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View Full Version : Mirtazapine withdrawal from 30mg to 15mg with valium to help.



ElizabethJane
05-09-08, 21:46
I'm hoping to withdraw from mirtazapine 30mg to 15mg initially hopefully eventually stopping it. My psychiatrist will probably add risperidone into the mix as I am already on lithium and prothiaden. I tried to stop in July by tapering and eventually stopping but I suffered severe anxiety and depression. I also experienced panic attacks with some visual hallucinations. So it's understandable that I'm scared. I have my GPs support and my psychiatrist but they are both away on hoilday at the moment. I asked my psychiatrist to give me some valium which he has done to ease the transition. If the panic attacks become too bad I'll have to go back on it. I know that some of you guys have withdrawn from anti depressants. I just wonder how you have all done it without having to be admitted as an inpatient.

marie1974
06-09-08, 14:36
hiya cant help u with this but just wanted to send u huge hug and bump u back up the forum again and hopefully people will be able to help. hugs xxx

ElizabethJane
06-09-08, 16:50
Thanks Donna. Trying to withdraw from mirtazapine brought me to no more panic in the first place. Have had one day on 15mg all ok so far. I have my psychiatrist and GPs fullest support but both are on holiday at the moment. I am sure other members must have withdrawn fron these anti depressants. I'm not sure whether I can face all that panic and anxiety again hence the valium. Haven't needed to take it yet though.

ElizabethJane
07-09-08, 16:08
I'm on day three of my withdrawal. I'm down to 15mg. I see my GP on Wednesday. Because I had such a bad time last time I'm just taking one day at a time. I had a few panicky feelings in Church today but they came to nothing thank goodness. I wont be taking any valium unless it is absolutely necessary. I just had no idea that with drawing from anti depressants could be so difficult. Slept really well last night so that is one positive to remember.

ElizabethJane
08-09-08, 16:24
Today is definitely different although I am still sleeping well on 15mg. I have started to have that panicky feeling in my stomach. It is a feeling like I cannot catch my breath. I shall have to do something about it probably to use my relaxation cd tonight and see if it makes any difference. I see my GP on Wednesday. I dont really want to stop withdrawing before I feel I have even started. Our shop is moving which is adding to my stress as the existing one is extremely dusty. I'll be glad when all the boxes are packed up. The main move is on Wednesday and Thursday. The panic is rather like an empty sicky feeling in the stomach. If I can fit in some swimming this week I am sure it will help.

ElizabethJane
09-09-08, 20:58
well nothing has changed. I haven't felt a big increase in my anxiety although I'm certainly more crabby today. Our shop is moving and it is just full of boxes. People keep coming in and wishing us luck. We are going to need it. I am off to see my GP who has been away on her hols. I have noticed an increase in my thirst but that could be to do with the lithium I also take and nothing to do with the mirtazapine. I have also successfully logged onto the bi-polar forum (thanks Happy one) At the moment I'm managing quite well on 15mg of mirtazapine although I am finding it difficult to sleep. I'm not keen in the drop in dose but that is the way my psychiatrist wants to go before trying me on something else.

ElizabethJane
13-09-08, 17:51
I haven't posted for a few days because my firm that I work for has been m oving shop. I was working in the new shop on Friday but we had no credit card machines so all transactions had to be in cash or cheque. Hopefully the phones will be on on Monday. My nearest colleague has failed his audition for the choir we all belong to. I'm concerned because I haven't had mine yet. I'm still coping very well on 15mg of mirtazapine and have not had any additional panic and anxiety. I expect the fun will really start when I go down to half or alternate days. I was a bit teary on Friday and reacted and had a bit of a spat with another colleague. I need to calm down . I dont like change. My psychiatrist appointment isn't until 22nd September.

jo61
14-09-08, 11:06
Hang on in there. If you struggle with smaller doses it's likely you'll be put back to the dose where you have coped the best. You mentioned that you may be put on another medication too. If you feel awful when you go to alternate days, I would suggest you either phone your psychiatrist or go back to taking a small dose every day until you see him. It's not so long now to your appointment. I've been on this stuff for years. :hugs:

ElizabethJane
14-09-08, 20:40
Thasnks Jo for your post. I am going to try to come off these drugs. Have felt absolutely c... today. My back has been killing me all day but I managed going out to lunch and the evensong. Before the rehearsal I hads a panic attack. I felt like running. Fortunatly it went off and didn't come back in mini waves. This is bad news as I'm only on 15mg I hope this isn't a foretaste of things to come. I didn't have my valium with me. Oh help. I coped I survived woo hoo even with the back pain. Hopefully I'll begin to feel better tomorrow.

ElizabethJane
16-09-08, 20:46
Well I can't exactly say that I'm doing brilliantly at the moment. I have hurt my back and am off sick (husband looking after me). Most if not all pain killers make me sick like very very ill. Have I learn't my lesson. NO. I was presribed tramadol yesterday by a locum and have been soo ill. I couldn't take any of my other meds last night so I'm not sure where that leaves me. I was crying in pain and because I felt so helpless. So most pain killers interact with the lithium and now I can add another to the list. Have felt spacey and out of it on just 100mg. I am also allergic to codeine, and all NSAIDS. So I've been hooked up to my TENS and am allowed paracetamol and vallium which also makes me spacey but as I haven't been going anywhere that hasn't been a problem. However tomorrow is another day.....

ElizabethJane
24-09-08, 22:00
I'm still on 15mg of mirtazapine, 1,000mg lithium and 150mg of prothiaden. Tomorrow I see Dr J my psychiatrist.I'm not sure whether he'll want me to reduce the mirtazapine further.I have had an extremely stressful time with the move of our shop, plus being off work with an extremely painful bad back. This is made worse by the fact that I'm allergic to most painkilllers or they interact with the lithium. So I've been coping with the pain by using a T.E.NS machine and heat and hot and cold compresses. I'm still getting excruitating pain in my spine and in my lower back so something isn't right. I feel alright reasonably level headed but I can't sleep or have difficulty going off then waking any time from three onwards usually between four and five. So something is going on. Partly the pain in my back or that demon depression rearing it's ugly head again

ElizabethJane
28-09-08, 17:57
I still haven't made it in terms of going cold turkey with the mirtazapine. I see my GP the week after next. My back pain has eased but I have referred pain in my shoulder and neck. I'm wondering what the effects on my body will be when I stop the mirtazapine? Will the panic and anxiety start again? I feel confident that it wont. I'm more positive now looking foward trying hard not to look back but sometimes vulnerable to extreem stress. Thankyou to all who posted on the other thread. I'll keep posting my experiences on here until I am off mirtazapine.

ElizabethJane
30-09-08, 22:06
this is my second night of not taking the mirtazapine. Nothing has happened today apart from the hypnogogic hallucinations I had last night. At least they didn't terrify me. There are a few few things associated with withdrawal that terrify me. The first is uncontrollable shaking and fear and panic that goes with it. So far so good. I haven't needed any valium and I am still preoccupied with the pain in my neck and back. I have these awful nightmares that I cant breathe or move but even recognising that it is happening it doesn't take the fear away. I feel sleepy tonight so hopefully I will go to sleep easily. Have just come back from one of my choirs so I should rest easy.

ElizabethJane
02-10-08, 17:52
Today hasn't been quite as brilliant.I felt that I was awake on nad off for most of the night. This morning I felt lousy weepy really wanting to cry. I have GPs appointment next Thursday. I dont want to go back on mirtazapine but hopefully things wont get as bad as they were before. There are a few family problems which were playing on my mind last night. Now I just feel tired a little bit anxious but all more or less in control. Most of the time at work we are so busy and it is easy to feel fairly stressed. I just hope that I can sleep tonight.I turn into a different person when I am asleep.

ElizabethJane
06-10-08, 16:39
It is a week now since I stopped mirtazapine. Since then I have experienced some panic and anxiety. It has been especially bad over the weekend. I have been panicing but I haven't resorted to the valium. I'm not sleeping very well. I feel tired during the day but when it comes to bedtime I'm wide awake. My husband goes away on business tomorrow so I will take a sleeping pill. There is no point in being courageous here. If I don't sleep I'm tired weepy and depressed the next day simple. I admire people who have been able to come off their anti depressants. They are horrible, wicked and evil (enough said) in withdrawal (fine when you are on them and do a good job)

milski
25-10-09, 02:53
Hi how are you feeling today.. Im milski by the way.. I used to take 30mg remeron and xanor for my panic attack. But when I start taking remeron 15mg. I starting having terrible w/d symptom. I endured for a week. When I talk to my doc about it. he replace remeron with lexapro. I was taken to the hospital because I was having very hot sensation all over my body. I stop lexapro and remeron cold turkey. But I starter taking clonopil 5mg at night at morning. it stop all w/d symptom and become stable again. Its been 3 weeks now and i still feel great except now. I got to taper my benzo. hope for you the best. and God bless.