My Mirt taper - not that bad :)

Treatment and medication
1

Hey everyone,

I've been a member of this site for a while and never really posted anything but I see a lot of posts discussing withdrawal and peoples horrible experiences so I wanted to post one that shows it's not bad for everyone

I'm not discrediting those people who have had a really hard time, just want a positive one out there for people looking for info when they start coming off so they maybe don't get so scared!

So I have been on Mirtazapine for 8 months, 1 month on 15mg, 1 month on 30mg then the other 6 months on 45mg, I took it for panic disorder and my terrible anxiety.

After 8 months I found that it was making me feel very down, unable to concentrate (I am a uni student in my third year so I need to stay sharp) and that it wasn't doing much for my anxiety so I decided to lower to 15mg again and then if I wasn't feeling any results come off it completely and maybe try something else.

So I went from 45mg down to 30mg for three weeks, the first four days I had a bit of nausea (on a scale of 1 - 10 only about 6) and found in the mornings I needed to poop a lot but I always felt fine by the afternoon. These symptoms only lasted the first four days and then I was fine, but I stayed on 30mg for three weeks to be safe. I noticed immediately I was feeling much less cloudy in my brain and less irritable, on 45mg I was having INSANE menstrual pain and PMS (crying every day I had my period) and this all seemed to ease once back on 30mg.

Then I went down to 15mg, again the first four days I had the poops in the morning and a bit of nausea (only on the first day this time).

I have been on 15mg for a week now and still feel pretty much fine, it seems to be only the first couple of days I felt ill before I bounced back. Going to stay on 15mg for another two weeks just to make sure I'm clear and to decide whether or not to come off entirely.

I haven't noticed any rebound anxiety when lowering as well, I have intense panic attacks that unfortunately made a comeback while I was still on the medication (which is why I am considering coming off to go on something else) but it definitely hasn't become worse throughout this process.

I did have all the side effects coming on, couldn't move for being so groggy and tired for the first few weeks on and eating like there was no tomorrow as well as the ongoing menstraul pain (so bad that I would just lay in bed feeling sick from the pain all day)! So I was expecting this to be way harder than it was. Who knows what the effects will be when I go down to 0 but that is a bridge I will cross when I am ready and going by the withdrawal so far I am not expecting it will be too terrible.

All I have done to ease this process is I drink at least four large (750ml) bottles of water each day (which I do anyway) to stay hydrated and flush my system as quickly as possible, also when you have been constantly going to the toilet like I did those first few days it's key to make sure you are drinking enough water or you are going to feel much worse as you get more dehydrated.  I have also been eating a can of tuna every day for those first four days (even when I haven't had much of an appetite) for some Omega 3 goodness, I'm probably going to get a bottle of fish oil tablets for when I come off entirely as my Dr suggested the Omega 3 would help and it seems to be helping so far.

I will come back and post again after the 3 weeks on 15mg to let you know how I am feeling and if I do decide to come off the Mirt entirely, I am taking it as a slow and steady process as now on the lower doses the side effects are pretty minimal and I want to see if this amount will start helping my anxiety again before I ditch it completely. Luckily my Dr and my psychologist have been incredibly supportive and helpful and said to just go with what my body is telling me week by week.

So in summary, although unfortunately a lot of people on here have had a really raw deal and all the terrible withdrawal symptoms while tapering off mirt it isn't going to happen for everybody, so be prepared for the worst but not expecting it, because you may not feel anything or you may jst get a few days of mild symptoms like I did.

I hope this was helpful! 

Good luck to anyone out there going through this process as well!

2

I have been on 30 mg for About 8 Months , I am Taking Fish oil with  it , I am in the Process of Coming off Subutex , So I am not Sure it wou be a Good Ideal to taper 2 Strong Drugs at One time , I Don't no if its Helping or Making me Worst , I Like to Get off it , Because I am Still waking up with Panic and  Its Making me Loopy , I cannot considrate on this Drug , I came off Effexorer 225 mg , So I am Sure it Wouldn't be has Hard as that ,, Everybody is Different ..

3

hello!

yeah honestly I couldn't offer any advice about coming off two at once, maybe check with your Doctor first to see what they think!

but it sounds like we had the same kind of situation, i found mirt helped my anxiety for a little while but then my panic attacks just seemed to come back out of nowhere, and the concentration thing really got to me as well, felt like I had a head full of sand most of the time! I can say that even lowering from 45 to 15 has helped clear my head a bit and I'm finding it easier to retain information and get all of my uni assignments done though so i'm going to give it a try on 15mg for a few weeks to see if my anxiety chills out a bit before i come off completely.

Again probably best to check with your doc about whether to wait until you are off the other drug to lower the mirt but things have improved for me concentration and mood wise since i lowered the dose!

4

Thanks yes, reading your message was helpful.

I have been on it for insomnia and it hasn't helped at all.  Just can't go on not sleeping much more, think its the mirt that is causing it and think the sooner I get off it the better.  Been on it for 4 months, first month 15mg, second 30mg and third 45mg then tapered down to 30mg for a month now been on 15mg for just over a week wondering about having one every other night for awhile.  No bad effects at all decreasing it apart from terrible insomnia which I had anyway but in the meantime I've had CBT for the insomnia but can't see the results for been on the mirt

5

I came off immediately and my bakpains and urrination problems stopped immediately - so far from having withdrawal problems, there were substantial benefits of coming off.

6

Thank you for this. I will be coming off mirtazapine in January.  After the most horrific withdrawal off paroxetine 2 and a half years ago I am worried. Nice to see someone take the time to post a positive. Some of these Internet horror stories make those of us with severe anxiety a wreck. I  actually haven't looked at any mirtazapine withdrawal posts, as I am not going to put ideas in my head. Good luck. This sounds positive for you. Hopefully you can find something that works for your anxiety. I find quitiepine has helped me.  Though it also makes you very tired.

7

Please consider reporting your entire WD as it could help others coming off the mirt. I also didn't have much problems going from 30 to 15, but I struggled going to 7.5 and to 3.75. 

So I'm very happy for you and I'd love to hear more happy endings

thanks...

8

Besides taking Mirtazapine, I take two meds for epilepsy. My meds have changed through the years until the right dose and combination of meds seem to work. In the transition from one med to another, you always slowly taper off one med while starting on a low dose of the new med. In my case, the changeover usually takes a month, but probably different for each meds.  If I suddenly stopped one and went on the full dose of the new med., it would increase the risk of having a seizure and increase the chance of experiencing unwanted side effects. In the case of one med, it has a very small chance of causing death if suddenly starting on a full dose and I don’t want to be part of that stat no matter how small the odds are. That’s something I don’t think people understand, some meds need to be slowly tapered off or on so it’s not a sudden shock to the brain. I take 45 mg of Mirt. and one web site I found listed a step by step  taper spanning  over a 2 to 3 month period if I wanted to stop it. Changing from Mirt. to another med was listed to take a lot less time to taper off Mirt to another med. I can’t remember the name of the site, but you do a search on the web. But I guess your Dr. has the final word, not the web.

9

I've been on mirtazapine for 2 and a half years. I was given it whilst wd off paroxetine. I also suffer with terrible anxiety and panic attacks. Mirtazapine has never done anything for the panic. It calms me down at night, but I am on a lot of other medication so can't pin point if mirtazapine calms me down at night with 4 other sedating drugs. I had to be put on quitiepine and clomipramine as mood stabiliser and anxiety. The doctor reduced my mirtazapine down from 45mg to 30mg 16 months ago and introduced clomipramine at the same time. I had 3 months of intense agoraphobia. I can't put that just down to the 15 mg drop of mirtazapine because of the new drug introduction. I thought 15 mg drop was too much too fast, but I was having manic highs and lows and I'm not a manic depressive. Anyway in January I will be coming off mirtazapine slowly. Reason because of 4 stone weight gain and chronic fatigue. I an not sure if mirtazapine is doing anything for my depression because I am on so many meds. 

10

Hi Beccybot

I am so refreshed to read your story.

I look forward to hearing of your progress and know that your story has helped me look positively at withdrawing from Mirtazapine.

xx

11

Hello smile

Yes i definitely will update with my progress! Probably won't be anything exciting happening for a few weeks but i will post again once I either come off 15mg or if it's helping me at all!

Sorry to hear you had a rough time lowering after 15!! I'm not sure whether to halve the 15s or just go cold turkey after that, my doc said i could probably just smash through the first few days going from 15 to 0 seeing as it's ben pretty pain free so far. Plus i will be finished uni by then so it doesn't matter if it makes me sick for a week or two! luckily. are you off completely now or still on 3.75?? I'd be interested to hear how you're doing!

all the best, beccy smile

12

Hello!

I'm so happy to hear that!! I will definitely post an update down the road a bit smile

13

Hi Beccybot,

i was just wondering how your weaning on the mirt is going. Did it turn out to be pretty smooth. I sure hope so. I'd love to hear more success about WD for mirtazapine..

thanks....💚💜❤️