time I was on lift but I guess it must work for some people I just wasn't one of them....i hope you feel better soon...

      Kaz

    • Posted

      So kaz you were on your old pill then put on to mirt and now you're now back on your pill. I ask as I'm trying to weigh up the best option. Stay on the mirt which I've been on for 12 weeks or go back to my old one but then might that complicate things even more.

    • Posted

      Yes ninjawarrior I'm no onto the old tab again the p.doc did try a few different ones but side effects were awful..thats why I ended up back on lift for a yr but they have done absolutely nothing for me only caused me probs.withdrawals are horrid but I'm truly glad to be mirt free... goodness knows how long withdrawals will last but I just take a day at a time and I can now see some light in tunnel .do you feel the jury is helping you ?

      Kaz

    • Posted

      That meant to say do you think the mirtazapine is helping you ?
    • Posted

      No kaz I don't think the mirt is helping me just giving me side affects along with withdrawal off the amitryptyline. So you've stopped the mirt 6 weeks ago and still suffering from withdrawal. I thought after 12 weeksbeing off the amitryptyline I would be rid of it. But I've been told it's probably still affecting my brain and body. I was on it 20 years after all.

    • Posted

      I will send you a private message ninjawarrior if you don't mind because when I try to type words on my keypad while on this site it freezing and I'm losing my post...dont know what going on with it...il message you now

      Kaz

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