Posted by Brazilnut on July 16, 2007, at 21:51:27
In reply to Re: Mirtazapine: 10 days, 10 years – a question, posted by Maritza on July 11, 2007, at 13:05:16
Dear Maritza,
Thanks for your interest! Sorry for this so looong post.My heart and blood pressure were always OK, but I had palpitations and high blood pressure 3 years ago, when I was taking Stilnox (Ambien) and missed some doses. My GP gave me Ablok (Tenormin), a “beta blocker” such as Inderal. Ablok controlled both palpitations and pressure nicely and I took it for 2.5 years.
I’ll give magnesium a try. Was it effective for you? Are you completely recovered from the spine issue? How long did it last?
Now I answer, as much as I can, your interesting questions:
- My main question for you, at this point, is how to divide the pills up into such small doses, (.5, etc)?
I used scissors, after having tried sharp knives and a pill cutter (not good here in Brazil). I used to start with a 30mg pill and to divide it in twelve parts– of course they were not equal, but the important thing is to take each time equal or smaller amounts, as an average. To go below that size I scratched down those 1/12 pills, with the scissors or a nail, depending on the size. I prepared the necessary number for a week, all as much as possible alike (I used to take 3 a day, in order to keep the concentration in my blood as even as possible). For the next week I would prepare another batch slightly smaller. Of course at a certain point I was not able to assess the weight of the pills, but I was sure that, in the average, I was taking each week smaller or equivalent pills. So the 0.5mg was just a guess. I could buy mirtazapine in any dosage (I don’t know how small) in those pharmacies that prepare medicines to order (I don´t know the English term). It would be even much less expensive, but I tried it once and found the “power” of the drug lower than the manufactured one, what would require a painful adjustment.- also, are you only taking Inderal at this point?
I take also St. John´s Wort (in a concentrated form sold here as Iperisan), to compensate the antidepressant effect of mirtazapine; Ginkgo Biloba, as antidepressant also and brain stimulant; and valerian plus lupullus (sold here as Remilev) for sedative effect.- How does that make you feel?
Inderal was prescribed for anxiety. It looks like it is not officially indicated for this purpose in the US, but it is widely used by performers, such as musicians or speakers, to control stage fright. I stopped then the Ablok I was taking for the pressure, because they are equivalent for this purpose. That was in last December, when I was weaning off mirtazapine (45mg to 22.5mg) and risperidone (21mg to zero), and was having heavy anxiety attacks, always at wake-up time. At the beginning it worked, but with time not anymore. When I decided to quit it I discovered I couldn’t: I would have unbearable anxiety attacks with any change in doses. I made a search on the Internet and discovered that Inderal may have dozens of frightening side effects and withdrawal problems, for some persons – it seems that only for a very small minority, since it has been prescribed successfully for millions for many years (I read somewhere that at one point in time it was the most sold medicine in the US).- What is your blood pressure?
Now it is OK. At wake-up, when I have those attacks, only 13/8. The rest of the time about 11/7 (I think in the US it would be 130/80 and 110/70.)- Did it lower it?
It certainly helped to keep it down as a replacement for the other beta blocker, Ablok. Beta blockers usually lower the pressure and the heart rate.- Do you plan on weaning off of this?
Last week I took by accident two half pills (total 40mg) at bedtime, instead of the usual one. The next day was one of the worse days in my life. Similar things had happened before, with any change for plus or less. I decided then to quit it at any cost and switch back to Ablok, since I don’t recall any problem with this one. Today is the third day of the switch, and I’m having a very bad time, just for having substituted one of the three daily 20mg doses for 25mg of Ablock. Last night I was not able to sleep - each time I started I would wake-up with severe pains in the throat.- Did your Doctor give this to you to help with withdrawal or did you have high blood pressure?
In a certain sense, for the withdrawal symptoms, even considering that the doc, then a psychiatrist, believed it was only anxiety I had, not related to medicines.- Was it their suggestion or yours?
It was his suggestion.My final observation is: if you are sensitive to medicines, be cautious with Inderal. It’s a very strong medicine, acting on the brain. I can suggest you some places on the Internet where it is discussed.
Be strong and good luck!
Bob
poster:Brazilnut
thread:613132
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/wdrawl/20070419/msgs/769994.html