mocha2005: Need help please Crosstapering Mertazaping to Lexapro, also take zopliclone for 15 years

[mocha2005]

Hello, I am new here.  I had been on Escitalopram for many years until some life altering events happened Fall of 2021 and 1st 6 months of 2022 when I became severely depressed.  I was crosstapered from Escitalopram to Mertazapine in June 2022, I have also taken zopliclone for sleep since about 2007 or 2009.  The mertazapine has not worked well for me and doctor has me crosstapering from mertazapine to Escitalopram now.  I went from 30mg Mert to 7.5 in 2 months (Dec 1 - Feb 1) and I am on 10mg of Escitalopram for about 10 days and 5mg for about 10 days before that (so 3 weeks).

 

I had bad headaches start in November and trouble sleeping, that was before I started tapering or adding in the Esc.  The headaches have gotten better but have them almost daily, the insomnia is awful.  I plan on staying at 7.5 mert, 10 Esc until I stabilized.  I started only taking 3.75 zoplicone when i go to bed and take the other 3.75 when i wake up during the night in hopes i can go back to sleep.  Only done this for 4 nights now.  I take clamazapham sometimes, maybe once a week to help get me thru, doc wants me to start taking that instead of zop to sleep but i dont want to make any more changes and am afraid i will get withdrawal from zop.  I am so confused.

 

I am really struggling - please someone help guide me....it seems like everything i try it backfires....

 

[Frogie]

@mocha2005

 

Welcome to SA. We are a volunteer ran site helping people taper off psychiatric medications or have tapered off and are now healing.

 

 

 

This is your introduction page where you will receive information, ask questions and meet other members. We ask that you only have one introduction page so we can keep all your information in one place.

 

 

Please add a signature.  Include drugs, doses, dates, and discontinuations & reinstatements in the last 12-24 months. Also include supplements. This will help us give you the most accurate advice we can. 

• Any drugs and supplements prior to 24 months ago can just be listed with start and stop years. 
• Please use actual dates or approximate dates (mid-June, Late October) rather than relative time frames (last week, 3 months ago) 
• Spell out months, e.g. "October" or "Oct."; 9/1/2016 can be interpreted as Jan. 9, 2016 or Sept. 1, 2016. 
• Please leave out symptoms and diagnoses. 
• A list is easier to understand than one or multiple paragraphs. 
• This is a direct link to your signature:  Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature.

 

 

Here is some important information about how these drugs actually work.  This explains why we get symptoms from going off of these medications:

 

How Psychiatric Drugs Remodel Your Brain

 

 

This helps you understand what withdrawal syndrome is: 

 

Video on Recovery from Psych Drugs

 

 

Stability is really important when we are tapering off psych meds.  Please read the link about stability:

 

Keep It Simple, Slow, and Stable

 

 

Are you still taking the Mirtazapine? Or are you now on 10 mg escitalopram only? Then you are taking zoplicone 7.50 mg at night? Then taking clamazapham? How much of the clamazapham do you take? You want to be careful with benzodiazepines as your body will become dependent on them in as little as 2 weeks. You also want to take a benzodiazepine regularly, not "once in a while". So you do need to take it on a regalar basis.

 

My suggestion to you, since you have been on a rollercoaster ride switching medications and adding to them, I would hold for at least 6 months before trying to taper off of anything. Your body needs to rest and stabilize. The when you are stable, you could begin tapering the escitalopram, then the zoplicone and then the clamaxapham. Here are some links that will help explain.

 

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

The slowness of slow tapers

 

Brass Monkey Slide

 

The Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

What is withdrawal syndrome?

 

Withdrawal Normal Description

 

Tips for tapering off escitalopram (Lexapro)

 

Tips for tapering off mirtazapine (Remeron)

 

Tips for tapering off Z drugs for sleep (Ambien, Imovane, Sonata, Lunesta, Intermezzo, etc.)

 

How do you talk to a doctor about tapering and withdrawal?

 

 

We don't suggest a lot of supplements on here as they can be stimulating to the central nervous system (CNS), except 2. If you would like to try one, try a small amount and wait a few days before introducing the other.

 

 

Magnesium

Omega 3 Fish Oil

 

 

After you have read the links provided, please reach out with any questions you may have.