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evertonfan: mirtazapine / Remeron discontinuation


evertonfan

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Hi everyone,

 

I am writing to seek support during what has become a frightening experience for me. I have a history of severe depression and as I started to come out of the last one in the middle of 2018, I accepted the proposition put by al psychiatrist that I needed to be on high doses of psychiatric drugs. The two most significant were Lexapro at 45mgs and Mirtazapine at 90mgs daily. He also had me on Epilim and Propanolol to counter the impact of the benzodiazepines I was withdrawing from. The Lexapro was causing me to be uncomfortable with wind and I came off it over a couple of weeks at the end of last year without any difficulty. The Epilim and Propanolol were also removed.

 

The massive dose of Mirtazapine remained, however. Even though it is prescribed off label for sleep, I was finding getting to sleep increasingly difficult. This is what led me to make a mistake seven weeks ago. Without consulting anyone I reduced the drug to 45mgs for three nights. This led to the onset of a nasty nauseous sensation in my body. I rang the psychiatrist and he told me that if I reinstated the dose the symptoms would go away. They didn't. So we reduced the dosage to 67.5mgs to see if that would enable me to stabilise on the drug. The symptoms continued. So we agreed to get off the drugs. Over the course of a week the drug was reduced to zero.

 

Now after three nights the symptoms are worse and I am getting little sleep. This morning I was aching so much that I got up and tried to watch the cricket.

 

My mistake was that I assumed as anti- depressants are not addictive and that because I had come off the Lexapro so easily that a reduction in my Mirtazapine dosage would cause me no problems. Moreover, I did come off 30mgs on another occasion with no problems.

 

As as it looks as if reinstatement is not an option given the nature of my symptoms, I simply don't know where to turn. I fear that I am looking at an extended period of massive discomfort which could lead to a return of the depression.

 

Edited by ChessieCat
removed white space

I have been on many psychiatric drugs in the past as I have a history of severe depression. Between mid 2016 and January 2018 I received 56 ECT treatments with massive memory loss as a consequence. In the middle of 2018 on Ativan (1mg for two and a half weeks and .5mgs for two and weeks) and had been on 10mgs of Mogadon for a number of months. Around this time my mental state improved and I came out of depression. I came off the benzodiazepines quickly as the Ativan was making me ache and shake. This followed by 3 and a half months of benzodiazepine withdrawal. I took Propanolol occasionally to help with the shaking. Due to severity of my bout of my depression and in order to "protect" me from a recurrence I was also put on 45mgs of Lexapro, 100mgs of Epilim and 90mgs of Mirtazapine. I came off these drugs with no problems and was only on the Mirtazapine at the start of this year. I had issues with sleep and reduced the dose to 45mgs eight weeks ago for three nights. This aching came and has been with me since then. The drug was put back up to 90mgs then reduced to 67.5mgs after a couple weeks. Eventually the psychiatrist said that I should come of it "gently" by reducing it to zero over a week by dropping 15mgs every two nights. The aching continues. Lyrica was prescribed to help with the aching but just made me dopey. So now I am drug free but very concerned.

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  • ChessieCat changed the title to evertonfan: mirtazapine / Remeron discontinuation

I hope that there is nothing controversial in what I have written. The psychiatrist does not seem to be aware of the serious nature of discontinuation as he puts it. He expects me to recover quickly. However, I suspect that he's wrong given the severity of the symptoms I have been enduring. My metabolism seems to be badly affected by such a drastic reduction over the last week or so. I have stomach aches and diarrhoea in addition to aching and lack of sleep. I got on here thanks to a link from benzobuddies. I was hoping to get some reassurance but the little research I have done only leads to me to believe I could, in fact, be taken into depression thanks to a reaction to a drug which ironically was prescribed to keep me well. Having said all this, I do hope there is someone on this site who can offer me hope. Now I am off the drug at least my body is not going to badly affected by the drugs itself - rather than the effects of getting off it.

I have been on many psychiatric drugs in the past as I have a history of severe depression. Between mid 2016 and January 2018 I received 56 ECT treatments with massive memory loss as a consequence. In the middle of 2018 on Ativan (1mg for two and a half weeks and .5mgs for two and weeks) and had been on 10mgs of Mogadon for a number of months. Around this time my mental state improved and I came out of depression. I came off the benzodiazepines quickly as the Ativan was making me ache and shake. This followed by 3 and a half months of benzodiazepine withdrawal. I took Propanolol occasionally to help with the shaking. Due to severity of my bout of my depression and in order to "protect" me from a recurrence I was also put on 45mgs of Lexapro, 100mgs of Epilim and 90mgs of Mirtazapine. I came off these drugs with no problems and was only on the Mirtazapine at the start of this year. I had issues with sleep and reduced the dose to 45mgs eight weeks ago for three nights. This aching came and has been with me since then. The drug was put back up to 90mgs then reduced to 67.5mgs after a couple weeks. Eventually the psychiatrist said that I should come of it "gently" by reducing it to zero over a week by dropping 15mgs every two nights. The aching continues. Lyrica was prescribed to help with the aching but just made me dopey. So now I am drug free but very concerned.

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  • Administrator

Welcome, evertofan.

 

Yes, it looks like you have withdrawal syndrome from going off mirtazapine. As you have found, psychiatrists know next to nothing about this.

 

Do you have any mirtazapine left? If I were you, I'd try taking 1mg to see what it does. Reinstatement of a very low dose often helps withdrawal symptoms, incredible as it seems. This topic explains how to take a low dose Tips for tapering off Remeron (mirtazapine)

 

Please let us know how you're doing.

 

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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I have now been off Mirtazapine for six nights. The symptoms are no better nor any worse than when I was on a very high dose. The psychiatrist tried a number of things over five weeks which involved reinstating the massive dose of 90 mgs for a week. Then it was reduced to 67.5 which I remained on for another few weeks. He was hoping to stabilise me that I wouldn't need to come of this drug and get on another. I have lost faith in him because he just seems to want to pile on the drugs. I still struggle to understand the rationale behind being on such big doses of both Lexapro and Mirtazapine at the same time. His intention is to presribe Pristiq for me once my body has recovered  - if and when it does. But it has serious issues with withdrawal too and I am going to resist this proposal. I may b prepared to go on an SSRI drug on a low dose if it is one with a longer half life.

 

In Melbourne where I live there was an article on over 70's being on a number of drugs at the same time. I am 69 and do not want to confront issues with long term use of antidepressants some time down the track.

 

Thanks Altostrata for your reply. I seem to be coping - sort of - with these withdrawal symptoms and will plough on in the hope that they will eventually resolve. Now that I am drug free for the first time in three years I think I will try to resist the temptation to reinstate the drug even at the low level you suggest unless things become unbearable. Thank, however, for taking the time to give me this advice.

 

Best wishes,

 

Evertonfan.

I have been on many psychiatric drugs in the past as I have a history of severe depression. Between mid 2016 and January 2018 I received 56 ECT treatments with massive memory loss as a consequence. In the middle of 2018 on Ativan (1mg for two and a half weeks and .5mgs for two and weeks) and had been on 10mgs of Mogadon for a number of months. Around this time my mental state improved and I came out of depression. I came off the benzodiazepines quickly as the Ativan was making me ache and shake. This followed by 3 and a half months of benzodiazepine withdrawal. I took Propanolol occasionally to help with the shaking. Due to severity of my bout of my depression and in order to "protect" me from a recurrence I was also put on 45mgs of Lexapro, 100mgs of Epilim and 90mgs of Mirtazapine. I came off these drugs with no problems and was only on the Mirtazapine at the start of this year. I had issues with sleep and reduced the dose to 45mgs eight weeks ago for three nights. This aching came and has been with me since then. The drug was put back up to 90mgs then reduced to 67.5mgs after a couple weeks. Eventually the psychiatrist said that I should come of it "gently" by reducing it to zero over a week by dropping 15mgs every two nights. The aching continues. Lyrica was prescribed to help with the aching but just made me dopey. So now I am drug free but very concerned.

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Hello again everyone,

 

It is now one week since I got off the Mirtazapine. My body still is plagued by weird electrical charges and nauseous sensations. Today my stomach ache and loose bowel situation have returned. It is so uncomfortable that I have taken some Gastrostop.

 

I am also sleeping really badly. Last night I was so tired I went to bed at 9 pm. This meant I was fully awake at 4 am. I guess this isn't too bad as I did get some interrupted sleep.

 

There just is no sign that the aching is subsiding. It seems not so bad at the end of the day and then it returns in the morning. It could be that I am more sensitive at the beginning of the day. I know all the sites I have visited say that this will stop at some point as do my doctor and psychiatrist. But I give to keep motivating myself and continue to get out and do things.

 

But I am very frustrated because this should not have happened. Such a high dose of Mirtazapine (90 mgs daily) is complete overkill. I just didn't need that amount to keep the happy chemicals in my brain at a level which would have protected me from depression. I'm going to tell the psychiatrist this - as politely as I can. If I had been on a much lower dose, the drug might have been assisting me with sleep rather than stopping me from getting to sleep. And I would not have felt the necessity to reduce the dosage: unwittingly leading to the chaos which has afflicted me for the last seven weeks. 

 

Thanks to this experience I am now only too aware of the dangers of taking high doses of antidepressants for an extended period of time. I will simply not allow this to happen again.

 

And I am philosophical about this in that I appreciate that this suffering may have protected me from something far worse down the track.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have been on many psychiatric drugs in the past as I have a history of severe depression. Between mid 2016 and January 2018 I received 56 ECT treatments with massive memory loss as a consequence. In the middle of 2018 on Ativan (1mg for two and a half weeks and .5mgs for two and weeks) and had been on 10mgs of Mogadon for a number of months. Around this time my mental state improved and I came out of depression. I came off the benzodiazepines quickly as the Ativan was making me ache and shake. This followed by 3 and a half months of benzodiazepine withdrawal. I took Propanolol occasionally to help with the shaking. Due to severity of my bout of my depression and in order to "protect" me from a recurrence I was also put on 45mgs of Lexapro, 100mgs of Epilim and 90mgs of Mirtazapine. I came off these drugs with no problems and was only on the Mirtazapine at the start of this year. I had issues with sleep and reduced the dose to 45mgs eight weeks ago for three nights. This aching came and has been with me since then. The drug was put back up to 90mgs then reduced to 67.5mgs after a couple weeks. Eventually the psychiatrist said that I should come of it "gently" by reducing it to zero over a week by dropping 15mgs every two nights. The aching continues. Lyrica was prescribed to help with the aching but just made me dopey. So now I am drug free but very concerned.

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The mental challenge of coping with this is very much like benzodiazepine withdrawal which I endured last year. as with it, there is much evidence that recovery will occur. But this appears to be a long drawn out process too. This isn't what internet sites and medical practitioners say. They talk about discontinuation which last at most six weeks. Nowhere is there any reference to the intensity of this. Thank you for setting up this site which must take a lot of time and effort to maintain and update. At least there is somewhere i can go to talk about this experience as it is very difficult to talk to people about what i am going through. I look well and keep doing things so it appears to them as if I am doing fine. And many people are understandably not particularly interested in a sob story. All the best to all of you who read this and are looking for help and reassurance.

I have been on many psychiatric drugs in the past as I have a history of severe depression. Between mid 2016 and January 2018 I received 56 ECT treatments with massive memory loss as a consequence. In the middle of 2018 on Ativan (1mg for two and a half weeks and .5mgs for two and weeks) and had been on 10mgs of Mogadon for a number of months. Around this time my mental state improved and I came out of depression. I came off the benzodiazepines quickly as the Ativan was making me ache and shake. This followed by 3 and a half months of benzodiazepine withdrawal. I took Propanolol occasionally to help with the shaking. Due to severity of my bout of my depression and in order to "protect" me from a recurrence I was also put on 45mgs of Lexapro, 100mgs of Epilim and 90mgs of Mirtazapine. I came off these drugs with no problems and was only on the Mirtazapine at the start of this year. I had issues with sleep and reduced the dose to 45mgs eight weeks ago for three nights. This aching came and has been with me since then. The drug was put back up to 90mgs then reduced to 67.5mgs after a couple weeks. Eventually the psychiatrist said that I should come of it "gently" by reducing it to zero over a week by dropping 15mgs every two nights. The aching continues. Lyrica was prescribed to help with the aching but just made me dopey. So now I am drug free but very concerned.

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Hi evertonfan and welcome from me too, another Aussie.

 

Please create your drug signature using the following format.   Keep it simple.  NO diagnoses or symptoms please - thank you.

  • details for last 2 years - dates, ALL drugs, doses
  • summary for older than 2 years - just years and drug/s

Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature

 

This is your own introductions topic where your can ask questions about your own situation and journal your progress.

Here's some additional information which might help you to understand what is happening:

 

Recovery isn't linear it happens in a Windows and Waves Pattern

 

Withdrawal Normal Description


When we take a psychiatric drug, we are adding chemical/s to the brain.  The brain then has to change to adapt to getting the chemical/s.  It might have to change something to do with A and then once that change has been made it affects B so another change has to be made and so on down the line.  It is a chain reaction, a domino effect.

 

The same thing happens when we take the drug away.  That's why it's possible to experience such a vast array of withdrawal symptoms, and they can change, and be of different intensity.

 

are-we-there-yet-how-long-is-withdrawal-going-to-take

 

These explain it really well:

 

Video:  Healing From Antidepressants - Patterns of Recovery

 

On 8/31/2011 at 5:28 AM, Rhiannon said:

When we stop taking the drug, we have a brain that has designed itself so that it works in the presence of the drug; now it can't work properly without the drug because it's designed itself so that the drug is part of its chemistry and structure. It's like a plant that has grown on a trellis; you can't just yank out the trellis and expect the plant to be okay. When the drug is removed, the remodeling process has to take place in reverse. SO--it's not a matter of just getting the drug out of your system and moving on. If it were that simple, none of us would be here. It's a matter of, as I describe it, having to grow a new brain. I believe this growing-a-new-brain happens throughout the taper process if the taper is slow enough. (If it's too fast, then there's not a lot of time for actually rebalancing things, and basically the brain is just pedaling fast trying to keep us alive.) It also continues to happen, probably for longer than the symptoms actually last, throughout the time of recovery after we are completely off the drug, which is why recovery takes so long.

 

AND

 

On 12/4/2015 at 2:41 AM, apace41 said:

Basically- you have a building where the MAJOR steel structures are trying to be rebuilt at different times - ALL while people are coming and going in the building and attempting to work.

It would be like if the World Trade Center Towers hadn't completely fallen - but had crumbled inside in different places.. Imagine if you were trying to rebuild the tower - WHILE people were coming and going and trying to work in the building!  You'd have to set up a temporary elevator - but when you needed to fix part of that area, you'd have to tear down that elevator and set up a temporary elevator somewhere else. And so on. You'd have to build, work around, then tear down, then build again, then work around, then build... ALL while people are coming and going, ALL while the furniture is being replaced, ALL while the walls are getting repainted... ALL while life is going on INSIDE the building. No doubt it would be chaotic. That is EXACTLY what is happening with windows and waves.  The windows are where the body has "got it right" for a day or so - but then the building shifts and the brain works on something else - and it's chaos again while another temporary pathway is set up to reroute function until repairs are made.  

 

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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Thank you very much for reply to my posts and the links you have provided me with, Chessie Cat. Having read much of the material I am really concerned. I was on a massive dose of Mirtazapine for around a year. I had been on it before on 30mgs and came off it without any trouble. This plus the ease with which I came off Lexapro led me to think reducing Mirtazapine for three nights would have no consequences. I just wanted to see if I slept better.

 

Nothing the psychiatrist tried in regards to dosage alteration changed the symptoms. Now that I am off the drug I feel the same as when I was on 90mgs or 67.5mgs or less. I thought that getting off the drug was my only hope of recovery as I came to the conclusion that the Mirtazapine was poisoning me. The psychiatrist agreed with that view. He is a very experienced senior psychiatrist who runs consulting suites at a private hospital. He was giving me lots of drugs and I was concerned. That is why I kept asking to reduce them. I was also worried about the high dose of Mirtazapine and that is part of the reason why I reduced the dose for three nights without talking to the psychiatrist. I am - from painful experience - very aware of benzodiazepine withdrawal but I had no idea something like what I am experiencing from the sudden cessation of Mirtazapine could happen. My psychiatrist and I have gone against all the rules laid out on this site about getting off antidepressants. So I am scared that I am in for a very long period of recovery.

 

One other concern for me is that I have a history of severe depression. The psychiatrist is fearful of a return without the protection antidepressants provide. He wants me to get on another one - Pristiq - another SNRI antidepressant with a short half life as soon as possible. Clearly that cannot happen until I am fully recovered from this. But now that this nightmare has resulted from antidepressant use at very high doses I am really reluctant to go back on them. 

 

At the moment I am in good spirits and am trying to stay as positive as possible but I fear that there could be a breaking point if things don't start to pick up soon.

 

Thanks again for your help.

 

Evertonfan

I have been on many psychiatric drugs in the past as I have a history of severe depression. Between mid 2016 and January 2018 I received 56 ECT treatments with massive memory loss as a consequence. In the middle of 2018 on Ativan (1mg for two and a half weeks and .5mgs for two and weeks) and had been on 10mgs of Mogadon for a number of months. Around this time my mental state improved and I came out of depression. I came off the benzodiazepines quickly as the Ativan was making me ache and shake. This followed by 3 and a half months of benzodiazepine withdrawal. I took Propanolol occasionally to help with the shaking. Due to severity of my bout of my depression and in order to "protect" me from a recurrence I was also put on 45mgs of Lexapro, 100mgs of Epilim and 90mgs of Mirtazapine. I came off these drugs with no problems and was only on the Mirtazapine at the start of this year. I had issues with sleep and reduced the dose to 45mgs eight weeks ago for three nights. This aching came and has been with me since then. The drug was put back up to 90mgs then reduced to 67.5mgs after a couple weeks. Eventually the psychiatrist said that I should come of it "gently" by reducing it to zero over a week by dropping 15mgs every two nights. The aching continues. Lyrica was prescribed to help with the aching but just made me dopey. So now I am drug free but very concerned.

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  • Moderator Emeritus

It is generally better to reinstate a small dose of the drug that your brain has adjusted to instead of starting a new drug.  You might end up still suffering withdrawal from the "old" drug and possibly have start up/side effects/adverse reaction to the new drug.  Because of the change you will not know what is causing any issues.

 

With regards to Pristiq.  25mg Pristiq is not available in Australia.  Only 50mg and 100mg.  I was on 100mg and have managed to get down to 2.75mg.  However, it has been very expensive because I have to get my doses compounded.

 

Please read Post #1 of the reinstatement topic.  The sooner reinstatement is made, the better chance there is of it being successful.  Altostrata is SA's founder and this was her suggestion.

 

On 7/15/2019 at 7:00 AM, Altostrata said:

 

I'd try taking 1mg to see what it does. Reinstatement of a very low dose often helps withdrawal symptoms, incredible as it seems. This topic explains how to take a low dose Tips for tapering off Remeron (mirtazapine)

 

 

The idea of reinstating isn't to get rid of withdrawal symptoms completely but to bring them to a bearable level.  It is better to start with a small dose than to risk taking too much.  If after a week or two the symptoms are still unbearable you could increase by another small amount.

 

My own experience might help you to understand how these drugs can affect us.

 

I was taking 100mg Pristiq and because it is only available in 50mg and 100mg doses I started taking 50mg.  Over a 2 week period my brain fog got worse and worse and even walking took my full concentration.  It was at this time that I researched and found SA.  They suggested that I increase my dose but I wanted to find out more about what they were suggesting and of course the brain fog made it difficult to take in the information I was reading.  However, a couple of days after joining SA I was unable to type.  I have been a professional typist for 40+ years so I knew something was wrong.  I decided to take extra Pristiq and after only about 4 hours I was able to type again and the brain fog was lifting.  I had a benchmark so I had proof that it was the lack of drug that caused the brain fog and inability to type.  The difference was like night and day.  I also knew that there was no way that this was wishful thinking etc.

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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  • Administrator
On 7/14/2019 at 10:25 PM, evertonfan said:

The symptoms are no better nor any worse than when I was on a very high dose.

 

Please clarify -- do you have the same symptom pattern now you had when you were taking 90mg mirtazapine? What is this symptom pattern?

 

90mg mirtazapine is an extraordinarily high dosage, see drug information at https://www.drugs.com/dosage/mirtazapine.html

Quote

Maximum dose: 45 mg/day

 

MIrtazapine is quite dangerous in combination with Lexapro and even more so with valproic acid, see interactions at https://www.drugs.com/interactions-check.php?drug_list=1013-565,1640-0,2286-0

 

Did you have any of the symptoms described in the interactions report while you were taking the drugs?

 

I very much question whether your psychiatrist knew what he was doing.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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As I said in an earlier post, I have started to lose faith in the psychiatrist, Altostrata. I was aware all along that he was piling on the drugs and I kept pushing to reduce them. I knew that the dose of Mirtazapine was twice the allowable dose psychiatrists in the public system here in Victoria are allowed to prescribe. I raised this concern with the psychiatrist. His response was that it was an unusually high dose but in his practice not unique. He also talked about me not wanting to go through ECT again nor enter the public hospital once more. I read this to mean that he believed my psychological make up required very high doses of antidepressants. The irony is that my reaction to such a high dose has now resulted in me being on no psychiatric medication whilst going through a difficult time with withdrawal.

 

There is nothing, sadly, I can do to change the past. All I have to do is hope that I get better in the not too distant future. I have learnt a huge lesson from this though and that is to ensure that any antidepressants I do end up taking are at such dosage levels that my body can cope. But - as things stand at the moment - I will find it very difficult to agree to taking any given what i have experienced in the last couple of months.

 

In answer to your question, there is no discernible difference in my physical symptoms now to when they first started. I still have the same nauseous aching that I had eight weeks ago. Sleep has become a problem since I stopped though. As I reduced the drug my sleep became better but now that I am off it sleep is a challenge. I get to sleep fairly easily (unlike on the 90mgs) but I am awake very early and as the aching is so intrusive whilst I am in bed, I get up.

 

The other change is that my stomach is upset a lot of the time with wind and loose bowels. This was also not the case when I was on the high dose.

 

The symptoms I had whilst on the Lexapro was wind. It was very uncomfortable. Once I was off the Lexapro, these symptoms went.

 

I hope that I have answered your questions satisfactorily. If there is anything else you need to know, just ask me.

 

Thanks again for your time.

 

Evertonfan.

I have been on many psychiatric drugs in the past as I have a history of severe depression. Between mid 2016 and January 2018 I received 56 ECT treatments with massive memory loss as a consequence. In the middle of 2018 on Ativan (1mg for two and a half weeks and .5mgs for two and weeks) and had been on 10mgs of Mogadon for a number of months. Around this time my mental state improved and I came out of depression. I came off the benzodiazepines quickly as the Ativan was making me ache and shake. This followed by 3 and a half months of benzodiazepine withdrawal. I took Propanolol occasionally to help with the shaking. Due to severity of my bout of my depression and in order to "protect" me from a recurrence I was also put on 45mgs of Lexapro, 100mgs of Epilim and 90mgs of Mirtazapine. I came off these drugs with no problems and was only on the Mirtazapine at the start of this year. I had issues with sleep and reduced the dose to 45mgs eight weeks ago for three nights. This aching came and has been with me since then. The drug was put back up to 90mgs then reduced to 67.5mgs after a couple weeks. Eventually the psychiatrist said that I should come of it "gently" by reducing it to zero over a week by dropping 15mgs every two nights. The aching continues. Lyrica was prescribed to help with the aching but just made me dopey. So now I am drug free but very concerned.

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Hi Altostrata, The lack of sleep is a really serious issue. At the moment at 5pm I am desperately tired after so little sleep last night. On top of the horrible aching it is very difficult to take. I am seeing my GP at 7. He is unlikely to do anything other than encourage me to try to cope as best I can. I won't contact the psychiatrist because he will tell me to take Zopiclone a benzo type drug which is highly addictive. That's the last thing I want in my life at the moment.

I have been on many psychiatric drugs in the past as I have a history of severe depression. Between mid 2016 and January 2018 I received 56 ECT treatments with massive memory loss as a consequence. In the middle of 2018 on Ativan (1mg for two and a half weeks and .5mgs for two and weeks) and had been on 10mgs of Mogadon for a number of months. Around this time my mental state improved and I came out of depression. I came off the benzodiazepines quickly as the Ativan was making me ache and shake. This followed by 3 and a half months of benzodiazepine withdrawal. I took Propanolol occasionally to help with the shaking. Due to severity of my bout of my depression and in order to "protect" me from a recurrence I was also put on 45mgs of Lexapro, 100mgs of Epilim and 90mgs of Mirtazapine. I came off these drugs with no problems and was only on the Mirtazapine at the start of this year. I had issues with sleep and reduced the dose to 45mgs eight weeks ago for three nights. This aching came and has been with me since then. The drug was put back up to 90mgs then reduced to 67.5mgs after a couple weeks. Eventually the psychiatrist said that I should come of it "gently" by reducing it to zero over a week by dropping 15mgs every two nights. The aching continues. Lyrica was prescribed to help with the aching but just made me dopey. So now I am drug free but very concerned.

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Another day; another night. My symptoms remain the same: nauseous, electric shock sensations through the body. At least I slept ok which means I will be in a better position to cope today.

 

Thanks moderators for posting a link to a list of withdrawal symptoms. This at least assures me that mine are typical symptoms of withdrawal and gives me some hope that I will eventually recover. Having lost so much of my life  to depression and having gone through benzodiazepine withdrawal only a few months ago, this is hitting me hard. I was led to believe Mirtazapine was my friend but sadly it turned out to be my enemy.

 

I met the GP last evening. We get on well and he did concede that, even though he believes antidepressants save lives, they do have side effects and they should be used with care. But he had handed me over to a senior psychiatrist and at that point his responsibility for the prescribing of the drugs ended. He is now more focussed on ways to promote my well being. I said that I thought the psychiatrist had given me too many drugs at too high doses. He didn't disagree just reasserted that these decisions were the psychiatrist's responsibility.

 

I will take up these concerns with the psychiatrist next Tuesday. All I do know is that by giving me such a high dose of a psychiatric drug with a low half life, the psychiatrist has defeated his purpose. I am no longer on the drug and am going through an immensely difficult withdrawal. Hardly the best way to protect me from becoming depressed!

 

 

I have been on many psychiatric drugs in the past as I have a history of severe depression. Between mid 2016 and January 2018 I received 56 ECT treatments with massive memory loss as a consequence. In the middle of 2018 on Ativan (1mg for two and a half weeks and .5mgs for two and weeks) and had been on 10mgs of Mogadon for a number of months. Around this time my mental state improved and I came out of depression. I came off the benzodiazepines quickly as the Ativan was making me ache and shake. This followed by 3 and a half months of benzodiazepine withdrawal. I took Propanolol occasionally to help with the shaking. Due to severity of my bout of my depression and in order to "protect" me from a recurrence I was also put on 45mgs of Lexapro, 100mgs of Epilim and 90mgs of Mirtazapine. I came off these drugs with no problems and was only on the Mirtazapine at the start of this year. I had issues with sleep and reduced the dose to 45mgs eight weeks ago for three nights. This aching came and has been with me since then. The drug was put back up to 90mgs then reduced to 67.5mgs after a couple weeks. Eventually the psychiatrist said that I should come of it "gently" by reducing it to zero over a week by dropping 15mgs every two nights. The aching continues. Lyrica was prescribed to help with the aching but just made me dopey. So now I am drug free but very concerned.

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  • Moderator Emeritus
16 hours ago, evertonfan said:

The lack of sleep is a really serious issue.

 

I'm sorry you're having such a hard time, evertonfan.

 

Some members have found Melatonin helpful with the insomnia so many of us deal with.  
 
 
 It's best to start at a very low dosage, such as .25mg, and gradually increase if needed to the lowest effective dose.  
 
 
 

Gridley Introduction

 

Lexapro 20 mg since 2004.  Begin Brassmonkey Slide Taper Jan. 2017.   

End 2017 year 1 of taper at 9.25mg 

End 2018 year 2 of taper at 4.1mg

End 2019 year 3 of taper at 1.0mg  

Oct. 30, 2020  Jump to zero from 0.025mg.  Current dose: 0.000mg

3 year, 10 month taper is 100% complete.

 

Ativan 1 mg to 1.875mg 1986-2020, two CT's and reinstatements

Nov. 2020, 7-week Ativan-Valium crossover to 18.75mg Valium

Feb. 2021, begin 10%/4 week taper of 18.75mg Valium 

End 2021  year 1 of Valium taper at 6mg

End 2022 year 2 of Valium taper at 2.75mg 

End 2023 year 3 of Valium taper at 1mg

Jan. 24, 2024: Hold at 1mg and shift to Imipramine taper.

Taper is 95% complete.

 

Imipramine 75 mg daily since 1986.  Jan.-Sept. 2016 tapered to 14.4mg  

March 22, 2022: Begin 10%/4 week taper

Aug. 5, 2022: hold at 9.5mg and shift to Valium taper

Jan. 24, 2024: Resume Imipramine taper.  Current dose as of Feb. 22: 7.6mg

Taper is 90% complete.  

  

Supplements: multiple, quercetin, omega-3, vitamins C, E and D3, magnesium glycinate, probiotics, zinc, melatonin .3mg, anti-candida, iron, serrapeptase, nattokinase


I am not a medical professional and this is not medical advice but simply information based on my own experience, as well as other members who have survived these drugs.

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  • Administrator

We don't put much stock in psychiatric diagnoses here. You may or may not have had depression and you may or may not have depression now. Not all depression requires drugs or other psychiatric treatment.

 

21 hours ago, evertonfan said:

As I reduced the drug my sleep became better but now that I am off it sleep is a challenge.

 

This indicates that at a lower dosage, mirtazapine became sleep-inducing, as it usually is.

 

It sounds like you are having a reaction to the natural early-morning rise of cortisol. You may sleep better and feel better in the morning if you darken your bedroom with blackout shades and curtains and use a sleep mask. See Waking with panic or anxiety -- managing cortisol spikes  and

 

Tips to help sleep -- so many of us have that awful withdrawal insomnia

 

Path to Better Sleep FREE online for everyone from the US Veterans Administration

 

Music for self-care: Calms hyperalertness, anxiety, aids relaxation and sleep

 

What is the sleep cycle?

 

Melatonin for sleep: Many people find it helpful

 

TV or computer use in evening can disrupt sleep: Bright light signals the brain that it's daytime

 

White noise devices for sleep

 

On the theory that some of your symptoms are mirtazapine withdrawal symptoms, you might try reinstatement of perhaps 1mg mirtazapine and see what it does. It may help you sleep. This topic explains how to make a liquid to take a small amount Tips for tapering off Remeron (mirtazapine)

 

Surprisingly, many of our members have found such tiny dosages can be effective. You'd stabilize on this for a while and then taper off by miniscule amounts.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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Thank very much Gridley and Altostrata for the time and consideration you have given to me in your responses. I have read quite a lot of Brass Monkey's essay about withdrawal and this really frightens me. I was on such a massive dose for nearly a year and now it has all gone in a very short time. My symptoms are severe and brutal. However, they are really much the same as they were when I was on very high doses.

 

Now that I'm off the drug,  I'm very reluctant to put it back into my system given that no matter what level of the drug I was on I felt exactly the same as I do now.

 

Thank you very much to the links about sleep. At the moment I'm having no difficulty getting to sleep. The problem is that if  I wake in the middle of the night  - which I do most nights - I simply can't get back to sleep. The intensity of this burning sensation is so great. The challenge for me at the moment is really a psychological one. Coping with such intense sensations with absolutely no break from them is very difficult to cope with. And, secondly, now that I have not conducted a taper in the way that you suggested I should have, I am deeply worried about how long it is going to take for my body to recover.

 

I  have already lost a lot of my life to depression and having only recently recovered from that terrible disease, I was looking forward to making something of my life and now I have to deal with this.

 

My wife has enduredso much too. And now I'm putting out yet another burden on her.

 

There are moments when I just feel in complete despair and fear I'm going to plummet back into depression. I now have lost complete faith in my psychiatrist who has done this to me so I don't have him to turn to anymore . 

 

Thank you very much for the analogies of the twin towers and the trellis. They were very helpful. However, they also emphasise just how long this whole process is going to take and that now I have got off the drug the wrong way, I'm going to have to be determined to get through it.

 

I am trying to do all the things that you suggested such as trying to be positive, keeping focused on other activities so that I don't just sit here and exercising by walking every day for 40 minutes.

 

The really sad thing about something like this is that noone I know has any concept of what these nauseating, burning sensations are like. So it's really difficult to talk about it to anyone because they simply don't understand.

 

I have thought a lot about your suggestion to reinstate the drug. However, I'm not going to do that. I'm just going have to go on with this and accept the consequences.

 

I am seeing the psychiatrist next Tuesday but there is nothing he can do to help me. He is afraid that if I don't return to another antidepressant soon in order to protect me, there is a danger I will fall back into depression.

 

Thank you again very much for the time that you have taken to respond to my post.

 

I will update you again as things develop.

 

Evertonfan

I have been on many psychiatric drugs in the past as I have a history of severe depression. Between mid 2016 and January 2018 I received 56 ECT treatments with massive memory loss as a consequence. In the middle of 2018 on Ativan (1mg for two and a half weeks and .5mgs for two and weeks) and had been on 10mgs of Mogadon for a number of months. Around this time my mental state improved and I came out of depression. I came off the benzodiazepines quickly as the Ativan was making me ache and shake. This followed by 3 and a half months of benzodiazepine withdrawal. I took Propanolol occasionally to help with the shaking. Due to severity of my bout of my depression and in order to "protect" me from a recurrence I was also put on 45mgs of Lexapro, 100mgs of Epilim and 90mgs of Mirtazapine. I came off these drugs with no problems and was only on the Mirtazapine at the start of this year. I had issues with sleep and reduced the dose to 45mgs eight weeks ago for three nights. This aching came and has been with me since then. The drug was put back up to 90mgs then reduced to 67.5mgs after a couple weeks. Eventually the psychiatrist said that I should come of it "gently" by reducing it to zero over a week by dropping 15mgs every two nights. The aching continues. Lyrica was prescribed to help with the aching but just made me dopey. So now I am drug free but very concerned.

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I am going to attempt to talk to the psychiatrist today about reinstating the drug and at what level. I took the drugs back to the pharmacy for disposal so I won’t have access to 30mg tablets. But maybe I could get a prescription from a GP. I will see how it goes and let you know.

 

Thanks for the help and advice.

 

Ivan

I have been on many psychiatric drugs in the past as I have a history of severe depression. Between mid 2016 and January 2018 I received 56 ECT treatments with massive memory loss as a consequence. In the middle of 2018 on Ativan (1mg for two and a half weeks and .5mgs for two and weeks) and had been on 10mgs of Mogadon for a number of months. Around this time my mental state improved and I came out of depression. I came off the benzodiazepines quickly as the Ativan was making me ache and shake. This followed by 3 and a half months of benzodiazepine withdrawal. I took Propanolol occasionally to help with the shaking. Due to severity of my bout of my depression and in order to "protect" me from a recurrence I was also put on 45mgs of Lexapro, 100mgs of Epilim and 90mgs of Mirtazapine. I came off these drugs with no problems and was only on the Mirtazapine at the start of this year. I had issues with sleep and reduced the dose to 45mgs eight weeks ago for three nights. This aching came and has been with me since then. The drug was put back up to 90mgs then reduced to 67.5mgs after a couple weeks. Eventually the psychiatrist said that I should come of it "gently" by reducing it to zero over a week by dropping 15mgs every two nights. The aching continues. Lyrica was prescribed to help with the aching but just made me dopey. So now I am drug free but very concerned.

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I have an appointment with the psychiatrist at 4 this afternoon. As I said in the last post I am going to ask about reinstatement. There are 15 mg tablets so, given I was on 90 mg, reinstatement at 15mg may be a start. At least I should get some sleep. If one of the moderators has an opinion it would be much appreciated.

 

One if the reasons I feel something has to change is that my stomach has become really upset and I am very uncomfortable. This happened once before and became a serious issue for me.

 

Bye for now.

I have been on many psychiatric drugs in the past as I have a history of severe depression. Between mid 2016 and January 2018 I received 56 ECT treatments with massive memory loss as a consequence. In the middle of 2018 on Ativan (1mg for two and a half weeks and .5mgs for two and weeks) and had been on 10mgs of Mogadon for a number of months. Around this time my mental state improved and I came out of depression. I came off the benzodiazepines quickly as the Ativan was making me ache and shake. This followed by 3 and a half months of benzodiazepine withdrawal. I took Propanolol occasionally to help with the shaking. Due to severity of my bout of my depression and in order to "protect" me from a recurrence I was also put on 45mgs of Lexapro, 100mgs of Epilim and 90mgs of Mirtazapine. I came off these drugs with no problems and was only on the Mirtazapine at the start of this year. I had issues with sleep and reduced the dose to 45mgs eight weeks ago for three nights. This aching came and has been with me since then. The drug was put back up to 90mgs then reduced to 67.5mgs after a couple weeks. Eventually the psychiatrist said that I should come of it "gently" by reducing it to zero over a week by dropping 15mgs every two nights. The aching continues. Lyrica was prescribed to help with the aching but just made me dopey. So now I am drug free but very concerned.

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  • Moderator Emeritus
1 hour ago, evertonfan said:

given I was on 90 mg, reinstatement at 15mg may be a start. At least I should get some sleep. If one of the moderators has an opinion it would be much appreciated.

 

Your psychiatrist's tapering plan was very questionable.  As you've perhaps read many times here, psychiatrists haven't the foggiest clue about withdrawal or tapering.

 

15mg seems too high to me, though your doc will likely suggest even more.  Too much can destabilize you further.  I'll repeat what Alto said earlier about reinstatement for you:

 

"On the theory that some of your symptoms are mirtazapine withdrawal symptoms, you might try reinstatement of perhaps 1mg mirtazapine and see what it does. It may help you sleep. This topic explains how to make a liquid to take a small amount Tips for tapering off Remeron (mirtazapine)

 

Surprisingly, many of our members have found such tiny dosages can be effective. You'd stabilize on this for a while and then taper off by miniscule amounts."

 

With reinstatement, more is generally not better.

 

 

 

Gridley Introduction

 

Lexapro 20 mg since 2004.  Begin Brassmonkey Slide Taper Jan. 2017.   

End 2017 year 1 of taper at 9.25mg 

End 2018 year 2 of taper at 4.1mg

End 2019 year 3 of taper at 1.0mg  

Oct. 30, 2020  Jump to zero from 0.025mg.  Current dose: 0.000mg

3 year, 10 month taper is 100% complete.

 

Ativan 1 mg to 1.875mg 1986-2020, two CT's and reinstatements

Nov. 2020, 7-week Ativan-Valium crossover to 18.75mg Valium

Feb. 2021, begin 10%/4 week taper of 18.75mg Valium 

End 2021  year 1 of Valium taper at 6mg

End 2022 year 2 of Valium taper at 2.75mg 

End 2023 year 3 of Valium taper at 1mg

Jan. 24, 2024: Hold at 1mg and shift to Imipramine taper.

Taper is 95% complete.

 

Imipramine 75 mg daily since 1986.  Jan.-Sept. 2016 tapered to 14.4mg  

March 22, 2022: Begin 10%/4 week taper

Aug. 5, 2022: hold at 9.5mg and shift to Valium taper

Jan. 24, 2024: Resume Imipramine taper.  Current dose as of Feb. 22: 7.6mg

Taper is 90% complete.  

  

Supplements: multiple, quercetin, omega-3, vitamins C, E and D3, magnesium glycinate, probiotics, zinc, melatonin .3mg, anti-candida, iron, serrapeptase, nattokinase


I am not a medical professional and this is not medical advice but simply information based on my own experience, as well as other members who have survived these drugs.

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Cutting a 15mg tablet into 1/15th could be a challenge. I will see how to manage it. I totally agree about the 90mg. This was completely over the top and has now backfired big time. But I am the one who is suffering; the psychiatrist will continue to sit in his nice room raking in the money. At the moment the need is to get some relief. If I can sleep I won't wake up at an ungodly hour and ruminate like I did today for 3 hours.

 

I will get back to you this afternoon after I have seen the psychiatrist.

 

Evertonfan.

I have been on many psychiatric drugs in the past as I have a history of severe depression. Between mid 2016 and January 2018 I received 56 ECT treatments with massive memory loss as a consequence. In the middle of 2018 on Ativan (1mg for two and a half weeks and .5mgs for two and weeks) and had been on 10mgs of Mogadon for a number of months. Around this time my mental state improved and I came out of depression. I came off the benzodiazepines quickly as the Ativan was making me ache and shake. This followed by 3 and a half months of benzodiazepine withdrawal. I took Propanolol occasionally to help with the shaking. Due to severity of my bout of my depression and in order to "protect" me from a recurrence I was also put on 45mgs of Lexapro, 100mgs of Epilim and 90mgs of Mirtazapine. I came off these drugs with no problems and was only on the Mirtazapine at the start of this year. I had issues with sleep and reduced the dose to 45mgs eight weeks ago for three nights. This aching came and has been with me since then. The drug was put back up to 90mgs then reduced to 67.5mgs after a couple weeks. Eventually the psychiatrist said that I should come of it "gently" by reducing it to zero over a week by dropping 15mgs every two nights. The aching continues. Lyrica was prescribed to help with the aching but just made me dopey. So now I am drug free but very concerned.

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1 hour ago, evertonfan said:

Cutting a 15mg tablet into 1/15th could be a challenge. I will see how to manage it. I totally agree about the 90mg. This was completely over the top and has now backfired big time. But I am the one who is suffering; the psychiatrist will continue to sit in his nice room raking in the money. At the moment the need is to get some relief. If I can sleep I won't wake up at an ungodly hour and ruminate like I did today for 3 hours.

 

I will get back to you this afternoon after I have seen the psychiatrist.

 

Evertonfan.

Sorry for my English. 90mg mirt its insanely huge dose above any limit. Everything above 15 mg usually makes sleep difficult. I could not sleep on 30mg.  Btw mirtazapine have huge impact on hormones lever, liver function. 90mg seems like murder not a treatment. But now your body got accosumed to high dose and u cant lower dose fast...that sucks... And lyrica ? Seriously? Got prescribed lyrica in benzo withdrawal?  Definitely your psychiatrust wants to kill u if he wants to deal more damage to you gaba receptors by prescribing lyrica.. Learn about kindling effect pls. 

2017 - july 2018 - phenazepam 1mg  when needed (kindling)

aug 2018 - phenazepam 1mg , escitalopram 5mg daily. 

september 2018 - CT from benzo and escitalopram, olanazapine 5mg for 3 days with no effect. Reinstated benzo 1mg , felt better and CT after few days.

october 2018 - mirtazapine (remeron)30mg

november 2018 - mirtazapine stopped working for sleep, Mirtazapine CT, then reinstated and  CT (two weeks) Reinstated benzo and CT after week

december 2018 -  seroquel 25 then 50mg, fluvoxamine several days (blurred vision), clomiprine 1 pill (seizure), amitriptyline 25 or  75 several days.

january- 2019 - seroquel 50mg started building tolerance , so took 75-100 sometimes, depakote  300mg  then 600, then 750 mg, started building tolerance too.

february 2019 - CT seroquel, CT depakote.

Feb- March 2019 - Almost no sleep for few weeks.  Took doxylamine several times.

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I saw the psychiatrist yesterday afternoon. He didn’t recommend any reinstatement. He told me to stick it out. We chatted about sleep hygiene. He did prescribe a very low dose of Tegretol. I tried it and it had no effect. 

 

I did manage to get more sleep last night but by no means enough.

 

So the challenge is now to see this through to the end. I am going to try to do as much as I can by getting out and doing things.

 

The psychiatrist did say this may some time. And much the same has been said on this site by administrators, moderators and members. I spite of my fast taper I feel assured the healing is going on and that eventually I will recover.

 

I don’t intend to post much from now on as I am aware there is little anyone here can do to help me. I do thank everyone who has given me advice. I very much appreciate the time and thought you have given to respond to my posts.

 

I have been on many psychiatric drugs in the past as I have a history of severe depression. Between mid 2016 and January 2018 I received 56 ECT treatments with massive memory loss as a consequence. In the middle of 2018 on Ativan (1mg for two and a half weeks and .5mgs for two and weeks) and had been on 10mgs of Mogadon for a number of months. Around this time my mental state improved and I came out of depression. I came off the benzodiazepines quickly as the Ativan was making me ache and shake. This followed by 3 and a half months of benzodiazepine withdrawal. I took Propanolol occasionally to help with the shaking. Due to severity of my bout of my depression and in order to "protect" me from a recurrence I was also put on 45mgs of Lexapro, 100mgs of Epilim and 90mgs of Mirtazapine. I came off these drugs with no problems and was only on the Mirtazapine at the start of this year. I had issues with sleep and reduced the dose to 45mgs eight weeks ago for three nights. This aching came and has been with me since then. The drug was put back up to 90mgs then reduced to 67.5mgs after a couple weeks. Eventually the psychiatrist said that I should come of it "gently" by reducing it to zero over a week by dropping 15mgs every two nights. The aching continues. Lyrica was prescribed to help with the aching but just made me dopey. So now I am drug free but very concerned.

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It’s now 12 nights since I stopped the Mirtazapine. This is a dreadful experience as there is no relief. I do get some sleep last night but it is so interrupted. I just wish I could walk out of my body. The aching is so strong.

 

But the biggest problem is the knowledge that I came off a huge dose at a very quick rate. This leads to the fear that this could last a long time. I have taken 100mg of Tegretol for the last couple of days but it makes no difference. So I will probably stop taking it.

 

I recognise how badly this withdrawal was handled. This is just frightening.

 

 I will stick around on the site as I appreciate the encouragement people give to one another on here.

 

Best of luck.

I have been on many psychiatric drugs in the past as I have a history of severe depression. Between mid 2016 and January 2018 I received 56 ECT treatments with massive memory loss as a consequence. In the middle of 2018 on Ativan (1mg for two and a half weeks and .5mgs for two and weeks) and had been on 10mgs of Mogadon for a number of months. Around this time my mental state improved and I came out of depression. I came off the benzodiazepines quickly as the Ativan was making me ache and shake. This followed by 3 and a half months of benzodiazepine withdrawal. I took Propanolol occasionally to help with the shaking. Due to severity of my bout of my depression and in order to "protect" me from a recurrence I was also put on 45mgs of Lexapro, 100mgs of Epilim and 90mgs of Mirtazapine. I came off these drugs with no problems and was only on the Mirtazapine at the start of this year. I had issues with sleep and reduced the dose to 45mgs eight weeks ago for three nights. This aching came and has been with me since then. The drug was put back up to 90mgs then reduced to 67.5mgs after a couple weeks. Eventually the psychiatrist said that I should come of it "gently" by reducing it to zero over a week by dropping 15mgs every two nights. The aching continues. Lyrica was prescribed to help with the aching but just made me dopey. So now I am drug free but very concerned.

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  • Moderator Emeritus
12 minutes ago, evertonfan said:

 I will stick around on the site as I appreciate the encouragement people give to one another on here.

 

A good idea. You are very welcome here.

Gridley Introduction

 

Lexapro 20 mg since 2004.  Begin Brassmonkey Slide Taper Jan. 2017.   

End 2017 year 1 of taper at 9.25mg 

End 2018 year 2 of taper at 4.1mg

End 2019 year 3 of taper at 1.0mg  

Oct. 30, 2020  Jump to zero from 0.025mg.  Current dose: 0.000mg

3 year, 10 month taper is 100% complete.

 

Ativan 1 mg to 1.875mg 1986-2020, two CT's and reinstatements

Nov. 2020, 7-week Ativan-Valium crossover to 18.75mg Valium

Feb. 2021, begin 10%/4 week taper of 18.75mg Valium 

End 2021  year 1 of Valium taper at 6mg

End 2022 year 2 of Valium taper at 2.75mg 

End 2023 year 3 of Valium taper at 1mg

Jan. 24, 2024: Hold at 1mg and shift to Imipramine taper.

Taper is 95% complete.

 

Imipramine 75 mg daily since 1986.  Jan.-Sept. 2016 tapered to 14.4mg  

March 22, 2022: Begin 10%/4 week taper

Aug. 5, 2022: hold at 9.5mg and shift to Valium taper

Jan. 24, 2024: Resume Imipramine taper.  Current dose as of Feb. 22: 7.6mg

Taper is 90% complete.  

  

Supplements: multiple, quercetin, omega-3, vitamins C, E and D3, magnesium glycinate, probiotics, zinc, melatonin .3mg, anti-candida, iron, serrapeptase, nattokinase


I am not a medical professional and this is not medical advice but simply information based on my own experience, as well as other members who have survived these drugs.

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Hi Gridley,

 

Thanks for your encouragement.

 

I fear my journey will be protracted and painful as the dose was so high.

 

I went out today to an Australian Rules football match and am now exhausted. I am getting so little sleep because the symptoms are so severe.

 

i read that you have taken Prozac. My psychiatrist was recommending Pristiq as a replacement for Mirtazapine but I told him I didn’t want to go on another drug with a short half life so he suggested Prozac. My GP also thought that maybe the best drug. Have you any thoughts on Prozac? 

 

I have had three bouts of debilitating depression and accept that a antidepressant is something which may protect me.

 

 I will never agree to such a high dose again, however. The Therapeutic Goods Administration in Australia states that 45mgs of Mirtazapine is the maximum and I was on twice that for about ten months so the huge dose and the short period of withdrawal have resulted in the agony I am now enduring.

I have been on many psychiatric drugs in the past as I have a history of severe depression. Between mid 2016 and January 2018 I received 56 ECT treatments with massive memory loss as a consequence. In the middle of 2018 on Ativan (1mg for two and a half weeks and .5mgs for two and weeks) and had been on 10mgs of Mogadon for a number of months. Around this time my mental state improved and I came out of depression. I came off the benzodiazepines quickly as the Ativan was making me ache and shake. This followed by 3 and a half months of benzodiazepine withdrawal. I took Propanolol occasionally to help with the shaking. Due to severity of my bout of my depression and in order to "protect" me from a recurrence I was also put on 45mgs of Lexapro, 100mgs of Epilim and 90mgs of Mirtazapine. I came off these drugs with no problems and was only on the Mirtazapine at the start of this year. I had issues with sleep and reduced the dose to 45mgs eight weeks ago for three nights. This aching came and has been with me since then. The drug was put back up to 90mgs then reduced to 67.5mgs after a couple weeks. Eventually the psychiatrist said that I should come of it "gently" by reducing it to zero over a week by dropping 15mgs every two nights. The aching continues. Lyrica was prescribed to help with the aching but just made me dopey. So now I am drug free but very concerned.

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Your brain has adapted to mirtazapine and the withdrawal symptoms you are experiencing are because your brain is trying to adapt to not getting the drug.

 

Prozac might not cover the mirtazapine withdrawal.

 

The Prozac switch or "bridging" with Prozac

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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Thanks for this link, Chessie Cat,

 

The psychiatrist is not recommending that I take Prozac to address the withdrawal symptoms. His plan is to let me recover from the “discontinuation” and after my body has recovered introduce the Prozac.

 

So I am interested in knowing if there issues with that drug.

I have been on many psychiatric drugs in the past as I have a history of severe depression. Between mid 2016 and January 2018 I received 56 ECT treatments with massive memory loss as a consequence. In the middle of 2018 on Ativan (1mg for two and a half weeks and .5mgs for two and weeks) and had been on 10mgs of Mogadon for a number of months. Around this time my mental state improved and I came out of depression. I came off the benzodiazepines quickly as the Ativan was making me ache and shake. This followed by 3 and a half months of benzodiazepine withdrawal. I took Propanolol occasionally to help with the shaking. Due to severity of my bout of my depression and in order to "protect" me from a recurrence I was also put on 45mgs of Lexapro, 100mgs of Epilim and 90mgs of Mirtazapine. I came off these drugs with no problems and was only on the Mirtazapine at the start of this year. I had issues with sleep and reduced the dose to 45mgs eight weeks ago for three nights. This aching came and has been with me since then. The drug was put back up to 90mgs then reduced to 67.5mgs after a couple weeks. Eventually the psychiatrist said that I should come of it "gently" by reducing it to zero over a week by dropping 15mgs every two nights. The aching continues. Lyrica was prescribed to help with the aching but just made me dopey. So now I am drug free but very concerned.

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Oh, you know I just hate to give advice contrary to that of a PSYCHIATRIST but
 

On 7/17/2019 at 7:46 PM, Altostrata said:

On the theory that some of your symptoms are mirtazapine withdrawal symptoms, you might try reinstatement of perhaps 1mg mirtazapine and see what it does. It may help you sleep. This topic explains how to make a liquid to take a small amount Tips for tapering off Remeron (mirtazapine)

 

Surprisingly, many of our members have found such tiny dosages can be effective. You'd stabilize on this for a while and then taper off by miniscule amounts.

 

On the other hand, you might take more of your psychiatrist's advice and whip up another drug cocktail for yourself to treat withdrawal symptoms from mirtazapine. Your choice.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

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Hi Altostrata,

 

The intention of the psychiatrist is to put me on another antidepressant only after I have completely recovered from the impact of this withdrawal. The withdrawal did start very quickly after I had reduced the 90mgs without consulting him to 45mgs for three nights. Since the symptoms started eight weeks ago, they have been consistent no matter what level of drug I was on or if like now I was not on Mirtazapine at all.

 

There is no way after what I have been through that I am going to willingly agree to any new concoction of drugs. Indeed, I was prescribed Tegretol on Friday but it didn’t help so I am back on no drugs - something which amazes me given the pharmacopoeia of drugs I was on just one year ago. Indeed, it was my determination to get off as many of them as possible which led me to make the mistake I made two months ago.

 

It is now two weeks since I took my last Mirtazapine tablet. I am sleeping though not for long. Unlike on the high dose I am getting to sleep really quickly but when I wake in the middle of the night, the aching is so bad it probably prevents me from going back to sleep.

 

 I only wish I had simply taken the dose in the morning. I wouldn’t have had to have gone through this then.

 

However, thanks to the information you have provided me and my own research I now understand just how dangerous long term use of a high dose of a drug with a short half life can be. Even missing a dose when travelling overseas could have led to the withdrawal symptoms which came from cutting the dose for three nights. 

 

That’s why I will only agree to a low dose of an antidepressant with a long half life. But that may not be for many months as I have to recover from these awful symptoms first.

 

 Thanks for the link to reinstatement of 1mg of Mirtazapine. I somehow don’t think I am in a position to organise that. Moreover, now that I have been off the drug for a couple of weeks and view it as a poison, I am very reluctant to allow any of it - even a fragment of a tablet - back into my body.

 

I know this is going to take a long time and I have to be prepared for that.

 

What I would request from you (if it’s possible) is a link to a site which reassures people in a situation like mine that it will be all right in the end.

 

I have put my life on hold. My wife will now have to go overseas by herself. I find it a struggle to enjoy anything. It is a dreadful, miserable experience but in the long run if and when I get better, I can look back and say I saved myself from being on a massive dose of Mirtazapine indefinitely with all the dangers such a drug brings with it.

 

But I have to get better and there’s absolutely no sign thus far that I will.

 

Thanks again for your help. This site is amazingly well organised. You and others must have put an enormous amount of time and effort into setting it up. Well done!!

 

Evertonfan

 

 

I have been on many psychiatric drugs in the past as I have a history of severe depression. Between mid 2016 and January 2018 I received 56 ECT treatments with massive memory loss as a consequence. In the middle of 2018 on Ativan (1mg for two and a half weeks and .5mgs for two and weeks) and had been on 10mgs of Mogadon for a number of months. Around this time my mental state improved and I came out of depression. I came off the benzodiazepines quickly as the Ativan was making me ache and shake. This followed by 3 and a half months of benzodiazepine withdrawal. I took Propanolol occasionally to help with the shaking. Due to severity of my bout of my depression and in order to "protect" me from a recurrence I was also put on 45mgs of Lexapro, 100mgs of Epilim and 90mgs of Mirtazapine. I came off these drugs with no problems and was only on the Mirtazapine at the start of this year. I had issues with sleep and reduced the dose to 45mgs eight weeks ago for three nights. This aching came and has been with me since then. The drug was put back up to 90mgs then reduced to 67.5mgs after a couple weeks. Eventually the psychiatrist said that I should come of it "gently" by reducing it to zero over a week by dropping 15mgs every two nights. The aching continues. Lyrica was prescribed to help with the aching but just made me dopey. So now I am drug free but very concerned.

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  • Moderator Emeritus
44 minutes ago, evertonfan said:

Thanks for the link to reinstatement of 1mg of Mirtazapine. I somehow don’t think I am in a position to organise that. Moreover, now that I have been off the drug for a couple of weeks and view it as a poison, I am very reluctant to allow any of it - even a fragment of a tablet - back into my body.

 

We understand that members can feel reluctant to take the drug.  However the sooner reinstatement is made the more chance it has of being successful.

 

Please carefully read through Post #1 of About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal

 

Please check out Altostrata's story.  She is SA's founder and has experienced PAWS and also done a lot of research on the subject of psychiatric drugs.

 

47 minutes ago, evertonfan said:

What I would request from you (if it’s possible) is a link to a site which reassures people in a situation like mine that it will be all right in the end.

 

success-stories-recovery-from-withdrawal

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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Hi ChessieCat,

 

In regards to your suggestion that I reinstate 1mg of Mirtazapine, it should be understood that the psychiatrist did reinstate the dose of 90mgs in the belief that the symptoms would go away as I was only on the lower dose for three days. This confidence was reaffirmed by my GP and a retired GP who is my friend. To their surprise and my disappointment the improvement did not happen. I stayed on the high dose for a couple of weeks. The psychiatrist said that what had happened to me was something he had not seen before. (My own theory is that such a massive dose of a drug with such a short life has the potential to suddenly cause withdrawal symptoms if a dose or two is missed. That is why I would never agree to being on a drug like Pristiq or Venlafaxine.) He tried stabilising me on a lower dose (67.5mgs) for another week or so. That didn't work either. So he felt the only approach was to get me off the drug. As I had a flight to London booked for August 15th, he felt it was best to get me off the drug more quickly than he otherwise would have done in the hope that I would be able to travel. Sadly, that is not going to happen. My wife has rearranged her flight and is likely to go on her own or with her sister. My life is now on hold as I cannot plan anything whilst my body is in such turmoil.

 

To be fair to the psychiatrist, he was confronted by someone whose symptoms developed all of a sudden and did not improve even though he carried out what is standard practice. I do hold him responsible though for putting me on such a massive dose in the first place. His defence is that it was working and as I had been so ill he felt a high dose was warranted.

 

So I doubt very much if putting the dose back to 1mg is going to make any difference in my case. That is not to say that your advice could work with someone else.

 

My feeling is that I am in for the long haul. I am trying very hard to live from day to day in the hope (but not belief at this stage) that this will eventually improve.

 

What I am really hoping for is some sort of encouragement that it will get better in the end. So if you have links to sites that talk about an end result that would be most welcome.

 

As Prozac would seem to be the antidepressant I will eventually take after my body has recovered, could you tell me something about your experience with it, please?

 

Thanks again for your time,

 

Evertonfan.

 

PS I will read Altostrata's story as it may give me some pointers as to where to go from here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have been on many psychiatric drugs in the past as I have a history of severe depression. Between mid 2016 and January 2018 I received 56 ECT treatments with massive memory loss as a consequence. In the middle of 2018 on Ativan (1mg for two and a half weeks and .5mgs for two and weeks) and had been on 10mgs of Mogadon for a number of months. Around this time my mental state improved and I came out of depression. I came off the benzodiazepines quickly as the Ativan was making me ache and shake. This followed by 3 and a half months of benzodiazepine withdrawal. I took Propanolol occasionally to help with the shaking. Due to severity of my bout of my depression and in order to "protect" me from a recurrence I was also put on 45mgs of Lexapro, 100mgs of Epilim and 90mgs of Mirtazapine. I came off these drugs with no problems and was only on the Mirtazapine at the start of this year. I had issues with sleep and reduced the dose to 45mgs eight weeks ago for three nights. This aching came and has been with me since then. The drug was put back up to 90mgs then reduced to 67.5mgs after a couple weeks. Eventually the psychiatrist said that I should come of it "gently" by reducing it to zero over a week by dropping 15mgs every two nights. The aching continues. Lyrica was prescribed to help with the aching but just made me dopey. So now I am drug free but very concerned.

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Hi again,

 

I read Altostrata's story. She went through a traumatic experience and I now understand why she is working so hard to help others.

 

In my situation learning about her experience only frightens me more. My symptoms are so intrusive, intense and disturbing that I am daunted about what lies ahead. I guess I can only hope.

 

Thanks again.

I have been on many psychiatric drugs in the past as I have a history of severe depression. Between mid 2016 and January 2018 I received 56 ECT treatments with massive memory loss as a consequence. In the middle of 2018 on Ativan (1mg for two and a half weeks and .5mgs for two and weeks) and had been on 10mgs of Mogadon for a number of months. Around this time my mental state improved and I came out of depression. I came off the benzodiazepines quickly as the Ativan was making me ache and shake. This followed by 3 and a half months of benzodiazepine withdrawal. I took Propanolol occasionally to help with the shaking. Due to severity of my bout of my depression and in order to "protect" me from a recurrence I was also put on 45mgs of Lexapro, 100mgs of Epilim and 90mgs of Mirtazapine. I came off these drugs with no problems and was only on the Mirtazapine at the start of this year. I had issues with sleep and reduced the dose to 45mgs eight weeks ago for three nights. This aching came and has been with me since then. The drug was put back up to 90mgs then reduced to 67.5mgs after a couple weeks. Eventually the psychiatrist said that I should come of it "gently" by reducing it to zero over a week by dropping 15mgs every two nights. The aching continues. Lyrica was prescribed to help with the aching but just made me dopey. So now I am drug free but very concerned.

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 Hello again everyone.

 

The last 24 hours have been extremely difficult. Yesterday I ached all day and as I slept so badly the night before I felt it necessary to go to bed last night at 9:30 pm.

 

Sadly, I was wide-awake  at 1:30 am. lay in bed feeling intensely miserable for three hours but I’ve now got up. It is the intensity of all this and a feeling that it’s never going to end which is driving me back into depression, I think. I must try to do everything in my power to resist this as then I will once again be in the hands of psychiatrists forcing ECT upon me and giving me even more drugs.

 

It is ironic that what was supposed to be helping me to prevent a return of depression now seems to be the thing that may take me back towards it. 

 

 It is so unfortunate I didn’t find your website or discover other websites which would’ve prevented me from taking the step of reducing the drug. Nor did I understand the consequences of such a fast taper from such a huge dose. I guess, I imagine, I’m going to have to be incredibly disciplined and determined to see this through no matter how long it takes. 

 

 i’m so sorry I didn’t feel that it was appropriate to take the advice to reinstate 1 mg of Mirtazapine. I’m not even sure how I could actually manage that given that at the moment I have 30 mg tablets.  

 

Thank you for the links to the success stories. They are encouraging but it does appear than many of them were fortunate to be able to take your advice and tapered slowly.

 

I will update you as things develop. The vital thing for me now is to just keep motivating myself and hope that eventually I will be able to look back on this and think I have achieved something wonderful.

 

Bye for now.

 

 

 

I have been on many psychiatric drugs in the past as I have a history of severe depression. Between mid 2016 and January 2018 I received 56 ECT treatments with massive memory loss as a consequence. In the middle of 2018 on Ativan (1mg for two and a half weeks and .5mgs for two and weeks) and had been on 10mgs of Mogadon for a number of months. Around this time my mental state improved and I came out of depression. I came off the benzodiazepines quickly as the Ativan was making me ache and shake. This followed by 3 and a half months of benzodiazepine withdrawal. I took Propanolol occasionally to help with the shaking. Due to severity of my bout of my depression and in order to "protect" me from a recurrence I was also put on 45mgs of Lexapro, 100mgs of Epilim and 90mgs of Mirtazapine. I came off these drugs with no problems and was only on the Mirtazapine at the start of this year. I had issues with sleep and reduced the dose to 45mgs eight weeks ago for three nights. This aching came and has been with me since then. The drug was put back up to 90mgs then reduced to 67.5mgs after a couple weeks. Eventually the psychiatrist said that I should come of it "gently" by reducing it to zero over a week by dropping 15mgs every two nights. The aching continues. Lyrica was prescribed to help with the aching but just made me dopey. So now I am drug free but very concerned.

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I have been looking around the Internet and one suggestion is to take Prozac to help with the withdrawal symptoms from coming off Mirtazapine. Is there any merit to this? My symptoms are so relentless and have been for two months. But since I have stopped the drug the lack of sleep has made this experience so much worse. Not to mention the upset stomach.

 

The psychiatrist wants me to be on an antidepressant after the withdrawal symptoms ease up - most likely Prozac. So this may be a way out for me.

I have been on many psychiatric drugs in the past as I have a history of severe depression. Between mid 2016 and January 2018 I received 56 ECT treatments with massive memory loss as a consequence. In the middle of 2018 on Ativan (1mg for two and a half weeks and .5mgs for two and weeks) and had been on 10mgs of Mogadon for a number of months. Around this time my mental state improved and I came out of depression. I came off the benzodiazepines quickly as the Ativan was making me ache and shake. This followed by 3 and a half months of benzodiazepine withdrawal. I took Propanolol occasionally to help with the shaking. Due to severity of my bout of my depression and in order to "protect" me from a recurrence I was also put on 45mgs of Lexapro, 100mgs of Epilim and 90mgs of Mirtazapine. I came off these drugs with no problems and was only on the Mirtazapine at the start of this year. I had issues with sleep and reduced the dose to 45mgs eight weeks ago for three nights. This aching came and has been with me since then. The drug was put back up to 90mgs then reduced to 67.5mgs after a couple weeks. Eventually the psychiatrist said that I should come of it "gently" by reducing it to zero over a week by dropping 15mgs every two nights. The aching continues. Lyrica was prescribed to help with the aching but just made me dopey. So now I am drug free but very concerned.

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  • Moderator Emeritus

It sounds like your psychiatrist believes the chemical imbalance myth which was proved wrong decades ago.

 

again-chemical-imbalance-is-a-myth-stop-the-lies-please

 

Psychiatric drugs can actually cause the issues they are touted to "cure".  Learning about them and the history of how they came to be can be can help you to make knowledgeable decisions.

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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Hi again everyone,

 

I know that this post will annoy some of the members. However, I visited the psychiatrist this afternoon. We agreed that I start taking 20mgs of Prozac daily from today. My withdrawal has been going on for over two months and my sleep has deteriorated significantly since I stopped taking Mirtazapine two weeks ago. My research around the internet indicated that the presence of an antidepressant with a longer half life may alleviate the symptoms I am experiencing.

 

Having has three bouts of major depression, I am prepared to take this dose as "protection" against the return of that insidious disease. At least it is at a much lower dose and will be far easier to get off if that becomes necessary down the track.

 

I am also going to take 7.5mgs of Zopiclone on as needs basis. My sleep situation is so serious at present that I am prepared to do this whilst making sure I don't stay on it long enough to become addicted.

 

I appreciate this decision is not in line with the strongly anti-drug viewpoint expressed by moderators and admistrators on here. However, I have come off a massive daily dose of Mirtazapine and I am simply not coping. If I keep trying to tough it out, I may very well fall into depression. I want to continue to fulfil my commitments as a volunteer and it was looking increasingly likely I would be unable to do this.

 

As my GP said to me when I took Ativan which changed my life around: "Desperate times require desperate measures." When I took the Ativan, my depression suddenly lifted after two years and 56 ECT treatments. I did suffer withdrawal but it was worth it.

 

I don't know if this is going to work but I have to give it a go. Otherwise all the achievements of the last year will be for nothing.

 

I do hope if you are reading this that you understand. I accept what my GP says to me based on his experience: antidepressants do save people from jumping off bridges (something I have done) even though he recognises they come with side effects.

 

I do firmly believe that my psychiatrist is too gung ho with his prescriptions of psychiatric drugs. I have suffered as a consequence. But I am determined to only take limited doses from now on.

 

Best wishes,

 

Evertonfan.

 

I have been on many psychiatric drugs in the past as I have a history of severe depression. Between mid 2016 and January 2018 I received 56 ECT treatments with massive memory loss as a consequence. In the middle of 2018 on Ativan (1mg for two and a half weeks and .5mgs for two and weeks) and had been on 10mgs of Mogadon for a number of months. Around this time my mental state improved and I came out of depression. I came off the benzodiazepines quickly as the Ativan was making me ache and shake. This followed by 3 and a half months of benzodiazepine withdrawal. I took Propanolol occasionally to help with the shaking. Due to severity of my bout of my depression and in order to "protect" me from a recurrence I was also put on 45mgs of Lexapro, 100mgs of Epilim and 90mgs of Mirtazapine. I came off these drugs with no problems and was only on the Mirtazapine at the start of this year. I had issues with sleep and reduced the dose to 45mgs eight weeks ago for three nights. This aching came and has been with me since then. The drug was put back up to 90mgs then reduced to 67.5mgs after a couple weeks. Eventually the psychiatrist said that I should come of it "gently" by reducing it to zero over a week by dropping 15mgs every two nights. The aching continues. Lyrica was prescribed to help with the aching but just made me dopey. So now I am drug free but very concerned.

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