@Pokey449, we all were crushed by a irresponsible doctors. Don't blame you for anything, we have just trusted them thinking that they acted as professionals... But the reality is different, nobody takes care of us, we have to protect ourselves from the ignorance. But we haven't known this before this Hell happened with us. Nobody deserves this agony.

@skamen Hi Svetla. Yes, my case was reviewed by the in house psychopharmacologist who supposedly knew what was what. That it would be no problem putting on this poison. But the only issue he was concerned about I think was if I would get serotonin syndrome. He considered other complications. So much for the “ in house expertise”.

Horowitz commented to me that it was unbelievable how utter insane that doctors in this country, likely Canada too, prescribe these meds willy nilly with little forethought. I have a 30 year old niece who’s been put on and yanked off so many of these meds there’s no rhyme or reason to their insanity. She’s suffering terribly as a result.

I’m betting the day is coming when medicine looks back in utter disbelief that they use to prescribe these poisons to “help” people. They will be regarded with the same amazing disbelief & shock as using leeches and bleeding was to treat people.

40 minutes ago, Pokey449 said:

BUT I should have known better. That's my utter stupidity!!!

Don't blame yourself. I think you can safely lay this at the feet of the doctor who prescribed the meds. He should have known better. I think many people grant doctors too much authority, all too often to their own detriment.

On 5/13/2026 at 5:10 AM, Pokey449 said:

@Chippy i said my day times have gone away. Well that was true until today. Feeling pretty terrible this afternoon. I asked myself did I miss a dose? Taking my doses is so automatic that I sometimes do it without really thinking about it. Often thinking about something else at the time and then I have to remind myself to pay attention to what I’m doing so I take the correct amount at the correct time. I have a dose reminder app on my phone too that I have to check off my doses when they are due. Anyway something was really off last night and today. I’m feeling pretty s****y this afternoon.

@Pokey449 I have the same issue as you. I am on such a complicated regimen — meds 6 or 7 times a day, some liquid, some oral and some others (patches, transdermal creams etc.). I have dosette boxes - 4 of them and alarms for all the different days and times. I even have different strengths of some things where. Distraction is a real issue for me! too!

Don't blame yourself @Pokey449

5 hours ago, Catbird said:

@Pokey449 I have the same issue as you. I am on such a complicated regimen — meds 6 or 7 times a day, some liquid, some oral and some others (patches, transdermal creams etc.). I have dosette boxes - 4 of them and alarms for all the different days and times. I even have different strengths of some things where. Distraction is a real issue for me! too!

Wow Catbird, so much to juggle! You are such a trooper!

1 hour ago, Chippy said:

Wow Catbird, so much to juggle! You are such a trooper!

Wish I didn't need to be @Chippy . It drains my brain sometimes!!

3 minutes ago, Catbird said:

Wish I didn't need to be @Chippy . It drains my brain sometimes!!

One day things will be easier!

Hi @Chippy Another similar night. Multiple awakenings, waking in lots of whole body pain, groggy, achy, stiff, headache. Feel like I’m coming out of a coma. I sure hope Dr H is correct, that this is interdose WD sxs. I have to have faith in one of the world’s leading experts on antidepressant de prescribing. But my intuition keeps telling me there’s more to it than interdose WD alone.. I feel it’s a bit like playing Russian roulette with a revolver that has one shell in the cylinder. I am going to check with my cardiologist though on the idea of splitting my beta blocker. Dr H offered I could/should do that if I wished.

7 minutes ago, Pokey449 said:

Hi @Chippy Another similar night. Multiple awakenings, waking in lots of whole body pain, groggy, achy, stiff, headache. Feel like I’m coming out of a coma. I sure hope Dr H is correct, that this is interdose WD sxs. I have to have faith in one of the world’s leading experts on antidepressant de prescribing. But my intuition keeps telling me there’s more to it than interdose WD alone.. I feel it’s a bit like playing Russian roulette with a revolver that has one shell in the cylinder. I am going to check with my cardiologist though on the idea of splitting my beta blocker. Dr H offered I could/should do that if I wished.

I think it’s good to rule interdose out by splitting the ad. I trust dr H on the beta blocker. Hope your system settles down soon Pokey.

@Chippy As you know I’m taking my doxepin dose in 2 half doses with the purpose of addressing possible interdose WD due to doxepins 15-16hr 1/2 life. For some time I’ve been taking my doses at 8 am and 3pm. I had a session Wednesday morning with Horowitz. His recommendation was to continue to move the 2nd half of my split dose until the two 1/2 doses are 12 hours apart. For 2 days now I’ve taken the 2nd 1/2 dose 30 minutes later @ 330. Today I was planning to move on to 4:00.

I woke up in the wee hours again feeling unwell and in pain. Couldn’t continue with my CPAP. Fell asleep & awoke a couple more times feeling the same misery. But the final time at 6 I awoke feeling absolutely horrible. Felt very ill, weak, could hardly stand& walk. Gradually feeling a tiny bit better but still feel pretty rotten. I can’t pinpoint any one thing. Worried my heart is being affected. My inner sense continue to think whatever is going on is more than typical WD. That I’m having some sort of idiosyncratic reaction to the two drugs in my system. And it seems to be getting worse. If this keeps up I’m going to have to go to the ER I think.

@Pokey449 it’s great you are making progress with completing your split dose. Maybe this will help once you get to 12 apart.

Sounds like you had another awful night. Very sorry to hear.

If you’re worried getting checked is always a good idea I think. Just don’t let them add more drugs or mess with your doses.

Hoping this settle soon for you.

@Chippy i may know why I’m feeling so bad today. Yesterday evening about 730 I took a couple Gaviscon for upset stomach. It reduces stomach acid and coats your stomach to soothe it. That was 2 hours before my mirtazapine evening dose. I didn’t think it would be a problem but it may have reduced the absorption of my mirtazapine dose at bedtime which would be like taking a much smaller dose than usual 😩🥲. That’s the only thing I can think of as to why I feel so awful today all other things being the same.

I’m totally useless today. I have an appointment with my psychologist today and had to change it to a virtual appointment. Didn’t think I should be on the road driving plus don’t feel like getting out. Today is pretty much a recliner surfing day 🫩

@Pokey449 yeah could have been. From what I can see 2 hours should be enough of a gap to your dose to be ok. But maybe wasn’t!

It could just be the natural waves coming in.

I’m sorry you’re having a rough day. I think a recliner day makes good sense to me.

I also just learned Famotidine, which is an acid reducer that I take sometimes at bedtime may cause, in rare cases it says, heart arrhythmias if taken with mirtazapine or doxepin. I didn’t take it last night but I should check with a pharmacist before taking again.

14 hours ago, Pokey449 said:

I also just learned Famotidine, which is an acid reducer that I take sometimes at bedtime may cause, in rare cases it says, heart arrhythmias if taken with mirtazapine or doxepin. I didn’t take it last night but I should check with a pharmacist before taking again.

I think trying to minimise the things you take is important mate. Careful of advice you get, remember often they don't understand how much harm these things can cause and give you the green light to take them.

@Chippy i should have asked Dr H when he thought I’d start getting some relief from splitting my doxepin into 2 1/2 doses to alleviate interdose WD sxs. Today my 2 1/2 doses will be 8 hrs apart. Though the goal is 12 hrs apart Seems like I should be starting to get some relief by now. But Dr H did say it can take a long time to stabilize after becoming destabilized and especially me I guess because he thinks I’m a victim of kindling. But My patience has worn thin. I’m 77 with fewer days ahead of me than behind me & im missing my family. One thing I don’t hear mentioned a lot here is the loneliness of this misery we’re all going through. Family, friends and especially the doctors dont understand how lonely of a path this is. It’s crushing at times 😢

Yeah it’s gonna depend on if you are experiencing interdose wd or not. Even then it might take time to help. I agree with him completely from what you are saying. Healing can take some time. We need you more stable over night in my opinion before you taper anything.

Maybe start a thread about loneliness in the coping strategies section. Others may want to join in as you won’t be the only one experiencing the feeling.

Morning @Chippy I’m feeling😩🫩again this morning. I’m really not trying to be argumentative or difficult but I really don’t think what’s happening is strictly WD per se. I think it’s an adverse idiosyncratic affect of the doxepin. And it seems to be getting worse not better as I spread out my two doses. The way I’m reading it the doxepin is suppressing my respiratory drive in my brain. I wake up feeling like I can’t get enough breath. Doesn’t matter whether I’m using my CPAP or not. CPAP can only keep your airway open with air pressure is all, it can’t do anything about your brain not telling you to breathe. I burst awake always feeling SOB and accompanying physical discomfort. I hurt all over & feel quite unwell. I think ithe bizarre spotty aches, pains and pins & needles in my left arm is my heart being affected??? I get up and go to my recliner. Lay there for a while doing derp breathing and self massage. The symptoms ease up or go awsy. I go back to bed, go back to sleep. ( I’m not having insomnia, my body wants to sleep) only to wake up again with the same cluster of miserable symptoms. This happened at least 3 separate times last night. When I finally got up this morning I felt like I was going to surely die. Now after some breakfast & cup of coffee I feel better but certainly not well. Sxs don’t usually dissipate so easily or come & go 2-3x a night do they if it’s WD?? I’m really think what’s going on is not typical WD but a negative affect of the doxepin on my brains function, especially how it controls my breathing. Ai says doxepin can suppress respiration. And it’s more sedating in lower doses. I’m taking two low doses in order to split my total daily dose with the intent to avoid interdose WD sxs. Wondering if those 2 low doses are part of the problem rather than a solution. I just know what’s going on ain’t healthy. I’m truly think given enough time & episodes it’s going to become life threatening.

Sorry to hear @Pokey449 its possible the act of moving your dose might be a be destabilising.

@Chippy I hope you’re right that it’s due to moving my dose, but my history makes me doubt that. My apologies I’m sure my whining and complaining is getting old. It is for me. Similar misery & sxs every day for some time it seems according to my daily dose/symptoms log. .Another couch surfing day today. But I’m losing hope of ever feeling well again and having some scary thoughts of how to finally resolve the matter 🫩

31 minutes ago, Pokey449 said:

@Chippy I hope you’re right that it’s due to moving my dose, but my history makes me doubt that. My apologies I’m sure my whining and complaining is getting old. It is for me. Similar misery & sxs every day for some time it seems according to my daily dose/symptoms log. .Another couch surfing day today. But I’m losing hope of ever feeling well again and having some scary thoughts of how to finally resolve the matter 🫩

Were you having these nighttime issues before doxepin was increased a little bit and dose was split?

Oh @Pokey449 im so sorry mate. Please hang in there we must keep up the good fight and not let these drugs beat us! We are all right there behind you.

Never apologise, this is the place to share your thoughts and fears.

Hope tomorrow is a better day.

Just now, Finni said:

Were you having these nighttime issues before doxepin was increased a little bit and dose was split?

Yes I think Pokey is in wd originally from a large reduction of Mirt last year then kindling on top, it’s certainly not the dose increase and split that’s caused all this, just shifting the dose may be another destabilising factor.

@Chippy @Finni I can’t tell you exactly as I lost those pages of my dose log but That reduction of Mirtazapine was very short lived. I went back to my baseline dose after a couple three days as I recall. I was feeling much better this time last year I know.

I’ve been having pain sxs and sleep disturbances for as long the doxepin taper has been going on which is over a year now. But my sleep & especially my respiration during sleep has been getting progressively worse. I’m totally useless today. Can’t get beyond my recliner today. I was still able to travel and be functional back in December & January. I had planned to travel later this month but have postponed the trip. I had a medical appointment Friday that I had to change to virtual and appointments this week I don’t know if I’ll make them or not. I shouldn’t be driving when I’m this exhausted & feeling so bad. I’m all alone and the isolation on top of the pain & exhaustion is eating me alive. It’s all horrible!!!