Remeron (Mirtazapine) Withdrawal Support Group

[Guest [Ka...]]

Thanks Jack , my logic is once we are 100 % healed and the CNS is strong there might not be as much pain or any while tapering the Remeron .

[[Ja...]]

Thanks Jack , my logic is once we are 100 % healed and the CNS is strong there might not be as much pain or any while tapering the Remeron .

 

Yes, I even read one member (whose name I forget) who said that he tried to taper remeron after benzos and it was horrible. He tried again a year later and it was horrible. So he waited and when he knew he was all healed from benzos he tapered Remeron in just a few weeks and had zero withdrawal. I have also heard from a few who cold turkeyed Remeron with no withdrawals after they were completely healed from benzos. But then there are some that have never taken a benzo in their life and suffer for years tapering Remeron so it might just be luck of the draw. Either way it sounds like you are not ready to discontinue Remeron and there is nothing wrong with that. It is a huge help in withdrawal. I felt ready to start tapering when I did and so far do not regret it though I hope to be done this year because it is exhausting.

[Guest [An...]]

Thanks Jack , my logic is once we are 100 % healed and the CNS is strong there might not be as much pain or any while tapering the Remeron .

 

Yes, I even read one member (whose name I forget) who said that he tried to taper remeron after benzos and it was horrible. He tried again a year later and it was horrible. So he waited and when he knew he was all healed from benzos he tapered Remeron in just a few weeks and had zero withdrawal. I have also heard from a few who cold turkeyed Remeron with no withdrawals after they were completely healed from benzos. But then there are some that have never taken a benzo in their life and suffer for years tapering Remeron so it might just be luck of the draw. Either way it sounds like you are not ready to discontinue Remeron and there is nothing wrong with that. It is a huge help in withdrawal. I felt ready to start tapering when I did and so far do not regret it though I hope to be done this year because it is exhausting.

 

I CT'd off 3.75mg for 2 weeks, and all I had was a few days of headaches.

 

I'm currently off but I have no choice but to go back on tonight. The other strategies I was trying (supplements, THC) have not been working as well as I hoped.

 

I might just have to slap on the Remeron, and increase dosages to whatever gets me sleep for the next 2 - 3 months.

[Guest [An...]]

Remeron gets stronger the lower the dose. Below 7mg. Why taper and not just jump at a higher dose.

 

That's a good question. However, despite hearing this many times in my experience it does not get stronger as the dose gets lower. As a matter of fact, once I got under 4 mg I had to start taking melatonin for sleep again like before I was on the remeron. I am now down to 1.68 mg and I do not get as sleepy as I used to after taking it. Also, I feel that after getting below a certain amount it's antihistamine effects start dissipating as well. My allergies are worse the lower I go. If it's antihistamine properties became stronger the lower you go then I would expect the opposite. I think the stronger the lower you go is only true to a certain point and only applies to specific effects of the drug.

 

I was on Remeron for about a month and a half for sleep after Zopiclone induced insomnia. I only took one tab at 15mg, and I think for 3 days I took 7.5mg. The rest of the month and a half I only took 3.75mg.

 

There is definitely a difference in anti-histamine effect between 15mg, 7.5mg and 3.75mg.

 

15mg would knock me flat on my ass and I would feel like a zombie the next day, barely being able to do anything. 7.5mg was tolerable, but the entire morning would be a write off.

 

At 3.75mg, it would barely give me a gentle push to sleep, and would only be mildly drowsy upon wake up. But after a month, that effect started to run out, and about a bit more than a week or so, 3.75mg no longer did anything.

 

I am back to full on insomnia, and supplements like Valerian and Theanine definitely help, but I'm thinking of going back on Remeron, as I don't want to be using Gaba receptor agonists and blunt my recovery.

 

It seems you were on this for a while. I'm thinking of going back on it, and riding it slowly up to 15mg (taking 3.75mg again, see if my body recovered some sensitivity). I'm sure 3.5mg would help me again for at least a week, then I'd bump it up to 5mg, ride that as long as I can, then 7.5mg, and so on until I get to 15mg.

 

What do you think? May I has how long where you on the Remeron? And were you taking the 15mg full blast from the beginning?

 

It sounds like your experience mirrors mine in that the drug’s antihistamine effect is lower with the lower doses. I took 15 mg right out of the gate. I was on 15 mg for 9 months and then started to taper. I am currently at 1.38 mg and have been holding for over a month. I plan to resume tapering on February 1st.

 

Jack37, I'm looking at the very real prospect of me having to be on this med for a few months, as it's the only thing that gives me sleep consistently.

 

I started yesterday back at 3.75mg and that got me 6hr sleep AND does not get me too drowsy. However, I don't know how long 3.75mg will last me again, and I will probably have to jump to 7.5, and eventually, maybe even to 15mg.

 

You were on this for 9 months. What side effect did you experience when you started tapering your Mirt? I assume you were taking it for sleep? How is your sleep now?

[[Ja...]]

Andros,

          I was on 15 mg the whole time until i started tapering. In the beginning it would knock me out cold in 20 minutes and I would sleep a full 8 or 9 hours and then I was a zombie until after lunch. After a couple of weeks the morning grogginess stopped. After a while I had to take it 2 hours before bed to become sleepy but it still worked. As I tapered I did not have trouble sleeping until I hit 5 mg. Then I had to take melatonin with it and would sleep 8 hours again. Now that I am at 1.32 mg I have been able to not take melatonin most of the time. The mirt is putting me to sleep again after a couple of hours. I will take it at about 8 and fall asleep around 10 or 10:30. After the first few weeks it always took a long time to kick in for me. I can take it at 8 and then drive to the store, pick up some food, get gas come home. It comes on very slow and like a natural starting to get tired feeling as opposed to feeling drugged. I also don't really get the munchies anymore, however I always have eaten pretty heavy at night.

[Guest [An...]]

Andros,

          I was on 15 mg the whole time until i started tapering. In the beginning it would knock me out cold in 20 minutes and I would sleep a full 8 or 9 hours and then I was a zombie until after lunch. After a couple of weeks the morning grogginess stopped. After a while I had to take it 2 hours before bed to become sleepy but it still worked. As I tapered I did not have trouble sleeping until I hit 5 mg. Then I had to take melatonin with it and would sleep 8 hours again. Now that I am at 1.32 mg I have been able to not take melatonin most of the time. The mirt is putting me to sleep again after a couple of hours. I will take it at about 8 and fall asleep around 10 or 10:30. After the first few weeks it always took a long time to kick in for me. I can take it at 8 and then drive to the store, pick up some food, get gas come home. It comes on very slow and like a natural starting to get tired feeling as opposed to feeling drugged. I also don't really get the munchies anymore, however I always have eaten pretty heavy at night.

 

Oh wow, thanks man!! Appreciate your awesome information. What side effects have you experienced from tapering it? How much Melatonin where you using?

[[Ja...]]

Andros,

          I was on 15 mg the whole time until i started tapering. In the beginning it would knock me out cold in 20 minutes and I would sleep a full 8 or 9 hours and then I was a zombie until after lunch. After a couple of weeks the morning grogginess stopped. After a while I had to take it 2 hours before bed to become sleepy but it still worked. As I tapered I did not have trouble sleeping until I hit 5 mg. Then I had to take melatonin with it and would sleep 8 hours again. Now that I am at 1.32 mg I have been able to not take melatonin most of the time. The mirt is putting me to sleep again after a couple of hours. I will take it at about 8 and fall asleep around 10 or 10:30. After the first few weeks it always took a long time to kick in for me. I can take it at 8 and then drive to the store, pick up some food, get gas come home. It comes on very slow and like a natural starting to get tired feeling as opposed to feeling drugged. I also don't really get the munchies anymore, however I always have eaten pretty heavy at night.

 

Oh wow, thanks man!! Appreciate your awesome information. What side effects have you experienced from tapering it? How much Melatonin where you using?

 

The withdrawal effects have changed with time and the dose I am at. In the beginning there was a lot of heart stuff, like palpitations and chest pain. I had some significant neurological stuff along the way like numbness in random parts of my body and tingling and feeling like things were crawling on me and stuff like that. This is back when I was tapering 1.5 mg a month. I get fatigue and weakness. The worst symptom of all started after a few  months of tapering. If I get significantly stressed or angry I get these attacks where my body goes cold and my heart rate drops real low and my blood pressure goes up and stays there for about a week. One fight with my wife can literally give me a week long flu with fevers and everything. It sucks. I really work hard to avoid arguing with people and do everything in my power to keep my stress levels low. It is a really weird symptom and is definitely the mirt because it reduces significantly away after a few weeks of holding. This is by far the worst symptom. It is manageable, as I have worked full time, gone through this pandemic, sold my house after doing A LOT of repairs myself , bought another house, moved everything, almost got divorced, went through mediation, went to counseling, decided not to get divorced and all this while coping with the recent death of our daughter. So it's a lousy symptom but it has not stopped me from living a normal stress filled life and then some. I have had some complete meltdowns along the way where I snapped under the despair of what benzos took from me but I have stayed the course hopeful that I will be whole again eventually.

[Guest [An...]]

Andros,

          I was on 15 mg the whole time until i started tapering. In the beginning it would knock me out cold in 20 minutes and I would sleep a full 8 or 9 hours and then I was a zombie until after lunch. After a couple of weeks the morning grogginess stopped. After a while I had to take it 2 hours before bed to become sleepy but it still worked. As I tapered I did not have trouble sleeping until I hit 5 mg. Then I had to take melatonin with it and would sleep 8 hours again. Now that I am at 1.32 mg I have been able to not take melatonin most of the time. The mirt is putting me to sleep again after a couple of hours. I will take it at about 8 and fall asleep around 10 or 10:30. After the first few weeks it always took a long time to kick in for me. I can take it at 8 and then drive to the store, pick up some food, get gas come home. It comes on very slow and like a natural starting to get tired feeling as opposed to feeling drugged. I also don't really get the munchies anymore, however I always have eaten pretty heavy at night.

 

Oh wow, thanks man!! Appreciate your awesome information. What side effects have you experienced from tapering it? How much Melatonin where you using?

 

The withdrawal effects have changed with time and the dose I am at. In the beginning there was a lot of heart stuff, like palpitations and chest pain. I had some significant neurological stuff along the way like numbness in random parts of my body and tingling and feeling like things were crawling on me and stuff like that. This is back when I was tapering 1.5 mg a month. I get fatigue and weakness. The worst symptom of all started after a few  months of tapering. If I get significantly stressed or angry I get these attacks where my body goes cold and my heart rate drops real low and my blood pressure goes up and stays there for about a week. One fight with my wife can literally give me a week long flu with fevers and everything. It sucks. I really work hard to avoid arguing with people and do everything in my power to keep my stress levels low. It is a really weird symptom and is definitely the mirt because it reduces significantly away after a few weeks of holding. This is by far the worst symptom. It is manageable, as I have worked full time, gone through this pandemic, sold my house after doing A LOT of repairs myself , bought another house, moved everything, almost got divorced, went through mediation, went to counseling, decided not to get divorced and all this while coping with the recent death of our daughter. So it's a lousy symptom but it has not stopped me from living a normal stress filled life and then some. I have had some complete meltdowns along the way where I snapped under the despair of what benzos took from me but I have stayed the course hopeful that I will be whole again eventually.

 

Wow dude. When it rained for you, it poured. I am so sorry to hear about your tragedies. I appreciate your answering of my questions man. I hope you heal fully once you're off this stuff.

[[St...]]

Hey guys,

 

I’m new here and just think of me as your Mom as I am 69 years young, and was always told I looked much younger but the benzo beast is killing this “gramma glamma” as my kids have referred to me.

 

I got put on Mirtazapine 7.5 for insomnia last November and it works of course especially with the night dose of K. Since I’m working on tapering K, the 7.5 Mirtazapine is way too activating so I thought I should taper that way down first since it’s causing akathisia. BUT I remembered that when I got on this junk it overactivated me at 3.75 as well as 15.  That is why we settled on the 7.5. Any thoughts on what target dose would be the least activating for sleep? I hate what this med is doing to my GI and the other transmitters it affects like serotonin etc. It actually makes me feel quite psycho.

 

The other problem is I am in severe tolerance withdrawal to the K dose and wondering due to that whether I should speed up that withdrawal some due to being pretty nonfunctional already.

 

The Mirtazapine for me seems to be way too much but I see the tapering looks very rough as well.

Thoughts?

 

Thanks much, Storm (and keep up the good work. You guys seem to be getting the job done!)

[[no...]]

Hey guys,

 

I’m new here and just think of me as your Mom as I am 69 years young, and was always told I looked much younger but the benzo beast is killing this “gramma glamma” as my kids have referred to me.

 

I got put on Mirtazapine 7.5 for insomnia last November and it works of course especially with the night dose of K. Since I’m working on tapering K, the 7.5 Mirtazapine is way too activating so I thought I should taper that way down first since it’s causing akathisia. BUT I remembered that when I got on this junk it overactivated me at 3.75 as well as 15.  That is why we settled on the 7.5. Any thoughts on what target dose would be the least activating for sleep? I hate what this med is doing to my GI and the other transmitters it affects like serotonin etc. It actually makes me feel quite psycho.

 

The other problem is I am in severe tolerance withdrawal to the K dose and wondering due to that whether I should speed up that withdrawal some due to being pretty nonfunctional already.

 

The Mirtazapine for me seems to be way too much but I see the tapering looks very rough as well.

Thoughts?

 

Thanks much, Storm (and keep up the good work. You guys seem to be getting the job done!)

 

 

Hello Storm Survivor,

 

Don't let the Benzo beast steal an ounce of that glamma, gramma - that is so great that your kids refer to you as such.

 

Usually... And I say usually... the Mirtazapine is used as a support for the duration of the taper of the benzo. I'm curious if what you are experiencing in terms of activation is actually a result of the 7.5mg of Mirtazapine, or the decrease in K coupled with the tolerance. It seems like the tolerance withdrawal would be a more likely culprit for the activation and even the akathisia - though I do remember Mirtazapine at 7.5mg give me some restless legs.

 

It's hard to know what to advise as a dose if you felt that 3.75mg was too stimulating as well. Generally - like when the doctor has their prescription pad in hand - they will tell you that anything above 15mg of Mirtazapine acts as an antidepressant while anything below 15mg acts as an anxiolytic. But most of us on the board have found that far less is needed to act as an anxiolytic.

 

The nice thing about Mirtazapine (weird to say 'nice thing') is that for the anxiolytic action, it does not require a period of regular dosing for efficacy. It is fairly immediate. If you are taking your dose at night and find yourself tired after taking it - and able to eat and sleep - then it is doing its thing.

 

My advice would be to settle on a doze. Be it 7.5mg, 4mg, 3.75mg, whatever - but keep that dose steady and stable for a good long time. Most of us - especially those of us who have endured tolerance withdrawal - have saved the Mirtazapine discontinuation for the post-Benzo days. I would - and did when I was in your position - work on getting off the Benzo while using the Mirtazapine as a scaffolding to hold things together as much as can be done.

 

Just my opinion. Hang in there, friend.

 

Dave

[[St...]]

Thanks Dave this is helpful!

 

May I also ask what symptoms you endured when dropping down from 7.5 to a few mg less?

 

I’m very sensitive to med cuts and have been on the 7.5 mgs for over 3 months so not sure my CNS can handle many more w/d effects at this time.

 

One more question: do you think the Mirtazapine may interfere with benzo healing as one tapers?

 

Thanks Storm (aka Gramma Glamma)

 

 

[[no...]]

Thanks Dave this is helpful!

 

May I also ask what symptoms you endured when dropping down from 7.5 to a few mg less?

 

I’m very sensitive to med cuts and have been on the 7.5 mgs for over 3 months so not sure my CNS can handle many more w/d effects at this time.

 

One more question: do you think the Mirtazapine may interfere with benzo healing as one tapers?

 

Thanks Storm (aka Gramma Glamma)

 

 

Storm, you are very welcome.

 

Symptoms of the Mirtazapine taper are different for everyone. For me, there were both positive and negative aspects of decreasing when the time was right. The positives were that my restless legs and dizziness disappeared when I dropped below that 7.5mg mark. Negatives were that in between each decrease, I would feel temporary increases in anxiety and/or depression.

 

Totally understand the sensitivity to med cuts. I was too. Holding is not a bad idea if you are feeling a lot of destabilization.

 

Benzo healing happens while still on the Mirtazapine. Benzos primarily target the GABA system/receptors - those are the receptors that are downregulated by Benzo use. Mirtazapine targets the serotonin and histamine receptors. All this to say - they are two separate systems.

 

When I was going through Benzo withdrawal, I was thankful for the sleep and appetite that Mirtazapine gave me. I was very concerned about not being able to heal from Benzos while on Mirtazapine. But those concerns proved non-issue due to the drugs acting on different neurotransmitters and receptors.

 

Hang in there,

 

Dave

[[Sn...]]

Looking for advice re withdrawal off Mirtazapine. Reduced for ten months from 30mg jumped at 1.85mg been off for one year still getting symptoms of withdrawal is this normal. Or something else when really difficult resorted to a Valium (not daily) 2mg. Want to be med free . Seeking for some imput from people who have travelled this road and could guide me.Newbie here wishing all BB healing x

 

 

 

[[Ja...]]

Looking for advice re withdrawal off Mirtazapine. Reduced for ten months from 30mg jumped at 1.85mg been off for one year still getting symptoms of withdrawal is this normal. Or something else when really difficult resorted to a Valium (not daily) 2mg. Want to be med free . Seeking for some imput from people who have travelled this road and could guide me.Newbie here wishing all BB healing x

 

You did jump from a high amount but I wonder if it could be something else. Were you on benzos before this?

[[Sn...]]

Hi Jack, Yes Benzo in the mix of being prescribed Mirtazapine for first time in 2014 together with 1mg lorazepam(4months!!!) also not researched by me until a lot later.  came off that in 2016 barely an improvement. Other a/d,s inbetween 2016 and the currennt one that l would like advice on. Thank you for replying this such a lonely road but determined to get the end of it in one piece.

[Guest [An...]]

Looking for advice re withdrawal off Mirtazapine. Reduced for ten months from 30mg jumped at 1.85mg been off for one year still getting symptoms of withdrawal is this normal. Or something else when really difficult resorted to a Valium (not daily) 2mg. Want to be med free . Seeking for some imput from people who have travelled this road and could guide me.Newbie here wishing all BB healing x

 

You did jump from a high amount but I wonder if it could be something else. Were you on benzos before this?

 

 

Jack37, would you consider yourself healed now? Are you able to sleep without any aids? And are you still suffering any side effects? I'm not sure if you are still tapering Remeron.

[[ju...]]

Hi friends.

 

This depression is killin' me. Lol. Of course not but a kinda torture which is heavier than our all burdens in life. I am now at 7.95 mg and waiting it to come an acceptable level. Driving when depressed is very hard, doing something outdoor is too. I dont know how i motivate myself with this crying face. I hope it finds some peace with holding. You know i was pushing my taper like a rabbit and now i feel myself like a tortoise. I dont want to do crazy things like fighting with my workfriends or get involved in a car accident for ex. So again holding some.

 

In terms of foods. I am still reactive. I have eaten a half piece of chocolate pie that i bought for my daughters school start after Covid bans. Holy shit. It just sucked my absolute 1 week with great agony. Depression has gone through the roof. If there was a blue/red pill choice like it was in the Matrix film, i would choose the one who gives us fullness without eating sth. I dont think any other pill that involves so much in our feeding.

 

Anyway, i hope this crushing depression dissipates soon. Becky, are you there? Have you felt better in terms of depression after passing 7.5 mg, either?

[[Ja...]]

Looking for advice re withdrawal off Mirtazapine. Reduced for ten months from 30mg jumped at 1.85mg been off for one year still getting symptoms of withdrawal is this normal. Or something else when really difficult resorted to a Valium (not daily) 2mg. Want to be med free . Seeking for some imput from people who have travelled this road and could guide me.Newbie here wishing all BB healing x

 

You did jump from a high amount but I wonder if it could be something else. Were you on benzos before this?

 

 

Jack37, would you consider yourself healed now? Are you able to sleep without any aids? And are you still suffering any side effects? I'm not sure if you are still tapering Remeron.

 

I am still on Remeron now. I have tapered from 15 mg to 1.02 mg. I started tapering in August of 2019. I had to start taking melatonin 5 mg per night to sleep around 5 mg. When I hold for a while I can fall asleep without taking the melatonin. I don't generally hold very long unless I am really messed up which has happened a few times during my taper. I am now tapering at a rate of approximately .06 mg per week. It is nearly impossible to tell what is benzo withdrawal and what is Remeron. I believe I am just about completely healed from benzo withdrawal but it is hard to tell. Keep in mind that I could not sleep without sleep aids before this whole mess which is what led me to benzos in the first place. I took melatonin for years for sleep on and off. Sure wish I would have stuck with that.

[[Ja...]]

Hi friends.

 

This depression is killin' me. Lol. Of course not but a kinda torture which is heavier than our all burdens in life. I am now at 7.95 mg and waiting it to come an acceptable level. Driving when depressed is very hard, doing something outdoor is too. I dont know how i motivate myself with this crying face. I hope it finds some peace with holding. You know i was pushing my taper like a rabbit and now i feel myself like a tortoise. I dont want to do crazy things like fighting with my workfriends or get involved in a car accident for ex. So again holding some.

 

In terms of foods. I am still reactive. I have eaten a half piece of chocolate pie that i bought for my daughters school start after Covid bans. Holy shit. It just sucked my absolute 1 week with great agony. Depression has gone through the roof. If there was a blue/red pill choice like it was in the Matrix film, i would choose the one who gives us fullness without eating sth. I dont think any other pill that involves so much in our feeding.

 

Anyway, i hope this crushing depression dissipates soon. Becky, are you there? Have you felt better in terms of depression after passing 7.5 mg, either?

 

June,

      I am sorry to hear you are still suffering. I wish I could help with this but I really don't understand what this type of depression is like. The grief I have been going through the past couple of years is the closest I would know but grief comes in waves and gives you breaks which it does not sound like you are getting.

      Chocolate is a trigger for me as well. I am not as sensitive as many others and I am very grateful for it. This weekend I ate mozzarella sticks, prime rib, a banana split with chocolate ice cream and chocolate syrup and got away with it. Then the next day I doubled down and had shrimp, scallops, calamari in tomato sauce for dinner and more ice cream. That finally overflowed the tank and yesterday I had a nasty histamine flu. Achy, super fatigue, low grade fever, headaches. Luckily I ate clean yesterday and woke up back to normal today. These foods always created problems for me I just never knew it. I must have always had histamine problems. At least now I understand. I think when I am through the other side of this thing I will have such a clearer understanding of my triggers that I will be healthier than before I started this mess. That is my hope. Tree pollen will be here a few more days and I am a little scared. Last year I had a fever for over a month and am still not sure if it was covid or the pollen. I guess I am about to find out.

      I do think that your depression is histamine related. I wish I knew of a way to help you but I never had to work through that myself. When I was in the middle of benzo withdrawal I had a lack of all emotion but it was not depression. It was just a robot, I did not feel depressed. I hope you get some relief soon. I certainly would not make anymore cuts until this subsides. It sound pretty rough.

[[ju...]]

Hi friends.

 

This depression is killin' me. Lol. Of course not but a kinda torture which is heavier than our all burdens in life. I am now at 7.95 mg and waiting it to come an acceptable level. Driving when depressed is very hard, doing something outdoor is too. I dont know how i motivate myself with this crying face. I hope it finds some peace with holding. You know i was pushing my taper like a rabbit and now i feel myself like a tortoise. I dont want to do crazy things like fighting with my workfriends or get involved in a car accident for ex. So again holding some.

 

In terms of foods. I am still reactive. I have eaten a half piece of chocolate pie that i bought for my daughters school start after Covid bans. Holy shit. It just sucked my absolute 1 week with great agony. Depression has gone through the roof. If there was a blue/red pill choice like it was in the Matrix film, i would choose the one who gives us fullness without eating sth. I dont think any other pill that involves so much in our feeding.

 

Anyway, i hope this crushing depression dissipates soon. Becky, are you there? Have you felt better in terms of depression after passing 7.5 mg, either?

 

June,

      I am sorry to hear you are still suffering. I wish I could help with this but I really don't understand what this type of depression is like. The grief I have been going through the past couple of years is the closest I would know but grief comes in waves and gives you breaks which it does not sound like you are getting.

      Chocolate is a trigger for me as well. I am not as sensitive as many others and I am very grateful for it. This weekend I ate mozzarella sticks, prime rib, a banana split with chocolate ice cream and chocolate syrup and got away with it. Then the next day I doubled down and had shrimp, scallops, calamari in tomato sauce for dinner and more ice cream. That finally overflowed the tank and yesterday I had a nasty histamine flu. Achy, super fatigue, low grade fever, headaches. Luckily I ate clean yesterday and woke up back to normal today. These foods always created problems for me I just never knew it. I must have always had histamine problems. At least now I understand. I think when I am through the other side of this thing I will have such a clearer understanding of my triggers that I will be healthier than before I started this mess. That is my hope. Tree pollen will be here a few more days and I am a little scared. Last year I had a fever for over a month and am still not sure if it was covid or the pollen. I guess I am about to find out.

      I do think that your depression is histamine related. I wish I knew of a way to help you but I never had to work through that myself. When I was in the middle of benzo withdrawal I had a lack of all emotion but it was not depression. It was just a robot, I did not feel depressed. I hope you get some relief soon. I certainly would not make anymore cuts until this subsides. It sound pretty rough.

 

Thank you for your wishes. I cant understand your natural grief about the past. That is admirable. But this one is all chemical and overwhelming. Like you i was thanking to God because of not having depression in WD. But, now i am in the middle of complete rush. Of course, i am very sensitive to histamine issues due to this poison. But even if i pay attention low histamine eating, there is still crushing one. Anyway, i cleench my teeth and wait for the sunny days. I dont want this spring and summer to be a super-depressive term. Moreover, it will be easy to push my taper after getting through that agony. Because i have got through so many dizzy/GI problem terms with holding. But, this persists so much, i know i will won this match either. But i am praying for the shortest...

[[ja...]]

Hi June and Jack. June, I wish you were feeling better. So sorry.

Jack, will we get better from these histamine issues? I’ve been off for almost 5 months now. 5 months on the 17Th. I’m starting to realize how much food is affecting me. It’s like I’m waking up to truth. It doesn’t usually affect me until the next day or two and then it’s insane how bad I can feel. Will this heal the longer I’m off?

 

Signed, someone sick of the ride now

 

Jackie

[[ju...]]

Hi June and Jack. June, I wish you were feeling better. So sorry.

Jack, will we get better from these histamine issues? I’ve been off for almost 5 months now. 5 months on the 17Th. I’m starting to realize how much food is affecting me. It’s like I’m waking up to truth. It doesn’t usually affect me until the next day or two and then it’s insane how bad I can feel. Will this heal the longer I’m off?

 

Signed, someone sick of the ride now

 

Jackie

 

5 months. Thats great Jackie. I think you should be out of the woods. How do you feel generally? Surprisingly, the histamine issues continue to take some role on this film even after the jump. The reason lies beneath that is disturbed h1 receptors i think. One thing i surely know about that stuff you, Pokey and many people would have a much more peaceful taper if you knew about histamine foods. It s all about the histamine. I am checking histamine intolerance grouos on FB without using rem. All the people pay attenttion to their diets and feel good then. So i suggest you to follow a low histamine diet. Thats my 2 cents.

[Guest [Ka...]]

Is it possible that 15mg could be too activating ? I have a hard time falling asleep.

[[Ja...]]

Hi June and Jack. June, I wish you were feeling better. So sorry.

Jack, will we get better from these histamine issues? I’ve been off for almost 5 months now. 5 months on the 17Th. I’m starting to realize how much food is affecting me. It’s like I’m waking up to truth. It doesn’t usually affect me until the next day or two and then it’s insane how bad I can feel. Will this heal the longer I’m off?

 

Signed, someone sick of the ride now

 

Jackie

 

Hi Jackie,

              Good to hear from you. I have been following your progress log as I was curious how you were doing. I do believe we will heal. I was having reactions to foods for a couple decades before this mess and always noticed it but never fully understood it. I am praying that it doesn't get much worse after I jump. I eat way too much sugar and fast food and stuff I shouldn't and get away with it for the most part. I have A LOT of room to clean up my diet if I need as I get lower.

Having suffered from what seems like was always histamine/MCAS for a long time now I can say it goes into remission. I once had morning sickness everyday for a year which I now understand was from histamine as it was in my go out drinking beer and eat garbage days of my early twenties. I always knew that if I drank with friends my hangovers lasted for days to a full week which seemed weird but now this whole situation has shed light on that. But even with all of that it would go into remission for years and then come back but I figured out trigger foods and how to avoid stress.

 

With Remeron I noticed the two biggest triggers for symptoms are food and stress. Arguing with anyone at all is off limits and I have had to learn how not to even if I am right. I do not watch the news anymore. I will not even watch or listen to commercials. Commercials have evolved into manipulation through stress. Every time the commercials come on they want to sell me an alarm system for my house by trying to convince me that everyone is looking to break into my house and how I am not safe or tell me I need to come to tell my doctor to do some test because I might have heart disease and not know it, lol. I avoid all of this now. So, for me it is no politics, no commercials, no social media, no google. I check my email once per day. I use my phone only as a phone. The one internet exception I make is coming on here to check in with you guys and even I restrict myself greatly. I never browse the main board. I also never spend more than 15 minutes. I meditate all of the time and go to therapy once a week to talk out problems and learn how to process things without getting angry or stressed.

 

With the food thing. Again, before this whole mess I once went on benzos after a motorcycle accident for a month and then stopped and went through a brutal withdrawal. Only I did not know I was in withdrawal. I just became spontaneously ill with a mystery disease. However I figured out that all of my symptoms went away if I ate the paleo diet. It was hard. I had to do it for six months. Every time I tried to cheat and eat a pastry or a ham egg and cheese I would get a fever within an hour and anxiety, palpitation, heartburn, tingling. But periodically I would try anyway. Then after six months I was able to start eating normally again. Then a few months later it all came back and I had to go on the diet again. This came and went and eventually I was eating like a normal person again and everything was back to normal and I didn't even think about it anymore. So, yeah I believe it goes away but it is so hard being patient because we have suffered with this SOOOO LOOOONG we just want it over. But I do not believe you have will have permanent histamine issues. Honestly though, I think you have some road ahead of you. The diet I did was no bread, so was gluten free. Just a straight up paleo diet which was modified for autoimmune issues which is what I believed I was having.

Also, that is what I believe this whole ordeal is. I believe that benzo withdrawal and similar drug withdrawal is actually a form of autoimmune disease and why everyone reports such crazy symptoms for such a long time. It also better explains why people can not tolerate alcohol years after benzo use. The gaba receptor explanation for why one drink causes all of your gaba receptors to revert back to the beginning makes little sense. However, if you read stories from people with MCAS about what the reaction to alcohol is like it is strikingly close to most of our reactions. I believe that benzos cause histamine issues as well and that histamine intolerance/MCAS is what benzo withdrawal actually is. Autoimmune disease runs in my family and I have family members who have never taken a benzo who have the same symptoms as many here.

 

Honestly Jackie, I think you can find relief though your diet but as someone who ate almost nothing but turkey dry on white bread for a decade I know how much that sucks to have to do. Jordan Peterson's daughter whose name escapes me eats nothing but red meat. Literally nothing else because it's the only way to keep her autoimmune disease under control. I have personally gone for months eating 10 ingredients only because I was afraid of reactions to other things. It's awful BUT I felt great. When I say great I mean I was 35 but felt like I was 15 years old. I am honestly already preparing to have to do this again at the end of this taper and I am not looking forward to it.

 

Sweet potatoes were always the magic carb for me. It doesn't trigger symptoms for me. I would eat tons of them when I had to restrict my diet. I require a high calorie diet because of the type of work I do. I have eaten no other carb but that for months and it is really hard BUT it is better than being sick.

 

Eventually this will go into remission or stop.

[Guest [fl...]]

Hi guys,

I took low-dose remeron for 6 days (1-2mg), stopped for three days but would like to take it again for a few days as it’s the only way I can sleep well. Oddly, even at these doses my mood and anxiety are so much better even with the insane morning fog. I’m wondering if anyone has any experience with these doses. I’d like to try to avoid dependence. Is a three day break enough? Is 6 days too long? Do I need to worry at these doses?

I so appreciate your advice and wisdom!