My psychiatrist has just agreed that I can try reducing my antidepressant medication. I'm on 225mg venlafaxine and 30 mg mirtazapine, and he's suggested I gradually reduce the mirtazapine first, and see what happens He's warned me that i might notice less sedation, so sleep less well. Are there any other withdrawal symptoms I should know about? Anyone else tried it?
View 9 RepliesThis is day 17 of tapering from 45 g to 30g alternate nights 22.5g and odd nights skipping it. So far i've had no withdrawal symptoms. I know it's early days and have to be careful, I just wanted to share my experience so far and perhaps give a glimmer of hope to anyone out there! Also my stagnant weight has finally shifted. Coincidence?
View 4 RepliesI was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism 2 months ago. since then my thyroid levels have stabilised and are just slightly on the low end of normal. The specialist I was seeing put me on a med called mirtazapine to help with my sleep and appetite. He told me to only have 1/8 to 1/4 of a 15 mg tablet, so I started off with 1/8 of a tablet for 3 weeks every night which work good, anyway went up to 1/4 of a tablet for a week or so, was way to tired the next day so came back Down to 1/8 of a tablet for about a week or 2. I started what I can only describe as inner trembling and rushes of energy in chest arm and neck area, these rushes would happen over and over again from about 3 am till morning. It's a really horrible feeling accompanied with crawling tingling skin which makes me squirm. I was assuming it was the mirtazapine so I stopped it at 1.85 mg. it's now been six days since I stopped and this is still happening. Has anyone else had this as a side effect/withdrawal symptom. I don't think it agreed with me. Other medication I am on are propranolol 10 mg three times a day and 5mg carbimazole.
View 9 RepliesI have read several sources on protracted withdrawal symptoms. All that I have found in the extended symptoms were psychiatric in nature. As anyone who follows this subject knows, mirtazapine has more than it's share of physical pains as well. Anyone know anything about protracted withdrawals that are physical symptoms, such as headaches, back spasms, stomach cramps, etc,? God have mercy on anyone who's life has been negatively touched by this "medicine".
View 12 RepliesI broke my wrist on 1st Feb and my body went into severe shock. I felt very ill and couldn't sleep. My doctor gave me Mirtazapine to "calm things down". I took two 15mg tablets a day for 7 days and had horrible reactions including 'burning' and painful legs. I just stopped taking them 18 days ago but ever since I have what I imagine must be withdrawal symptoms. I feel so ill and feel desperate for some reassurance that things will pass. I can't sleep,feel nauseous,my chest hurts and I feel breathless. The symptoms seem to be getting worse.
I am so shocked that I have such a severe reaction after only taking the tablets for a week. Can anyone out there tell me if this is normal?
I would like to ask anyone who has withdrawn from Mirtazapine to explain what sort of symptoms you have experienced with withdrawal.
I have reduced from 15 mg to 12.5mg 4 weeks ago and have had a constant trembling/ shaking feeling predominantly in the mornings with an underlying anxious feeling, nausea, gastric upset, sweating, aching lower limbs and pressure in my head. Can anyone relate to any similar effects please?
I was bumped up to 30mg from 15mg as I got myself in a total mess with the doses and coming off my citalopram. Bad care and support from docs. Had all sorts of symptoms mainly dizzy and wiped out, which I thought was normal. I wasn't sleeping and my anxiety was worse than before I started taking anything. I wanted to come back down to 15 mg so had a chat with the doctor and said what I was doing. I took 22.5mg one day and 30mg the next, for 2 weeks and was tapering like that. After 2 weeks I thought I'll split them further and take 26.25mg every day instead of different doses every other day, as I thought that was better. But after 2 and half weeks the withdrawal symptoms hit me like a truck. Properly wiped out, painful shoulders and back, dizzy, anxious, clenching my hands and teeth, shaking, feeling hyper, and when I'm not super tired I can feel very angry. On the odd day I feel like I'm losing my mind. Utterly horrible. Plus my appetite is all over the place and I felt sick a few times. I've been off work for over a week now and going in when I can.
It's been 4 weeks since I dropped the dose to alternate days and 2 weeks since I went on 26.25mg. My shoulder and back pain isn't as bad, and I feel I'm better than I have been but I can feel fine one day and then have to phone in sick the next. It's actually making me more depressed with the symptoms I have.
My question is, can someone reassure me that this will eventually stabilise? I'm worried I'm not back to normal yet and when I've changed dose before it usually takes about 4 weeks. It can be rocky but usually fine for work and can cope.
I woke this morning with palpitations, so still in bed hoping to get into work later today. I contemplated going back up to 30mg but that would probably be a step backwards considering I was only on 30 for a month. I'm glad my friend and my family have helped me to stay on the same dose as any change is really sensitive to me.
I'm really struggling atm and worried about my work. Will I stabilise over the next week or so?
Wednesday makes 5 weeks since my last 7.5 Remeron. I am still having cramps and intestinal churning with trapped gas & bloating. Also, the Mirtazapine must have played a part in my blood pressure/heart rate, as I am having, since stopping the pills, trouble stabilizing my BP/HR on the same medicine/dose that I was using prior to stopping. I have been on the heart medicine for at least 8 years. The sleep is improving, and the Phenergan is helping with the nausea. Anyone else having GI issues this long? I have IBS, but this is beyond that.
View 12 RepliesI have been taking fluoxetine on and off for roughly 3 years. I was put on them following the death of my premature baby, I had turned to alcohol as a coping mechanism for 4 years when I finally admitted defeat and tried antidepressants..
However, My doctor and I came to the conclusion about 4 months ago that the fluoxetine was not working, we noticed the pattern that a week before my period I was still becoming suicidal, anxious, withdrawn and emotionally unstable (longer periods without alcohol have enabled me recognise my symptoms better).
We decided I needed to be treated for the anxiety and I was prescribed 150mg of pregabalin at night and beta blockers as and when needed for the anxiety..
A month ago my doc recommended that I reduce from 20mg of fluoxetine daily to one every other day, however, I stupidly just stopped them!
Since this I stopped sleeping, became severely anxious and withdrawn, began having panic attacks, been snappy, angry, had headaches, felt like i've had flu, extreme lows etc.
Bcus of this I stopped the pregabalin as well as I thought these symptoms were bcus of them, as it was the only thing id been taking and it had been 4 weeks since stopping the fluoxetine so I thought that the fluoxetine couldn't be causing any problems, as it would be out of my system and the symptoms did not start immediately after stopping the fluoxetine.
So, last Sunday I was extremely suicidal, depressed etc, a friend took me to the doc on Monday who prescribed me mirtazapine 15mg for the first 5 nights (to help me sleep) then 30 mg a night thereafter.
last night after my second dose I slept for 16 hours!! I awoke today feeling shaky, tired, clumsy, weak, blurred vision, spaced out etc so I called my doc who has advised me to stop the mirtazapine as I was having a bad reaction and restart the fluoxetine as I may be having withdrawals!!
I feel like im back to square one (back on the fluoxetine) which doesn't even work!! I dont know who I am anymore, whether im withdrawing, actually anxious or goodness knows what. I don't want to be on any meds anymore bcuz I dont like the side affects but I also can't continue like this....
I'm a 22 year old female. I've been underweight most of my life, I mention to my doctor 9 months ago asking if there was any type of appetite increasers I could take. For some reason he prescribes me Mirtazapine, even though I'm already on an anti anxiety (Paxil) for 4 years. I wasn't even aware until much later that Mirt was an antidepressant.
So it helps me gain weight, and amazingly the only other side effect is about once weekly constipation. I'd gained the weight I wanted and last week I asked to be taken off of it. Last weekend I had went through a three day bout on antibiotics on a UTI, so while feeling awful already I thought it must be a good time to withdraw from Mirt. The doctor gave me permission.
So I had lately been having my 15 mgs into 7.5s, preparing to quit. I quit cold turkey on Monday. Ever since then, I have been overwhelmingly constipated or having diarrhea, getting chills that raise my temperature up to 99.4, and immense amount of gas.
I have a doctor's appointment in two days but until then I am at a loss for what to do. I feel miserable. I first tried everything, Pepto Bismol, Gas-X, Antacids, Alkaseltzers, and Miralax once or twice. I found that that was all making things worse, and tried to focus on guzzling water and eating better, with a fiber bar every day despite the fact that my appetite is zilch now.
Now I don't even know if you could say I'm constipated - I'm having bms every day, but they are painful, small, dark, tarry and often slivers, and still a huge amount of gas. But if I go two days without laxative, I start to feel clogged up. I posted this elsewhere and a woman suggested the only lax I should be trying is drinking two tablespoons of mineral oil before bed with lots of water. That seemed to help the one time, but I just don't want to get Lazy Bowel Syndrome and overuse laxatives of any kind.
I've been reading this forum and I am at a loss - It's been exactly one week since I quit, how much longer will this take? What can I do?
Anyone recommend a supplement to help me calm down and relax, as I'm withdrawing from Venlafaxine and I'm really having a difficult few days!
View 1 RepliesI have been taking Mirt now for just over three weeks for PND however it wasn't really helping my depression but helped the anxiety and sleep problems I was having therefore I saw the consultant two days ago who prescribed me Venlafaxine 75mg to take with the Mirtazapine. This is my second morning of taking the Venlafaxine and I feel my anxiety has come back and I feel all wide eyed and jittery! Just wondering when will these side effects ease? As I have a 7 week old baby to look after thank you! And I'm wondering when I will feel the benefit of this combination?
View 5 RepliesHi I have been on Mirtazapine 30 mg and Venlafaxine 75mg now for a good few weeks with the Venlafaxine being introduced 4 weeks ago! Initially when I was on the Mirtazapine alone I didn't see any difference in my mood or anxiety but once the Venlafaxine was added into the regime I felt great and back to my normal self was so happy with zero anxiety! However the past week now I have had the anxiety come back and the low mood also and I can feel myself going back to the way I was before the Venlafaxine was added in! I have had a terrible weekend with crippling anxiety and have had to take diazepam which I haven't done in a long time! Do you think I would benefit from an increase in dosage of the Venlafaxine? As I am so desperate because this drug made me back to who I once was but I can slowly feel myself slipping away!! I have just left a voicemail on my psychiatrists telephone number asking can I be seen tomorrow regarding my medication! I'm not sure whether the dose I am now on is low and I would benefit from an increase? I am desperate you see as I have a 10 week old son and I am unable to look after him when feeling like this my mother has had to take him overnight for me!
View 11 Replieswhich supplements to buy to help me with withdrawal of Effexor!
I've read that a good quality Omega 3 supplement will help and maybe 5 htp?
It's day 3 of withdrawal and I'm feeling so so tired and in need of some energy!
Yes it's me again, last few days I've felt agitated and on edge now this afternoon I'm full of tears!, is this part of withdrawal? I feel very very isolated and I just need to know if this is to be expected!
View 2 RepliesI have been on venlafaxine for around 10 months. I haven't had them for the last 3 days as I have been waiting to see a doctor to get a script for them. I ended up getting some today. I took 150mg for the first time. ate a banana after that. 15 minutes later i felt so sick i threw up. I don't know if i should take another tablet or not? I don't want the sweats to happen again tonight. I have been sweating excessively for the past 2 days and having nightmares. My boyfriend is going to buy me some tablets to stop me from being sick. i just want a good night sleep tonight..
View 8 RepliesI'm so used to having a couple of cups of coffee a day but since i started withdrawing it seems to make my symptoms worse...especially the buzzing in my brain. Has anyone else found this? Any tips?
View 24 RepliesI've got all the symptoms and feeling like death warmed up at the moment. Have been weaning off for three months now, and been on 37.5mg for a month. My philosophy had been that, once my body had levelled out on that particular dosage, I'd cut to the next ... so, here I am on nothing since last Wednesday (Tuesday today here in NZ) and suffering like crazy, but thinking one of two things. I either ride the wave, and surely, surely I'll feel better soon? Right? OR, to go back on the 37.5mg for longer!! But, if I do that, won't I just be delaying the inevitable? I mean from what I've read, the side effects are inevitable no matter what I do ... I'm self medicating with pain killers, antihistamines, and Coconut oil. Can't take Omega 3 as that by itself used to give me brain zaps so not sure what my options are here?
View 86 Repliesvenlafaxine 375 mg a day withdrawn to mirtazapine awful side effects from one to the other anyone else like me
View 2 RepliesI have been on antidepressants for 11 years, for OCD, and on Venlafaxine for roughly 6 years. At its highest i was on 225 mg plus 5mg Abilify. About two year ago my OCD had been under control for a good few years so i wanted to come off the medication for that reason but also I was suffering with chronic tiredness (falling asleep at work) and headaches that the drs could find no explanation for and I thought the drugs might be causing this. So I started reducing my meds.
I am off the Abilify and have got the Venlafaxine down to half a 37.5mg tab in the morning and a quarter tab in the evening. This has not been without its problems though. I could deal with the nausea/head zaps etc but about five/six months ago I tried reducing from 37.5mg every day to every other day (on the 'advice' of my GP who said it was 'such a baby dose you should be able to come off it in two weeks' ha!) and this resulted in my having heart palpitations (rate of 130bpm) and severe shakes and ending up in A&E. GP and doctor in A&E were both sceptical that withdrawal could cause this. GP made me do a 24hr heart ECG thing which came back normal so she put it down to 'anxiety'.
There were other (less severe) instances of heart palpitations in the following months that became less frequent. Then yesterday I couldn't remember if i'd taken my Venlafaxine in the morning so I took a quarter of a 37.5mg tab in the afternoon and a half of a quarter (crazy maths i know) in the evening. I then woke up suddenly at 1am and proceeded to get violent shakes and a feeling of a burning sensation in my brain. I got my partner to call an ambulance but by the time the paramedics got here the shaking had stopped and they said i was ok to stay home.
Has anyone had similar problems with convulsive shakes or heart palpitations with Venlafaxine? I want to come off it but these symptoms are alarming and no one in the medical profession seems to understand, all are dismissive of Venlafaxine withdrawal and even more so if you mention what you've 'read online'! But reading other people's experiences of this nightmare drug are reassuring me that i'm not insane (or at least no more than i was anyway).
i had an assessment after struggling with depression and anxiety for yrs , finally went back on ADs just before xmas, after trying sertraline , mirtazapine i'm now on venlafaxine , over the last 6 weeks it's increased to 225mg. My assessment came out with a high score in the range of severe depression and anxiety . I have previously had time off work due to this , however i'm doing my best to stay at work as i'm only p/t and work with some fab ppl . However i feel like everything is getting too much again , i had gp last wk and i just said all was ok , it wasn't but my child was in the room so couldn't speak , Also had my first cbt session today a ' panic workshop ' one , even with them discussing panic attacks makes me feel edgy and haven't been able to shake the feeling off since , i feel like i'm fighting a losing battle and just cant cope. So much has gone on recently , 7yr relationship breakdown / ended . Problems with child behavior , time off work last yr for an op that didn't go to plan ( should of been day surgery - 3 days in hospital , 7.5 wks off work ) moving house , family disagreements ( not to do with me but get dragged in ) Just so much - i don't know what to do , i feel like a whinge if i go back to gp again.
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