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Quitting Mirtazapine (Insomnia Help) Read if you're struggling.

Posted , 28 users are following.

lit53944
lit53944

I have been on mirtazapine for just over a year on all doses 15 to 45mg constantly upping then lowering the dose.

I have tried to quit multiple times due to the weight gain and haven't been able to cope with the insomnia. I can go days without sleep but get severely paranoid and delusional so it's out of the question.

I have tried many sleep aids and natural treatments. I have found one that works. 

Phenergan (Promethazine)

Now I know it may not work for everyone, but for it to me sleep after using something strong like mirtazapine for over a year, it's good.

I took mirtazapine for depression but depression never really lifted, I had a good nights sleep and that was all.

I take 75mg of Phenergan about an hour before bedtime and it allows me to sleep through the night. I highly recommend it for any of you struggling with the insomnia side effect of mirtazapine withdrawal

2 likes, 50 replies

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  • lit53944
    lit53944

    Posted

    I post this before I finished.

    Phenergan has literally solved my problems. I'm so so so happy to be able to sleep and know that I will return to my original weight.

    I hope the rest of you can find it helpful if you try it.

    • Calmer
      Calmer lit53944

      Posted

      Hi

      Did youu get Phenergen over the counter & are you in the UK.  I asked in Boots the Chemist and they said it wasn't available, so a bit puzzled (!)  Glad you've found this to help you anyways, insomnia & nausea being the worst effects of WD from Mirt' - at least now you can sleep.

      I'm wondering if you need advice re quitting or not, I can't quite tell.

       

    • lit53944
      lit53944 Calmer

      Posted

      I asked my doctor where I could find something that may help and he recommended it and I found it online (sounds fishy, but it's a legitmate UK source and I have done in depth research before buying). Must be okay if the doctor recommended it is what I thought.

      No, I was putting this out there for anyone who might be panicking, because I spent a lot of time looking for answers when trying to quit and didn't find much that helped.

      I just want people to know there is hope if mirtazapine withdrawal is hard on them.

      It's only been two days not taking it, but I actually feel happier. I was told buy him I could buy over the counter too I just chose online because it's easier for me, so now I don't know if I was told wrong..

      Maybe I was misinformed or the doctor was confused as to which pill he was recommending rolleyes but as long as there's a legit site that sells it, I'm lucky.

    • London_ridge
      London_ridge lit53944

      Posted

      hey Lit..yes the phen sure helps. Sometimes full WD off mirt is ten days and sometimes two weeks just a heads up so you don't get frightened, then again you may have no WD whatsoever ....some people have none if you want come and join us if you like in our mirt WD room...we are on face book private support for those going off. 

      Good luck and so glad you found something that does help with the sleep issues. ️Hugs 

    • Calmer
      Calmer lit53944

      Posted

      Hi Lit,  

      Just wondering, now you've stopped mirt for 2 days ... how did you withdraw?

       

    • lit53944
      lit53944 Calmer

      Posted

      I've not taking any mirtazapine since this original post. No withdrawal and I quit cold turkey from 30mg. I wouldn't recommend that at all but taking mirtazapine was making me far more miserable than withdrawal would.

      Everyone is different, but phenergan has helped me so much to quit. One thing that is precious when withdrawing is sleep.

       

    • Calmer
      Calmer lit53944

      Posted

      Hi Lit

      All sounds good for you so far and I'm pleased.  WD can kick in at 2 weeks so I hope you carry on bring successful, keep posting and let us know how you're doing won't you  smile

      Did you say you were taking 75 mg Phenergen??  Isn't that 3 times the recommended amount Lot?  I thought it should be 25 ?

      Long may your recovery be positive for you !

    • frank745
      frank745 London_ridge

      Posted

      Hello Rose

      I was on Mirt for about 20 weeks and wasn't working so took several weeks tapering off with severe WD.  Could you pleae direct me to the facebook WD group...Thanks

    • lit53944
      lit53944 Calmer

      Posted

      Yes, 75mg, I had to look around for other peoples experience as 25-50mg did nothing at all. I found some people actually take 100mg regularly and for extended periods of time (not that I'm recommending it) without problem, so I took a chance and found it worked wonderfully.

      I have stopped taking it now and am sleeping on my own for the first time in a year! Again, I took that much out phenergan out of sheer desperation to sleep :') got to the point of I'll try anything possible, ha!

    • catherine_55459
      catherine_55459 lit53944

      Posted

      Hi Lit

      Thanks for your post! I took mirtazapine 15mg for 18 months for post natal depression and insomnia. It worked a trick for the insomnia. I weaned off slowly over about 3 months. My last dose was 30 days ago and i still wake at around 1am and cant get back to sleep. I have tried a bit of everything mainly 1/4 nitrazepam in the wee hours and this at least stops the tossing about. Benzopiazipines can also be addictive so have been looking for a longer term solution. very glad high dose phengergan has worked for you. Can i ask what your night was like for that awful year? Were you able to get to sleep but then waking early? and the phenergan then stopped that wake?

  • sarah23029
    sarah23029 lit53944

    Posted

    Hi

    I am exactly in the same boat as you (groan)!!!! Been on mirtazapine a year from 15mg and up to full dose. It did nothing for my mood felt worse and had really bad anxiety. good for sleeping but couldn't stop eating. So weight gain. So I started duloxetine aswel and have increased that up while reducing mirtazapine. I am of it now for about 3 weeks and have been struggling. Hardly any sleep so have been taking sleeping tablets which are making me feel yuk the next day!!!! But if I don't take one I just lay there for hours and nothing happens. This then goes on for days untill I am exhausted so take a sleeping tablet to get some rest!!!! I just can't seem to get a natural sleeping rhythm again. My first time stopping it and I am determined to keep going. The eating all the time has stopped infact it's the opposite feeling sick and struggling to eat. Dropped 5lb the first week!!!!

    It's hard work. Does anybody know how long this will last for?!!!

    You are not alone. It's awful. Hope you stick with it too. Let me know how you are doing. Sarah. X

    • London_ridge
      London_ridge sarah23029

      Posted

      Hi Sarah 

      sorry to hear you are in mirt WD. We have a facebook site for those wanting to get off mirt and as a team we help each other with support and any ideas on how to navigate this WD. 

      Your more than welcome to join 

      I think you'll find people who are having the same issues and it's very helpful. 

      PM me and I'll give you directions to the facebook site. It's secret so no one can know your business. 

      Hugs 

    • jenny13633
      jenny13633 sarah23029

      Posted

      Hi Sarah I too am on mirtazapine and would love to come off it but my doctor says I would just slump back into depression again, worse depression, it has also given me want to eat alot and I dont like it. I would love the FB page you mention. thanks Jenny.
    • sarah23029
      sarah23029 London_ridge

      Posted

      Hi Rose.

      Thankyou for your reply. I don't go on Facebook much but would be gratefull if you point me in the right direction. Always good to see you are not alone.

      Thanks again for your info.

      Sarah. X

    • sarah23029
      sarah23029 jenny13633

      Posted

      Hi Jenny. It was Rose who told me about Facebook. Send her a message about joining the group.

      I would talk to your doc again hun and say you are not happy and this medication isn't for you. I trusted my gut instinct and I knew it wasn't working for me. I only picked up when I started taking duloxetine at the same time. Left it for a few months and let it build up in my system and then slowly started running mirtazapine down while slowly increasing duloxetine. It's not a quick process but so glad to get of mirtazapine. The longer I was on it the worse the eating got. U are not hungry but just have this uncontrollable urge to eat and especially at night. It was great for knocking you out for sleep. But as I reduced the dose the good sleeping effects went too. Also got really fidgety before I went to sleep and had restless legs which drove me mad!!!!!!

      Talk to your doctor again. You can take two antidepressants at the same time. I have gone back to the sweats abit on duloxetine which is why I tried mirtazapine. Didn't have sweats on it but it had other bad side effects. Not for me lol. But I know everybody is different.

      Hope you can sort this out soon. I think there are alot of people on here who understand how you are feeling. Hang in there. Hugs. Sarah. X

    • jenny13633
      jenny13633 sarah23029

      Posted

      Hi Sarah thankyou for your reply I am actually going to see my doc this morning and I will mention it again. I have terrible cravings at night too, the days are not so bad. I also take  Prozac in the morning as well as the other stuff at night. I keep telling him I want to come off it but he know's Im not very confident and just keeps telling me it is best if I stay on it, the funny thing is it wasnt even him who put me on Mirtazapine in the first place. Because I live in a country town we only have one visisting Psychiatrist that comes to town every 6 months, and he was the one who first put me on it and hasnt even bothered to follow it up. I just rely on my GP. I hate the stuff the only thing it does do for me is help me sleep, but I dont want to take it anymore and I feel my doc just dosent care. I dont know what to do, sorry for the long rant. Jenny x
    • sarah23029
      sarah23029 jenny13633

      Posted

      Try and be polite but firm. Tell him you want other ideas to try. Is it possible to take another antidepressant along side it obviously from a different family of antidepressants. And see if it helps you pick up. Tell him you are not feeling better on this. And you want some other options From him. If he just wants to leave it I wud try a second opinion from another doctor. There no point if you are going backwards hun.

      Be firm but polite. Good luck. Sarah. X

    • sarah23029
      sarah23029

      Posted

      Maybe see if he will start increasing your prozac gently up while v slowly reduce your mirtazapine. Slowly slowly with an aim to eventually get of the mirtazapine. Found the longer I on it and higher dose makes the eating worse.!!!!!!!

      Hope you get sumwher. Think you need to b happy n positive about the meds they put you on. Not feeling crap and wanting to get of them. It's not good in helping you feel confident for the future. Xx

    • jenny13633
      jenny13633 sarah23029

      Posted

      I cant seem to find the FB page all I keep getting is a window repairs man lol
    • Calmer
      Calmer jenny13633

      Posted

      Hi Jenny

      2 things for you, the pp windows is the correct one, Linda will answer you

      Also, before you even consider a taper from Mirt, why don't you be fully 'armed' with correct procedure, click on my name here (Calmer) and follow the link to the 10% reduction advice.

      See you on facebook smile  x

    • lit53944
      lit53944 jenny13633

      Posted

      This is what my doctor told me however in my case my mood has been calmer and I haven't had any severe mood swings or breakdowns since I quit. I had them frqeuntly when on mirtazapine.

      Doctors give you anti depressants knowing they may make someones depression worse which is what happened to me rolleyes

      I really hope you find a way to combat this.

       

    • asha26498
      asha26498 London_ridge

      Posted

      Hi there, are you able to post the mitt we group info on fb? I need it badly! Thanks smile
    • YCL172
      YCL172 London_ridge

      Posted

      Hi, I am also suffering from WD, but my dose is low and only lasted for 6 months, I would like to join your fb group, may I?
    • susan52126
      susan52126 London_ridge

      Posted

      Hi is it possible for me to join the Facebook group please regarding coming of mirtazapine.
    • lu31517
      lu31517 Calmer

      Posted

      HI Calmer would it be ok to pm me the fb details please, Lu
    • robin03319
      robin03319 Calmer

      Posted

      Hi , is the FB thread still going regarding mirtrazipine? 
    • robin03319
      robin03319 YCL172

      Posted

      Hi I would like to join the group too . Were you able to ?
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