Came off benzo 4 years ago and jumped off my AD 9 months ago…help

[[Rh...]]

Hi all, I haven’t been on BB in a few years as I had successfully tapered off valium about 4 years ago.

Well I’m back because I came off my AD, Mirtazepine, almost 9 months ago and in month 5, post jump, I went into acute WD.  I really had hoped I would avoid it as I did a super slow taper over 3+ years and jumped off at zero, but alas, here I am getting worse as the months pass.

My question is, is it normal to get delayed withdrawal and for things to seem to be feeling worse as the months go by?  I know this journey is non-linear and different for everyone, but I cannot be the only person who had intense WD hit 4-5 months out? 

[[Re...]]

Hello @[Rh...], I am sorry that you are going through this again. Well, it is a pure observation of mine only and can not back it up with any evidence, and I might very well be mistaken, I believe you are definitely not the only one, but it is not that common either. Certain symptoms, or a cluster of symptoms - sometimes - do seem to come later after cessation, especially after longer use. In some cases, withdrawal does not peak at the first few weeks, the same seems to be true to benzos and antidepressants, too. I myself experienced a good delay as well. 

Take care 

RR

 

 

 

[[Rh...]]

33 minutes ago, [[R...] said:

Hello @[Rh...], I am sorry that you are going through this again. Well, it is a pure observation of mine only and can not back it up with any evidence, and I might very well be mistaken, I believe you are definitely not the only one, but it is not that common either. Certain symptoms, or a cluster of symptoms - sometimes - do seem to come later after cessation, especially after longer use. In some cases, withdrawal does not peak at the first few weeks, the same seems to be true to benzos and antidepressants, too. I myself experienced a good delay as well. 

Take care 

RR

Oh great, now I’m freaking out thinking I have something else going on!!!

I can only surmise that it is in fact WD because as soon as I came off I did have minimal WD symptoms, but in month 5 they hit with a vengeance and have gotten worse.

How long did your “delayed” WD hit? I feel alone and so scared now.

[[Re...]]

Well @[Rh...]the last new symptoms of mine, that is tinnitus, POTS like symptoms hit me at 4,5 months off. After that point I did not have any new symptoms, only the previous ones. These started to cycle and slowly improve. I am almost 10 months off now.

If you browse the Forum (which you probably have done before) you will see that some of our members have had similar experiences indeed, this is a phenomenon. Not sure what the folks of Surviving Antidepressants think about this, might be worth reading and doing some research. 

[[Bu...]]

Hello @[Rh...],

I had something very similar happen the first time I quit clonazepam.  I had no idea about withdrawal or anything and did a stupidly fast taper of about a month after taking .25mg twice a day for 7 years.  I had some mild symptoms during that month and the weeks following.  About 5-6 months later I was slammed with symptoms.  I just didn't sleep at all one night and I had never had any sleep issues at all before that.  Then began a cascade of other symptoms.  I still didn't know it was related to the benzo and neither did my doctor.  (I went to specialist after specialist and no one knew what was wrong.)  She ended up reinstating me about 9 months after my poor taper, not because she thought it was related, but because "it would help calm me down".  I assume, had she not, I would have healed sometime during the average time line. 

Granted, I have no proof to back this up, but it seems to me to be the only logical explanation for what happened, especially after everything I have read on this site.  I had never heard of anyone else who had quite as long a time between quitting and withdrawal symptoms as I had...until you.  I am sorry you are dealing with this, but at least you are not alone. 

Hang in there, my friend.