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#21 Guest_Christina_*

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Posted 23 December 2009 - 09:07 PM

Hi all.... I have been on Mirtazipine (Avanza in Austalia) for about 2 years, 30mg and then 15mg, for insomnia, depression and lack of appetitie ..

I have tried to wean myself off it a couple of times in the past 6 months, but as you have all mentioned it is hard.. :( I am sufferring severe loss of appetite and nausea, I am currently off work because the nausea is that bad and I am losing weight quickly.. some people might love this, but I have always been underweight and mirtazipine actually helped me put on weight and i felt alot better with the extra weight on me !!

I am coming off it as I am convinced it is causing hair loss, I would be interested if anyone else has experienced this side effect.. ? Initially my hair became weak, started splitting and knotting alot, static electricty, then it just started gradually falling out, straight from the root, initially only from one side of my head but then it started thinning on the otherside too, the doctors say female pattern hair loss/alopecia, but I am suspicious as it all started a couple of months after beginning the mirtazipine.

Has anyone else experienced hair loss...? apart from that possiblity, I loved mirtazipine, it made me calm, helped me sleep and increased my poor appetite.. but yeah, losing your hair is a major thing and I was not coping with it.. Although now that I am experiencing all these withdrawal symptoms I am not so sure Ive made the right decision.

#22 Guest_Christina_*

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Posted 23 December 2009 - 09:09 PM

Oh if anyone wants to email me to discuss my comment please do ... .. Christina :)

This post has been edited by Velvet Elvis: 24 December 2009 - 03:11 AM
Reason for edit: Email removed to protect privacy

#23 Guest_AuntieKathryn_*

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Posted 03 January 2010 - 05:36 PM

View PostNancy, on 22 December 2009 - 02:06 PM, said:

I've been tapering off Remeron now for a few months and stopped taking it completely about 1 1/2 weeks ago. Sleep has been restless but also started getting the itchiness mentioned before. I'm glad to see I'm not crazy and someone else had it too. My doc of course said it is absolutely not related to going off meds. (Why do they always deny everything??!!) My doc is also the type who insists that I must stay on AD's for the rest of my life. I don't want to give in to that. Spoke to our pharmacist and told her about itchiness and right away she said it is because of the meds reduction and maybe I should go off more slowly and klonopin and benedryl can help. The other night I woke up unbearably itchy all over my whole body. I jumped out of bed and started running around the house as if I could exercise the itchiness out of me. Reminded me of years ago when I would wake with spontaneous panic attacks in the middle of the night and I would start running up and down the stairs to wear myself out. Took a Klonopin and immediately the itchiness went away and I was able to fall right back to sleep. The next day, was itchy again but not as bad so I tried Benedryl and that helped right away too. So I am going to go back to taking 7.5 mg of Remeron every other day for a week or so and then reduce to 3.75 mg and so on. I am also working with a homeopath taking remedies which seem to be helping. I haven't felt much of my anxiety return and none of my overwhelming dizzy spells which is why they originally put me on Remeron 7 years ago.


The itchiness is so definately remeron. What a joke that doctor is! I smothered myself in moisturiser which didnt help... im on 15/7.5 at the moment and im itching. When i reached the 3 week mark with 0mg i got hit with insomnia and extreme nausea that was so bad i went back up to 15 for a few days. I will definately try the benedryl if i get problems with the incredibly slow withdrawal method im doing (15/7.5 alternating for two weeks, then eliminating one of my 15mg per week and holding each new dose for 2 weeks). This is ridiculous someone has to raise awareness of antidepressants CAUSING MORE PROBLEMS THAN THEY WERE PRESCRIBED TO TREAT! If i ever get through the withdrawal i will do just that!

#24 Guest_MariaGrace_*

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Posted 05 January 2010 - 06:06 PM

View PostAuntieKathryn, on 03 January 2010 - 05:36 PM, said:

View PostNancy, on 22 December 2009 - 02:06 PM, said:

I've been tapering off Remeron now for a few months and stopped taking it completely about 1 1/2 weeks ago. Sleep has been restless but also started getting the itchiness mentioned before. I'm glad to see I'm not crazy and someone else had it too. My doc of course said it is absolutely not related to going off meds. (Why do they always deny everything??!!) My doc is also the type who insists that I must stay on AD's for the rest of my life. I don't want to give in to that. Spoke to our pharmacist and told her about itchiness and right away she said it is because of the meds reduction and maybe I should go off more slowly and klonopin and benedryl can help. The other night I woke up unbearably itchy all over my whole body. I jumped out of bed and started running around the house as if I could exercise the itchiness out of me. Reminded me of years ago when I would wake with spontaneous panic attacks in the middle of the night and I would start running up and down the stairs to wear myself out. Took a Klonopin and immediately the itchiness went away and I was able to fall right back to sleep. The next day, was itchy again but not as bad so I tried Benedryl and that helped right away too. So I am going to go back to taking 7.5 mg of Remeron every other day for a week or so and then reduce to 3.75 mg and so on. I am also working with a homeopath taking remedies which seem to be helping. I haven't felt much of my anxiety return and none of my overwhelming dizzy spells which is why they originally put me on Remeron 7 years ago.


The itchiness is so definately remeron. What a joke that doctor is! I smothered myself in moisturiser which didnt help... im on 15/7.5 at the moment and im itching. When i reached the 3 week mark with 0mg i got hit with insomnia and extreme nausea that was so bad i went back up to 15 for a few days. I will definately try the benedryl if i get problems with the incredibly slow withdrawal method im doing (15/7.5 alternating for two weeks, then eliminating one of my 15mg per week and holding each new dose for 2 weeks). This is ridiculous someone has to raise awareness of antidepressants CAUSING MORE PROBLEMS THAN THEY WERE PRESCRIBED TO TREAT! If i ever get through the withdrawal i will do just that!

#25 Guest_MariaGrace_*

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Posted 05 January 2010 - 06:10 PM

Hi AuntieKathryn, I had read on a post you wrote on Dec 21st, that you were going to try and follow a system for withdrawl of

7.5mg for 4 weeks
7.5mg one day and 3.5mg the next alternating for 4 weeks
Then 3.5mg for 4 weeks
Then 3.5 one day and 0 the next alternating for 4 weeks
Then 0mg

Did that not work for you? I am currently taking 15mg and want to get off of it myself so I was going to try that, but now I read this post from you on Jan 3rd that you are having problems. Did you follow the above system? Hang in there, it's gotta get better.

Maria

#26 Guest_Bobman_*

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Posted 19 January 2010 - 12:22 AM

Christina,

I'm in Australia too and getting off it. I've also noticed more hairs on my pillow and hair brush than usual. This drug is way too much sedating for me to function normally during the day. It seems your email was removed though, perhaps mods will allow Facebook links to discuss with other users?

#27 User is offline   lavender 

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Posted 19 January 2010 - 12:41 AM

This past week I managed to skip my Remeron/mirtazapine 2 nights in a row. Mistake! I could not stay awake the following day, even after 13 hours of sleep. Felt I was coming down with something, headache, chills, no appetite, and of course- brain zaps, which finally zapped my brain into remembering the skipped medication. I took it immediately and felt about half better by the next day, then completely well after the following dose. I wouldn't recommend going cold turkey on this one either. Am happy to report I've successfully completed the Zoloft taper/discontinue regimen. Been off it completely now for over a month and no problems. Was on it for over 10 years so was a bit apprehensive, but it went off without a hitch.

Dx: Bipolar Disorder, rapid cycling
Meds: Lamictal, Remeron, Ranitidine, Lipitor, Ativan as needed

Past Rx: Zoloft, Prozac, Paxil, Effexor, Wellbutrin, Buspar, Celexa, Zyprexa, Seroquel, Risperidol, Xanax, Klonopin, Trazadone, Serzone, Lithium, Triavil, Tofranil, Haldol, Cogentin, Sinequan, Elavil, Valium, Desiprimine, etc, etc, etc...

#28 Guest_warbird_*

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Posted 13 March 2010 - 04:12 PM

View Postlavender, on 19 January 2010 - 12:41 AM, said:

This past week I managed to skip my Remeron/mirtazapine 2 nights in a row. Mistake! I could not stay awake the following day, even after 13 hours of sleep. Felt I was coming down with something, headache, chills, no appetite, and of course- brain zaps, which finally zapped my brain into remembering the skipped medication. I took it immediately and felt about half better by the next day, then completely well after the following dose. I wouldn't recommend going cold turkey on this one either. Am happy to report I've successfully completed the Zoloft taper/discontinue regimen. Been off it completely now for over a month and no problems. Was on it for over 10 years so was a bit apprehensive, but it went off without a hitch.



Any updates from the posters who did the really slow withdrawls?

#29 Guest_warbirdwf_*

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Posted 13 March 2010 - 04:18 PM

Wow..this Remeron drug is something! I was on 15mg for four months to help me sleep and with calming my anxiety. I am also on 30mg of Paxil. I started weaning down by going to 10mg for 4 days, then to 7.5mg for 4 days then 3.75 for one day, then stopped. The day at 3.75, my anxiety levels were certainly higher but eased up in the afternoon. That night, I took 0mg and feel asleep ok. I woke up 3 hours later and tossed and turned. Fell asleep for 2 more hours then repeated. Finally, I slept another 2 hours. When I woke up, my anxiety was at a very high level! I couldn't believe how high it was after only one day not being on this drug! I caved in and took 7.5mg and after 3-4 hours, my anxiety calmed down again. Wow...I'm not feeling real comfortable with how I'm going to discontinue this drug?? It causes insomnia and high anxiety when discontinuing it??

Sorry for the long post but would love to hear some success stories!

Thanks!
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