Currently on 15mg mirtazepine and holding until after new year (as I don't want suffer withdrawels over this period.Had been on 45mg for around six years and have tapered since May to 15mg now,with almost every withdrawel symptom mentioned,particularly bad at weeks two and three,but can just reappear unexpectedly.considering tapering the 10% method,and would appreciate all first hand experiences from those that have done exactly this.
Your tapering to quickly Chrisy. It should be done 5% every 2-4 weeks.
Hi Chrissy
I think I read a posting of yours a few days ago. If you are looking for reassurance I can say that it is doable without all those nasty symptoms you have suffered. I think you already did a fast taper, am I right, either way it is best now to wait for stabilisation (in mho) which is great because you don't want to lower any further until after the big feller comes down the chimney anyways.
Most people manage to stabilise anyway so lets hope you do also. It's a waiting game I'm afraid, it could take a few weeks or a month, but it is always best to wait for your central nervous system to settle before altering the chemical supply even further (that caused it in the first place). If I were you, once you are settled I would try taking baby steps to monitor how 'your' body reacts, you might find its ok, you might find it unsettles you a tiny bit - no one knows. If it doesn't unsettle you at all then its clear you can try a little more than 5%.
Are you UK? Liquid Mirt' is available here, your doc' may not prescribe it but worth asking, otherwise there is Mirt' Sol Tabs also which are easier to work with to make a liquid; this enables you to break down the tapering into the quantities you will need to go down to zero, 0.9, 0.8, 0.7 etc.
I did the above, I didn't do any big jumps down, the worst I ever got was slight tummy flu at 2-3 mg ...
It doesn't matter whether you've been on Mirt 8 weeks or 8 years, the tapering should be the same, Mirt' changes and blocks the brains neurons and its always best to go slowly to enable homeostasis at the pace you yourself can tolerate, not anyone elses gauge , go slow when you are ready, you'll be fine, no jumping down or breaking tablets in half - the quantity is too difficult to measure.
There are instructions to make a liquid when you're ready.
Wishing you well.
Thank you for your experiences,good to know that you had only suffered slight tummy flu tapering slowly.did you get no insomnia? As some people report,I have been spared that so far,and I have stabilised after making my last drop of 20% around five weeks ago,and won't be dropping until new year now.have appointment lined up with GP to try and obtain liquid,or if not will ask to use oradispersable and make dilute with water,then dose from syringe that way.If it weren't for the insane vivid dreams and nightmares,I would have been prepared to stay on for life,as did work for depression,but nightmares have become too much stay on this med.will just monitor for depression if it creeps back and try another medication if necessary,but I may be lucky and recovered from that depression any ways.
thank you for reply,have you personally tapered this way?and if so what withdrawel symptoms did you suffer?
No chrisy I can't start my taper yet. My doctor thought it was just OK to swap me off something I'd taken for 20 years straight on to mirtazapine. Well it wasn't and I'm now paying the price. I'm in a group on Facebook who recommends the 2-5 % every 2-4 weeks. Great group who tell me what I need to know as doctors keep just getting things wrong.
glad you are all tapering off as I it call the "fat drug" I don't suffer from clinical depression as my consultant said it was just a minor eating disorder which thankfully I have overcome. I do agree with tapering as years ago I was taking gabapentine and had to be weaned off as I could hardly see (my vision was going). all okay no! yes, I did cold turkey but it's also important to really understand that it's not suitable for everyone. one step at a time regards,
Hi chrisy9, I have just also started again tapering from 15mg dropped to 13.5 last week
have had x 2 failed attempts last year , tried cold turkey on last attempt was fine for x 3 weeks then bang took me 6 months to get stable , have been on for 20 months now for major depression just happened overnight after prolonged stress buildup , they have helped me sleep but dont think done anything for depression and really want to get off this medication ( my 1st and only ) as i feel in a constant fog , i am ready to cut 10% or less a month for as long as it takes , can i ask any experienced cutter when you get to a real low dose say below 2mg does the effect of the drug all but stop ( ie sleep onset , foggy haze , etc ) even though you are taking a tiny bit to stop the WD symptoms ??
Sorry to jump in Paulo. The group im in only recommend a 2-5% decrease every 2-4 weeks as they say that way it's less harsh on your nervous system. I myself haven't started to taper yet as I was swapped over to mirtazapine from something I took for 20 years. Really bad move from the doctor. Anyway lots in the group are tapering at that rate and seem to be getting on OK.
dont be sorry , its great to get a reply so quick so thankyou , i will stick this 10% out i think as have got my supplies for next month done , and then will 5% and see how it goes , can you name the facebook group i would be very interested or is it a private group ??
I am also tapering, having some bad nausea and ibs problems though. Did you have these effects worsen as you lowered. I feel like im going mad some days. Is this all to,domwith mirtaz? I did try other anti deps a couple of years agomwhich made me feel so ill were stopped. Mirtaz gave me sleop but i am suffering now. I dont know if theyve done some irreversible damage.
ann55375, i have never really lowered before just tried cold turkey twice , this is my start at tapering and feel a little worse but only a week in so far , but i will be in no rush this time , would like to know if the effect of the drug stops at a very very low dose , i would have no problem cutting for ever if this is the case , the cold turkey is the worst i have ever felt so never again , i think you need to go very slow from your posts , just be kind to yourself why rush ?
Sent y private message
Hi paulo
hope your 10% taper will work well for you.can I ask are you in uk? And did you manage to get mirtazapine liquid prescribed,as I've heard some GP reluctant because of cost.please keep posting your journey,as its good to hear others experiences,and I really wish you well,and your taper is manageable,so best of luck.
I have decided that I will start my taper off the last 15mg of the 45mg I have been on on Jan 2nd,and I plan to do 10% taper per month,and if too many symptoms,will drop down 5% if necessary.
lets hope 2018 will be good to us all on this mirtazapine tapering journey.
You can do your own liquid chrisy. I haven't started my taper yet but I know everything needed and how to do it. I know I won't be able to cut up tablets to the 5% drop that I will need to do.
got to be honest why is everybody, 'tapering'? its easier to go to your GP. make an appointment as to come off mirtazapine and they will write a weaning off sheet. might take weeks/months to be weaned off by a doctor so you haven't got to ask the questions of "how do I cut a tablet", "how much do I cut" etc withdrawals you won't have. Your doctor is used to weaning patients off drugs! doesn't mean to say as you have come off mirtazapine "you cannot have anything else to take" but if you gp and yourself feel that you can continue to function without drugs why ask for anymore. get out do yoga, join a gym, go for a walk, join a group and have a chat with different people and a coffee regards and best wishes all
chrisy9, why are you being so negative? people are different you seem as if you are running before you can walk e.g. did anyone have insomnia, tummy upsets. wean off with you doctor and you won't need to ask and worry about trivial things. life is life we can't go through it with rose tinted glasses!
Sand
we are have all been prescribed mirtazapine for different reasons,and each and every one of us will react differently to withdrawels,depending on how their genetic makeup is,and how quickly they tapered.I completely disagree with you thinking I am being negative,I am actually very positive,and after tapering from 45mg down to 15mg since May (with some pretty bad withdrawels,) now my aim is to gather as many experiences,then can weigh up the information,then move forward with tapering in January.
As I see you say you have never suffered major depression,well unfortunatley I have to the extent I wanted to end my life,the suffering was so bad,that death was at the time preferable than life and one of the first signs of my depression was actually not being able to sleep,followed by not being able to eat,then being constantly agitated and worrying etc,that unbearable suffering,I appreciate you would have no knowledge of.
mirtazapine eventually,along with a lot of time,and some changes I made in my life,I have been 100% well for the past 5 years,and what I suffered with depression,I wouldn't wish I my worst enemy,so to speak,and even with the two stone weight gain of mirtazapine which I could not afford to gain,and didn't like,but would have stayed on this drug for life,and put up with it had it not been the awful nightmares and insane.vivid dreaming,rather than risk another severe depression returning.so certainly I never have been able to go through life with rose coloured spectacles.
so whilst insomnia may be trivial to you,to me it is also an indication of depression returning,that I may need to get earlier rather than later treatment for.
To me weight gain is very trivial compared to what suffering severe depression can bring,but unless you had posted I would never try and trivialise anyone's personal suffering,as all that matters is how it feels to them.
Forgot to say,as for following doctors instructions,I was told you can just drop by 15mg,and the withdrawels were horrendous,as that's exactly what i did,(didn't do any research first,thought not to scare myself) so thought to start with I had caught virus with nausea vomitting diorheah and migraines increasing,only when BP was through the roof had to be prescribed antihypertensive med,that I have never had,that I started researching.
so whilst my GP is aware of my tapering,how fast I do it will be my decision based on exactly how my body is feeling,as I am the only one who can know this.
You must be joking. Doctors have not got a clue about the affects this pill has when trying to come off. If they had took it only then would they know and not get it so wrong. Luckily I did find a group and everything I need to know i find out there and not from any doctor.