Amanda23: Windows and waves

[Amanda23]

Hi everyone! I've been off mirtazipine for 5 months. I am looking for some reassurance. For the last few weeks I'm feeling terrible. Completely exhausted, extremely anxious, bouts of sadness, dizziness, headaches, random physical symptoms. Its making me feel like something is wrong with me, which is not helping my anxiety at all. Since getting off mirtazipine my panic attacks have actually decreased. But my prn panic attack medication doesn't work the same anymore. I was getting hopeful of seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. But the last few months I feel like my improvement has turned into 10 steps back. Someone please explain this to me and reassure me. Thanks

Edited April 24, 2021 by Gridley
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[Gridley]

Welcome to SA, Amanda23.  I'm sorry you're feeling so bad.  It will get better as time passes, and our experience here on this site is that we do all heal.

 

To give members the best information, we ask them to summarize their medication history in a signature -- drugs, doses, dates, and discontinuations & reinstatements, in the last 12-24 months particularly.  A list format is best.  Please include the dates and rate of your Mirtazapine taper and the dose you were on when you stopped five months ago.  Please also include the dosage and name of your panic attack medication.  When you say it doesn't work the same way as it did before, what is the difference in the way it works now as opposed to before?

 

Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature.

 

The symptoms you describe are typical of psychiatric drug withdrawal.  So that you have a better idea of what you're experiencing, here is some information on withdrawal and the healing process.

 

What is withdrawal syndrome.

 

Daily Checklist of Antidepressant Withdrawal Symptoms (PDF) 

 

The Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

When we take psychiatric medications, the CNS (central nervous system) responds by making changes over the months and years we take the drug(s). When the medication is discontinued, the CNS has to undo all the changes it made. Rebuilding the neurotransmitter production and reactivating the receptor and transporter cells takes time -- during that rebuilding process symptoms occur.  

 

These explain the healing process really well.

 

Brain Remodelling 

 

Video:  Healing From Antidepressants - Patterns of Recovery

 

Depending on the severity of your symptoms, you might want to consider reinstatement of a very small dose of Mirtazapine.  Reinstatement is the only known way to help alleviate withdrawal symptoms.  It works most dependably when done within 3 months after your last dose.  You're two months beyond that, so it might work or it might not.  The alternative is to wait out the symptoms, but there's no way to predict how long they will take to abate.  Please read:

 

About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms. -- at least the first page of the topic

 

If you're interested in reinstatement, please let us know and we can suggest a dosage to reinstate.  Then, after you've stabilized, which can take several months, we can help you very slowly taper off the reinstated dose.   Please do not reinstate without letting us suggest a dosage.  Reinstating too much can destabilize you further.  

 

We don't recommend a lot of supplements on SA, as many members report being sensitive to them due to our over-reactive nervous systems, but two supplements that we do recommend are magnesium and omega 3 (fish oil). Many people find these to be calming to the nervous system. 

 

Magnesium, nature's calcium channel blocker 

 

Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) 

 

Add in one at a time and at a low dose in case you do experience problems. Get supplements that are single ingredient (not mixed with other types of supplements).

 

This is your Introduction topic, where you can complete your drug signature, ask questions and connect with other members.  We're glad you found your way here.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 24, 2021 by Gridley

[Amanda23]

1+Hi Gridley, 

 

Thanks for replying. Right now it's just so hard to not let the symptoms get the better of me. I almost couldn't believe 5 months out this would be the cause. I won't restart because of the side effects I've had in the past. I guess I'm just looking for reassurance. The dizziness, fatigue, anxiety specifically around health, and headaches are the worst symptoms. I did a quick taper. I jumped off at 7.5. My DR told me to skip doses every other night for 1 week then every 2 nights for 1 week and so on. I started having issues after a few weeks so I just stopped. My prn is Ativan 1mg. I barely take it, like I said it doesn't help like it did before the mirtazipine taper/end. It used to take away panic attacks and related physical symptoms. One time it made me worse and the last few months it just barely takes the edge off or makes me tired which it never used to. I had some hope because I improved around the 2 month mark and the last 2 I've slid backwards which has been confusing and disheartening to say the least.