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sunnygirl12: failed withdrawal from Remeron ... insomnia bad after reinstating?


sunnygirl12

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My first post here... I have been taking Remeron (Mirtazapine) for 16 years. I tried to come off of it in October, but I weaned too fast and have had problems ever since. I tried to taper off of 15 mg. I ignored my doctor's fast tapering plan and tapered from 15 mg. to 10 mg. The first part of the month was fine, but then a delayed withdrawal hit with horrible symptoms including insomnia. At that point I was only sleeping about 4 hours a night.

 

I reinstated so that I could continue to work... back to 15 mg. In hindsight I realized now I shouldn't have been changing doses so fast.

 

After having reinstated now for about a month, I am still waking up every night in the middle of the night wired! Why??? Could I still be having withdrawal symptoms even after I've been back to my original dose that I was sleeping well on? I want to try to withdraw again, even slower but I don't know how I'll do this if my sleep is already so poor! Thank you!!!

Edited by scallywag
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I've been on Remeron for 17 years for insomnia. In 2015, my doctor dropped my dose from 15 mg. to 7.5 for a month and then CT'd... then he substituted Tamazepam for 2 months and then I CT'd that. I reinstated Remeron after 2 months. I tried to withdraw Sept. 20, 2016 until the first week of November 2016. I tapered too fast... going from 15 mg. to around 10.75 mg. After 5-6 weeks I reinstated to 15 mg. I waited about 5 months to taper again because my insomnia was really bad. I started tapering again in April of 2017. My current does is 8.5 mg.

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  • Moderator Emeritus

sunnygirl -- Welcome to Surviving Antidepressants (SA)
 
It's unfortunate, but not surprising, that your doctor is uninformed about what ACTUALLY constitutes a safe taper from these medications. I'm sorry to read that that you are suffering the results of his/her ignorance.
 
A request: Would you summarize your history in a signature -- drugs, doses, dates, and discontinuations & reinstatements, particularly for in the last 12-18 months

  • Please use actual dates or approximate dates (mid-June, Late October) rather than relative time frames (last week, 3 months ago)
  • Any drugs prior to 18 months ago can just be listed with start and stop years.
  • You don't need to include symptoms or diagnoses other than the initial condition that led to prescribing the first drug.
  • We ask for this information in your signature so that we can see it at a glance. A list is easier to understand than one or multiple paragraphs.
  • You can find instructions in this topic: Please put your withdrawal history in signature
  • If you are using a phone or mobile device, you need to switch to the "full" or desktop version of the site. Instructions are in Post 8 and Post 9

You would be wise to stay at your current dose to let your symptoms settle down, i.e. your sleep pattern to return to normal, before even *considering* a dose decrease. This may take many weeks; you will, however, almost certainly see an improvement.

Remeron and other neuro-active medications affect on your CNS (central nervous system). When the medication is introduced and continued, your CNS responds to the presence of the drug by making changes to maintain an equilibrium. A more science-y way of saying this is that your CNS downregulates or upregulates neurotransmitter cells & processes to maintain homeostasis.
 
These CNS changes do not occur quickly. When a drug is discontinued or the dose is reduced, the CNS un-changes itself, undoing some or all of the changes it has made since the drug was introduced. Again, these changes or "un-changes" do not occur overnight and may take many weeks or months for some people. This "un-changing" done by the CNS to restore itself to a drug-free state is almost certainly the cause of symptoms while tapering and/or after discontinuing a medication.  You can learn more about this at these links:
 

What is withdrawal syndrome
How your brain responds to psychiatric drugs - aka "Brain remodeling"
Youtube video, 4 minutes: Healing from antidepressants

 

Insomnia and are sleep problems are common after fast tapers or sudden discontinuations of neuroactive medications, a group which includes anti-depressants. You may find some helpful suggestions at this link:

Tips to help sleep
Melatonin for sleep depending on the type of insomnia you're dealing with

 

For when the time comes, here are links to important information about tapering:

I hope you'll find the information in the SA forums helpful for your situation. I'm sorry that you are in the position that you need the information, but am glad that you found us.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.
1997-1999 Effexor; 2002-2005 Effexor XR 37.5 mg linear taper, dropping same #beads/week with bad results

Cymbalta 60 mg 2012 - 2015; 2016: 20 mg to 7 mg exact doses and dates in this post; 2017: 6.3 mg to  0.0 mg  Aug. 12; details here


scallywag's Introduction
Online spreadsheet for dose taper calculations and nz11's THE WORKS spreadsheet

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  • 3 months later...

I posted here in November of 2016.  I wanted to see if anyone could possibly offer any suggestions for my situation. 

I am hoping this post will be linked to my original post in Introductions. I'm not very familiar with this forum, so in case it doesn't link I'll describe my situation. 
 

From approximately Sept. 20 to Nov. 1 of 2016, I consulted with a doctor for a taper. He had me drop from 15 mg. to about. 10.75 mg. of Mirtazapine. I didn't have any withdrawal symptoms for about 3 weeks. Then came severe withdrawals. I reinstated back to the 15 mg. after approximately 5 weeks.  

All of my withdrawal symptoms eventually faded except for the severe insomnia. I can fall asleep fine, but I still wake up in the middle of the night, around 4:00 a.m., with what feels like an adrenaline jolt, and cannot fall back asleep. My sleep improved some in the beginning stages, but after 4.5 months it is still so poor that I don't know how I could handle a taper.
 

I'm also wondering if part of my problem could be due to switching forms of the medication. I had taken tablets from a pharmacy for years, then for a month swtiched to a different pharmacy, then for the last 3 1/2 months switched to the Sol Tabs in preparation to WD. Recently I started mixing Sol Tabs with water without reducing, in prepartion to WD.
Since I started the Sol Tab solution, my sleep has become even worse, less than 5 hours a night.

I'm wondering if part of the problem is the tablet change? I'm wondering if I should go back to the tablets I took for 13 years from the same pharmacy?

After 4 1/2 months, why am I having adrenaline jolts and sleeping horribly? I'm wondering if I could have damaged my CNS. Thank your for any advice.... desperate to sleep so I can try to get off of Mirtazapine.
 

I've been on Remeron for 17 years for insomnia. In 2015, my doctor dropped my dose from 15 mg. to 7.5 for a month and then CT'd... then he substituted Tamazepam for 2 months and then I CT'd that. I reinstated Remeron after 2 months. I tried to withdraw Sept. 20, 2016 until the first week of November 2016. I tapered too fast... going from 15 mg. to around 10.75 mg. After 5-6 weeks I reinstated to 15 mg. I waited about 5 months to taper again because my insomnia was really bad. I started tapering again in April of 2017. My current does is 8.5 mg.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I was wondering if anyone has any experience with this? In October 2016 I saw a doctor that tapered me too fast from Mirtazapine. I dropped from 15 mg. to about 10.75 mg. (Thankfully I didn't drop to 7.5 mg. which he recommended.) After getting severe withdrawals at around 3-4 weeks I reinstated around the 5th week or a little after. Unfortunately I did not know that I wasn't supposed to reinstate all the way back to my 15 mg., which I did. I realize that this was all a big shock on my CNS. Since I realized this was drastic I have not tapered any more and have tried to stabilize for the last 5 months.

 

Thankfully, things are not as bad as they probably could have been, as I am not having any withdrawal symptoms at all except for one, which is the insomnia.  The problem is that I fall asleep fine, but I wake up every night between 3:00-4:30 with what feels like an adrenaline jolt. It literally feels like a freight train going through my bedroom and when it happens I feel so completely wired I cannot get back to sleep. Continuing to work has been extremely difficult. I feel like I cannot possibly taper until I can somehow fix this, as I can barely work on as little sleep as I get.

I'm just wondering if this is something I could possibly fix, so that I can have an opportunity to taper again. Before the fast taper I consulted with a holistic doctor that said that my blood sugar was high and my cortisol was low. I feel like what's going on is that it was such a shock to my body that it sent my blood sugar and cortisol issues out of control and with the lack of sleep it's like a vicious cycle. I just wonder if this is something aI can possibly fix, or is it truly a problem from the big drop and reinstatement? I am quitting caffeine and alcohol and trying to change my diet with more fat and protein. I don't eat many carbs at all. I have tried Phosphatidyl Serine and I still had these adrenaline jolts waking me up. I really hope I can fix this with diet/supplements. Thanks!

Thanks!

I've been on Remeron for 17 years for insomnia. In 2015, my doctor dropped my dose from 15 mg. to 7.5 for a month and then CT'd... then he substituted Tamazepam for 2 months and then I CT'd that. I reinstated Remeron after 2 months. I tried to withdraw Sept. 20, 2016 until the first week of November 2016. I tapered too fast... going from 15 mg. to around 10.75 mg. After 5-6 weeks I reinstated to 15 mg. I waited about 5 months to taper again because my insomnia was really bad. I started tapering again in April of 2017. My current does is 8.5 mg.

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  • Moderator Emeritus

I've moved your new post to your Intro topic because it is about your own situation and keeps your questions, responses and history in one place.

 

Here are links to some SA discussions:


Sleep problems - that awful withdrawal insomnia

 

Sleep Hypnosis, Guided Meditations, Calming Videos

 

phosphatydilserine-aka-phosphatidyl-serine-seriphos-or-cortiphos

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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  • 8 months later...

I've been tapering 15 mg. Mirtazapine for about 7 months now. I am now down to 8.5 mg. After having received bad advice from a doctor about this time last year, I struggled greatly after he did a huge decrease in my dose. I waited quite awhile before I tapered again. I started out doing very tiny decreases because I was so hesitant of trying again, as little as 2-3%. Obviously I didn't put much of a dent in the 15 mg., so the past few months I decided to taper quicker, the recommended 10%. Still, I estimate the total time to be around 2.2 years. This just sounds SO LONG! I haven't known many people who have tapered from Mirtazapine, but I'm wondering about how long it would take most people to taper off of 15 mg. Mirtazapine?  Or if anyone could give me an estimate on how long to taper from the second highest dose from ANY drug? I appreciate anyone's answers. Thanks!

I've been on Remeron for 17 years for insomnia. In 2015, my doctor dropped my dose from 15 mg. to 7.5 for a month and then CT'd... then he substituted Tamazepam for 2 months and then I CT'd that. I reinstated Remeron after 2 months. I tried to withdraw Sept. 20, 2016 until the first week of November 2016. I tapered too fast... going from 15 mg. to around 10.75 mg. After 5-6 weeks I reinstated to 15 mg. I waited about 5 months to taper again because my insomnia was really bad. I started tapering again in April of 2017. My current does is 8.5 mg.

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  • Moderator Emeritus

The 10% rate is a general recommendation.  Some people can go a bit faster, some much slower.  There really is no "most people" rate.  I was staggered when it was first put to me how long it was going to take me to get off my drugs (I have three).  I could not wrap my head around it.  I was wisely counseled to take one day at a time and the end would eventually come.  

 

I am one year into my taper from 20mg Lexapro and am just below 10mg now.  As I get to the lower doses, I will have to slow down.  Then I have two more drugs.  That just the way it is.  Acceptance is key.  If you get upset about how it's going to take, this can worsen your withdrawal.  I know it sounds long, but the time really does pass.  

 

Your body will dictate how long your taper lasts.  

Gridley Introduction

 

Lexapro 20 mg since 2004.  Begin Brassmonkey Slide Taper Jan. 2017.   

End 2017 year 1 of taper at 9.25mg 

End 2018 year 2 of taper at 4.1mg

End 2019 year 3 of taper at 1.0mg  

Oct. 30, 2020  Jump to zero from 0.025mg.  Current dose: 0.000mg

3 year, 10 month taper is 100% complete.

 

Ativan 1 mg to 1.875mg 1986-2020, two CT's and reinstatements

Nov. 2020, 7-week Ativan-Valium crossover to 18.75mg Valium

Feb. 2021, begin 10%/4 week taper of 18.75mg Valium 

End 2021  year 1 of Valium taper at 6mg

End 2022 year 2 of Valium taper at 2.75mg 

End 2023 year 3 of Valium taper at 1mg

Jan. 24, 2024: Hold at 1mg and shift to Imipramine taper.

Taper is 95% complete.

 

Imipramine 75 mg daily since 1986.  Jan.-Sept. 2016 tapered to 14.4mg  

March 22, 2022: Begin 10%/4 week taper

Aug. 5, 2022: hold at 9.5mg and shift to Valium taper

Jan. 24, 2024: Resume Imipramine taper.  Current dose as of Feb. 22: 7.6mg

Taper is 90% complete.  

  

Supplements: multiple, quercetin, omega-3, vitamins C, E and D3, magnesium glycinate, probiotics, zinc, melatonin .3mg, anti-candida, iron, serrapeptase, nattokinase


I am not a medical professional and this is not medical advice but simply information based on my own experience, as well as other members who have survived these drugs.

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Thank you so much Gridley. You hit the nail on the head with your statement "I can't wrap my head around it." It almost seems too impossible to believe. Of course, it wouldn't be, if we were given informed consent to start with and knew it upfront. I highly doubt anyone rarely does have informed consent. 

I usually don't stress much, but I am having such a hard time coming to terms with it. Part of why the long taper time from Mirtazapine is so concerning is that this drug is known for causing large amounts of weight gain, so with a long taper of course it means even more weight. 

I'm having such a hard time coping with the time frame, and I don't know why it's so difficult to accept. I've even been thinking of seeing a counselor to find out how to cope with it. But, since most doctors, and probably counselors, have no idea about withdrawal, I'm not really sure how they could tell me how to cope better. 

I guess eventually I'll come to accept it but even after 7 months it still seems difficult. Thank you so much for your reply! 

I've been on Remeron for 17 years for insomnia. In 2015, my doctor dropped my dose from 15 mg. to 7.5 for a month and then CT'd... then he substituted Tamazepam for 2 months and then I CT'd that. I reinstated Remeron after 2 months. I tried to withdraw Sept. 20, 2016 until the first week of November 2016. I tapered too fast... going from 15 mg. to around 10.75 mg. After 5-6 weeks I reinstated to 15 mg. I waited about 5 months to taper again because my insomnia was really bad. I started tapering again in April of 2017. My current does is 8.5 mg.

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Hi Sunnygirl12,

I empathize with your hard time coping with the the length of time your tapering is taking.  I am stabilizing on fluoxetine 10mg. due to reckless withdrawal of a few different medications.  I suffered so much that I am much more willing to wait to withdraw as safely as possible.

 

As far as weight gain, it helps me to stay away from flour, sugar, and too much fat, protein, and fruit but especially staying away from grains and sugar.   Good luck to you.

Alcohol periodic excessive 1963-1976, Valium sporadic 1964-1973,  Imipramine off & on 1982-1985, Fluoxetine 10mg-80 mg. Oct., 1995-Jan., 2014; Cymbalta, other ADs 1/2014-3/2014; Abilify 5 mg. 3/2014 - 8/8/17; Trintellix 20 mg. 3/2014 - 9/2017; Propranolol 60-80 mg. sporadically Sept-Oct, 2017; Seroquel few days Sept 2017 (c/t); Wellbutrin 150 mg. Sept, 2017 updosed to 300 mg. few days till c/t Oct 8, 2017, fish oil, vitD, vitE Oct 16, 2017-pres. Lipoflavonoid 4/2017-pres.  Fluoxetine 10 mg. Sept-Oct 8, 2017, 20 mg. 10/9- 10/15; 10 mg. 10/16 - 12/29;  9 mg. 12/30 - 2/9; 2 mL liquid (8.1mg) 2/10 - 3/7; 1.8 mL (7.29 mg) 3/8 -3/20; 1.6 mL (6.561mg) 3/20-4/2; 1.4 mL (5.9 mg) 4/3-4/14; 1mL (4 mg.) 4/15-4/22; .9mL (3.6mg) 4/23-5/1; .81mL (3.24 mg) 5/2-5/24; .73mL (2.916mg.) 5/25-6/8; .65mL 6/9-6/23; .6mL 6/24-7/17; .58mL 7/18-7/28; .525mL 7/29-8/13; .5 mL 8/14-21; .45mL 8/22-31; .4mL 9/2-21; .35mL 9/22-10/4; .3mL 10/5-28; .25mL 10/28-11/10; .2mL 11/11-11/24; .18mL 11/25-12/3; .1mL 12/4-12/18. Zero-12/19/18-present.

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  • 5 weeks later...

Hi Sunny, I have been tapering from 15mg Remeron for the last 11 months. I am down to 5.5mg and am also feeling really daunted by the idea of having to go even slower now that my dose is lower. I have been in general tapering by 2-3% each week. But, now that I'm down to 5.5mg, the tick marks on my syringe are each roughly 1.7%, so two ticks is too much. I especially cannot do a 3% dose decrease when I'm in PMS. I had a day where I was just a mess with weepiness and negativity. I've gained 45lbs on this awful drug (putting me at 165 which is more than I've ever weighed in my life, even at 9 months pregnant). 

I was recently plotting out the rest of my taper just to see what percentage of my dose was what mg. for the remainder and I just cannot fathom being at 1mg and doing 10% decreases for 10 more months. Part of me thinks that 1mg is so little, that I should be able to jump off at some point, but theres another part that reminds me how sensitive I am. One time when I was trying Lexapro, I had only been on it for three days and at HALF the lowest dose, so only 2.5mg) and it was one of the worst reactions I've ever had to a psych drug. I felt extremely depressed all day and discontinued it immediately.

So, for what it's worth, I'm right there with you tapering off the very same drug. I'm pleased to report that my withdrawal symptoms have been very minimal. An average week for me looks like : Monday, drop by 2%, Tuesday, Hot flashes, irritability, Wednesday, more hot flashes, Thursday, marked irritability, Friday, Saturday, Sunday not much to report. 

Good luck and feel free to reach out to me personally via email : erin.marie.green@gmail.com

OFF Paxil 1996-1997 CT, no w/d sxs

OFF Celexa 2002 (6 months) CT, mild and brief w/d sxs

OFF Ativan 1mg-Cold Turkey 2014, WD Syndrome for several weeks despite intermittent use over 9 months rather than daily use.

OFF Lexapro 3 doses only February 2015 (increased depression)

OFF Paxil 3 doses only July 2016 (increased anxiety)

ON Remeron 15mg daily since AUG 2016 for PPD/PPA/PPOCD Tried cutting dose by 1/4 tablet  December 1, 2016, one week of intense withdrawal headaches, reinstated 15mg dose December 8, 2016.

ON bioidentical Progesterone cream 50mg/day originally started for self diagnosed estrogen dominance April 2015, continued use during pregnancy to alleviate hormonal headaches October 2015-July 2016, continued postpartum to help with mood July 2016-present.

Supplements: Magnesium, Fish Oil, Probiotics, Quercetin

Tried Methylfolate Sept 2016 to "potentiate" Remeron - ended up experiencing worsened side effects (mainly irritability bordering on rage) Discontinued after two doses.

BEGAN REMERON TAPER Feb 2 2017 by switching to different manufacturer of tablet mirtazipine (manufacturer that matches my liquid solution). Holding 15mg dose until adjusted. Plan to eventually do half liquid, half tablet (still 15mg), then all liquid (15mg), then .95ml of 15mg per ml liquid (a 5% reduction) depending on how I respond to adjusting from tablet to liquid.

August 2017 9mg liquid mirtazipine, cutting by 2% every week.

July 2018 3mg liquid Mirtazipine,cutting by 2-3% every week.

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BuddhaMama,

 

Thank you so much for your reply! It's now been 8 months since I've been tapering and I'm now down to 6.9 mg. (I need to change my signature!) I really appreciate you reaching out to me. Some people say that Remeron is a very difficult drug to get off of, but I really don't have anything to compare it to. The hardest thing to me about this taper, and I know that you can relate, is that with the long tapering time, that means even more weight gain. I have gained a lot too, over 30 lbs. I'm afraid to even look recently after the holidays. I regret practically every single day taking this drug for that exact reason. It seemed to slow my metabolism to a snail's pace, even though I eat very little. I'm really worried if I'll be able to lose it!!
Thankfully, I haven't had many withdrawal symptoms this time, unlike the other times I tried after consulting with doctors who, like most, dropped my dose way too fast. I do find that if I go too fast, I have nausea and irritability. But I realize that there is always going to be some type of discomfort. 
I've been making my own solution out of Sol Tabs, and it's working out really well...
I'd love to connect with you on Facebook or e-mail... I have learned a lot about tapering! I will try to e-mail you, and my e-mail is lgkahle@aol.com.
Best of luck to you!!
 

I've been on Remeron for 17 years for insomnia. In 2015, my doctor dropped my dose from 15 mg. to 7.5 for a month and then CT'd... then he substituted Tamazepam for 2 months and then I CT'd that. I reinstated Remeron after 2 months. I tried to withdraw Sept. 20, 2016 until the first week of November 2016. I tapered too fast... going from 15 mg. to around 10.75 mg. After 5-6 weeks I reinstated to 15 mg. I waited about 5 months to taper again because my insomnia was really bad. I started tapering again in April of 2017. My current does is 8.5 mg.

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  • 3 months later...

I've been tapering Mirtazapine for a little over a year. I started at 15 mg. I'm now down to 2.3 mg. I started very slowly, in fact so slowly I was tapering so slowly it would take me 3 years. I gradually increased my taper. Faster than recommended, 5% every 2 weeks, then 5% every week. I had no other symptoms other than insomnia. Being that I'm menopausal, I read that insomnia and waking up too early or in the middle of the night are menopause symptoms. But now I'm wondering, it's very bad, do most people struggle badly with insomnia during Mirtazapine tapering? Maybe I went too fast all along thinking it was menopause. I just want to know what most people experience. I may need to taper very slowly for the rest of it. Thanks for any input!

I've been on Remeron for 17 years for insomnia. In 2015, my doctor dropped my dose from 15 mg. to 7.5 for a month and then CT'd... then he substituted Tamazepam for 2 months and then I CT'd that. I reinstated Remeron after 2 months. I tried to withdraw Sept. 20, 2016 until the first week of November 2016. I tapered too fast... going from 15 mg. to around 10.75 mg. After 5-6 weeks I reinstated to 15 mg. I waited about 5 months to taper again because my insomnia was really bad. I started tapering again in April of 2017. My current does is 8.5 mg.

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  • Administrator

Hi, sunnygirl. The insomnia is a sign you are tapering too fast. Rebound insomnia is a very common mirtazapine withdrawal symptom. When did it start?

 

Please stop tapering until we can sort this out.

 

Please read Tips for tapering off Remeron (mirtazapine) as recommended by scallywag in November 2016.

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.

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Thank you so much for responding Altostrata! I'm not sure exactly when the insomnia started. I started having insomnia at about age 48 (I'm now 55) even without tapering. After taking it so long, it seemed like the sedative part of the drug wore off and I hit perimenopause. So I was even having insomnia only doing a 5% taper with a 3 week hold. I think it got worse when I started doing 5% decreases every week in December. But as I said, I thought the insomnia was a menopausal symptom so I tried to deal with it. Now, I realize I need to put my taper on hold for a while. Hopefully I'll sleep at least a little better, and then for the rest of the taper I'll go much slower. I appreciate any other tips you may have. Thank you!

I've been on Remeron for 17 years for insomnia. In 2015, my doctor dropped my dose from 15 mg. to 7.5 for a month and then CT'd... then he substituted Tamazepam for 2 months and then I CT'd that. I reinstated Remeron after 2 months. I tried to withdraw Sept. 20, 2016 until the first week of November 2016. I tapered too fast... going from 15 mg. to around 10.75 mg. After 5-6 weeks I reinstated to 15 mg. I waited about 5 months to taper again because my insomnia was really bad. I started tapering again in April of 2017. My current does is 8.5 mg.

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Hi Sunnygirl12,

 

When I got to the low doses of Remeron I too had some moderate rebound insomnia.   I just couldn't drop easy and I always was a good sleeper prior to a depressive episode and then medication.  Remeron always knocked me out from the beginning but once I got below 10mgs, it stopped doing that.   I am tapering my final medication, Lamictal, right now so falling asleep is still not as easy as it once was. 

As a personal choice, I take L-Theanine to help me relax.  I too am menopausal or maybe post menopausal.  Hard to tell because i have hot flashes during the night.  I think now it's from the med wd as opposed to ongoing menopausal symptoms but I'll see once I'm off.

 

All this to say that stabilizing and getting sleep when you can will help with the rest of your withdrawal.  Remeron is a powerful medication and congratulations for getting down as far as you have. . 

 

Hibari

9/2013-4/2014:  After moms death, was prescribed a series of meds for short periods of time that didn't work. Zoloft, Lexapro,  Nortriptyline, Liquid Prozac, Cymbalta. 

1/2014-9/2014. Clonzapam: Given Lamictal, stopped Clonzapam at .125mgs  

1/2015-4 2017 Remeron: 41.25 -0.025mgs

7/2015-11/2018 Lamictal: 200mgs-0.05 mgs Had paradoxical reaction to Lamictal wd, broke my heart to take a benzo but wasn't sleeping. 

3/28/2019 -2/5/ 2021  Clonazapam: 0.625mgs-.00115 Med Free 

July 27th, 2022**Severe Setback due to surgery/ anesthesia. 

9/7/22-10/4/22 Trazadone 50-100mgs for sleep, 10/13/22-11/13/22 Trazadone 1 mg to stabilize

10/4/22-11/20/22 Remeron 7.5mgs (for sleep doesn't work) 11/20/22 7.3 - 12/31/22 6.3 

2023: 1/18/23 6.1 - 6/6/23 3.6  6/16 3.4  6/28 3.0 7/12 2.7  7/28 2.5 8/11 2.2 8/23 2.0  9/5 1.8  9/16 1.6  9/30 1.4  10/13 1.2  10/26 1.0  11/9 0.8  11/22 0.6  12/6 0.4  12/23 0.2.

2024 1/4/24  Remeron/Mirtazapine free 

Additional Support:  Armour Thyroid 75mgs, Magnesium Glycinate 300-500mgs,  L-theanine 

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Hi Hibari, 

Thank you so much for your response! You are so right about this being a powerful drug. This is my third try. I should have known not to go fast because of the insomnia in my previous attempts. I'm going to hold for quite a while, I think it'll take several months if not more to get better. And even tapering fast like I was, I didn't hit this disabling insomnia until this low dose. And add hormones to the mix too, as you mentioned, makes it harder Great job on getting off of this stuff!! What dose were you on? Thanks for the tip about l-theanine, I take it too and it helps some. If you have any other tips I'd appreciate it. Thank you for your support and I wish you well with your lamictal taper!

I've been on Remeron for 17 years for insomnia. In 2015, my doctor dropped my dose from 15 mg. to 7.5 for a month and then CT'd... then he substituted Tamazepam for 2 months and then I CT'd that. I reinstated Remeron after 2 months. I tried to withdraw Sept. 20, 2016 until the first week of November 2016. I tapered too fast... going from 15 mg. to around 10.75 mg. After 5-6 weeks I reinstated to 15 mg. I waited about 5 months to taper again because my insomnia was really bad. I started tapering again in April of 2017. My current does is 8.5 mg.

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Hi sunnygirl12

 

I’m also on a tapering journey with Remeron and you’re not alone when it comes to waking between 3-4am - so frustrating! I was actually taken off of Lexapro too fast and put on Remeron to improve my sleep, so it’s not only a w/d issue with Remeron. Unfortunately Remeron 15mg only helped me sleep for maybe 2 wks and then stopped so now I’m trying to taper off. I have to update my sig, but similar to you, I started to taper a little faster and I just dropped from 12mg to 11mg last night with the intent of going to 9.6mg (20%) by Friday and then hold for 10 days. I let my body set the pace and so far my sleep hasn’t gotten any worse and that’s the primary issue for me too. Slight butterflies in my stomach at times but nothing too terrible. I’m hopeful that I could get to 7.5mg at this pace and I’m prepared to slow down if I start to experience any other issues. 

 

I find that I sleep better on the weekends so there must be some residual anxiety that I’m associating with my job. This is frustrating because my job isn’t overly stressful and the only difference is that I’m no longer taking Lexapro. On the other hand it’s good to see because I know I’m capable of getting a decent night’s sleep, just have to figure out how to handle this M-F anxiousness. 

 

I also tried Sephiros but I don’t believe it’s helping. I’m still taking it though, just in case. Aside from Sephiros, I‘m trying not to take melatonin or other sleep aids for prolonged periods because I’ve read you can develop tolerance. I just started taking 3mg melatonin and 200mg l-theonin 3 nights/week (Mon-Wed) and I think I noticed slight improvement; I can usually fall back asleep after waking at 3-4am. It’s usually broken sleep though and still poor. I’m also trying a non-antihistamine sleep aid (Unisom?) 2 days/week (Sun & Thur) as part of the rotation, which I just started this week, but Sunday night I still had trouble falling back to sleep so we’ll see come Thurs night. Friday and Sat I take nothing because I tend to sleep better.

 

I hope your long hold does you some good so you can get your sleep back. It’s encouraging to see that time has helped you in the past. Take care and please update once your sleep becomes more stable.

 

 

 

HopefulOne1

History:

Zyprexa 5mg (21JUL18) ☹️

Mirtazapine 7.5mg (19FEB18), raised to 15mg (20MAR18)

==> taper started; 14mg (23APR18)....9.5 mg (12MAY18)...7.5 mg (02JUN18)...6 mg (23JUN18)....stopped CT (21JUL18)

- Xanax 0.5mg 4-5 days/wk for ~10 yrs; reduced to 2-3 days/wk (19JAN18)

- Lexapro 20mg for ~10 yrs; ~6wk fast taper, last pill 13MAR18

- Provigil 200mg for ~10yrs; quit ct AUG 2017

- ~10 yrs of Prozac, Zoloft & Wellbutrin (not at same time) prior to Lexapro but don’t remember lengths of time or doses.

- Supplements: morning - kelp (iodine), VitD / evening - fish oil, mag gly, fiber 

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Hi Hopeful, thanks for responding! Sorry you're having the 3:00 am awakening too and they took you off of Lexapro too fast! Like most, I've had some awful and scary experiences with doctors.

I really appreciate you mentioning  about developing a tolerance to OTC sleep aids, because I think that's what's happening to me. Lately I'm needing to take more of them to get any sleep and that's been worrying me.  

I ordered CBD oil for sleep but haven't received it yet. I've heard that's very good for anxiety, have you tried it? I ordered Hempworks, without THC. Might not do much, because the withdrawal may overpower any benefit. But I'll let you know if it works. Please feel free to reach out to me anytime. It helps to talk to others going through this. Take care and good luck with your taper!

I've been on Remeron for 17 years for insomnia. In 2015, my doctor dropped my dose from 15 mg. to 7.5 for a month and then CT'd... then he substituted Tamazepam for 2 months and then I CT'd that. I reinstated Remeron after 2 months. I tried to withdraw Sept. 20, 2016 until the first week of November 2016. I tapered too fast... going from 15 mg. to around 10.75 mg. After 5-6 weeks I reinstated to 15 mg. I waited about 5 months to taper again because my insomnia was really bad. I started tapering again in April of 2017. My current does is 8.5 mg.

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Yes, please post about your experience with CBD oil because a friend recommended that but I haven’t thought about it much since. From the small amount that I’ve read though, it’s supposed to really help with sleep. 

HopefulOne1

History:

Zyprexa 5mg (21JUL18) ☹️

Mirtazapine 7.5mg (19FEB18), raised to 15mg (20MAR18)

==> taper started; 14mg (23APR18)....9.5 mg (12MAY18)...7.5 mg (02JUN18)...6 mg (23JUN18)....stopped CT (21JUL18)

- Xanax 0.5mg 4-5 days/wk for ~10 yrs; reduced to 2-3 days/wk (19JAN18)

- Lexapro 20mg for ~10 yrs; ~6wk fast taper, last pill 13MAR18

- Provigil 200mg for ~10yrs; quit ct AUG 2017

- ~10 yrs of Prozac, Zoloft & Wellbutrin (not at same time) prior to Lexapro but don’t remember lengths of time or doses.

- Supplements: morning - kelp (iodine), VitD / evening - fish oil, mag gly, fiber 

Link to comment

I will let you know... 

Also I just stopped at the health food store and bought some homeopathetic supplements for sleep. Without melatonin, 5htp., etc. I have to take something... Since I work a lot and have been practically disabled by the withdrawal insomnia!

I've been on Remeron for 17 years for insomnia. In 2015, my doctor dropped my dose from 15 mg. to 7.5 for a month and then CT'd... then he substituted Tamazepam for 2 months and then I CT'd that. I reinstated Remeron after 2 months. I tried to withdraw Sept. 20, 2016 until the first week of November 2016. I tapered too fast... going from 15 mg. to around 10.75 mg. After 5-6 weeks I reinstated to 15 mg. I waited about 5 months to taper again because my insomnia was really bad. I started tapering again in April of 2017. My current does is 8.5 mg.

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13 hours ago, HopefulOne1 said:

Yes, please post about your experience with CBD oil because a friend recommended that but I haven’t thought about it much since. From the small amount that I’ve read though, it’s supposed to really help with sleep. 

CBD oil is helping me with my insomnia, I first tried it in the early months of withdrawal but I took too much and it gave me a huge panic attack and took me weeks to recover from, I have started using it again a few weeks ago and started with just 1 drop a day and worked my way up, I was advised to try a few different brands and types to see which one helps with sleep so ive tried probably 6 different types and now settled on the one which helps the most, I take 5 drops around 8pm and sleep for 9pm, and if i wake up in the early hours I take a few more drops and it usually gets me back to sleep, last night I woke at 2.30am took a few drops and was back asleep within a hour, ended up getting over 8 hours of sleep, from what I have learnt it is best finding CBD oil made from a indica strand of cannabis,  this is the one most people say helps them relax and sleep and also its best to find one which is full spectrum, that mean that is contains all the other cannabinoids and not just CBD on its own , I am using the one shown in the link below, within 30 minutes of using this my eyes get heavy and start to get sleepy, but again every one is different so one that works for one person might not work for another:

 

https://cbdbrothers.com/product/purple-edition-cbd-oil/

2001 - 2005 prozac,  2001 - 2017 various benzos, mainly diazapem and zanex,  2002 - 2017 olanzapine or seroquel,  2002 -2017 propanolol, 2005 - 2009 venlafaxine 75mg , forced to go cold turkey off venlafaxine as moved Thailand, doctor cut me off and couldn't get it there, severely ill for over 2 years, countered withdrawals with more zanex and seroquel

2014 returned to UK, mainly to get treatment getting off meds

doctor advised to taper seroquel over a few weeks, severely ill and bed bed-bound so reinstated it, 2015 tapered seroquel myself slower over a few months, was off it 2 months and was too ill so went on olanzapine, became zombie and too tired to get out of bed, went back on seroquel, very depressed so went back on venlafaxine, didnt work  so doctor swapped to zoloft became very agitated so back on venlafaxine

June 2016 - felt strong enough to begin tapering again, started what I thought was a slow taper of all meds,  2016 July Not had any alcoholic drink since this date, 

2016 October completely off diazepem, 2017 Feb completely off seroquel, 2017 March completely off proponanlol, 2017 April (day before birthday) completely off venlafaxine, OFF ALL MEDS 11/4/2017, was fine for nearly 3 months and then delayed withdrawal hit,

supplements taking: turmeric capsules, NiaCel (nicotinamide riboside), Vit B12 sublingual, Vit B3, Vit B6, Vit B1, apple cider vinegar, manuka umf 10 honey, camu camu powder,  melatonin when needed, epsom salt baths, juices, smoothies, 

Intro: http://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/15175-dj2010-off-all-meds-for-3-months-and-been-fine-now-bad-insomnia/

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4 hours ago, dj2010 said:

CBD oil is helping me with my insomnia, I first tried it in the early months of withdrawal but I took too much and it gave me a huge panic attack and took me weeks to recover from, I have started using it again a few weeks ago and started with just 1 drop a day and worked my way up, I was advised to try a few different brands and types to see which one helps with sleep so ive tried probably 6 different types and now settled on the one which helps the most, I take 5 drops around 8pm and sleep for 9pm, and if i wake up in the early hours I take a few more drops and it usually gets me back to sleep, last night I woke at 2.30am took a few drops and was back asleep within a hour, ended up getting over 8 hours of sleep, from what I have learnt it is best finding CBD oil made from a indica strand of cannabis,  this is the one most people say helps them relax and sleep and also its best to find one which is full spectrum, that mean that is contains all the other cannabinoids and not just CBD on its own , I am using the one shown in the link below, within 30 minutes of using this my eyes get heavy and start to get sleepy, but again every one is different so one that works for one person might not work for another:

 

https://cbdbrothers.com/product/purple-edition-cbd-oil/

Hi @dj2010

 

How long will it take to end up 10ml bottle of this ? It seems quite expensive for me  as 10 ml seems a very less quantity.

 

If it goes for more than a month, then  for me it feels okay. Anyways feels good that its benefiting you.

 

 

08/13 - 01/14
Olanzapine, petril MD (Clonazepam ), Dicorate ER (divalproex). Soza 10 (Zolpidem)

02/14 - 05/14
Flunil ​20mg , Divaa OD 250 mg(divalproex), Amisulpride 50mg (1-0-2), zolfresh 5 mg , Quetiapine
05/14 - 08/14 Venlafaxine 75 xr ( 1-0-1), zapiz 0.25
10/14 Zaptra 12.5mg , Oxetol xr 150mg (0-0-1)
11/14 - 08/15
Paris CR 25 (paroxetine) , Oxetol xr 600 mg (0-0-1), nitrest 5mg , Quetiapine for a month.
09/15-11 Venlafaxine XR 75 ( 1-0-1), Mirtazipine 15, Respiredal 0.5, Lamitor 25, zillion 10.
12/15-02/16 Off Meds (C.T)

03/16-Mid April Sertraline, Aripropazole, Quetiapine, Etizolam.

After that : CT and on OTC supplements (Roadback), now on Ayurveda
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20 hours ago, sunnygirl12 said:

ordered CBD oil for sleep but haven't received it yet. I've heard that's very good for anxiety, have you tried it? I ordered Hempworks, without THC. Might not do much, because the withdrawal may overpower any benefit. But I'll let you know if it works. Please feel free to reach out to me anytime. It helps to talk to others going through this. Take care and good luck with your taper!

 

Hi,

How are u ?

Please do let us know your experience...

 

I have also ordered from a local vendor  which is very expensive (5000INR for 5ml). The owner is a lady .. she claims it best, who knows.

I am tired of international shipments.. they got stuck here and takes over a month.

08/13 - 01/14
Olanzapine, petril MD (Clonazepam ), Dicorate ER (divalproex). Soza 10 (Zolpidem)

02/14 - 05/14
Flunil ​20mg , Divaa OD 250 mg(divalproex), Amisulpride 50mg (1-0-2), zolfresh 5 mg , Quetiapine
05/14 - 08/14 Venlafaxine 75 xr ( 1-0-1), zapiz 0.25
10/14 Zaptra 12.5mg , Oxetol xr 150mg (0-0-1)
11/14 - 08/15
Paris CR 25 (paroxetine) , Oxetol xr 600 mg (0-0-1), nitrest 5mg , Quetiapine for a month.
09/15-11 Venlafaxine XR 75 ( 1-0-1), Mirtazipine 15, Respiredal 0.5, Lamitor 25, zillion 10.
12/15-02/16 Off Meds (C.T)

03/16-Mid April Sertraline, Aripropazole, Quetiapine, Etizolam.

After that : CT and on OTC supplements (Roadback), now on Ayurveda
Link to comment
1 hour ago, bhasski said:

Hi @dj2010

 

How long will it take to end up 10ml bottle of this ? It seems quite expensive for me  as 10 ml seems a very less quantity.

 

If it goes for more than a month, then  for me it feels okay. Anyways feels good that its benefiting you.

 

 

Hi Bhasski,

 

There is approx 200 drops in a 10ml bottle so it should last over a month depending how much you use,

 

55 minutes ago, bhasski said:

 

Hi,

How are u ?

Please do let us know your experience...

 

I have also ordered from a local vendor  which is very expensive (5000INR for 5ml). The owner is a lady .. she claims it best, who knows.

I am tired of international shipments.. they got stuck here and takes over a month.

 

5000INR for 5ml sounds extremely expensive, do you know the details of the oil you are getting? how much CBD is in it? is it full spectrum? if using for insomnia then it really needs to be full spectrum as CBD isolate most people find to be stimulating, if you can send a photo of the bottle showing the details,

 

you can actually order samples from this site, i have ordered loads of samples and they actually sent me some full 10ml bottles of some of the samples I asked for, the samples are not always in stock so need to check each day usually in the morning they are in stock:

 

https://cbdbrothers.com/product/sample-request/#comment-204543

 

hope it works for you

 

take care

2001 - 2005 prozac,  2001 - 2017 various benzos, mainly diazapem and zanex,  2002 - 2017 olanzapine or seroquel,  2002 -2017 propanolol, 2005 - 2009 venlafaxine 75mg , forced to go cold turkey off venlafaxine as moved Thailand, doctor cut me off and couldn't get it there, severely ill for over 2 years, countered withdrawals with more zanex and seroquel

2014 returned to UK, mainly to get treatment getting off meds

doctor advised to taper seroquel over a few weeks, severely ill and bed bed-bound so reinstated it, 2015 tapered seroquel myself slower over a few months, was off it 2 months and was too ill so went on olanzapine, became zombie and too tired to get out of bed, went back on seroquel, very depressed so went back on venlafaxine, didnt work  so doctor swapped to zoloft became very agitated so back on venlafaxine

June 2016 - felt strong enough to begin tapering again, started what I thought was a slow taper of all meds,  2016 July Not had any alcoholic drink since this date, 

2016 October completely off diazepem, 2017 Feb completely off seroquel, 2017 March completely off proponanlol, 2017 April (day before birthday) completely off venlafaxine, OFF ALL MEDS 11/4/2017, was fine for nearly 3 months and then delayed withdrawal hit,

supplements taking: turmeric capsules, NiaCel (nicotinamide riboside), Vit B12 sublingual, Vit B3, Vit B6, Vit B1, apple cider vinegar, manuka umf 10 honey, camu camu powder,  melatonin when needed, epsom salt baths, juices, smoothies, 

Intro: http://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/15175-dj2010-off-all-meds-for-3-months-and-been-fine-now-bad-insomnia/

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5 hours ago, dj2010 said:

 

5000INR for 5ml sounds extremely expensive, do you know the details of the oil you are getting? how much CBD is in it? is it full spectrum? if using for insomnia then it really needs to be full spectrum as CBD isolate most people find to be stimulating, if you can send a photo of the bottle showing the details,

 

Its the r esult of my irritated OCD behaviour that I gave her the money. I feel tired of being agitated and no relax mind.

Well what she showed me was full spectrum 80% CBD and 20% THC from sativa. I can tell once I have them.

 

Thanks, for letting me know that they provide samples. I will look into it for future.

08/13 - 01/14
Olanzapine, petril MD (Clonazepam ), Dicorate ER (divalproex). Soza 10 (Zolpidem)

02/14 - 05/14
Flunil ​20mg , Divaa OD 250 mg(divalproex), Amisulpride 50mg (1-0-2), zolfresh 5 mg , Quetiapine
05/14 - 08/14 Venlafaxine 75 xr ( 1-0-1), zapiz 0.25
10/14 Zaptra 12.5mg , Oxetol xr 150mg (0-0-1)
11/14 - 08/15
Paris CR 25 (paroxetine) , Oxetol xr 600 mg (0-0-1), nitrest 5mg , Quetiapine for a month.
09/15-11 Venlafaxine XR 75 ( 1-0-1), Mirtazipine 15, Respiredal 0.5, Lamitor 25, zillion 10.
12/15-02/16 Off Meds (C.T)

03/16-Mid April Sertraline, Aripropazole, Quetiapine, Etizolam.

After that : CT and on OTC supplements (Roadback), now on Ayurveda
Link to comment
On 5/8/2018 at 9:41 AM, sunnygirl12 said:

Hi Hibari, 

Thank you so much for your response! You are so right about this being a powerful drug. This is my third try. I should have known not to go fast because of the insomnia in my previous attempts. I'm going to hold for quite a while, I think it'll take several months if not more to get better. And even tapering fast like I was, I didn't hit this disabling insomnia until this low dose. And add hormones to the mix too, as you mentioned, makes it harder Great job on getting off of this stuff!! What dose were you on? Thanks for the tip about l-theanine, I take it too and it helps some. If you have any other tips I'd appreciate it. Thank you for your support and I wish you well with your lamictal taper!

I was on 41.25mgs for about 11 months. 

9/2013-4/2014:  After moms death, was prescribed a series of meds for short periods of time that didn't work. Zoloft, Lexapro,  Nortriptyline, Liquid Prozac, Cymbalta. 

1/2014-9/2014. Clonzapam: Given Lamictal, stopped Clonzapam at .125mgs  

1/2015-4 2017 Remeron: 41.25 -0.025mgs

7/2015-11/2018 Lamictal: 200mgs-0.05 mgs Had paradoxical reaction to Lamictal wd, broke my heart to take a benzo but wasn't sleeping. 

3/28/2019 -2/5/ 2021  Clonazapam: 0.625mgs-.00115 Med Free 

July 27th, 2022**Severe Setback due to surgery/ anesthesia. 

9/7/22-10/4/22 Trazadone 50-100mgs for sleep, 10/13/22-11/13/22 Trazadone 1 mg to stabilize

10/4/22-11/20/22 Remeron 7.5mgs (for sleep doesn't work) 11/20/22 7.3 - 12/31/22 6.3 

2023: 1/18/23 6.1 - 6/6/23 3.6  6/16 3.4  6/28 3.0 7/12 2.7  7/28 2.5 8/11 2.2 8/23 2.0  9/5 1.8  9/16 1.6  9/30 1.4  10/13 1.2  10/26 1.0  11/9 0.8  11/22 0.6  12/6 0.4  12/23 0.2.

2024 1/4/24  Remeron/Mirtazapine free 

Additional Support:  Armour Thyroid 75mgs, Magnesium Glycinate 300-500mgs,  L-theanine 

Link to comment
9 hours ago, bhasski said:

 

Its the r esult of my irritated OCD behaviour that I gave her the money. I feel tired of being agitated and no relax mind.

Well what she showed me was full spectrum 80% CBD and 20% THC from sativa. I can tell once I have them.

 

Thanks, for letting me know that they provide samples. I will look into it for future.

 

best test this with the smallest possible amount as that is extremely strong and has THC in it which is the psychoactive cannabaoid which gets you high, mine is only 3.2% CBD and 0.1% THC,

 

take it very slow

 

take care

2001 - 2005 prozac,  2001 - 2017 various benzos, mainly diazapem and zanex,  2002 - 2017 olanzapine or seroquel,  2002 -2017 propanolol, 2005 - 2009 venlafaxine 75mg , forced to go cold turkey off venlafaxine as moved Thailand, doctor cut me off and couldn't get it there, severely ill for over 2 years, countered withdrawals with more zanex and seroquel

2014 returned to UK, mainly to get treatment getting off meds

doctor advised to taper seroquel over a few weeks, severely ill and bed bed-bound so reinstated it, 2015 tapered seroquel myself slower over a few months, was off it 2 months and was too ill so went on olanzapine, became zombie and too tired to get out of bed, went back on seroquel, very depressed so went back on venlafaxine, didnt work  so doctor swapped to zoloft became very agitated so back on venlafaxine

June 2016 - felt strong enough to begin tapering again, started what I thought was a slow taper of all meds,  2016 July Not had any alcoholic drink since this date, 

2016 October completely off diazepem, 2017 Feb completely off seroquel, 2017 March completely off proponanlol, 2017 April (day before birthday) completely off venlafaxine, OFF ALL MEDS 11/4/2017, was fine for nearly 3 months and then delayed withdrawal hit,

supplements taking: turmeric capsules, NiaCel (nicotinamide riboside), Vit B12 sublingual, Vit B3, Vit B6, Vit B1, apple cider vinegar, manuka umf 10 honey, camu camu powder,  melatonin when needed, epsom salt baths, juices, smoothies, 

Intro: http://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/15175-dj2010-off-all-meds-for-3-months-and-been-fine-now-bad-insomnia/

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I'm waiting for the oil to arrive and hoping it's not much longer. I got a whopping 3 hours of sleep and I'm working 10 hours today. Does the insomnia get way worse at the end of the taper, or is it maybe something else doing this? I think I've already had blood sugar issues before I even tapered, waking up in the middle of the night and can't get back to sleep. And I think I read withdrawal makes the blood sugar issues worse. I only took Remeron for sleep, what a nightmare this drug is!

I've been on Remeron for 17 years for insomnia. In 2015, my doctor dropped my dose from 15 mg. to 7.5 for a month and then CT'd... then he substituted Tamazepam for 2 months and then I CT'd that. I reinstated Remeron after 2 months. I tried to withdraw Sept. 20, 2016 until the first week of November 2016. I tapered too fast... going from 15 mg. to around 10.75 mg. After 5-6 weeks I reinstated to 15 mg. I waited about 5 months to taper again because my insomnia was really bad. I started tapering again in April of 2017. My current does is 8.5 mg.

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Hey sunnygirl12, sorry your sleep is so bad but as Altostrata mentioned this is probably related to tapering too fast. Did insomnia come about just after your last taper? What mg are you at now? You’re ahead of me so I can’t speak about if it gets worse as we go lower. I’m hoping a slow approach will help prevent issues with insomnia but sometimes I worry that It’ll happen no matter what. Trying to stay positive though!

HopefulOne1

History:

Zyprexa 5mg (21JUL18) ☹️

Mirtazapine 7.5mg (19FEB18), raised to 15mg (20MAR18)

==> taper started; 14mg (23APR18)....9.5 mg (12MAY18)...7.5 mg (02JUN18)...6 mg (23JUN18)....stopped CT (21JUL18)

- Xanax 0.5mg 4-5 days/wk for ~10 yrs; reduced to 2-3 days/wk (19JAN18)

- Lexapro 20mg for ~10 yrs; ~6wk fast taper, last pill 13MAR18

- Provigil 200mg for ~10yrs; quit ct AUG 2017

- ~10 yrs of Prozac, Zoloft & Wellbutrin (not at same time) prior to Lexapro but don’t remember lengths of time or doses.

- Supplements: morning - kelp (iodine), VitD / evening - fish oil, mag gly, fiber 

Link to comment

Hello HopefulOne1... I am at 2.3 but holding for a while. Hard to say about the insomnia when I tapered because I had insomnia (without anxiety or depression) before I even tapered. It was either from an unknown cause, or it turned on me. So I don't know. I had Insomnia even when tapering only 2%. I did notice it getting worse as I tapered but I knowingly thought it was my hormones. Throughout this taper, insomnia is my only symptom but it was also a side effect after taking it 18 years.

I've been on Remeron for 17 years for insomnia. In 2015, my doctor dropped my dose from 15 mg. to 7.5 for a month and then CT'd... then he substituted Tamazepam for 2 months and then I CT'd that. I reinstated Remeron after 2 months. I tried to withdraw Sept. 20, 2016 until the first week of November 2016. I tapered too fast... going from 15 mg. to around 10.75 mg. After 5-6 weeks I reinstated to 15 mg. I waited about 5 months to taper again because my insomnia was really bad. I started tapering again in April of 2017. My current does is 8.5 mg.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi Sunny,

How are you doing? I am tapering Remeron now. My highest dose was 7.5 mg. 

I tapered fast because it started giving me adrenaline jolts. Plus, I discovered Zyrtec offers better sleep for me anyway.

Currently holding at 1mg and praying I do not have to up-dose due to vertigo, anxiety, fatigue and insomnia.

December 2017 Cold turkey-ed Xanax.

May 2017 Mirtazapine (1mg) at bedtime.

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Hi Mike, 

can you describe your fast taper?

I’m at 3.7mg and am cutting my dose by .1mg every week.

so far Im still sleeping fine. Im guessing the insomnia for me will probably start when I’m all the way off. Hope not, but guessing.

im also curious about the adrenaline rushes you mentioned.

OFF Paxil 1996-1997 CT, no w/d sxs

OFF Celexa 2002 (6 months) CT, mild and brief w/d sxs

OFF Ativan 1mg-Cold Turkey 2014, WD Syndrome for several weeks despite intermittent use over 9 months rather than daily use.

OFF Lexapro 3 doses only February 2015 (increased depression)

OFF Paxil 3 doses only July 2016 (increased anxiety)

ON Remeron 15mg daily since AUG 2016 for PPD/PPA/PPOCD Tried cutting dose by 1/4 tablet  December 1, 2016, one week of intense withdrawal headaches, reinstated 15mg dose December 8, 2016.

ON bioidentical Progesterone cream 50mg/day originally started for self diagnosed estrogen dominance April 2015, continued use during pregnancy to alleviate hormonal headaches October 2015-July 2016, continued postpartum to help with mood July 2016-present.

Supplements: Magnesium, Fish Oil, Probiotics, Quercetin

Tried Methylfolate Sept 2016 to "potentiate" Remeron - ended up experiencing worsened side effects (mainly irritability bordering on rage) Discontinued after two doses.

BEGAN REMERON TAPER Feb 2 2017 by switching to different manufacturer of tablet mirtazipine (manufacturer that matches my liquid solution). Holding 15mg dose until adjusted. Plan to eventually do half liquid, half tablet (still 15mg), then all liquid (15mg), then .95ml of 15mg per ml liquid (a 5% reduction) depending on how I respond to adjusting from tablet to liquid.

August 2017 9mg liquid mirtazipine, cutting by 2% every week.

July 2018 3mg liquid Mirtazipine,cutting by 2-3% every week.

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Mike, hi, sorry for the delay getting back to you... I'm not doing well at all but thanks for asking! I'm at 2.3 Mirtazapine now. I've had insomnia throughout the whole taper. Even when was only decreasing by 2%. But, it may not only be the Remeron taper. I'm still the ", hormone stage" in my life when most women say that they can't sleep. I don't know what's causing what so it's confusing. I'm trying CBD oil but it's not helping at all! You're doing great to get to 1 mg! I've had those adrenaline surges too when my doctor tapered me too fast, terrible! So you had those adrenaline surges even before you tapered? Please keep me posted!

I've been on Remeron for 17 years for insomnia. In 2015, my doctor dropped my dose from 15 mg. to 7.5 for a month and then CT'd... then he substituted Tamazepam for 2 months and then I CT'd that. I reinstated Remeron after 2 months. I tried to withdraw Sept. 20, 2016 until the first week of November 2016. I tapered too fast... going from 15 mg. to around 10.75 mg. After 5-6 weeks I reinstated to 15 mg. I waited about 5 months to taper again because my insomnia was really bad. I started tapering again in April of 2017. My current does is 8.5 mg.

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  • Administrator

Hi, sunnygirl. Melatonin might help you, it's not addictive. See Melatonin for sleep: Many people find it helpful

 

Also see

 

Tips to help sleep -- so many of us have that awful withdrawal insomnia 

 

What is the sleep cycle?

 

TV or computer use in evening can disrupt sleep: Bright light signals the brain that it's daytime

 

Keeping regular hours and the bedroom very dark and cool are important.

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.

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Thanks Altostrata, it does help some. I use the melatonin spray.

I've been on Remeron for 17 years for insomnia. In 2015, my doctor dropped my dose from 15 mg. to 7.5 for a month and then CT'd... then he substituted Tamazepam for 2 months and then I CT'd that. I reinstated Remeron after 2 months. I tried to withdraw Sept. 20, 2016 until the first week of November 2016. I tapered too fast... going from 15 mg. to around 10.75 mg. After 5-6 weeks I reinstated to 15 mg. I waited about 5 months to taper again because my insomnia was really bad. I started tapering again in April of 2017. My current does is 8.5 mg.

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  • 2 months later...

Hi SunnyGirl,

 

I'm checking in to see how you are doing.   I too am in the midst of Remeron tapering and have recently been hit with some insomnia.   It takes me forever to fall asleep lately and but then eventually I can sleep for about 4-5 hours.   I am going to hold on the taper for now (currently at 4.0 mg) until my sleep improves.

 

One day at a time!  You will get through this.

2010:  Escitalopram (Lexapro) 10 mg.   Mirtazapine (Remeron) 15 mg. 

2011:    Tapered Mirtazapine: 5 month successful taper.  Then tapered Lexapro:  4 month successful taper

May 2011 to August 2017:   No medications, full recovery

September 6, 2017:  started Mirtazapine (Remeron) 15 mg  - due to severe sudden insomnia (I believe caused by statin use)

November 16, 2017:   started Escitalopram (Lexapro) 10 mg

January 1, 2018 to October 30. 2020 -- 34 month taper off of Mirtazapine 15 mg to 0.00 mg

June 16, 2018:  Started slow taper of 10 mg Escitalopram (Lexapro)

Current (mgai):    0.23 mg  Escitalopram

Supplements:  Fish Oil, Curcumin, bio active B vitamins, zinc, magnesium glycinate, Vitamin D, Vitamin C, saffron, citrus bergamot, ashwagandha

 

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."  Matthew 6:34

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