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Can I take low dosage of mirt indefinitely

Posted , 6 users are following.

Rish000
Rish000

Hi All

I started taking ssri, snri and benzodiopine in 2012 for chronic nerve pain and little bit of sleep problem caused by it. I stopped taking them in 2015 and I couldn't sleep for straight 15 days. Started taking escitalopram, clonazepam and mirt (7.5mg). I tapered escitalopram and clonazepam successfully. I reduced my mirtazapine to 3.75 mg and insomnia returned within a week. My doc increased the dosage to 11.25mg for 2 months but that didn't help either. Then I started a slow taper and I am now taking (0.2-0.4 mg) for last 2 months.

Last 6 months were very tough. I have come all the way to usa from India for my higher studies. I got an admit from top university but still I chose an average university because of the withdrawal symptoms. I have compromised on lot of things during last 6 months. Apart from insomnia there hasn't been a single day that I have felt happy. No excitement in coming to usa. I don't feel motivated. My libido has gone down and I m just 25. I am not sure if I ll be able to give my best in exams. I stay lost and confused during class.

This is the second time I am off antidepressants and I cannot live like this for rest of my life. I have already lost a lot of things due to the horrific withdrawal symptoms.

I am taking vitamin d, vitamin b, magnesium, ashwagandha,5htp, herbs and they have worked for some days but still I don't feel like real myself.

My question :

Can I start taking 1.875mg on a daily basis for rest of my life?

PS: I didn't feel any side effects on 7.5 mg for 2 years and I felt best on mirt for these 2 years . Currently I m sleeping for 4-5 hours but I don't feel refreshed the next day.

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • catherine55994
    catherine55994 Rish000

    Posted

    Hi,

    I take 7.5mg, I reduced from 45mg, I got down to 3.75mg then stopped altogether but, like you, found I got much reduced sleep. I couldn't maintain this as I work 12 hr shifts so I need a proper sleep. I went back up to 3.75mg but still was having issues so increased to 7.5mg. I've remained on this dose since January, whilst I reduce my Venlafaxine. I do hope to come off both eventually, but seem to have reached a limit of my reducing capability for now.

    I hope this helps.

    • Rish000
      Rish000 catherine55994

      Posted

      Thanks for the advice. I am going to start 1.875mg from today and will see if there is any improvement.
  • aga02916
    aga02916 Rish000

    Posted

    Hiya , you know that 5HTP cant be taken with other antidepressants. What might be causing you insomnia is tappering mirtazapine. This drug is hard to come off. Ive been off it for 28 days now and Im suffering with insomnia. Im not on anything right now , mirtazapine was making me feel numb and depressed , thats why I come off it. Anxiety was actually worse on it. I still have anxiety but I can manage. To help me with witdrawl I take L-theanine, lemon balm, vitamin B , C, D complex, drink loads of fluids, for sleep I take valerian root or wild lettuce extract. Everything is on amazon or eaby. You just need to check with your doc if you can take these stuff with mirtazapine. I agree mirtazapine withdrawl are horrible but they get better. One lad on this forum said that withdrawl from mirt was worse than coming off heroine and he was an addict for 20 years. It will eventually get better. It wont last forever
  • alison18366
    alison18366 Rish000

    Posted

    I dont think you should be taking herbal remedies as well as prescription meds. Taking two herbs you will not know what is working.  This sounds like a really important time in your life and if you have been good on 7.5mg of Mirtazapene before I would stick to that while you are at univeristy if I was you.

    Keep the dose as low as you can but you need to sleep at this time.  That is the most important thing. 

    My very Best Wishes

    Alison

    xx 

    • Rish000
      Rish000 alison18366

      Posted

      Thanks for the advice. It is so hard for me to go back on this drug again but I ll start with the low dosage.
    • gary59219
      gary59219 Rish000

      Posted

      i see jt has been 4 years- did it help you? i tried getting off 15mg but had tingi back on 7.5. i am niw diwn to 1.875 and attenpting to go off completely. thentaper has been tolerable but inam dreading conjng off completely

  • jomorg
    jomorg Rish000

    Posted

    It's a really negative way to frame your question... "for the rest of your life". I mean, sure you can stay on Mirtazapine for the rest of your life, people have used it for decades on much much higher dose without problem.

    I think that maybe you should give yourself a break for now and take it? It seems to be helping you a lot even on that low dose. The best time to stop taking antidepressant is when you are in a stable situation but you seem in constant movement (moving to USA, starting university, etc).

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