Jump to content
SurvivingAntidepressants.org is temporarily closed to new registrations until 1 April ×

Qijae: Need advice. Change from Valdoxan to Remeron (mirtazapine)


Qijae

Recommended Posts

Hello guys,

 

I have Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia for 5 years and have been taking antidepressants since that. Lexapro > Pristiq > Valdoxan > Remeron (current).


I met with my doctor today and she decided to change Valdoxan 50 mg into Remeron (Mirtazapine) 15 mg because there wasnt any change in term of my panic when i took V.

I took Valdoxan for 2 months and I wanna ask if any of you ever experience any withdrawal if stop cold turkey (because the doctor said it's fine and no w/d or whatsoever if we stop it abruptly) since it's a mild drug.

I also wanna ask your experiences when taking Remeron (Mirtazapine) like is it helping with anxiety? And does it have bad withdrawal symptoms like klonopin?

 

I started taking 15 mg Remeron last night and today i feel so drowsy and had been sleeping nom stop. I also feel slight confused and headache for sleeping too much. Is this only the beginning?


Please help me, i really need your advice and read your experiences. Thank you.

2013 - Lexapro, Clonazepam (1 mg)
23/3/17 - Pristiq (50 mg), Clonazepam (1.5 mg)
18/5/17 - Valdoxan* (50 mg), Clonazepam (1 mg)

*I stopped Pristiq because it didnt make me feel better and the doctor changed to Valdoxan. 

10/7/17 : Start taper down on 1 mg Clonazepam. Dry cut quarter 1/4 of the tablet, so I'm taking 0.5 mg + 0.25 mg + 0.125 mg = 0.875 mg. Will be having this dose for 2 weeks.

 

14/7/17 : Start taking Remeron* 15 mg

 

*Stopping Valdoxan cold turkey.

 

Link to comment

 

 

Hello SA,

I have some concern about my process of taper down the 1 mg clonazepam.

Tbh my condition is not stable. I havent found any ADs that suitable for me. Lexapro was doing good but after 4 years, it gave me daily headaches and insomniac. Then, the doctor changed to Pristiq, still not good for my anxiety. The third was Valdoxan and still didnt do anything. Now, my current new AD is Remeron and i already took it last night. It made me so sleepy and groggy when i woke up today. I slept so much that right now im getting headaches.

The real question is, should i continue taper down clonazepam or should i hold it first until i found a suitable AD for my anxiety?

*I have Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia

I already started my first taper on 10 July 2017 by dry cut into 1/4 (0.125 mg). 

Should i go back to my original dose that is 1 mg?

Edited by mammaP
Added name to title

2013 - Lexapro, Clonazepam (1 mg)
23/3/17 - Pristiq (50 mg), Clonazepam (1.5 mg)
18/5/17 - Valdoxan* (50 mg), Clonazepam (1 mg)

*I stopped Pristiq because it didnt make me feel better and the doctor changed to Valdoxan. 

10/7/17 : Start taper down on 1 mg Clonazepam. Dry cut quarter 1/4 of the tablet, so I'm taking 0.5 mg + 0.25 mg + 0.125 mg = 0.875 mg. Will be having this dose for 2 weeks.

 

14/7/17 : Start taking Remeron* 15 mg

 

*Stopping Valdoxan cold turkey.

 

Link to comment
  • Moderator Emeritus

Hi Qijae, welcome to SA.  I have merged your posts in the introductions forum, this will be your journal, to track your progress and ask any questions you may have about your taper. First, I would do as you said and go back to 1mg clonazepam for now, your nervous system is unstable from all the changes you have mentioned and needs to settle down. Can you tell us more about the anti depressants?  I would not take another remeron until we have the complete picture. Often doctors try different drugs that make things worse.  We need to know when you started and stopped each drug, including clonazepam, and whether you tapered or quit. It is likely that you are suffering from withdrawal and need to stabilise. When we have the details we will be able to offer the best advice.  We ask all our members to fill in their signature with their drug history,  you can find how to do that here....

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/12364-please-put-your-withdrawal-history-in-your-signature/

 

I am glad that you found us. 

Edited by mammaP

**I am not a medical professional, if in doubt please consult a doctor with withdrawal knowledge.

 

 

Different drugs occasionally (mostly benzos) 1976 - 1981 (no problem)

1993 - 2002 in and out of hospital. every type of drug + ECT. Staring with seroxat

2002  effexor. 

Tapered  March 2012 to March 2013, ending with 5 beads.

Withdrawal April 2013 . Reinstated 5 beads reduced to 4 beads May 2013

Restarted taper  Nov 2013  

OFF EFFEXOR Feb 2015    :D 

Tapered atenolol and omeprazole Dec 2013 - May 2014

 

Tapering tramadol, Feb 2015 100mg , March 2015 50mg  

 July 2017 30mg.  May 15 2018 25mg

Taking fish oil, magnesium, B12, folic acid, bilberry eyebright for eye pressure. 

 

My story http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/4199-hello-mammap-checking-in/page-33

 

Lesson learned, slow down taper at lower doses. Taper no more than 10% of CURRENT dose if possible

 

 

Link to comment
  • ChessieCat changed the title to Qijae: Need advice. Change from Valdoxan to Remeron (Mirtazepam)
12 hours ago, mammaP said:

Hi Qijae, welcome to SA.  I have merged your posts in the introductions forum, this will be your journal, to track your progress and ask any questions you may have about your taper. First, I would do as you said and go back to 1mg clonazepam for now, your nervous system is unstable from all the changes you have mentioned and needs to settle down. Can you tell us more about the anti depressants?  I would not take another remeron until we have the complete picture. Often doctors try different drugs that make things worse.  We need to know when you started and stopped each drug, including clonazepam, and whether you tapered or quit. It is likely that you are suffering from withdrawal and need to stabilise. When we have the details we will be able to offer the best advice.  We ask all our members to fill in their signature with their drug history,  you can find how to do that here....

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/12364-please-put-your-withdrawal-history-in-your-signature/

 

I am glad that you found us. 

 

Hi! Thank you. I already put my signature but why it doesnt show up here?  These are my signature:

 

2013 - Lexapro, Clonazepam (1 mg)
23/3/17 - Pristiq (50 mg), Clonazepam (1.5 mg)
18/5/17 - Valdoxan* (50 mg), Clonazepam (1 mg)

*I stopped Pristiq because it didnt make me feel better and the doctor changed to Valdoxan. 

10/7/17 : Start taper down on 1 mg Clonazepam. Dry cut quarter 1/4 of the tablet, so I'm taking 0.5 mg + 0.25 mg + 0.125 mg = 0.875 mg. Will be having this dose for 2 weeks.

 

14/7/17 : Start taking Remeron* 15 mg

 

*Stopping Valdoxan cold turkey.

 

 

2013 - Lexapro, Clonazepam (1 mg)
23/3/17 - Pristiq (50 mg), Clonazepam (1.5 mg)
18/5/17 - Valdoxan* (50 mg), Clonazepam (1 mg)

*I stopped Pristiq because it didnt make me feel better and the doctor changed to Valdoxan. 

10/7/17 : Start taper down on 1 mg Clonazepam. Dry cut quarter 1/4 of the tablet, so I'm taking 0.5 mg + 0.25 mg + 0.125 mg = 0.875 mg. Will be having this dose for 2 weeks.

 

14/7/17 : Start taking Remeron* 15 mg

 

*Stopping Valdoxan cold turkey.

 

Link to comment

Hi Qijae

 

I just started taking remeron within the past couple of weeks.  I had stopped Zoloft and zyprexa cold turkey in 2014 and even 3 1/2 years later my sleep was still awful (i feel like one of the walking dead on most days), so I tried remeron.  I have the same problems with it as you: grogginess upon waking (I feel dizzy when I get up in the morning and stagger around the apt for a few minutes) and feeling like I could sleep all the time.  I also noticed I had late day fatigue the next day and also that I started developing problems with my vision (colors seemed less intense and i had trouble reading on my laptop screen-  i had read on StrengthandHope's intro thread on this site how she developed a graying of her visual field and i believe that's what i am experiencing).   i also noticed i am really not very sharp in social situations on the remeron.  it seems to drain the emotion out of me.   i am in a tough spot since if i don't take anything, i usually only get a few hours of depressed shallow sleep a night and am mostly incapcitated. 

 

poetjester

Court committed to take Prozac, Paxci, and Respiradol from 8/95 to 3/96.   developed severe akithisia and brain damage.  Was unable to speak and walking in circles 15 hours a day.  Went in for 5 sessions of ECT during a 10 day period in March of '96 and my forced medication was discontinued at that time.  My akithisia and brain damage cleared up within a few days of stopping the meds.

 

On Zoloft (200 mg) and Zyprexa (17.5 mg) March 1998- Feb 2014

In between was placed on Effexor 200 mg and Abilify for six months in 2004.  Developed mild akithisia which went away once I stopped the Abilify.  Developed severe GI issues in Dec 2001 and from that time on suffered from fatigue and hypersomnia where I would sleep between 12 and 20 hours a day and rarely ever left my apartment. 

 

Had tapered to 100 mg of Zoloft and 7.5 mg of Zyprexa at the time of going cold turkey Feb. 2014

Went 5 days without sleep at the beginning while vomiting all over my apt.  Had brain zaps for a number of weeks and also lightheadedness which both eventually went away.  However 2 1/2 yrs later I still struggle with insomnia, depression, and fatigue.

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
  • Moderator Emeritus

You are tapering clonazepam very fast, you made a 33% cut in May and now 25% . You will end up with withdrawal and benzo withdrawal can be brutal. You might like to post in the benzo forum for tapering advice, there are many people there successfully tapering benzos. 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/forum/29-members-only-benzo-forum/

 

If you want to continue Remeron a lower dose might be better. Personally, I would go back to 1mg clonazepam, not take the remeron and wait to stabilise before tapering. 

**I am not a medical professional, if in doubt please consult a doctor with withdrawal knowledge.

 

 

Different drugs occasionally (mostly benzos) 1976 - 1981 (no problem)

1993 - 2002 in and out of hospital. every type of drug + ECT. Staring with seroxat

2002  effexor. 

Tapered  March 2012 to March 2013, ending with 5 beads.

Withdrawal April 2013 . Reinstated 5 beads reduced to 4 beads May 2013

Restarted taper  Nov 2013  

OFF EFFEXOR Feb 2015    :D 

Tapered atenolol and omeprazole Dec 2013 - May 2014

 

Tapering tramadol, Feb 2015 100mg , March 2015 50mg  

 July 2017 30mg.  May 15 2018 25mg

Taking fish oil, magnesium, B12, folic acid, bilberry eyebright for eye pressure. 

 

My story http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/4199-hello-mammap-checking-in/page-33

 

Lesson learned, slow down taper at lower doses. Taper no more than 10% of CURRENT dose if possible

 

 

Link to comment
19 hours ago, PoetJester said:

Hi Qijae

 

I just started taking remeron within the past couple of weeks.  I had stopped Zoloft and zyprexa cold turkey in 2014 and even 3 1/2 years later my sleep was still awful (i feel like one of the walking dead on most days), so I tried remeron.  I have the same problems with it as you: grogginess upon waking (I feel dizzy when I get up in the morning and stagger around the apt for a few minutes) and feeling like I could sleep all the time.  I also noticed I had late day fatigue the next day and also that I started developing problems with my vision (colors seemed less intense and i had trouble reading on my laptop screen-  i had read on StrengthandHope's intro thread on this site how she developed a graying of her visual field and i believe that's what i am experiencing).   i also noticed i am really not very sharp in social situations on the remeron.  it seems to drain the emotion out of me.   i am in a tough spot since if i don't take anything, i usually only get a few hours of depressed shallow sleep a night and am mostly incapcitated. 

 

poetjester

 

I started taking Remeron 14/7/17 and right now i feel really drowsy, foggy, sleepy all the time and fatigue. My joints kinda hurt too. I think this drug isnt for me, or maybe i will only feel these for few days. How long have you taken Remeron? Do you plan to change into another AD?

 

What about Zoloft? Is it a good drug for anxiety? Since you stopped cold turkey, how was it? Did you get the withdrawal symptoms? I had lexapro before and it helped me a lot for four years until it stopped working and gave me daily headaches and insomniac. I was thinking to get back to lexapro since all these ads (Pristiq, Valdoxan, Remeron (?)) not suitable for me. 

 

I'm not having a high expectation on remeron but i will try this AD for a month and update with my doctor after that. So far, i dont like these symptoms i'm getting after took it. I also read that remeron will give more anxiety if we take in higher dose, i dont know, i just .... i'm not feeling this drug. :(((

2013 - Lexapro, Clonazepam (1 mg)
23/3/17 - Pristiq (50 mg), Clonazepam (1.5 mg)
18/5/17 - Valdoxan* (50 mg), Clonazepam (1 mg)

*I stopped Pristiq because it didnt make me feel better and the doctor changed to Valdoxan. 

10/7/17 : Start taper down on 1 mg Clonazepam. Dry cut quarter 1/4 of the tablet, so I'm taking 0.5 mg + 0.25 mg + 0.125 mg = 0.875 mg. Will be having this dose for 2 weeks.

 

14/7/17 : Start taking Remeron* 15 mg

 

*Stopping Valdoxan cold turkey.

 

Link to comment
  • 1 year later...
  • Administrator

Hi, Qijae, how are you doing?

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

Link to comment
  • ChessieCat changed the title to Qijae: Need advice. Change from Valdoxan to Remeron (mirtazapine)

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Use Privacy Policy