Coping going cold turkey

[fullofstress]

GP has asked me to quit a couple of medications - mirtazapine and codeine - cold turkey and I’m struggling .

I’m a week off the codeine, 48hrs off mirtazapine and I’m in agony with joint pain all over - stiff and achy, shivering, loss of appetite, insomnia, and a general sense of ‘can’t be arsed with anything or anyone’ . I’ve lost 4lb in weight - via not eating - which I should probably be delighted about but I can’t even smile . Feel totally rock bottom .

GP said shouldn’t feel any effects at all and anything I do feel would be psychosomatic but this is hell, how long does this last for ?

Are you going cold turkey with the mirtazapine too? It is a drug which is not supposed to be stopped immediately due to the risk of discontinuation syndrome - flu type symptoms. You should be weaned off it gradually. I would check with your GP to be on the safe side (or ask for a different GP if possible if they insist you shouldn't be suffering any side effects).

Yeah, on both of them . The codeine has been gradually tapered down from 60mg x 4 a day , to 8mg x 2 a day ... mirtazapine I was always on 15mg so that’s just been stopped. I feel a bit better this evening but still not quite right . Not sure what the alternative is though, previous attempts they just gave me lorazepam/diazepam and I don’t want that again if I can help it !

NOT advice;

I was on the same dose of codeine and tapered by using solubles - by chucking a spoonful, then two, then three, down the sink before taking each time - and staying at each level for 3-5 days if I felt too unwell on the first day or so of the lower amount.

It was frustratingly slow when I wanted to stop them as soon as possible (I hate taking anything, but sometimes you don't have any realistic alternative) - it worked without any unpleasant side effects, though.

I didn't go through the GP, though, as I wanted to have the ability to go back on them if I needed to in the future - I did it with advice and support from the local pharmacist, who I had been using for over 5 years at that point, so he knew me, my diagnoses and prescriptions well.

This 'just stop taking them' attitude is really not constructive, in my opinion.