Mirtazapine withdrawal

Treatment and medication
1

Hi. I started withdrawing at the start of Feb having been on 15mg a day for about a year. First two weeks I took 7.5mg on Monday and 15mg the rest of the week. Then two weeks taking 7.5mg on Mon and Thursday with 15mg on the other 5 days of the week. I read about this withdrawal process on here I think. Been feeling very depressed and anxious this last week - could that be because of withdrawal, even when it's such a small decrease??

Thanks

2

I'm not sure just starting them. maybe you should have went to 11.25 first. 3/4 of a 15 mg.

3

Ok Ive been on 45mg mirt for 6 years, doc is changing my meds cause anxiety has been of the grid since December.

I have to (this was startring Thursday 3rd March)

Week 1 2x 15mg mirt for i week

Week 2 1x 15mg mirt for 2 nights

Then 1x15mg mirt and half a 50mg of sertraline

After 3 days reduce 15mg of mirt to every other night and 1x 50mg sertraline

I am only on day 4 of first week and its not going good and this is doctors instructions!!!!!!

4

That seems fast to me Lynn. Hope things start going better for you.

5

I know I havedoctors appointment to go back on 16/3 but she did say if I wasnt coping to go back sooner

6

Hi orangedog

I think you may need to consider a more stable withdrawal eg a small reduction daily for a period of time, stabilise on that, then another small decrease and so on. It will be worth your while looking up ever evergreens threads on this forum, she has withdrawn successfully off mirt.

Good luck

god bless ♥♥

7

Yes, I think the OP is doing it too fast. IME using the thod of dropping a dose for a day really shocks the ody. I was a nervous wreck when I tried it. OP, get yourself a pill cutter or get some liquid mirt and reduce very gradually, holding each dose for two weeks each time. I have a couple of threads on here describing how I did it. I am now three weeks off mirt and doing really well.

8

Hi Orangedog

I too was on 15 mg for about a year before starting a slow taper.  Like yourself I was plannning to use the CITA Protocol method but understand it is outdated

- now people on this forum have discussed that this makes the nervous system unstable, anxious, confused.

For an informed choice have a look on this forum at the 10% method which may give you an idea:

For advice on tapering Mirtazapine slowly at the recommended rate of no more than 10% every 3 or 4 weeks, please see the following which is within this forum, 

https://patient.info/forums/discuss/depression-resources-298570

and then click on the link "REDUCING AD'S USING 10% WITHDRAWAL METHOD".   

I am actually doing a 5% drop every 2 weeks which is similar to the above, but a little kinder to the system. I am down to about 5 mg now.  

Evergreens posts are very useful as they give instructions to make a liquid by grinding and shaking the pills, which is way better to get an acurate gradual taper than cutting pills.

From 15 mg you would be going to 14.25 for 2 weeks, 13.5 for 2 weeks,12.75 for 2 weeks etc ... no missing days or swapping dosage - happy to send you the sums if you would like.

For advice on tapering Mirtazapine slowly at the recommended rate of no more than 10% every 3 or 4 weeks, please see the following which is within this forum, 

https://patient.info/forums/discuss/depression-resources-298570

and then click on the link "REDUCING AD'S USING 10% WITHDRAWAL METHOD".   

I'm sure you can beat having the anxiety as part of your wd with this method.  Wishing you well, hope a little of this may help.  

 

9

Hi Lynne

Your case sounds like a classic "poop out", that the AD's just stopped working, as they do for some, I understand 33% of people complain that they stop working in time. 

The method your doc has advised is so very wrong, 100% sure to get major WD with that, it's actually not far from cold turkey and dangerous.  See the post/link to the 10% method, have another chat with your doc.  

Day 4 of a taper can be the day wd starts, for some it's 2 weeks, but you will be hit with the 33% cut, way too big, you won't be able to stabilise with insomnia, nausea, etc etc ... I do wish doctors were trained for giving withdrawal advice (discontinuation syndrome as they like to call it) but sadly they don't have the time, that's why this forum is so useful to help others.  

I understand you want to start Sert, but there is just no way you can rush off Mirt.

 

10

I totally agree with you and I questioned the fact that it was too quick last week at the doctors and she said no this way is the right way.

I expected it to take a good few months to come off the mirt safely I am in no hurry to start the sert I just want it all done safely

Thanks for the advise I think I will go back and speak to her before I go from 30mg to 15mg on Thursday

11

I did it VERY slowly, what's the hurry? Was on 7.5 mg since July 15, started withdrawing in December, went to 3/4 of the pill all december, then 1/2 all Jan, 1/4 all feb and March havent taken anything and feel actually really well, even my sleep patterns have improve without it (I can see it on my fitbit sleep track).

​Plan a 3 month withdrawl if you can, seriously what is the hurry in feeling bad!?

Also remember anxiety and depression are here to tell us something, they are here to tell us we need to change something in our life, I have been doing a lot of work with my thoughts, fears, etc and have been feeling great, the medicine helps but it will not get rid of the depression or anxiety if you do not work on the rela root cause that are creating them...

​Good luck!

12

Hi.  Thanks for your reply.  I'm going to try reducing by 5% every two weeks and see how that goes.  You mentioned Evergreens posts about grinding the tablets but I can't seem to find it. Do you just crush them and mix with water?  How do you then work out 5%??  Thanks

13

Hi Orangedog,

Not everyone reacts the same on withdraw so there are no hard and fast rules. Some cut with no problem at all in a very short space of time. However there are no prizes for coming off quickly and Evergreens experience is here to draw upon.

One thing I think a lot of people make the mistake of is blaming withdraw for the return of their original symptoms. You didn't mention why you were coming off mirt or if you are replacing mirt with another AD. Could it be the reduction in mirt simply returnning you to your pre mirt self?

14

Hi Orangedog

I've sent you a message, see you over there

 

15

Thank you for your words Monica. There a big help to me.