This is a follow up thread to 'Coming off mirtazapine', for people to share their experiences and tips, and give support to one another.
Mirtazapine is a very powerful drug and an exceptional antidepressant which works much more quickly than others, sometimes within days. It has many very good attributes, but also has some bad side effects such as weight gain for some, which means there are many people trying to withdraw from it.
What most doctors don't tell you, is that it is not an easy drug to come off. You will usually be advised to halve your dose for two weeks and then come off it. Sometimes, people are told to just stop it and start another AD with disasterous results. This thread is for those people who have successfully withdrawn from mirtazapine to tell others how they did it, or for those currently part way through the journey, or for those who are facing the withdrawal process and are daunted by the thought of it.
I have just come off mirtazapine and these are my tips:
Are you sensitive to drug fluctuations? If 'yes' or you don't know, start by cutting by the smallest amount possible. For me, coming of 30mg, that was done by obtaining 15mg pils and using a pill cutter to cut just one quarter of one tablet (so a drop to 26.25mg). I did this for two weeks, but some recommend 4 weeks, just to make it easier for your body to adjust. You may also wish to ask your doctor for the liquid form of mirtazapine so you can withdraw by the 10% method, where you drop 10% of your last dose every four weeks.
When you make this first small drop, you will get an idea of how sensitive you are. I didn't feel it too much; maybe just a bit of nausea around four days after the drop. But I figured I could more than cope with that and so I did another cut of 3.75mg for two weeks. Again, this was fairly smooth sailing. I continued in this way dropping 3.75mg at a time for two weeks which I shortened to ten days and then finally to one week. I did this because I was coping well and was withdrawal free before the time came for my next drop. Do not speed up like this if you are not finding it relatively easy. Some people need more time.
When I got to 7.5mg I started to slow down and managed to break my pills into smaller pieces meaning I was cutting by an eighth of a pill at a time. But this is not accurate and so I recommend making a liquid at this point. I will detail the method of this in a separate thread.
After 1.8 mg I cut by 0.1mg a day until I reached 1mg then cut by 0.1mg every two days until I was off.
My withdrawal was relatively painless. My worst days were 4 - 5 days after each drop and these days I was very nauseous. I had already lost my ability to sleep whilst still on mirt so cannot comment much on that part of it. I have to take a small amount of temazepam for sleep and intend to taper from that too in a few months.
Hi Lorraine why did u reinstate? Was it insomnia or your mood? Has it increased your appetite? I want to reinstate and taper off but worried about my appetite increasing again but can't cope with the struggling to sleep all night every night
Hi Lorraine. so pleased to hear you are feeling much better. Hopefully, 7.5mg will suit you and you might be able to stay on it (if you want to).
I am feeling absolutely brilliant today. I have had a rough couple of days with nausea and lack of sleep, not all caused by withdrawal though as was up all night checking on a horse with colic on Thursday night, and only got 4 hours sleep the night before, so felt dreadful yesterday. But I managed to get 7 hours sleep last night. Not caught up by any means but feel fantastic today, considering.
Sorry for the delay in responding. I went back on mirt due to protracted withdrawal symptoms. I was so ill and would never consider a quick or abrupt stop again. Going to follow evergreens advice and stabilise and then taper excruciatingly slowly! How are you doing?
Hi Lorraine, doing ok. Insomnia seems to have gotten worse last couple of months. I was on metarzapine 6 years and came off completely within 4 weeks. Temazepam and zopiclone got me through but I was sleeping unaided some nights, now I need something every night. It's been 4 months; my doctor thinks it's nothing to do with withdrawal as its been so long. How long has it been since you initially came off them? Your new plan of action sounds positive, I'm thinking to try the same?
I was on mirt for six weeks only and was on citalopram for six months prior to that. I came off mirt cold turkey on doctors orders. My body seemed to go into shock and I slumped back into depression. You have done amazingly well coming off them. I must say I wouldn't be at all surprised if your sleeping issues are down to mirt withdrawal. Have you been ok other than sleep problems?
Hope so, and hope your sleep issues resolve quickly.
I'm now coming to three months off Mirt. It's been dam hard but I don't know if that's been the withdrawal or just my mental health issues returning. I was only on Mirt for 5 weeks and it just mad the anxiety worse. The doc doubled my dose from 15 to 30mgs for the last week I was on it before I pulled the plug and stopped over night. The first four days I was great. Back to my old self and then the problems started, night sweats, shaking and anxiety, morning sickness and wild racing thoughts. By week 4 I thought I was over it and had a good week. My original problem that I went to the doctors with had returned, chest pains and no energy but I wasn't anxious. Then week five I went backwards. It's been like that up and down ever since week five. One week was so bad I hit the Valium dailey and felt great. If only I could stay on Valium I'm sure I'd be fine. So I had a great week. Then the following week with no Valium I was down in the mornings waking at stupid times like 3 and 4 am and not being able to sleep again due to racing thoughts and panic attacks. Now I think the Mirt is out of my system but I'm still having it bad and won't go back on the Mirt. Doc has put me on Propanolol as and when needed but it's not for my symptoms so not taken any yet.
I hated Mirt and had a hard time coming off it. All I have to do now is looks the 20lbs I put on in weight whilst on it.
Hey Lorraine, thanku! yes been fine apart from sleep problems. In fact happier and feel more in touch with my emotions. Iv had my down days but it's January blues and my brothers anniversary in Feb, (the reason I went on metarzapine in the first place.) so if only I could sleep ..it's frustrating.
If you were only on tablets for short period it shouldn't take long to taper off. I think you just have to make sure you are ready and the reason you went on them is resolved? The worst part besides sleep issues for me was the anxiety and teeth clenching etc when it was coming out my nervous system. But I did it all too quick.. I hope it goes well for you too
Your problems sound very similar to mine! The doctors must get this issue a lot, so why don't they know how to help? I'm at my wits end the sleeping issue gives me anxiety because I don't know if I will ever be able to sleep again, unless I go back on metarzapine
I go to bed around midnight most nights and last night was the worst yet, 7.5 hours later I was still wide awake!!? It's been 4 months now but I have taken 15mg when Iv been desperate to sleep. I put on 20lbs too at my heaviest, I lost it but gained back 10lbs (I'm assuming through tiredness)
Is that why you don't want to go back on it? Because of the increase in appetite? I feel like this tablet shouldn't be prescribed at all ..what has your doctor said? Has he said how long it will take to stabilise? What is this other tablet he prescribed you? What is it for?
I asked my doctor for Diazepam to calm me down and help me sleep whilst getting off the Mirt. It helps so much and with me I have no side effects from it. If it wasn't so addictive I would stay on the Diazepam as it sorts out all my problems, sleep, anixiety and panic attacks. But the docs wont let me have more than one months supply which is supposed to last me 3 months.
I dont want to go back onMirt because it didn't help it made my anxiety worse. The doctor told me to double my dose when I said it wasn't working. That made things ten times worse with anxiety 24/7 and no sleep. So I cut my dose to half the original (7.5mg) and felt great for a few days then started feeling crap again so stopped taking it all together and felt great again for a few days and then back to feeling crap. But I'm having many more good days now and think the Mirt is out of my system.
The Propanolol is a Beta Blocker and used mainly for people with high blood pressure and I mean seriously high BP. It slows the heart down and this in turn reduces the adrenaline levels that are high when having a panic attack or anxiety. I was told to only take it when needed. Not tried it yet not because I don't need it but because I'm now scared of getting stuck on any more drugs that have side effects and long term withdrawl symptoms.
Just coming off mirtazapine completely for just over a week.
Generally, I am feeling great. Emotionally especially with no sign of depression and very little anxiety when I stay within my comfort zone. Yesterday I did something which terrified me. I had completely negative thoughts about it for several days running up to it and I was convinced I would fall and breal my neck and be in a wheelchair for the rest of my life, but I forced myself to picture it going really well, rather than focussing on the negative. I went out there and did it and it was fab. My confidence is immediately restored. They say you should do something that frightens you every day, well I'm not too sure about that, but once in a while, yes, I think it does you good.
I have also been sleeping really well although I am still taking half a temazepam. But I am feeling confident I will be able to wean off that when I'm ready.
My nausea is back today after being pretty good the last three days. But this was how I always used to be. My allergies are also back and I am itching again, although not as bad as I was before the mirt and I have so far resisted the temptation to start back on the anti histamines. I'll have to see how bad it gets because I may have to resort to cetirizine again.
But in summary, I am feeling very good indeed. How is everyone else doing?
Fantastic and wonderful news! So delighted for you. It also shows how beneficial it is to taper slowly. Thanks to you I am now doing things in the correct way. It's such a huge lift for me and many others, we can and will all get there!
I'm glad it has helped you, Lorraine. I am sure you too will get off the meds. But you are definitely doing it the right way this time. I have a lot to thank mirtazapine for. It got me out of a deep dark hole and I healed mentally whilst I was on it. The problem is, you don't know if you're well whilst you're on the meds. My theory is that once I got well, that is when the mirt turned round on me and gave me the symptoms I was put on it to treat. So maybe that's the sign. Maybe when it poops out, it is saying, hey, you don't need me now, so run along...
Interesting how you say you think the drugs turned on you which was a sign you was back to normal. That's the problem we never really know we are back to good health whilst on the ADs. Glad it's all going well. I've been Mirt free for over three months now after a instant withdrawal. It's been hard and even now I have good and bad days but I don't think it was the Mirt withdrawal, well not more recently anyway. Had some great days too but it's been hard to remember the good days when you're feeling totally dis paired.
The last few days I've been on edge and really feeling so low I ended up taking some Propanolol which the doc has given me for anxiety and to take when needed. Took half a tablet yesterday for the first time. Apart from being awak since 3am no side effects. Which is good as everything else has made me worse and so suicidal it was unbelievable.
Anyway good luck with your new drug free happy life and keep doing those things that scare you they help keep us alive.
Hi Si, I am so sorry you are feeling so down right now. As you say, it is highly unlikely to be withdrawal now as even with protracted WD, the symptoms tend to be pretty much constant. The fact that you are having some good days points away from it being WD. I am pleased the propranalol is helping you. I found I couldn't take it as I already have a very slow heartbeat and so it almost stopped my heart! But it works well for my husband if he is having a very stressful time. Are you having any other non drug treatment at the moment? It sounds like you need some support.
What is proprananol? I'm going to get cbt, if it's not withdrawal it must just be the stress and got in a rut maybe ..sounds like cbt should help if that's the case