Goodluck: Mirtazapine / Remeron withdrawal 4 months after 0

[goodluck]

Hello Shebon

Thank you for your message and the very interesting information.

 
I will be tested again for viruses and parasites next Monday. I had a high proven load of EBV viruses and zoster viruses as well as some parasites. I hope that these values have now improved. 

 

In my case, I was taken off the benzodiazepine in May 2014 within 4 weeks in a clinic, which was completely wrong and like a cold draw.

 

What exactly do you mean by benzo residual? Can the benzo still be in the blood or fat of the body? If yes, how long can this last?

 

Best regards and thank you in advance for your answer.

 

Goodluck 

[Shebon]

Goodluck:

 

What I meant by  benzo residual is that you might be still be experiencing healing and setbacks from the "almost cold turkey" in the hospital.  Rest assured, you were not on the benzo for very long and I would think your healing would have occurred by now (7 years off?)

 

Our CNS becomes so sensitive to anything after going thru benzo withdrawals.  I cannot take anything that improves immune function such as vit. C or fish oil, etc.  It will rev me up.  I do take calcium with D3 and magnesium, and a multi.  What is K2?

 

I hope the parasite stuff has resolved for you.  You have done so very well -- and now off the mirt beast.  Hang in there as  your improvements will be starts and stops for awhile but complete healing will come.   You came off the benzo and that is the hardest thing to do.  

 

Best regards,

Shebon

[goodluck]

Dear Shebon

 

Thank you very much for your answer, which reassured me a bit.

 

For me, the most difficult thing is after 7 years of beginning not knowing what exactly is happening to me. No doctor (and there are so many...!) has been able to give me a binding diagnosis during my odyssey so far. However, every doctor and therapist so far had tried again and again to help with supplements, vitamins or intensive therapies, despite all my warnings about the triggers. This went wrong again and again and brought me to the edge of the abyss.

 

In the meantime I have noticed myself that only gentle methods such as breathing exercises, meditation, rest, etc. (which personally I don't like to much so far...!) lead to success. Everything else is constantly throwing me back.

 

It is so difficult to believe during waves that it is possible to escape this hell but as you can read, many have done it. 

 

I am sure that you and I and hopefully everyone else on this forum will make it if we support each other with positive join posts.

 

I wish you much strength and perseverance to get away from the rest of Remeron as well. There will still be difficult moments, but you have already accomplished a lot.

 

I would be very happy to hear from you from time to time how things are going for you. I will also let you know regularly in the future how things are going with me.

 

All the best and warm regards

 

Goodluck

[getofflex]

11 hours ago, goodluck said:

It is so difficult to believe during waves that it is possible to escape this hell but as you can read, many have done it.

I know the feeling. When I get in a wave, it is easy to fall prey to the false notion that I will always feel this way.  I often have to remind myself that "this, too, shall pass".  

 

 

[Shebon]

Hi Goodluck:

 

I just read your .pdf story of the benzo addiction and then on to the mirt addiction.  Similar to mine -- I crossed over to valium too and  tapered off 3.75 mg. valium in 5 months.  I had windows and waves...I succumbed to the remeron because of my sleep issues.  Now I wish I had run the other way.  

 

You tapered off 30 mg. very slow and smartly (6 years to taper).  I'm sorry you are going through such a rough time now, 7 mths off remeron.  I know it will and has to get better for you.  Be extra cautious with supplements; I ran out of my multi vitamin and couldn't  find it anywhere and tried several sustitutes.  I had the worse wave (restless nites with wacky thoughts, etc.).  I found my old multi vitamin on Amazon and just restarted it.  I think the B vitamins can cause major issues for some in withdrawal too.  

 

Are you journaling daily?  This might help you to see some improvement, albeit small, but moving towards healing.  And the parasitic stuff with the med can be tricky too.  

 

I will check in from time to time during my taper.  I do a modified CITA taper and it worked well for me last year.  I went back to square one due to the thyroid med (which has probably been giving me a lot of problems before the benzo stuff, and the reason I had to go on the benzo too.  

 

Best regards,

Shebon

[Greatful]

@goodluck How are you doing?

[Surviving82]

Hi @goodluck, you are not alone in that exercise triggers your symptoms of WD. For me personally, I was fine for 3 months after stopping escitalopram, until I started an intense running regimen. That triggered very heavy WD crash. I think that my weakened nervous system could not handle the added stress of exercise and collapsed. If we think about it, when do our ancestors historically engaged in heavy exercise? When they were either running away from a threat, or when they were chasing something. So running, and other heavy exercise, activates the fight-or-flight stress response. People with strong nervous systems can tolerate it just fine, but people in AD WD may not be able to. Hence, the return of symptoms. I  was quite physically fit before this happened, but right now all I can tolerate is a medium intensity walk. Anything more than that makes me feel worse, and who knows how long this will last. I hope this helps you, and I hope that you feel better by now!

[goodluck]

Dear Grateful

Thank you very much for your inquiry concerning my health, which I was very happy to receive.

 

I am feeling better overall.I visited a natural health clinic in the south of Switzerland every day this week and received treatments against fungi (various) and viruses (Epstein Barr / Herpes Zoster). 

The doctor at the clinic thinks that the withdrawal problems caused by mirtazapine are also related to these viruses and fungi. I hope she is right and that the treatments work. 

Overall, I feel better and better from week to week. However, this is in very small steps. However, I have one particular symptom that regularly and practically without interruption weighs heavily on me every night. Four hours after going to bed I wake up with very strong abdominal pain.  The upper abdomen contracts enormously and I have the feeling that I can no longer breathe properly.The contraction is most comparable to vacuuming vegetables...! The whole upper abdomen contracts tightly. This lasts for some time and then loosens up again, so that I can fall asleep again.  The whole thing repeats itself several times and often gets stronger and stronger until it usually resolves again in the morning around 08:00 - 09:00.

 

I realize that these symptoms still cause me great anxiety, a new wave awaits me. Otherwise, fortunately, the psychological symptoms are all practically gone.

 

Do you know these symptoms at night as well? How do you always feel otherwise?

 

I have not been in the forum for the last two weeks because of my visit to the clinic.

 

I wish you all the best and hope that you can also experience healing day by day.

 

Best regards

 

Goodluck

[goodluck]

Dear Surviving 82

 

What you describe regarding fear and flight sounds logical and understandable.

 

Unfortunately, it is still the case with me that I can only endure longer walks, but still no major athletic exertion, even if it only lasts a few minutes. My body already switches to strong restlessness and nervousness a few hours after a short jogging, so I don't try this anymore at the moment.

 

I wish so much that this finally comes to an end and that I can do moderate sports again. I learned to play golf a few years ago and want to play the sport so much. However, at the moment this is also not possible, because the nervous system is apparently also strongly triggered by this, as I usually have too high own expectations of myself in this sport.

 

I have previously described to Grateful which symptoms I am currently still suffering from the most. Apart from that, I am actually getting a little better from week to week, even if this is only happening very slowly. There is light on the horizon, but I don't dare to write my success story yet, because there are still waves coming over me from time to time that are still life-threatening.

 

I sincerely hope that you will soon be able to fully recover from your last wave, which was caused by your sporting efforts. I know these feelings of hopelessness in these situations only too well.

 

All the best, lots of strength and hopefully soon the possibility to do moderate sports again. 

 

Best regards 

 

Goodluck

[goodluck]

Dear members

 

For a week now, I have been stuck in another wave that has once again brought me to the brink of despair. I had previously had frequency treatments against viruses and parasites for about 6 days at a naturopathic clinic.

 

Since Saturday a week ago, I have been experiencing extreme stomach, head and chest pains, which always occur at night, about 3-4 hours after falling asleep. These symptoms resemble poisoning. The stomach pains in particular are so severe that I have booked myself into a hospital for a check-up next week. The pain is almost unbearable at the moment. During the day, they get a little weaker, only to come back even more violently the following night.

 

I can no longer believe that these are pure withdrawal symptoms. Living with such constant pain is becoming very difficult. 

 

Can any of you give me a tip against these stomach pains? I am enormously grateful for any help. 

 

Best regards to all of you

 

Goodluck      

[Greatful]

@goodluck  I am so sorry you are having such a hard time. I can't imagine being in such horrible pain.  I think it is a good idea to get this check out at the hospital.  

Take care of yourself and keep us  posted.

[getofflex]

@goodluckif it were me, I would seek medical help right away, and not wait until next week. 

[gentlehermione]

@goodluck how are you?

 

I stumbled across your thread purely by chance and just wanted to wish you well on your road to recovery 🥰

[goodluck]

Dear Gentlehermione

 

I was very pleased to receive your kind words!

 

Overall, I feel better and better from week to week. At the moment, I am only struggling with my strong chest pressure, the associated shortness of breath and the high blood pressure. All the other symptoms have largely disappeared. 

I very much hope to be able to eliminate these health problems as well.

 

I wish you all the best with all my heart!

 

Warm regards

 

Goodluck   

[gentlehermione]

5 hours ago, goodluck said:

Overall, I feel better and better from week to week. At the moment, I am only struggling with my strong chest pressure, the associated shortness of breath and the high blood pressure. All the other symptoms have largely disappeared. 

I very much hope to be able to eliminate these health problems as well.

 

@goodluck Great to hear that you are feeling better!

 

Acceptance, distraction, patience and perseverance are definitely key in getting us through this horrible ordeal. After just over 3 1/2 years at this I am certainly in a better place than I initially was. There have been many improvements and yet each time I find myself in a wave I am so disheartened! However, I really do believe that our bodies, when given time and the proper care, do heal. 

 

Re exercise, I've found that anything not too strenuous (walking in nature, gardening, gentle yoga) to be very beneficial.

 

Wishing you well and sending you healing vibes 🤗 

 

[getofflex]

10 hours ago, goodluck said:

Overall, I feel better and better from week to week.

This is fantastic news!  Your patience and perseverance has paid off!  I believe the remaining symptoms will disappear with time.  Keep up the good work! 

[getofflex]

4 hours ago, gentlehermione said:

Re exercise, I've found that anything not too strenuous (walking in nature, gardening, gentle yoga) to be very beneficial.

I also benefit a lot from walking, hiking, and working in the garden.  

[goodluck]

Dear members

 

After having experienced some beautiful windows of up to 14 days, another wave hit me 5 days ago, which is again very life threatening for me. This after I allowed myself to play golf twice during a window with only few symptoms of almost 14 days.

 

For the last 5 days I have hardly been able to sleep. My whole upper body is totally tense and I feel as if only adrenaline and cortisol are flowing through my veins instead of blood. The blood pressure has derailed to 200 / 100 and I have had to take Valsartan 80 antihypertensive to at least bring the pressure back to the 160 / 85 level.

 

The abdominal pain and headaches, the chest pressure and the massive shortness of breath are almost unbearable. I am now almost 9 months after 0 from mirtazapine and I can't believe that such severe symptoms can occur again after a wonderful window of more than 14 days.

 

I am really desperate and because of the insomnia I sit in front of my computer night after night instead of sleeping and looking for positive things that can help me in my current situation. Are there any recent success stories on the forum about successfully coming off mirtazapine? 

Are there really only chemical medications that can alleviate such symptoms in the short term in order to be able to enjoy a somewhat normal life again?!

 

Due to the severe symptoms, I have taken the precaution of not taking any food supplements / vitamins. I definitely don't want to take any more psychiatric drugs in my life, not even to bridge a crisis in the short term. However, it takes an infinite amount of strength and boundless will and many positive messages from fellow sufferers in the forum to get through such waves.

 

I wish you all the best with all my heart and above all a symptom-free weekend. 

 

Goodluck

[Nomansland]

Hello @goodluck,

 

that you were able to experience long windows is a very, very good sign. With enough time, they will get longer and stronger and the waves

will get weaker and shorter.

 

For sleep tips, please see these threads, there are many things you can try to help your sleep:

 

I can recommend using blackout curtains and a sleep mask, making the room as dark as possible. Dim the lights a few hours before going to bed and

try to calm your nervous system in that time by only doing calming things like reading/meditating. If you use TV/Smartphone/Monitor in the evening

(its better not to use them a few hours before going to bed), at least turn on the night mode or eye saving mode (it will filter the blue lights out).

 

Also, i like to wear ear plugs during the night (sometimes even an hour before going to bed), very soft ones, so that sound will not prevent me from waking up.

There are also "filtering/blocking blue light glasses" that you can buy for cheap and wear them in the evening, that is something i may try in the future.

 

In the success stories part of the forum you can find quite a few stories of people who have successfully come off mirtazapine.

Here you can find all threads/posts in the success forum with the word "mirtazapine/remeron":

 

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/search/?q=mirtazapine remeron&type=forums_topic&nodes=28&updated_after=any&sortby=relevancy&search_and_or=or

 

Wish you all the best!

 

Greetings

 

[gentlehermione]

57 minutes ago, Nomansland said:

that you were able to experience long windows is a very, very good sign. With enough time, they will get longer and stronger and the waves

will get weaker and shorter.

 

@goodluck

 

I know that when in a wave the negativity, fear and panic can be absolutely overwhelming. This is why you have to remind yourself that you have, in the past, experienced windows which lasted for days or even weeks.

 

"If you're going through hell, keep going!" Winston Churchill

 

Keep the faith - it will get better!

[goodluck]

Dear Nomansland

 

Thank you very much for the kind words and the valuable tips regarding sleeping and the success stories in the forum.

 

I am aware and grateful that I have already been able to experience some longer windows and I am very happy about that. However, in the heavy waves it is hardly possible for me to think back on it. Fierce fears resurface at these times, which seem to block my mind.

 

However, I believe I am growing in my task and becoming stronger day by day to survive even the strongest waves...! It is also thanks to the help of you fellow sufferers that I am able to do this.

 

I wish you all the best, lots of strength and perseverance and thank you again for your help.

 

Warm regards

Goodluck 

[goodluck]

Dear Gentlehermione

 

I feel, that the words you are addressing to me can only come from someone, who has experienced similar things themselves. That is why they are so helpful for me and my situation.

 

I have been feeling for days how right Churchill was....!

 

I also wish you a lot of strength and endurance from the bottom of my heart, so that you can soon enjoy life again to the full and without any symptoms.

 

Warm regards

 

Goodluck  

[Marija]

I hope you don't mind me posting here @goodluck. I've read your story and I'm curious about how long do you normally feel unwell for after doing exercise? I seem to be having the same issue where exercise brings on very severe WD symptoms for me such as insomnia, anxiety, increased heart rate, stomach pain and diarrhea. I'm currently experience all of these as I was silly enough to introduce exercise again and now I'm paying for my mistake and feeling very miserable.

 

I hope you don't mind me posting and asking.

 

All the best,

 

Marija

 

 

 

 

 

[goodluck]

Dear Marija

 

Thank you very much for the interesting message and irequest, which I am happy to answer.

Practically every time after exercising, I have experienced the most extreme symptoms in recent years, just as you describe them.

 

For me, this causes severe flatulence for a few days, followed by abdominal pain, headache, chest pressure, severe shortness of breath, insomnia, very high blood pressure, internal tension, nervousness and anxiety. My morale suffers a lot and I always have the feeling that I cannot survive the whole thing.

 

The whole range of symptoms often alternates for two to three weeks and then usually resolves again or at least becomes weaker.

 

At the moment I have been stuck in a huge wave for a week, which is making my life very difficult at the moment. I hope this doesn't last too long.

 

I can empathize with you how bad this must be for you. Before, I could never have believed that something like this was even possible.

 

I have medically clarified everything that was possible. I have also visited naturopaths and naturopathic clinics, taken nutritional supplements and attended numerous therapies, all without success so far.

 

It seems as if only time has brought partial healing so far. Everything else often triggered me extremely and sometimes triggered waves of symptoms of up to three months.

Despite everything, I am doing a lot better today than I was a few years ago. But only if I'm not stuck in a wave!

 

I also wish you that the current wave will soon be over and that you can enjoy a life without symptoms again.

I would be happy to hear from you how things are developing for you.

Warm greetings and best wishes

 

Goodluck

[getofflex]

15 hours ago, goodluck said:

Practically every time after exercising, I have experienced the most extreme symptoms in recent years

This is very common in AD WD.  I have the same issue.  Intense exercise will cause our bodies to produce adrenaline and cortisone, which fires up the nervous system.  I do fine with walks in the morning.  

 

15 hours ago, goodluck said:

It seems as if only time has brought partial healing so far. Everything else often triggered me extremely and sometimes triggered waves of symptoms of up to three months.

Yes, time and patience are the keys to healing from WD.  

 

15 hours ago, goodluck said:

Despite everything, I am doing a lot better today than I was a few years ago. But only if I'm not stuck in a wave!

That really good!  I'm also doing better than I was a few years ago.  It helps to look at the big picture. 

[goodluck]

Dear Getofflex

 

Thank you very much for your message and your additions to my comments.

 

I finally, after about 10 days, have the massive wave behind me and can enjoy symptom-free days again. I will still keep trying to do some exercise. However, I will be careful not to overdo it.

 

Overall, I am still convinced that I am on the verge of a breakthrough. However, I do not yet dare to speak of a complete cure. As soon as I feel a bit more confident, I will let you all know when this withdrawal nightmare is over.

 

However, there is one thing I can already say with certainty. The healing is happening in small, sometimes barely noticeable steps, but it is happening steadily. Although it has taken me seven long years to this day to get back to a nice life with few symptoms and shorter waves, every single day of it has been worth enduring the agony.

In the meantime, I have become a more mature person who now understands his body and mind much better. After having died emotionally 1000 times in the last few years, I can now deal with anxiety much better than I could a few years ago, which is very much to my advantage in the current Corona crisis. The sometimes exaggerated scaremongering of numerous governments and the media continue to attract my attention, but I am not intimidated by it and form my own opinion and do not let it be imposed on me.

 

I also wish you long, symptom-free times and steady recovery.

 

Best wishes and warm regards

 

Goodluck
 

[gentlehermione]

@goodluck

 

Glad to hear you're feeling better! 🤗

[goodluck]

Dear Forum Members

 

For the past three weeks I have been in one of my worst waves during my withdrawal. This started about nine months after I completely stopped taking mirtazapine!!!!

 

Yesterday my symptoms and abdominal pain were so severe that I had to go to the hospital as an emergency. A CT scan was done and other tests were done, all with no definite findings.

 

I was immediately given various painkillers and an acid blocker as an infusion against the symptoms and a remedy against my nausea. In the evening I was allowed to go home with four boxes of different medications. The painkillers only help for a few hours at a time. Stupidly, I now feel that the examination and the medication have "poured oil on the fire". My body is going completely crazy and my nerves seem to be going haywire. 

 

I am at a complete loss and fear that the medication and CT scan have further upset the histamine balance in my body.

 

I am coming to the conclusion that I probably can't be helped with conventional medicine. I guess it is up to me to find and tap into the source of healing within myself. 

 

I hope and wish very much that I will find it in time to finally escape this withdrawal hell. 

What alternatives do we have left at this moment?!?!

 

I wish you all the best with all my heart and continue to get well.

 

Warm regards

 

Goodluck

[Marija]

Hi Goodluck,

 

I'm so sorry to hear you're unwell. Have you tried the low histamine diet? It's helping me manage my symptoms.

 

Marija

[goodluck]

Dear Marija

 

Thank you very much for your message.

 

I will also have to get used to a consistent low-histamine diet in the future to avoid such severe setbacks. 

At the moment, I am going through more very difficult hours and am praying for them to finally stop. 

 

Warm regards

 

Goodluck

[gentlehermione]

@goodluck

My heart goes out to you! These past weeks have been difficult for me, too. Perhaps the change in seasons doesn't help any either. 

 

Just try and take one day at a time and keep on plodding ahead. You'll get there eventually 😉

 

Sending you healing vibes!

[getofflex]

Pain killers are psychoactive drugs and this may have thrown your nervous system more off kilter.  This would amp up your symptoms.  If it were me I would completely stay away from all psychoactive substances.  This is why I’m now extremely careful with doctors and hospitals.  Their MO is just to give out drugs and this puts you at risk of worsening your WD symptoms. You may want to stop the vitamin D.  It could be activating.  

[Foxclover6]

I reactivated ebv during withdrawl, im 5 months off lex and ativan, I exercise every other day and it throws me into a pit of symptoms as well, I do weights and cardio,  kinda considering taking a step back.  I've been on supp to help the ebv and I can tell it makes my withdrawl worse but I really need to get better.  

[goodluck]

Dear Members

 

13 months ago, I stopped the last dose of mirtazapine (1.0 mg) and have been on 0 since then.

During the entire period of tapering off, I had recurrent severe anxiety for weeks or months, which fortunately did not reappear for a few months after complete discontinuation.

Since the beginning of my violent wave two weeks ago, I have been experiencing severe anxiety again, combined with chest tightness and nausea, which wakes me up very early in the morning.

Does anyone know these anxiety states for such a long time after 0?

 

Thank you very much for your support!

 

Goodluck

 

 

[gentlehermione]

Dear @goodluck

 

Welcome to the club! I've been in a massive wave for the past two weeks and have been experiencing the same symptoms. In my case the early morning wakings are due to cortisol spikes. I had to cold turkey off my medication four years ago so I'm probably in a worse place. 

 

Have a look on the last page of my thread. @Frogie sent me a couple of helpful links and reassurance that I was indeed in a wave.

 

Hope you start to pull out of this wave soon 🥰 It will pass 😉

 

 

[goodluck]

Dear Gentlehermione

 

Thank you very much for your message and the reassuring words. I am very sorry that you are also in the middle of another violent wave!

 

I felt the same as you two months ago. After experiencing several windows, I already had the feeling that I was practically cured...! Unfortunately, this is not the case. 

 

Well, we will get through this wave too, no matter how hard it is. I'll be in touch with you in another way.

 

Warm greetings and all the best in advance

 

Goodluck