Pens

[Pens]

1 hour ago, manymoretodays said:

ry 1.9 mg total dose of mirtazapine tonight

Ok and thanks for for helping me on New Year’s Day.

[Pens]

6 hours ago, Altostrata said:

, how has reducing mirtazapine affected your sleep pattern? Why did you decide in early December to taper mirtazapine?

I sleep 5 or 7 hours. This last week not so good but I have developed a cold and discovered mirtazapine interacts with many cold meds. So I’ve been getting 2 or 3 hours sleep. Having trouble breathing. Before I found this site I just wanted to get off antidepressants. My psychiatrist told me to reduce however I liked.  I didn’t taper I just dropped from from 7.5 mg to 3.75 mg to 1.8 mg. From November 1 to December 5, 2019. I wish I had seen this site earlier I would have done things differently but had no clear directions until now. Have been experiencing nasty symptoms. My main reason for trying to come off pristiq is because I got to where after working for a company for 23 years I couldn’t physically function anymore, I’m pretty sure it was because pristiq was preventing me from sleeping for months and had to take an early retirement. Looking forward to a new year though and an improved life. 

[Pens]

19 hours ago, manymoretodays said:

Gravol/dimenhydrinate helping with any symptoms?

Morning, Yes, Gravol does help me get to sleep. And you’re correct I only took lorazapam for two weeks.

[Altostrata]

18 hours ago, Pens said:

I sleep 5 or 7 hours. This last week not so good but I have developed a cold and discovered mirtazapine interacts with many cold meds. So I’ve been getting 2 or 3 hours sleep. Having trouble breathing. Before I found this site I just wanted to get off antidepressants. My psychiatrist told me to reduce however I liked.  I didn’t taper I just dropped from from 7.5 mg to 3.75 mg to 1.8 mg. From November 1 to December 5, 2019. I wish I had seen this site earlier I would have done things differently but had no clear directions until now. Have been experiencing nasty symptoms. My main reason for trying to come off pristiq is because I got to where after working for a company for 23 years I couldn’t physically function anymore, I’m pretty sure it was because pristiq was preventing me from sleeping for months and had to take an early retirement. Looking forward to a new year though and an improved life. 

 

That amount of sleep is not too bad for withdrawal.

 

How often do you take Gravol?

 

You updosed to 1.9mg mirtazapine yesterday? Do you feel any effect?

[Pens]

18 hours ago, Altostrata said:

18 hours ago, Altostrata said:

ou updosed to 1.9mg mirtazapine yesterday? Do you feel any effect?

 

[Pens]

21 hours ago, Altostrata said:

You updosed to 1.9mg mirtazapine yesterday? Do you feel any effect

Morning Altostrata, here are my notes so far. I was taking 1 to 2 gravol - 50 mg tab at bedtime, maybe because of pristiq but I’ve noticed I didn’t need it last night, (January 2.)

January 1, 2020

Slept 2 hours

Head and chest cold.                   Nauseous

Magnesium citrate 25 mg.           Acid relux

Updosed to 1.9 mg

Gravol 50 mg

Tylenol XS

Gaviscon everyday at mealtime. 

 

Jan 2,

Slept 5 hrs.                                       Anxiety, energy serger ( panic attack) 

1.9 ml mirtazapine                            Agoraphobia, nausea, hot and cold,

1 tsp Buckley’s cough.                     Itchy arms in afternoon 

And cold.                                            Took mirtazapine 1/2 hour earlier,         

Magnesium citrate 25 mg.               At 8:00 p.m.     

Benadryl cream, 500 mg.                 Because I’m too  sedated the next day

Vitamin C 100 mg low acid

 

Jan 3

Slept 6 1/2 hrs.                                   Small panic attack, hot and cold,                                        Tired

Teaspoon Buckley’s cough/ cold        Almost over cold

Gaviscon 

 

Edited January 3, 2020 by Altostrata
removed code

[Pens]

18 hours ago, Altostrata said:

How often do you take Gravol?

My last note should read 1-2 tablets, but didn’t take any last night. Got 6 1/2 hours sleep 😊

[Altostrata]

Please add times of day to your daily notes, see

 

Why are you taking Gaviscon?

 

[Pens]

38 minutes ago, Altostrata said:

Why are you taking Gaviscon?

My stomach is really nauseous and I get heartburn. My cousin has Gerd and I read online that mirtazapine can cause acid reflux. The gaviscon helps. I looked up on wikihow to see how to use a syringe properly. I’m not sure if I have been, especially when it’s point something. https://www.wikihow.com/Read-Syringes

[Altostrata]

What times of day do you get nauseous? Are these symptoms worse after taking any of your drugs or supplements?

[Pens]

1 hour ago, Altostrata said:

re these symptoms worse after taking any of your drugs or supplements?

 

The last two days I’ve taken 200 mg vitamin C. In the evenings i’ll take magnesium citrate approximately 25 mg. Have only been taking that though for the last 3 to 4 days. Was taking omega 3 on and off.  I’ve been nauseous probably since November 1 and dizzy, as I am today. Something I have been taking more on a regular basis is probiotic pills or eating yogurt though I haven’t today. In November I would take a vitamin B12, garlic and then I stopped taking it for fear that it might be causing me to become nauseous. I tense up a lot and have had a lot of stress in the past but Since I retired I have noticed some improvement. Otherwise I take Gaviscon with my meals because of the heartburn or stomach upset. Thought maybe the nausea and dizziness was from taking mirtazapine or withdrawls from Pristiq. Because of the nausea I don’t have much of an appetite through the day but around 10 o’clock at night I could eat the back side off a horse. Lol Im taking the Mirtazapine around 8:00 or 8:30 pm:  I seem to perk up after 3 or 4 pm. 

[Pens]

30 minutes ago, Altostrata said:

hat times of day do you get nauseous? Are these symptoms worse after taking any of your drugs or s

My husband reminded me that I have also pretty much cut out dairy products. Just started drinking almond milk, before that rice milk in place of milk and I’ve cut back on sugar and that’s been for about at least three months. As always I appreciate your time. Thank you

[Pens]

19 hours ago, Altostrata said:

What times of day do you get nauseous? Are these symptoms worse after taking any of your drugs or supplements

When I wake up in the morning until about 4 p.m. 

Took magnesium bisglycinate 200 mg cap. last night instead of magnesium citrate 210 mg, By another company last night

[Altostrata]

Please post your daily notes, with times of day.

[Pens]

On 1/3/2020 at 1:21 PM, Altostrata said:

What times of day do you get nauseous? Are these symptoms worse after taking any of your drugs or supplements?

The last week of taking first magnesium citrate 50 mg for 4 days before bedtime then magnesium bisglycinate  200 mg Before bedtime has left me feeling really sedated until supper time the next day. Think I will stop taking magnesium for now 

[Pens]

since mirtazapine is a histamine I noticed that I am having the following symptoms. ”Histamine causes inflammation, congestion, increased mucus production.”

 

 

[Pens]

On 1/1/2020 at 2:27 PM, manymoretodays said:

And then just do your best to report on back tomorrow

January 3, 2020

6 1/2 hours sleep

Morning, upon waking up, small panic attack, cold and tired, dizzy, nauseous

8 AM Buckley’s cough and cold 1 teaspoon, OK by pharmacist

9 AM breakfast

945 feeling chilly

Lunch, 2 gaviscon with meal to settle indigestion

1 PM SAD lamp 

2:50 PM lunch

3 PM hands and feet feel warmer

4:15 PM some anxiety

7 PM feeling better

8:30 PM, 1.9 Milligram mirtazapine, 200 mg magnesium bis glycinate, Only took 50 mg cut pills into fourths

11 PM bedtime turned on steamer to help with cold

 

[Pens]

Just now, Pens said:

And then just do your best to report on back tomorrow

January 4, 2020

6 1/2 hours sleep

Up at 6:30 AM, nauseous and tired, brain fog, it’s discount

Coughing all day from cold or bronchitis, taking 2 to 3 teaspoons Of Buckley’s cough and cold, Checked with pharmacist OK to take

9:30 AM breakfast

10 AM cold hands and feet, SAD lamp

12 PM lunch, very cold hands, lethargic

1 PM rush on the underside Four arms, apply Benadryl cream, this helps

4 PM not as sedated hands not as cold, nausea Letting up

Evening able to do chores around the house

8:45 PM, 1.9 mg mirtazapine liquid

Stopped taking magnesium 

11:30 PM bedtime, turned on steamer to help with cold

12 AM took one gravel and fell asleep no magnesium

[Shep]

7 hours ago, Pens said:

8 AM Buckley’s cough and cold 1 teaspoon, OK by pharmacist

 

Please post the ingredients in this cough syrup. 

[Pens]

1 hour ago, Shep said:

Please post the ingredients in this cough syrup. 

1 tsp contains guaifenesin 100 mg, menthol 10 mg

[Pens]

On 1/1/2020 at 2:27 PM, manymoretodays said:

 

Pens,

You're doing fine.  The anxiety and confusion, and all can be fierce.  Let's just see how you do with the 0.1 mg updose, try 1.9 mg total dose of mirtazapine tonight.

And then just do your best to report on back tomorrow.  I don't want to updose you any higher until we see how you do with this.

January 5, 2020

Six hours sleep

On and off all day, dizzy cold hands and feet, anxiety

6 AM less brain fog, itchy scalp, really dizzy throughout the day,

8:30 AM got up

9:15 AM breakfast and turned on SAD lamp

12 PM lunch, still feel a bit woozy and tired, head a little cleared, stomach more settled

6 PM, indigestion after supper, stomach a bit tender

8:15 PM feeling a bit calmer and not as agitated as in the morning

8:20 PM took 1.9 mg liquid mirtazapine, keeping in fridge. Drinking with almond milk

10:30 PM this is the time and day I get really hungry and eat whatever, probably shouldn’t be doing that

11:15 PM took to Gaviscon, 1 gravol 50 mg

[Pens]

On 1/1/2020 at 2:27 PM, manymoretodays said:

just do your best to report on back

January 6th, 2020

ate a sandwich and cookies before bedtime, (won’t do that again)

2:00 am Woke up took one gravel, 2 Gaviscon for stomach

Got approximately three hours sleep

8:30 AM got up felt agitated, tense,dry cough, cold hands, heaviness in chest, used sinus rinse and nose gel, feeling weak and dizzy

10 AM did cobra exercise felt better

12 PM lunch

1230 used SAD lamp

5 PM supper, feeling better, going to avoid bread

6:30 PM tired and dizzy, weak, agitated, feeling chilly 

7:30 PM feeling warmer

8:30 PM calming down, stomach calm, breathing good, took 1.9 ml. Of mirtazapine

9 PM wet my finger and took a little magnesium citrate powder

10 PM Buckley’s for cough Pepto-Bismol for upset stomach

[Shep]

On 1/6/2020 at 7:33 AM, Shep said:

Please post the ingredients in this cough syrup. 

 

On 1/6/2020 at 8:54 AM, Pens said:

1 tsp contains guaifenesin 100 mg, menthol 10 mg

 

Here are the side effects of guaifenesin;

 

Drugs.com - side effects guaifenesin

 

It can cause stomach problems, so some of your stomach issues may be coming from (or made worse by) this drug. You may find more natural methods helpful without the harmful side effects. Peppermint oil is a natural expectorant. Teas made with lemon and honey can be good for helping with a cold or cough. 

 

Please see:

 

Colds, cold remedies, and the flu

 

[manymoretodays]

Hi Pens,

And sorry to hear about the upper respiratory infection.  I'd stay off the guaifenesin, if I were you.  In addition, to what Shep kindly offered, you might try a humidifier, or even a nice warm misty shower area.

 

Looks like you are on day 6, of the kind of cautious, low dose updose that sometimes can be helpful with the WD symptoms.  And yes, good pickup that the mirtazapine has the histamine effects, like so many of the drugs we see here.  We are going for just a slight mitigation of the WD symptoms, with this updose, not full recovery.  I'm thinking that you caught something viral, unfortunate, but common during the winter months.

 

It's up to you, tomorrow being 7 days with the 0.1 mg updose, as far as going up to perhaps 2.0 mg for your total nightly dose.  And again, keep notes, for self and us to guide you.  You could defer a further updose too, until this cold or flu resolves.  Generally 10- 14 days on that.......resolution of these, often viral things, that hit in the winter months.  It doesn't look like you have suffered more symptoms from the mini updose, to me.  What do you think?   No crime, to sit on a low dose, small updose, for often several months, before cautiously beginning a taper again.  And often it's helpful.

 

Hang on in there now Pens.  I think you are being very brave and making some good progress.

 

Love, peace, healing, and growth,

mmt

*** and thank you Pens for the wikipedia link on using an oral syringe.  I added it here:  https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/235-using-an-oral-syringe-and-other-tapering-techniques/

in the first post.  Very helpful and may benefit other members. Heart insert.

Edited January 7, 2020 by manymoretodays
TY

[Pens]

6 hours ago, Shep said:

Here are the side effects of guaifenesin;

I have some lemon ginger tea. Can’t use honey because I’m allergic to pollen. Have been using a net I pot too. Thanks again for the help! Boiling some tea right now. 

[Pens]

On 1/1/2020 at 3:18 PM, Altostrata said:

Pens, how has reducing mirtazapine affected your sleep pattern? Why did you decide in early December to taper mirtazapine

morning, my sleep pattern hasn't been very good, I know you suggested not to take any gravel but I do take one to help me get to sleep. l have had a cold so that threw  things off a bit. I get approximately 5 to 6 hours of sleep before when I was on Pristiq I was getting 3 hours. I didn't find this site until later in November and didn't know about tapering. By that time I had dropped from 7.5 to 3.75 to 1.8 in a short period of time. then when I found this site that's when I realized I should have been tapering. I probably wouldn't have been able to taper the Pristiq 50mg because of the time release factor. I guess that's why the psychiatrist put me on mirtazapine and lorazepam and then told me to come off of them however I wanted to. 

[Pens]

On 1/6/2020 at 9:02 AM, Pens said:

report on back

January 7, 2020, been doing the cobra exercise twice a day for my stomach, 

2 a.m. woke up and took 1 gravol 50 mg

6:30 am woke up. got approximately 6 hours sleep

8;00 a.m. got up and had a fruit smoothie

feeling agitated,restless, tired,cold hands and chills,feeling discouraged, I have no motivation in the mornings

used sinus rinse

3:30 p.m. used sinus rinse

4:00 p.m. hands and feet warming up, had peppermint tea/ginger to help with cold

5:00 feeling less agitated and anxious

6:00 p.m. supper, after I ate got cold hands and feet

8:15 p.m. 1.9 mg liquid mirtazapine 

9:30 feeling better

10;pm went to bed, couldn't sleep

 

[Pens]

1 minute ago, Pens said:

eport on back

Morning, heres January 1,2020

4:30 am woke up, stuffed up with cold, hard to breath, nauseous

sinus headache

got 2 hours sleep

9:00 a.m. ginger tea and yogurt

1:00 p.m. lunch

3:30 Tylenol XS for headache

6:15 Tylenol with codeine, 25 mg magnesium citrate

7:15 gaviscon

8:30 p.m. up dosing to 1.9 mg mirtazapine, feeling better, stomach sore

halls lozenges 

10:30 p.m. 2 Gaviscon, 2 gravol 50 mg for sleep

very hungry at this time every night

 

January 2, 2020

felt really sedated until 4:00 p.m.(I think I will stop taking magnesium) don't like to go out of the house

9:00 a.m. breakfast, anxiety, energy serge (uncomfortable)

nausea, hot and cold, dizzy, itchy under forearms (used Benydryl cream)

10:30 a.m. hot shower

12:00 lunch

4:30p.m. 1 tsp of buckleys, stopped taking this as Shep made me aware that a side effect was stomach discomfort (ok'd by pharmacist)

8:00 p.m. 1.9 ml. liquid mirtazapine. 

[Pens]

On 1/7/2020 at 11:22 AM, manymoretodays said:

mirtazapine has the histamine effects

Thank you for your reply. I’ve been sending in daily reports. Hope I’m doing them right. I’ve had allergies all my life and wondered if it’s possible to be allergic to mirtazapine. I haven’t been using my salbutamol inhaler until today and found it helped with my breathing. I’m going to take it before bedtime to see if it helps my sleep. If it does I’ll maybe stay on the 1.9 mg dose. I will, of course, let you know if I up dose. Thank for your encouragement. It has meant a great deal as this has been very hard. I know 2 months off Pristiq isn’t much but I’m hoping to see some small change. Thanks again. 

[Pens]

On 12/22/2019 at 5:02 PM, mstimc said:

You will find all the support you need here.  

I don’t know if I ever thanked you for this but I am finding out how selfless people are on this site. At this point when you don’t have anyone in the medical field where you live that understands this becomes a place of hope and direction. Thank you for your encouragement. It means a lot. 

[mstimc]

14 hours ago, Pens said:

I don’t know if I ever thanked you for this but I am finding out how selfless people are on this site. At this point when you don’t have anyone in the medical field where you live that understands this becomes a place of hope and direction. Thank you for your encouragement. It means a lot. 

Hi Pens

I think those of us who've been through it have an obligation to pay it forward to the ones who are still working toward recovery.  What amazes me (and encouraged me when I was in WD) is that no matter how dark things are, people do achieve recovery.  I've shared stories with people who thought they were stuck forever and then they get that first window and start the road to recovery.  You can make it!

[Pens]

21 hours ago, Pens said:

eport on back

January 8, 2020

12:00 a.m. took l 50 mg gravol

5:30 a.m. woke up slept 6 1/2 hours 

anxiety, cold hands and feet, restless, agitated, no motivation, no appetite, trembling

8:30 a.m. fruit smoothie

9:00 a.m. cold, SAD lamp 20 mins

10:40 salbutamol inhaler, calmer, can breath

12:00 lunch

5:00 salbutamol inhaler

8:20 p.m. 1.9 mg mirtazapine 

11:00 couldn’t sleep, took 2 gravol 50 mg 

 

[Pens]

On 12/19/2019 at 4:26 PM, Gridley said:

tapering.

 

We recommend tapering no faster than 10% of your current dose every four weeks.

 

On 12/25/2019 at 8:53 AM, Gridley said:

Morning if I have a question would I ask it from here. Also, if I would like to reply to something on someone else’s comment can I do that. Thanks for you rely.

Hi, So far I have been highlighting in peoples threads to make a comment, but I would just like to make a comment on my own sometimes and I’m not sure what you mean by @their name. I wanted to ask if since the Psychiatrist has put me on Mirtazapine to come off of my Pristiq. Is that alternative OK will I be able to succeed using the mirtazapine instead of something that was a cousin to the Pristiq like venlafaxine. Im almost afraid to ask this question in case someone said no it wasn’t a good idea.

[Gridley]

2 minutes ago, Pens said:

I’m not sure what you mean by @their name. I wanted to ask if since the Psychiatrist has put me on Mirtazapine to come off of my Pristiq. Is that alternative OK will I be able to succeed using the mirtazapine instead of something that was a cousin to the Pristiq like venlafaxine. Im almost afraid to ask this question in case someone said no it wasn’t a good idea

 

For example, if you wanted to bring something to Gridley's attention, you would type @Gridley.  You will see a box pop up with the name, Gridley.  You click on that box and @Gridley will appear and Gridley will be notified that you mentioned him.

 

Regarding going on Mirtazapine to come off Pristiq, we don't make recommendations about changing one drug to go off another.  That is between you and your doctor.  

[Pens]

On 1/7/2020 at 11:22 AM, manymoretodays said:

Looks like you are on day 6, of the kind of cautious, low dose updose that sometimes can be helpful with the WD symptoms. 

Hi, this is new ground for me, So from your experience  and talking with others do you think this might help with my with drawl symptoms.? Im not functioning very well through the day. 

[Pens]

3 hours ago, Pens said:

@manymoretodays