Mirtazapine during benzo taper

Hi

When I started tapering off of benzodiazepines

I was already kindled and in withdrawal from Ativan

 

My doctor didn't listen and wasn't co operative

And later when I was switched to diazepam

I mentioned smaller cuts a quarter every two week

He wouldn't have none of that.

I am now on 3mg diazepam at night

I am in a benzo taper Hell

Severe Everything.

From Anxiety To Tinnitus and everything In between

 

I come from 20mg ativan addiction for months self medicating mostly at night(2018)

Got switched to 30mg diazepam December(2018)

At the moment I have tapered to 3mg diazepam(2019)

Trough out the taper the cuts where 2mg at the beginning and now 1mg cuts of diazepam.(cuts are every 2 to 3 weeks)

 

Being on Remeron for 4 days now

15mg

It helps sleep

 

But will it be the same withdrawal like Benzo's

 

And if so

Can I stop taking it after just 4 days

Sort a like a before it's to late thing

 

I am sorry hope any one can answer

 

I am very sick from withdrawing from Benzo's

Mentally I'm a mess

 

I have extremely hard time coping with anything

No one around me understand this benzo withdrawal

 

Everything went wrong in my withdrawal process

-abuse of Ativan wich made me hypomanic

Then a Direct Switch to a to small amount of diazepam

Tapering to fast cuts I made to drastic

 

 

 

The mirtazapine damage has made the benzo CT like a walk in the park, and that nearly killed me! 5 years later I’m totally debilitated.. akathisia, intrusive thoughts from the devil every second, tremor, cry all day, migraines.. DR and DP.. if I had one wish, it would be to never have touched it!! I wish I’d ridden out the benzo hell.This drug is the devil. If your CNS is already damaged, AVOID!! Xx

UpHold,

 

I have provided some suggestions below and included some questions. There were some initial links provided to you when you introduced yourself, make use of them, and continue to ask questions. You should move this entire line of questioning to the "Cold Turkey, Detox & Rapid Withdrawal" parts of the forum, where you will get more attention to the most significant issue you are facing: Here is the link.

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?board=133.0

 

I say this because people with valuable insight may miss this here in "Other Medications."

 

First thing, I just want to make sure that what I am reading is accurate: you were taking 20mgs of Ativan each day? And then you were switched to 30mg of Valium? And from there you haven now tapered to 3mg of valium? If that is all accurate that is an incredible drop in dose. It is no wonder you are having such a hard time, regardless of the mirtazapine. 20 mgs of Ativan is the equivalent of roughly 200 mgs of Valium. So to go from 20mgs Ativan to 30mgs Valium is a very steep drop. I try and be careful when talking about doctors, because we here do not know the full story, but that seems like a reckless decision on his/her part. Especially given that you had been on that amount for 9 months. Maybe that steep of a drop was necessary for a reason I am not aware of.

 

It's hard to say, and what's done is done, so there is no point worrying about it now. At the same time, you should fill out a signature (that thing that appears below most of our posts) that lists your history with Benzos (and any other drugs) so that people can get a better understanding of your situation in terms of pure numbers. Here are the directions to do so "click Profile, choose Forum Profile from the drop down menu, look for Signature, type in the text box and save changes by clicking Change Profile." You can look around at other people's as models for who to do that.

 

What you should consider now is your current taper schedule. I think you have done heroic work to get this far into your taper from what at least appears to be some very large doses. But it might also be time to "hold" for awhile at your current dose. You've been cutting at a fairly fast rate, as far as I can tell, even after the initial large drop. This is the area where I see your symptoms most clearly arising from, aside from the original drop. Do you notice that they worsen after a cut, and then stabile some? Or are they constant regardless? This is something you should address when you post in the "Cold Turkey" section.

 

I also just read that you posted this somewhere else:

Doctor says it's impossible and not the benzo

"I'm on a baby dose now or therapeutic dose"

 

Ok, your doctor is simply wrong here. 3mgs is a therapeutic dose. And your symptoms are not only possible, they are expected after having gone down so quickly. They are the person who took you from a giant dose to a "baby" dose. Their comments literally make no sense. I would encourage you again to insist to your doctor that you either hold at your current dose or reduce much more slowly than you have been. You should be in charge, not your doctor. They do not have to deal with the side effects.

 

As far as mirtazapine. No one can say how it will affect you. I took it when I first started tapering, for a few weeks, and it helped me sleep. I quit, and never had a bad reaction. Others have obviously had different experiences. You can search the boards and see what people think; there is a wide range of views. As far as quitting after 4 days, I don't think many people here would think that would be a problem, if that is what you chose to do. Though if you are receiving a benefit from taking it that would no longer be there. Every single person reacts to these drugs in very different ways. You may find that mirtazapine helps you to sleep, and that is easy to come off of. No one can guarantee anything. But I would try not to overthink quitting after just a few days.

 

Good luck. You can do this. Keep asking questions whenever you have them. Make sure you read the Ashton Manual as suggested to you. It might help you in having informed discussions with your doctor. Here is the link to that again:

 

https://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/index.htm

 

 

UpHold

 

I just realized that you mentioned that English was not your first language. So I worry that I may have just overwhelmed you with information. Sometime I write too much. If what I wrote about does not makes sense here are the important parts.

 

1) Your doctor took you from a giant amount of benzos, to a much smaller amount very quickly.

2) This is almost certainly the cause of your side effects.

3) You should consider slowing down or even stop tapering for awhile to let your body catch up. Other's may disagree.

4) You also need to post all of the important information and ask your questions under the "Cold Turkey, Detox, Rapid Withdrawal" section of the forum:

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?board=133.0

5) Mirtazapine helps some people; it has made other people's symptoms worse. No one can tell you how it will affect you. If you want to quit after only 4 days it will probably not be a problem. Though you will lose its benefit. That is your decision. If you search the boards you will find many responses to this, and perhaps other people will provide responses here.

 

I hope that helps and simplifies things if my initial post was too long. I also don't intend it to be insulting, you seem to be communicating very effectively. I just want to make sure you get the help you need and deserve.

 

best,

 

quiet

 

 

The mirtazapine damage has made the benzo CT like a walk in the park, and that nearly killed me! 5 years later I’m totally debilitated.. akathisia, intrusive thoughts from the devil every second, tremor, cry all day, migraines.. DR and DP.. if I had one wish, it would be to never have touched it!! I wish I’d ridden out the benzo hell.This drug is the devil. If your CNS is already damaged, AVOID!! Xx

I stopped Mirtazapine in June and still not feel well.  Are you feeling better?  Want to start Benzo taper,but holding until I stabilize from this!

I’m still in total hell.... worst drug I could ever of chosen to take. Biggest regret of my life.

I’m still in total hell.... worst drug I could ever of chosen to take. Biggest regret of my life.

How long has it been since you stopped?  Are you feeling any better?

UpHold

 

I just realized that you mentioned that English was not your first language. So I worry that I may have just overwhelmed you with information. Sometime I write too much. If what I wrote about does not makes sense here are the important parts.

 

1) Your doctor took you from a giant amount of benzos, to a much smaller amount very quickly.

2) This is almost certainly the cause of your side effects.

3) You should consider slowing down or even stop tapering for awhile to let your body catch up. Other's may disagree.

4) You also need to post all of the important information and ask your questions under the "Cold Turkey, Detox, Rapid Withdrawal" section of the forum:

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?board=133.0

5) Mirtazapine helps some people; it has made other people's symptoms worse. No one can tell you how it will affect you. If you want to quit after only 4 days it will probably not be a problem. Though you will lose its benefit. That is your decision. If you search the boards you will find many responses to this, and perhaps other people will provide responses here.

 

I hope that helps and simplifies things if my initial post was too long. I also don't intend it to be insulting, you seem to be communicating very effectively. I just want to make sure you get the help you need and deserve.

 

best,

 

quiet

 

Thanks for replying

 

 

All what I posted about my benzo Hell

 

Is true

 

I have a hard time doing anything

 

Nobody understand

What's going on with me and how severely injured

I am in many ways

 

To the point where can't even begin to try to explain

Most of my symptoms are mentally

 

People around me think it's just a matter of tapering and that's it. I am fighting to not completely lose my mind

The slightest stimulation sets my off.

I am on the edge

And I'm doing it all alone

 

I am not me anymore severely traumatised

Deep deep depression

I am fighting everyday

Tinnitus, sensitivity to sounds

Dp/dr

Rumination

Scared to death

Extremely fearful of the future

 

I am not the person I once was. I don't find joy in anything

I feel like am already with one foot in the grave.

 

 

I am now on 2mg of diazepam(2 weeks)now

And 2 weeks on 15mg mirtazapine.

 

Thank to everybody on here