RobbieP Posted August 15, 2018 Posted August 15, 2018 (edited) Hi, I was put on mirtazapine to help with some health anxiety and insomnia i was experiencing and started noticing increased floaters a couple of weeks after starting and visual snow (lots of tiny fast moving dots when looking at the sky. This didnt improve and after 10 weeks my doctors put me up to 30mg. After 2 weeks on 30mg I then started noticing other visual stuff - palinopsia (after images - I can look at the google logo for a split second, look at a blank part of the screen and I see it again in negative for a few seconds), ocsillopsia (striped patterns start to vibrate if I look at them for a few seconds) etc - so went back down to 15mg. I then started getting frequent muscle twitching/tremors (withdrawal?) so after 4 days on 15mg the doctor said to stop taking them altogether and try sertraline! Had the usual hot flashes, crazy bad anxiety, headache, insomnia etc. After a week the withdrawals subsided a lot but the twitching remained so I went back on 15mg in the hope that it would stop. I'm now a month later, tapered down to 7.5 in the hope that the visual stuff would subside but if anything it has got worse and the twitching still persists 😞 Just wondering if anyone has actually recovered from the visual stuff? I dont know whether I should stick on 7.5 for a while to try and stabilise a bit more to stop the twitching or whether I should be getting off them altogether quickly because of the visual disturbances?? I really dont know what to do or where to turn to and the visual stuff (and twitching) is really scaring me! Edited August 15, 2018 by SkyBlue added paragraph spaces Mirtazapine 15mg 16/04/2018 - 29/06/2018 (10 weeks) Mirtazapine 30mg 30/06/2018 - 12/07/2018 (2 weeks) Mirtazapine 15mg 13/07/2018 - 16/07/2018 (4 days) Sertraline 50mg 17/07/2018 - 20/07/2018 (4 days) Mirtazapine 15mg 21/07/2018 - 28/07/2018 (1 week) Tapered down to 11.25 over 10 days, stuck at 11.25 for a week, tapered down to 7.5 over 7 days, stuck at 7.5 since along with CBD oil 1 drop twice a day
Moderator Emeritus SkyBlue Posted August 15, 2018 Moderator Emeritus Posted August 15, 2018 Hi Robbie, Welcome to SA. How long have you been on the mirtazapine? Also, did you start taking sertraline? Please help us out by creating a drug signature using these instructions: https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/18343-please-put-your-withdrawal-history-in-your-signature/ Please let us know the dates (approx) of recent changes you've made. Also, please enter all the drugs you're taking into this drug interactions checker https://www.drugs.com/drug_interactions.html and paste the results here. Getting this information will help us help you. 2020: After 18+ years (entire adult life) on Paxil, a dangerous doctor-led "taper" in 2015, and four years tapering off the last 1 mg thanks to SA and the Brassmonkey slide, I AM COMPLETELY FREE OF PAXIL! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Forever. 2021: Began conservative, proper, CNS-respecting taper of Zoloft, led by the only expert on me -- me. Making own liquid. 5-10% plus holds. 2022: Holding on Zoloft for now. Current dose 47 mg. Hanging in, hanging on. Severe protracted PAWS, windows and waves. While I may not be doing "a lot" by outside standards, things are graaaaadually getting better. Yoga (gentle to medium); walks; daily breath practice; nutrition, fruits/veg; nature; water; EastEnders (lol); practicing self-compassion, self-care; boundaries; connection; allowing feelings; t r u s t ing that I, too, will heal. (--> may need to be reminded of this.) "You are not alone, and this is not the end of your story." - Baylissa
RobbieP Posted August 16, 2018 Author Posted August 16, 2018 Hi SkyBlue, Sorry, have done that now. Basically 10 weeks on 15mg, 2 weeks on 30, 4 days on 15 then switched to 50mg of sertraline, started freaking out about the twitching so stopped the sertraline after 5 days and went back to 15mg mirtazapine. I'm down to 7.5mg now as I'm so worried about the palinopsia and visual snow and that scared that staying on the mirtazapine may be causing more damage 😕 I spoke to the doctors again yesterday and they said I should look to come off them within a couple of weeks due to the issues. Thanks for your help, Robbie Mirtazapine 15mg 16/04/2018 - 29/06/2018 (10 weeks) Mirtazapine 30mg 30/06/2018 - 12/07/2018 (2 weeks) Mirtazapine 15mg 13/07/2018 - 16/07/2018 (4 days) Sertraline 50mg 17/07/2018 - 20/07/2018 (4 days) Mirtazapine 15mg 21/07/2018 - 28/07/2018 (1 week) Tapered down to 11.25 over 10 days, stuck at 11.25 for a week, tapered down to 7.5 over 7 days, stuck at 7.5 since along with CBD oil 1 drop twice a day
RobbieP Posted August 16, 2018 Author Posted August 16, 2018 Can anyone offer any advice or opinion? Please? Mirtazapine 15mg 16/04/2018 - 29/06/2018 (10 weeks) Mirtazapine 30mg 30/06/2018 - 12/07/2018 (2 weeks) Mirtazapine 15mg 13/07/2018 - 16/07/2018 (4 days) Sertraline 50mg 17/07/2018 - 20/07/2018 (4 days) Mirtazapine 15mg 21/07/2018 - 28/07/2018 (1 week) Tapered down to 11.25 over 10 days, stuck at 11.25 for a week, tapered down to 7.5 over 7 days, stuck at 7.5 since along with CBD oil 1 drop twice a day
thecowisback Posted August 16, 2018 Posted August 16, 2018 (edited) My husband has visual problems from a too-fast taper from duloxetine and lyrica. Edited December 1, 2018 by brassmonkey Edited text per OPs request Took prozac 40 mg for 20 years. January 2017 started cutting down prozac by 12.5% a week. End of February 2017 completely off prozac and withdrawals began. Currently taking Levothyroxine 75 mcg, Magnesium citrate 200mg,Sage leaf 50mg daily Amlodipine: October 2017 , discontinued 26 Feb 2019; Candesartan: 26 Feb 2019, 4mg. Discontinued magnesium citrate 200mg Apr 3rd 2019 Reinstated prozac: 14 Jan 2019, 1mg; 26 Jan, 1.5mg; 4 Feb, 2mg; 16 Feb, 2.5mg; 2 Mar, 3mg; 5 Mar, 2.5mg, 23 Mar, 3 mg; 6 Apr, 3.5mg, 14 Apr 4mg, 23 Apr 5mg, 10 Jul 8mg, 1 Dec 20mg, 1 Apr 2020 40mg
Ahms Posted August 16, 2018 Posted August 16, 2018 Hi RobbieP. I developed visual snow about 4 months ago while coming off Venlafaxine and reducing dosage of Amitriptyline. I had tonnes of disabling symptoms. The visual snow is still there but it seems to be getting better very very slowly. The more attention you pay to it, the worse you will feel. Take good quality omega-3. That seems to be helping albeit very slowly. Citalopram 30mg 2008 - 2015 Citalopram 30mg + Mirtazapine 15mg 2015 - 2016 Venlafaxine 150mg + Mirtazapine 15mg then 30mg 2016 - 2017 Venlafaxine 150mg + Amitriptyline 50mg January 2017. Coming off Venlafaxine took about 8 months March 2018 stopped venlafaxine. Increased amitriptyline to 150mg over two weeks end of March. Couldn't tolerate side effects. CT for 5 days then went back to 50mg amitriptyline since 8 April 2018
RobbieP Posted August 17, 2018 Author Posted August 17, 2018 I'm afraid to take anything at the moment! Started CBD oil hoping to calm me down a bit but that's it. I really dont know if I should be listening to the doctors and get of the mirtazapine fairly quickly in case they are causing more damage while still taking them, or to follow the slow tapering advice in case its the withdrawals causing it :-( the snow started when i was on 15mg and the weird stuff started when i went up to 30, so all points to dose increased on the mirtazapine Mirtazapine 15mg 16/04/2018 - 29/06/2018 (10 weeks) Mirtazapine 30mg 30/06/2018 - 12/07/2018 (2 weeks) Mirtazapine 15mg 13/07/2018 - 16/07/2018 (4 days) Sertraline 50mg 17/07/2018 - 20/07/2018 (4 days) Mirtazapine 15mg 21/07/2018 - 28/07/2018 (1 week) Tapered down to 11.25 over 10 days, stuck at 11.25 for a week, tapered down to 7.5 over 7 days, stuck at 7.5 since along with CBD oil 1 drop twice a day
Moderator Emeritus Carmie Posted February 24, 2019 Moderator Emeritus Posted February 24, 2019 Hi Robbie, How are you doing?💚 Seroquel. 2019:➡️ From 7.25mg to 5.80mg. 2020➡️5.60 to 4.80. 2021➡️4.60 to 4.0. 2022➡️3.95 to 3.55. 2023➡️ From 3.50 to 3.25. 2024➡️Jan15=3.20✔️ Feb19=3.15✔️ March26=3.10✔️May1=3.0✔️ June7=3mg✔️ July 15= 2.95✔️ Aug14=2.90✔️ Sep13=2.85✔️ Oct12= 2.80✔️ Nov9=2.75✔️This is NOT medical advice.Consult your doctor.
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