This is my first post, and my questions and comments are rather complicated. I've been prescribed lorazepam through 2 psychiatrists and 1 family doctor to treat my anxiety disorder for 16 years! I started with 15, 2 mg. tablets a month and ended up with a prescription for 5 mg., 3 times daily as needed. The G.P. also knew I had a problem with alcohol. Last July I moved to a new state, and my new doctor switched me to Valium. To make a long story short, I tried to commit suicide this month by overdosing with Valium and alcohol and ended up in a psychiatric observation unit. It was there the docor suggested I stop taking the Valium and prescribed mirazapine. Soon after I checked myself into a drug rehab center for alcoholism. There they detoxed me from alcohol with even stronger Valium for 1 week. Then the Valium was stopped short, just like that. But I continued with the mirtazapine. It was in rehab I developed moderate insomnia (4-5 hrs a night). One day, doing my addiction homework, I read that while alcohol leaves your body in about 3 days, Valium can "take a lot longer". I was shocked. I mean no one, including the nurses there, had told me that. I mean, I knew Valium and Lorazepam were addictive, but what does a "lot longer" mean? And what is this new medicine Mirtazapine that I was now taking really all about? Before I could get any answers, I, for a number of reasons, checked myself out. I am still not drinking and going to AA meetings, and I am still taking the Mirtazapine. Considering everything I feel pretty okay. Except that I am gainig weight and the insomnia continues. Today I found this website looking for some answers. My questions are...Why did the doctors let me take lorazepam and valium for so long? Why did no one tell me that it can take years to come off them? When will I slleep normally again? Does the mirtazapine make me gain weight? (I'm eating less than I ever have,and I never ate much). Why is there a website about lawyers for lorazepam? Plus, why didn't the nurses and doctrs tell me that I should have been weaned off slowly? Can someone out there help me?? Frankly I'm pissed! Worried too. Please respond.
[ March 26, 2006, 07:11 AM: Message edited by: Nancy E. ]
Posts: 1 | Registered: Mar 2006
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posted
i've been prescribed mirtazapine. at first i was tired in the daytime (i took it at night) and my does was incresed. but then i had trouble sleeping and it was decresed just slightly. it might take you some time to find the right does. just a note mirtazapine is hell to come off. i had to stop abruptly after i got a weeping rash on MY FACE. it was awful. i was then put of valium and had no trouble comming off that. about 2 years later and seeing a different doctor i've been prescribed lorazepam. i was taking it everyday for about 4 weeks and decided to stop. it was just as bad as mirtazepine. i think the reson they abruptly stopped the valium is because you have addiction issues and the point was to safely detox you from alcohol, not to switch your addiction. as far as i know and have read valium's half-life is 60hrs. after that you'd have little to no traces of it in your system
Posts: 3 | From: australia | Registered: May 2006
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posted
The problem with Diazepam is that depending upon which metabolic pathway it takes, you get either 1 or 2 active metabolites, one of which has a very serum half life. By contrast Lorazepam doesn't have active metabolites. Normally the effects of Diazepam go away due to re-distribution, but with chronic use, you reach steady state on distribution, and then it last a very long time. If memory serves me, Diazepam in the first step can go to either desmethyldiazepam with a half life of about 50 hour, or to Temazepam (Restoril), desmethyldiazepam goes to Oxazepam (Serax). Desmethydiazepam has the longest serum half life of all the benzodiazapines. While Desmethyldiazepam is licensed in some countries, the USA is not one of them, however it is comparable in potency to Diazepam, and has a much longer half life.
Mirtazapine is a potent H1 receptor blocker (which is what causes the sedation), however at higher doses 30mg and up, this tends to be offset by Alpha-2 receptor activation.
Posts: 3 | From: Kuwait | Registered: Jun 2006
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posted
Dear friend, Do you have depressive states during the daytime.If so mirtazapine is a good drug.Hope you have gone to a proper doctor and got a good diagnosis of your problem.Mirtazapine is a good antidepressant, but i want to know more about your problems.Dont try suicide its only the matter of time then you will get out of it.I ve been suffering for 20 years and only now im finding some relief. thank you
Posts: 6 | From: india | Registered: Jun 2006
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