My name is David. I went off Mirtazapine (Remeron) February 27, 2015. I had already tried going off 45 mg a year earlier, after being on the drug for 7 years. I don't even remember who originally prescribed it, or why. I was having health problems with my GI system and heart at the time. Over the years I began to feel bad, having the famous morning hangovers, GI problems, and an aggravation of the heart issues. I asked my PCP about getting off the drug, and without any discussion he said sure, and set up a 2 week 30 mg, 2 week 15 mg, stop taper (Feb 2014). About a week after that I was cut down by the withdrawals, about as bad as it gets. Since my main problem was GI symptoms, I contacted my GI doctor, who put me back on 7.5 mg. It helped, but for the following year I felt awful most of the time. It never occured to me that when I went back on the 7.5 mg, I was still 37.5 mg less than what I had been on. I had made a 37.5 mg reduction without even thinking about it. And was suffering from it thinking that it was just side effects. Then, on February 27, 2015, I forgot to take my 7.5, and felt OK the next morning. And I thought that if my PCP thought that it was ok to go from 45 to 0 in a month, then cold turkey off 7.5 should be a breeze.
I have a college education, and have always thought that I could make rational decisions. I am a retired Fire Department Battalion Chief, which I did for 31.5 years. That being said, that cold turkey mirtazapine stop without researching it first was probably the worse decision that I have ever made. For the ones who have followed my posts, you know that it has literally been ■■■■, both on me and my wife and family. I used to think, to give myself a break, that I have seen people on here and other forums, that did long tapers and still had bad withdrawals. I am into month 4, and am still communicating with forum members to keep my head straight and not go back on the Remeron.
My point is simply this, if there is any chance that a tapered withdrawal will help, by all means do it! Don't get in a hurry or be impatient. If you don't, and you do what I did, you may be doing the most unkind, damaging thing that you have ever done to yourself. And, if you don't believe that you would ever think that you can feel bad enough that death would be a blessing, think some more. Not to say that I considered suicide, as I wouldn't put my family through that, I love them too much. I would go back on the medicine first. But if my situation was different, well I hate to even think about it. Do the taper for as long as it takes, if you still have withdrawals, then they will most assuredly be less severe. I have been to the hospital ER 3 times since March, and the expense is unbelievable, even with insurance. Plus, the last doctor that I saw said that he had no clue as to why I was having the pain that I am. I waited until all the tests were done before telling him about the Remeron, as I knew the kind of response that I had got on the previous visits. Why was I at the ER? I just plain couldn't believe that stopping those little pills was causing the physical torment that I have been, and still am going through. Things have gotten a little better, but I am still paying the bill for my cold turkey decision. It is now lunch time, and guess what I am having? A cold turkey sub from Subway!
If you are considering going off mirtazapine, please, even though I don't know you, my love for mankind, as God expects, dictates that I sincerely hope that you will remember this.
Best Regards, David