Weaning Off Mirtazapine

Treatment and medication
1

HI Everybody

I have been taking MIrtazapine since Middle of May 2016.

This whole thing started with some sleepless nights and two panic attacks which came after me taking xanax for like 2-3 weeks of half 0.25 MG two times per day due to some OCD thoughts and sleep. That backfired and instead of stopping and riding it out i thought it was better to go to the doctor. That was when my whole world started to fall down. The stupid doctor prescribed another benzo and antidepressant which i did not need at all because if i had a good night's sleep the next day i was really normal. The antidepressants cause your situation to worsen before improving so she tried me on Fevarine 4 days, Amitryptiline increased from 25 to 50Mg than added 6Mg of bromazepam (benzo) and at the end as i was getting stuck on Bromazepam she gave me Remeron. I was telling her since the begining that i have a obsesive fear from the meds especially benzo so the treatment will just worsen my condition but she was telling me "trust me, i know better". SO i trusted and i ended up almost destroying my life. And i am still not convinced whether i am out of the woods yet. Remeron really caused me to become suicidial, eventhough those feelings i can attribute the big reductions on Bromazepam she recommended at that time. I don't know how the psychiatry can be in such a low point nowadays destroying peoples lives just like that. I am very p*ssed of psychiatry nowdays so i met another doctor regarding my issues and the first thing he did checked my tongue and said you have nutrition problems and that was right because i was dieting since december and lack of nutrition most probably led me to that mental situation. I was mentioning that fact to my first doctor as well in that first meeting, and imagine the first pdoc i went in is the head of Psychiatry in the national hospital in my country and is considered as the best doctor in her field.

Anyway cutting the story short i think i am starting to recover right now but i want off the Remeron. It numbed me and i was not able to feel neither bad nor good emotions. Good emotions have been always a strong part on my side as i have a lot of friends, i have had a very active life and i am a funny person to be with but Remeron stole that all from me at only 15Mg. 

At 4th of July i did my frist cut from 15Mg to 12.8Mg. As i stoped Amitryptiline and Bromazepam in 9th of June 2016 i can attribute some of the feelings to withdrawals from those meds during all this time.

11th of August i did my second cut to 12Mg and so far it went OK. I noticed some bad sleeping pattern and a little anxiety and depression around days 4 and 5 of my cut. 

20th August was my third cut to 11Mg which i am currently now. I noticed again that todays i the 5th day and my sleep was not good and i had anxiety in the morning which is passable. It is a lot better compared to the previous months.

How i am doing the cuts it is quite easy. I am mixing 15Mg remeron tablet with 15ml water to have a distribution of 1ml = 1mg. I mix them well until no crumbs are left in the glass and take the amount needed using a syringe. If everything goes well with this method and I am able to cut 10% each 10 weeks i hope to be weaned off by maybe start of the next year.

Anyway one week ago i went and meet my second doctor and he was saying that if i want to solve this situation without medicines i can simply cut to 7.5 for one or two weeks and then drop altogether. I am scared to follow the doctor and make big cuts because in case i have a lot of effects that would mean being off from my work. I know being off from work is not the end of the world but with my conditions, two kids to take care and a loan to pay off this is the last think i am looking for right now.

From the discussions here i read a lot of horror stories regarding this medicine and from some other sites i come to know that there are people who do not have problems come off but there are some who are really affected with heavy withdrawals.

What do ya think...???? Should i take the chances and follow the doc or continue my snail's pace into a slow withdrawal...???

All the best to everybody and keep tight. We will survive.

I DEFINITELY HAVE COME TO HATE AD-s... :-)

 

2

I was on Mirtazapine (15 mg) for about a year. I was hospitalized last year with major depression and was prescribed Olanzapine and Mirtazapine. I titrated off of  Olanzapine shortly after leaving the hospital, but stayed on Mirtazapine until four weeks ago when I began to titrate down. The withdrawal symptoms I've had have been primarily physical: itching, and some cold symptoms. My sleep has been interrupted but the doc put me back on Trazodone so I'm doing better with that. The emotional withdrawal symptoms have been primarily bouts of sadness. I find sadness to be a better emotion than depression and am able to tolerate it. The symptoms began lessening yesterday. I am hopeful that the symptoms will disappear over time.

3

I real feel for you , lm on 45 mg of mitaz and have built up a high tolorance , i find it has little if any effect on me . Ive tried to ween myself off but became quite ill , goodluck with your meds and be happy , best regards jeff

4

Hi Toni what a terrible experience you are having. Please accept my prayers and thoughts for a speady inprovement in your condition.

Having read read your story and others I have to conclude that the remedy can often be worse that the cause.

In my case I have been perscribed both Amitripyline & Mirtazapine over 5 yeras ago when I had a real drink problem. I have now not had any alcohol for 2 years and I do not feel much better.

So my problem must lie elsewhere.

I can accept that Amitriptyline can be used in small dosages (20mg) to help relieve muscle pains which I do suffer from.

I do not suffer from anxiety or depression so why am I still taking Mirtazapine?

I don't recall any adverse effects when I first started to take them but I was in such a state then to have really noticed.

Anyway, why am I still taking Mirtazapine (30mg)?

Anyway in an effort to take control of my own health I decided 6 days ago to completely stop taking them and let my body tell me the effect.

Fortunately, so far, I don't seem to have had any dramatic repercussions.

Yes my slepp pattern has changed. I used to sleep for a good 12 hours which can't be normal so I'm not surprised. The positive effect has been that I fell much brighter and my eyesight has improved dramatically.

Do I feel pleased with myself. You bet.

Sorry Toni for going on about myself when itis you that we should be concerned about.

None of us on this Formal to give you advise but listen to what your body is telling you. If you feel unwell then something is wrong.

Yes, get off your medication as soon as you can and you current approach seems sensible to me.

5

Hi Toni,

I think you are so wise to be cautious of "jumping off" Mirt' at 7.5 mg.  I have been on Mirt' since Oct 2014 & tapering since Oct 15, because like yourself I prefer a safe ride.  Having said that I know people who have said they CT (cold turkeyed) and have been fine, but I think that is a very small minority.

Having done lots of research myself, the simple answer to your question, in mho, is to test the water on yourself.  Looking back at your cuts:

15 to 12.8 mg = 14% cut

12.8 - 12 mg = 12% cut

12 - 11 mg = 9% cut

What I'm saying is maybe to look at how you are coping with the cuts you have already done and work out what is best for YOU, no one else, we're all different.  For example I tried to do two 7% cuts one after the other which lead to brain zaps and anxious wake ups in the night which were very frightening, so I knew my own body/brain's neurons weren't coping.  

I think its important to monitor any symptoms you may have, also to bear in mind that its not only about the physical returning to normal, but more importantly the brains rewiring, refiring neurons that have been switched off by the AD's, which play a huge part in keeping your sleep and not suddenly going into insomnia the reason you first sought help, me too ugh ...

Very interested to read that your symptopms all started as you thought it may have been due to lack of nutrition, how much weight had you lost?  I go along with that theory, I have been reading up on lack of magnesium leading to sleep deprevation, I think Mag' is our saviour ... I go a long way to cover it now, after being in a dark place like yourself with insomnia.

Hope a little of this helps.  You should also have a read here, I wouldn't recommend anymore than a 10% cut, best to have an informed choice, good luck.

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".   

6

HI Calmer

I red your percentages but they were not right... :-) 12.8 to 12 can not be higher than 12 to 11 :-). Maybe tapering Mirtazapine has been taking its toll on you buddy... :-) Just a joke ok..

At what level are you currently friend??? How many Mg-s to go...??? Some times i look back and I think i have made good progress in only one month and 10 days.. some times I am really sceptical that i will ever finish... :-( anyway it is our fault we ate that and now need to go to the other side.

I am taking suplements as well on the mean time Magnesium before bed, Inositol and Omega 3 in the morning. 

I am not scared of any physical symptoms currently (Stomach pain, gut or whatever). Depression was something i experienced for the first time in my life after starting these DUMP Medications and ui am scared of that feeling.

Anyway friend i really hope we can do it. I am really p*ssed off because of this whole situation my manager at work has gone against me as she does not understand what i have gone through during all these months. I used to come to work with a high level of anxiety all the time and depression as well. Of course my performance has suffered due to this. SO this extra stress is something i need to live with during my withdrawal unless i drop off work which would be the very last option.

Difficult moments for me buddy. I have seen your messages in the forum before but just today decided to register and ask opinions. I am into another forum as well but i am not mentioning here due to maybe the policy of this site.

All the best friend

7

Hi Barden

I understand buddy. You seem in a big dilema same as me about the 30Mg Mirtazapine. Of course you have not suffered from anxiety and depression but right now if you decide to stop Mirt any big change to the dose might lead to big changes in your brain's homeostasis which would want to go back to the pre-mirt period. If you have stopp-ed them for 6 days i very much wish that you will not have big problems, anyway if you start having symptoms which are tough to deal with do not be ashamed to restart at e lower dose and stabilize.

You can taper at slower pace later. The mixing with water and using the syringe really works friend. You can try yourself.

Anyway for the moment i am keeping my fingers crossed for you not to have symptoms. I have heard a lot of people who have had little or no symptoms from droping mirtazapine. I hope you are one of them buddy

Wish you luck and keep in touch

8

Steady Toni. Stop doing anything that is likely to lose you job. Reappraise where you are at the moment. Carefully read the advice on the link provided by Calmer.

Your Manager at work has a totally different agenga to you. He/She is only interested in having highly efficient members of staff. So, please, don't do anything to jeopardise your job.

9

HI Barden

Thanks for your message buddy. I know that you are right but this whole thing have made me very prone to the stress in general. Before even if i had a quarrel or something in relation to work i would clean my mind first before coming out of the office. Right now things are different. It seems my CNS has been hurt and my brain has to think somethink nonstop. In case it is not the medicine that has to be lowered then it is work and all the problems related.

After 4-5 months of wrong medication my self confidence has fallen to an all times low, there are days when my brain is in a terrible fog and can not really concentrate on acomplishing the tasks at work. I have a team of four people here and i really feel frustrated following their work let alon initiate new things. I don't know how i will continue like this but let's hope time will heal fast and with not much stress.

All the best

10

BY the way Barden how is your day off mirtazapine going today???

11

Thanks for asking, Toni.

Today is my 7th day without Mirtazapine so perhaps the total cessation is OK for me.

I feel fine although it is too soon to be sure that I will have any side effects.

Last night I had a good nights sleep so maybe the interrupted sleep of the previous nights has passed?

I have noticed a marked reduction in my appetite which for me is an acceptable sign.

Since I have been taking Mirt I have steadily increased my weight to the point that I am now seriously overweight. I have taken all the usual steps to reduce this trend, with little success.

I have heard that Mirt does increase weight, so if I have found a way to reduce mine it will be a significant added bonus.

I trust you are feeling positive today?

12

I am happy it is going well for you Barden.

For me today is not that really positive. I am walking in that borderline between depression and normalcy... but it seems i tend to be more on the second one. In the last two weeks i have really had better days than the whole last 4-5 months. I do not know how next week is going to be though.

I very much hope you are not going to have withdrawals from Mirt. I don't know but i really feel for all those people who are taking this bloody medicine. I understand giving it to those in very deep depression as it can practically saves someone's life but giving it for sleep problems or mild anxiety and destroy people's life this is tooo much.

Good Luck buddy.

13

Hang in there, Toni.

I also had a very demanding and stressful job from which I retired 6 years ago. You would think that I could relax and enjoy my freedom. No chance! On reflections this was the time that my troubles started. My body seem to miss the cut and thrust of my workspace. The comaraderie of my workmates and the sense that I was doing something useful.

I turned to alcohol as a crutch.

I won't labour the point but then my problems really started.

Let's say I descended into a black hole from which I was not expected to recover.

But I'm still here in a better frame of mind, not yet perfect but making progress. I am actively trying to take control of my life.

What I am clumsily trying to say is that are things in your life which are worth fighting for.

The process of getting into a good place is very much a mind game so be positive and concentrate on the things that make you happy and swear at the things that don't.

Come on it can be done. I am living proof!

14

HI Barden buddy...

How is the day today??? I hope things are still good .....

15

Morning Toni. Sunny and very hot in the UK. Being positive must be plaesed for the people who do enjoy this weather.

As to me, I feel better than I have done for ages. Had another good nights sleep. Just about to do a 4 minute mile. Haapy days!

Certainly glad that I have persevered with dropping Mirt.

I have to wonder why so many of us can drop Mirt with little reaction and yet others have the most horrendous experiences. I appreciate that we are all slightly different but underneath we are all similar. Strange?

Trust you are feeling a little better today, Remember it's good to be alive and no amount of challenges will get you down.

16

That's very good news Barden. I am really wishing you will make it with no withdrawals at all. 

Anyway even if it happens to have withdrawals you can always start again on the lowest dose that keeps you stable and taper from there. 

I am also feelnig better today. Tomorrow i am traveling back to my hometown to bring home my wife and kids. Weather seems to be nice and i am looking forward to a stress, rumination and depression free weekend.

Keep in touch buddy. 

17

My toughts go with you. Have an amazing reunion.

Let me know how it goes.

18

You're right, should have said 14.7, 6.7, 8.3 %.  Some days I'm wading through an up hill lardy stream, have to push through, forcefully !!!  

I am now at 2.7 mg, give or take, I use liquid and it is hard to differentiate so little liquid within the syringe.  

So right to take Mag, vital for sleep, Jigsaw I hear is the best, so when my supply runs out I'll be on it.  Also Complex B, Vit D, and Remag (another mag).  

The work place is a nightmare these days, I feel for you all, such a high level of expectation and targets to reach.  I wonder what steps people take for self care to help out with the ill effects, riding the storm as it were. Meditation is my constant, after doing all the usual, P.doc, CBT, Mindfulness, and always training the mind away from the negative - if you ever read any of Rick Hanson you will know how our brains are hard wired for negativity and therefore suffering; so yeh ... working hard at brian training.

Hope your day is good, baby steps, we'll get there.  

Best wishes  

19

WOW Barden, I had to check with my daughter ... but 4 minute mile amazing !!  Marathon runner maybe?

Its our DNA, some can do some meds, some can do others ... I hope you can do this one, how many days now, 9 or 10 ?  Did you stop from 30mg?  Lost in the thread ... hang on in there, like toni said before, reinsgtate usually works if you hit a wall, a little lower than before should do it I think.

Hope you/re having a good day too.

Best wishes

20

Thanks Calmer I feel so much better that I feel that nothing is beyond my capability. Such a welcome change from the negative attitude I have had for so long now.

How are you feeling today?