Mirtazapine / Pregabalin

[headinthecloud]

I thought I'd start a new thread since the last Mirtazapine / Pregabalin one was a while ago.

I was diagnosed with anxiety disorder about four months ago.

I feel I've messed up a bit with my medication. Been on Mirtazapine 30mg for about 4 months, but decided that I want to slowly taper off, so two weeks ago I started to do 2/3 of a pill (around 20mg). Been staying on this ever since.

I'm also taking Pregabalin. 150mg at night and then 50mg twice during daytime. It was all fine at first (3 months ago) but since I can't remember when, I've been getting a sense of oppression, a sort of pain at the back of my head and difficulty breathing. It's a weird sensation and the way I describe it is as though something's trying to 'flow through' inside my head but getting blocked. This 'blocked' feeling caused the oppression and pain, but will resolve itself after a couple of hours. I'd suddenly feel the blockage easing and whatever that was blocked able to flow through. sorry to be so abstract but that's how it feels.

I never have this problem at night on the higher dose. I just get sleepy.

So a couple of weeks ago I thought I'd see if I can do without the Pregabalin day dose altogether. Bad idea. I ended up getting withdrawal symptoms because my body's been used to expecting SOME pregabalin during the day.

So now I'm back on the med daytime. but rather than taking 50mg twice I'm taking 100mg in one go, in the morning. The thinking behind this is that at least the day and night doses are closer, and at the same 12-hour interval. Any higher than 100mg during the day I'll dose off.

It's now two days into this regime. The 'blockage' feeling doesn't happen anymore and my breathing is fine. Instead I get a heavy head feeling all day long. Like my brain is expanding inside my head. It's pretty unpleasant.

I have to say although my head feels like it's about to burst, my anxiety is OK. Esp during the day. I don't get that irrational 'fear' feeling and stomach churn.

So what's going on? is this a drug reaction with Mirtazapine? Am I doing the right thing with the dosage? I suspected drugs interaction because I associate oppression with Mirtazapine – that feeling of the brakes being put on and the Big Hand pressing down to stop the anxiety.

Has anyone experienced what I'm talking about here? The symptoms / side effects I have are so specific I don't even begin to know where to look for answers. Might anyone be able to help??

[carl0s]

I'm sorry I can't help you with your questions, but perhaps you can help me a bit.

I have been taking pregabalin 75mg twice daily for about 7 months. About a month ago I reduced to 50mg twice daily, out of concern for eventual withdrawal problems.

I missed a dose earlier and things were not good.

I was wondering if you can tell me what withdrawal effects you felt when you tried to go without, and also how long it took for those withdrawal effects to subside once you started taking the pregabalin again.

I think I am finding that the withdrawal discomfort does not subside immediately after taking the drug again, which is quite unlike benzos and other drug withdrawals. As I said on another forum, it's like getting kicked in the head by missing the dose, and your head/nervous system continues to suffer for some time afterwards even if you make up for the missed dose.

I may be making it all up though.. it could be something else making me feel bad. I'd like to hear more about the withdrawal effects you felt.

Thanks, and good luck getting better.