Charlie1708 - remeron Nightmare

[charlie1708]

I don't even know where to begin explaining the hell I have been through with remeron withdrawal. I have tried twice to discontinue using this medication but both times have failed. I started using remeron about a year and a half ago. I wanted something to help me with my nighttime anxiety. Something besides a sleeping pill which i already had become a custom to using.

 

I finally gave in and decided to visit a psychiatrist. She recommended remeron. She said it would help with my insomnia and also with anxiety. I told her that I didn't want to trade one medication for another. She said it's not addictive. So I decided to try remeron. The medication definitely helps you sleep but the side effects are too much to deal with.

 

The constipation,craving for food especially sweets and the hangover effects were overwhelming. I made the biggest mistake by only taking the pill every few days when I couldn't sleep. My dose was low (7.5)mg so I wasn't to worried about it affecting anything but my sleep issues. I asked my doctor if it was ok to take it on a as needed basis and she said it was fine. Which I was surprised to hear because it's an antidepressant.

 

I played around with the doses. I normally would take 7.5mg but on some occasion half of that would help. when I finally decided to come off the meds the withdrawals were terrible. Alot of trembling, no appetite, anxiety levels and insomnia that I never felt before. I thought I was going to have a nervous breakdown.The insomnia was killing me slowly.

 

I decided to ask a pharmacist if it was ok for me to have been taking the pills inconsistently and she said no. She said I was putting my body through a roller coast ride. So I went back to my Dr and explained everthing. She had the nerve to tell me that no the pharmacist was wrong and that I wasn't having withdrawals. It was most likely my anxiety and insomnia coming back. Also that my illness had progressed. she told me to start taking my pills at 15 mg again and after a week to increase up to 30mg. A dose that I had never been on.

 

I agreed to start taking the pills but only on the dose I was on before (7.5). The only reason I did that was because I knew that once I took the pills for a day or 2 the withdrawal effects would go away. I don't know what to do anymore. I don't want to continue taking these pills. I believe that my whole nervous system is a mess from all the inconsistent use of this medicine. What should I do??

[charlie1708]

Can anyone help me? What would be the easiest way to come off the drug?

[dalsaan]

Hi Charlie1708

 

Welcome to SA. I'm sorry you have had hard time getting good advice in this. I moved your post to the introductions section. Each member has their own personal thread which they use to discuss their individual situation, record what's happening for them, seek support, ask questions etc. this is your thread so perhaps you can book mark it so you can easily come back to it.

 

As you have learnt from experience, inconsistent, intermittent dosing can lead to problems. We recommend that you maintain as much consistency as possible in terms of doses/times and reduce slowly. By slowly we mean decreases of 10 percent of the previous dose. So if you were on 7.5 you would go down to 6.75. Wait 4 weeks and then drop another 10 percent

 

This is a conservative guide. The key is to listen to your body. It will tell you how well it's coping with the drops. Some people will be able to go faster, others will have to go slower. The intent is to come off the drugs well, not fast! We are successfully tapering if we are avoiding if minimising withdrawal symptoms.

 

I know it won't feel like it but you are lucky in the sense that you have a chance to taper slowly in order to minimise withdrawals. Some people land here having gone cold turkey and suffering for a long time.

 

Here are some links to threads that are useful for you. I encourage you to read through them.

 

Why taper 10 percent of my previous dose - http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1024-why-taper-by-10-of-my-dosage/

 

Tips for tapering Remeron - http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/5301-tips-for-tapering-off-remeron-mirtazapine/

 

Can I also ask you to put your drug history in your signature. Instructions on how to do that are here - http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/893-please-put-your-withdrawal-history-in-your-signature/

 

Overall, I think you have good prospects for recovery, your instincts on inconsistent dosing etc were right. We can help you work out a strategy to manage coming off your medication and provide support/resources for you to make good decisions for yourself.

 

Dalsaan

[charlie1708]

Thank you for the inspiring words. I too have hit rock bottom after stopping remeron. The longest I went without the medication was almost 2 months. I couldn't deal with the insomnia and anxiety issues. I knew it was with draws because whenever I would re administer drugs. I would feel better. after the first few weeks things seemed a little better but then the issues seemed to start coming back in waves.

[dalsaan]

Yep, sounds like withdrawal to me. As I said we aim to avoid or minimise wd symptoms but we do have threads on how to deal with insomnia and anxiety in our symptoms forum

 

D

[charlie1708]

I was able to quit lexapro a few years ago. I was using for the same reason. Mostly night time anxiety. I took it for a year but I was able to stop taking cold turkey. I got a little sick mostly flu like symptoms. But nothing like what I went through with remeron.

[Fresh]

Hi charlie , welcome to the site.

 

The fact that you've been through the withdrawal process and recovered can give you confidence that you will get past this too.

If you're taking 7.5mg now , you should probably stay on that for a good while to give your brain a rest , before you start tapering safely.

As Dalsaan says , you need stability.

 

You might want to consider taking magnesium and/or omega-3's.    There's info. on these in Symptoms and Self Care.

 

Best wishes ,  Fresh

[Hopefull]

Hi Charlie,

You are not alone in this. It is good that you are seeking advice on how to safly get of Rameron. I am tappering of mirtz. I also get horrible anxiety from Rameron. But it passes. It comes and goes. Very stupid advice from your doctor to take it as needed. I think that some doctors are incompetent fools. You will heal. Rameron makes me crave foods especially sweets too. But I stopped eating sweets since yesterday and I feel better. Sugar can really be a mood distabliser. When you get a sweet tooth, eat dry fruit, dates, apricots etc. What ever you like. That can help. I hope I don't give in to the temptation of one last piece of chocolate cake. All the best,