Oh No: Chronic Pain, Peripheral Myopathy and the journey to end 45 mg Mirtazapine

Treatment and medication
1

Oh no. Today, I write as a woman who has battled through several years of mental illnesses, including inexplicable anorexia (I love cooking, spending 6 days a week, spending most my time reading recipes and grocery shopping), among several underlying ailments that have been so positively responsive to Remeron (Mitz). I've been on it 6 months. Started at 7.5 mg, got nothing, then 15 mg and effects were OK, at 30 mg started gaining weight, fast forward ended up on 45 mg about a month ago and I gained 20 pounds and was healthier than I'd ever been - save for feeling like I have had a serious flu for months now.

I am a better woman today, because of Mitz; so I am now both at a loss, and also, incredibly relieved to find that my chronic back pain, excruciating muscle pain, tension headaches, morning stiffness, and peripheral myopathy are all severely exacerbated symptoms of Mitz. I cannot wiggle toes in left foot: studies show no abnormalities on X-Ray, EMG, NCV, MRI, and blood checks out good on every test from K to auto-immune. I wake up and go to bed feeling like I've gotten beaten with a bat. Underlying Fibromyalgia (Fibro) noted - but looking to wean down, get off Mitz, and see that symptoms find relief. All this muscle pain from Mitz has put me on one chronic, several month long Fibro flare-up.

I can't trust doctors anymore. I didn't celebrate my birthday because GP and I thought I had a stress fracture in my foot (common side note of chronic anorexia) and wore a boot for 3 weeks. Doctors profile me "seeking opioids" when I have not had 1 prescription strength medication offered me in my life, because tests are normal. EMG & NCV were excruciating. I just need some real guidance here. 

I wake up in pain, go to sleep in pain, and no medical treatments help. (Ibuprofen does nothing, gabapentine, nothing; advil, nothing; cyclobenzaprene, nothing; anti-inflammatory glute shots, nothing; three shots of rum, super effective). Position at work stressed due to constant visits to ortho, chiro, ER, Urgent Care, Spine Pain Specialists, psychiatrists, neurologists...

It's going to be OK though! I have two sweet puppies and a wonderful SO. 

Thank you for your time

 

2

Taper off it slowely.

I was on 45mg and am now on 26.25 soon to be 22.5. Taken since 1st march but i did have surgery in the middle.

3

If you would like to join a FB mirtazapine withdrawal support group, please private message me.

4

How long have you been on remeron?

5

I hope you are healing well from your surgery. Did you go from 45 to 26.25 in one jump?

6

I started low dose in early March. 45mg for almost two months? I thought I fractured my foot in late May... no fracture, so thought could be nerve pain due to incredible lower back pain and unbearable cervical pain/soreness.... forced to do nerve conduction study that scarred me.... my leg still twitches and shocks and burns in direct memory to those tests. It is new pain that started directly after the study. I'm always in pain. 

Remeron has given me an incredibly positive attitude. I went from 45 mg back to 30, starting last night, hoping the flu-like symptoms would ease. 

7

Thank you, so much, for taking the time to ask me about it.

8

No. I went from 45 to 41.25 then 35 then 30. Held for 3 months now day 11 of 26.25. 4 weeks at each dose.

9

Ok take anti nausea medicine for that, how is your sleep? I just withdrawal 3 months ago and it wasn’t very hard just insomnia, anxiety, and insomnia. Are you trying to come off it completely?