Think MANY times before taking Mirtazapine!!

[BettyA]

I wish I never would have taken one pill of this horrible drug. Yes, it may stop ibs for awhile, but then when it doesn't, you are stuck on this addicting drug...or you go through the hellish withdrawals.

A forum friend of mine was RIGHT when she said I should have tapered off...even though that can take MONTHS... it's taken some people up to a year!! That is worse than heroine!

And to think I only took it for 6 weeks!!!! Ridiculous... It takes awhile for the withdrawal symptoms to hit you, too...from 10 days to 3 weeks... Someone suggested I start taking the pill again and then taper...but after 4 wks without it...I simply could not force myself to take this miserable drug again...and psychologically it would have been worse.

I really wish drs would inform you as to all of this... but they usually just hand you the Rx slip and say "Here ya go!" .... and temporarily you believe in a new magic cure.

I know ibs is awful but there ARE ways of curbing it... I took the Mirt because of anxiety and depression and yes, it cleared up a then current bout of ibs diarrhea and of course, I was thrilled... but...

I also stopped the Grain Free diet I had been on which DID get rid of the ibs... and you can't cheat...not even one bite...at least not for months... So...I truly paid the piper.

So hopefully, you will never take this drug...and if, for whatever reason who do and it stops working, PLEASE taper off slowly...and know it takes a long, long time...and the withdrawal symptoms can remain with you even after you taper off... just not as potently.

OK... hope this helps somebody.

[Hidden]

I'm sorry that you are feeling very bad at the moment

I've never had to take drugs for IBSD - just control it with adairy free diet

Dohope that you will be feeling a bit better soonandyou will come out the other side

[Cazbob21]

What withdrawal did you suffer.if you don't mind me asking thanks

[BettyA in reply to Cazbob21]

No, I don't mind at all. After the first 2 weeks of quitting I seemed 'fine'... just normal amounts of anxiety...nothing I couldn't handle... then after 2 wks and 3 days...I woke up, felt like I was losing my mind..so filled with anxiety it was hard to function. My little .5 Ativan didn't do much of anything... sometimes the feelings would turn to just the strange weirdness feelings that is hard to describe. That would remain with me for a couple of days straight. Then I started in having weird pains in my intestines (even tho BMs were 'normal'... Day before yesterday it felt like I was coming down with the flu...and oh lordy, the headaches! (I never normally ever get headaches) I would like down a lot to try to rest but seems like I have to keep moving to feel half way normal... This morning I feel wiped out but better than yesterday... So...I just keep plugging forward, knowing this has GOT to pass. It will. (the sooner the better!)

[Cazbob21 in reply to BettyA]

Alwful hope you get better soon God bless you I won't take that then

[nobiker]

Oh no! I remember you starting on it and having such good results!! I do hop you feel better soon, and thank you so much for letting everyone know.

Nobiker x

[BettyA in reply to nobiker]

Hi there, Nobiker!

Yes, I did 'feel good' at the beginning... I think it was mainly because it didn't make me SO sick (like a bad case of the flu) after a few days of taking them (like Prozac and one other SSRI did)... So I think 'my mind' was saying Hey! this works!... Along about week 4 is when I started having those really weird feelings.

[JoyGreennhalgh]

Have you tried the Low FODMAP diet ? Lots of us have had great results. Its scientifically proven to improve symptoms for 3 out of 4 IBS sufferers.

Look at the Monash University low FODMAP blog

Also look at the alittlebityummy blog

Take your time to read and take in all the information before you start the diet. Read all the blog enties going right back. It wont take you long.

Ask your doctor, no DEMAND you see a dietician to help you with this and your diet in general.

Anxiety and depression and total exhaustion were my main IBS symptoms, far worse than the overt symptoms of mild D and C and nausea. I think this area is too little talked about and too little understood.

Also try reading Gut by Giulia Enders: it wont give you answers (the fodmap diet probably will ) but it will help you understand your body.

Joy

[BettyA in reply to JoyGreennhalgh]

Joy, thanks...but I am not having TROUBLE with ibs-diarrhea... what I have been writing about is a totally different ball game... plus, as I said in one of my posts, going on a Grain Free Diet worked great for me...

[Hidden]

OH, I am so sorry you are or have been going through this! YES! That is exactly what happens. They hand you an Rx and DO NOT telly you to wean off slowly if you stop. That has happened twice to me and I was soooo sick; the last time I was in the hospital for three days because I was so sick. I hope you are over it and if not I hope you get over it soon. Best wishes...

[BettyA in reply to Hidden]

Thank you, sadpelvis! I appreciate your understanding.

[medcal73]

yes i take sm.dose 15 mg. help with sleeping prob. but doesn always work then im up through night two three nights no sleep what so ever and still carry on through day dont know how i do it and i.b.s. is so terribly painfull at times nearly passing out with pain bleedind and occ. bringing contents of bowel up this can last for quite some time also with fever like symptems gets me realy down then i can get to toilet too late acc.occers i.b.s. is terrible complaint. medical73

[medcal73]

im realy glad i read this about mirtazapine as i take it depression ive have quite a few illnessess from birth and cant get wink of slee doc. put me on mirt.15 mg. helps sleep sometimes but only when ive been up all night long for 2 or 3 nights on trot i get so worn out yet keep on going i also have real bad i.b.s. very painful fever sypm. and sickness feeling like passing out with pain lossed quite a bit of blood had 4 clonoscopys last one flexi and found 5 large pollyps that had come together and looked just like a sm. colliflower on my colon this the surgeon said was quite nom. how can it be when your struggling to go. or you have diarhea cant win. it really gets me down and other illnesses as well.beats me when struggling its like passing wool and so painful.