Cold Turkey Success?
Posted , 9 users are following.
I've posted here before and I've really tried weaning off many times with no success at all and can't get lower than 18 mg without having severe dry eyes, swallowing issues, feeling like I have a fever at different times in the day and I get tired easily. My sleep is in and out all night and I'm groggy but awake most of the night.
Having said all this it's become obvious to me that weaning isn't going to work for me and I was wondering if anyone got off successfully by going cold turkey as it seems like my only option to get off of mirtazapine. If anyone was able to get off this way how long were your withdrawal symptoms and what did you do to help. Any input would be appreciated as I really see no other option for me..
0 likes, 26 replies
Rish000 rob03933
Posted
devon_ Rish000
Posted
it not high, 7.5 is low, 15 is still low, 30 is medium and 45 is high, tapering for 5 months just prolongs the withdrawal symptoms, may as well just get it over with and go cold turkey for a month
shaz6098 rob03933
Posted
Good luck
pamela51740 rob03933
Posted
I was ok coming off mirtazapine but was only on 15mg, I felt mentally happier but I couldn't sleep, so I gave in and went back on them 3 days later because I love my sleep so much lol! I've weaned my self down to 7.5mg for four weeks and last night I have lowered it to half of 7.5mg, and I have a really bad headache like someone has hit me over the head with a baseball bat! Hopefully I'll be off them soon and lose the 10 pounds I have gained! I think you'll be better off weaning, I tried cold turkey with citalopram last month and it was hell! I've been on 10mg for a year but have been on them 7 years, I've been on mirtazipine for 10 months the highest I've been on is 15mg...good luck with coming off mirtazapine 😊
rob03933
Posted
I know that it's a high dose to go cold turkey on but I have so many symptoms while I've been trying to wean down that I feel that it can't get much worse and I'm just prolonging the withdrawal period. My main concern is the insomnia that will probably get worse but I can't go on living like this and something's got to give.
I'm in good shape and never had any of these physical problems before and there really affecting my life terribly and I want to go back to living again. I have emailed my doctor to look for some advice but as of yet haven't received a reply but he suggested that I might have to go cold turkey before because of all the side effects I was experiencing.
vikki87350 rob03933
Posted
Hi Rob, I was takin Mirt 15mg for 4 months when I started with so many side affects and like you, I was desperate to come off them.
Not feeling like myself was scary, I had disassociation really bad which made me feel like I was being taken over by aliens especially when my anxiety was off the rictus. I had full blown Sweats and insomnia for 8 weeks before I found this site, and everyone's advice was to slowly come off it but I was 8 weeks in and I wasn't prepared to start it all over again so I stuck with it. It's not for the faint hearted as I'm sure you already know but I survived it. It took until weeks 10 to get to its very worse. You just start to feel better and bam it hits you again but harder especially at week 9 and this seemed to happen to all of us who were going through the w/d at the same time. It took 4 months and a gentle A/D and I was prescribed Phenergan for my sleep and it all behind me now. Do your homework on how to help yourself through it and try taking some time off work. Be kind to yourself, it the hardest illness I've ever had to get over in my life. Good luck you need the willpower to do this and keep reminding yourself that it will get better because it does. Take care
rob03933 vikki87350
Posted
Vikki,
I've been off for about 6 or 7 weeks now and it has definitely been a roller coaster ride to say the least and the I have a lot of times of disassociation and then I have times that I feel the best I've felt in a long time. Worst problem that I have right now is the daily headaches that go from mild to severe but are there a good bit of the day.
I've been hanging in there with sleep but it hasn't been where I want it to be yet but hopefully in time that comes. I started on gabapentin 600 mg and hydroxyzine 100 mg to help with sleep and withdrawal at first but have worked my way down to 300 mg gabapentin and 25 mg hydroxyzine and will work off both of them eventually, thanks for the kind words and encouragement and best of luck to you also!!
candy20021 rob03933
Posted
I went completely cold turkey not intentionally, i wasn't aware of withdrawing from this medication until i was on day 18 or so without taking the pill and at that moment i realized i never wanted to go back on it...I'm a 33 year old female was taking 30 mg for about 3 years... withdrawal symptoms showed up a week after the last pill but I didn't know I was withdrawing, my symptoms were mostly stomach pain, nauseous,anxious, insomnia, loss of appetite...overall I wasn't feeling myself, after finally I realized I was withdrawing I started reading and came across this website, not everyone is the same so you kinda have to try and try until something works for you...I decided to just ride the symptoms, lost almost 20 pounds but little by little I started getting better, some days were good others really bad....I went and got Pepcid for my stomach pain, chamomile tea helps with relaxation and also with stomach issues, eating every two hours, drinking a lot of water... I was also given Valium for anxiety but I literally took it maybe once every week or so cause I didn't want to get hooked on some other medication and start another withdrawal problem...Valium did take the edge off when I felt I couldn't go on and was going crazy so if you do try it just take one dose once a week on your most worst day...I took my last pill this past march 27 so today will be three months after my last pill, I felt like I was gonna die but here I am and I did it cold turkey I do not recommend it though, so my suggestion to you is do the lowest tapper possible and once you stop don't give in into going back, you can come off this drug if you try hard, i always think I'm the most anxious person in the whole planet but right now I'm mirtazapine free, not as anxious and don't feel depressed...you have to really commit to it if you want to quit, if you ever get suicidal find help, tell someone, I hope I was somewhat helpful, this things worked for me but they might not work for you, but don't hesitate to ask me anything...Good luck!
rob03933 candy20021
Posted
Candy,
Thanks for the info it's really helpful and I know this isn't going to be easy but I know that this is going to be tough. I can't seem to get down past 18 mg without my body going crazy with side effects so I know the tapering method will never work for me unfortunately..
Thanks to everyone for the help and prayers would be very much appreciated as this is going to be a fight for me but I have to do this to get where I need to be and start living the life I want again.
wayne1962 candy20021
Posted
Hi Candy - thanks for the advise - I've been on mirt at 45 mg for years and know that eventually I'm going to have to wean myself off it. the problem is that it does help me sleep which had always been a life-long problem, and the other thing is that I feel quite balanced in mood etc, so am scared to upset the apple cart by withdrawing.
Rob - best of luck in your challenge. Please keep us posted on how you fare...
candy20021 wayne1962
Posted
Hey Wayne...
You're very welcome...
If you really want out of this you have to make a commitment to yourself, is not easy but it can be done, even though I do not trust all judgments from doctors we need them so talk to a doctor that you can call or touch based with while you're withdrawing, it sounds like a nightmare cause it really is but if the pill is not working is just not working so why prolonge it, Good Luck and keep in touch, it helps a lot to vent and be in touch with someone that can relate!💪🏻?? You got this Wayne...
candy20021 rob03933
Posted
Hello Rob... You're Very welcome dear...
I won't even know how to tell if a tapper is better but from reading it makes a lot more sense than goo cold turkey...why? Well because I went to hell and back going cold turkey, mirtazapine was helping with sleep and making me hungry I suffer from anorexia nervosa which leads to anxiety blah blah... long story short it was working for me but it was making me have horrible mood swings and in fact making me have panic attacks, now that I've been 3 months without it I'm starting to feel myself....since tapering might not work for you, my suggestion to you is do a faster taper and be done with it, the longer you take it the longer it lingers in you body, kinda confusing your nervous system, if that makes sense🙄 There were times I felt I couldn't do it and almost took a mirtazapine but I didn't and now I'm done with it for good!....This is Just an advice, do what you feel comfortable with, however you feel safe, if you have questions I'm here to answer, Good Luck Rob!
rob03933 candy20021
Posted
Thanks again candy and I know the only way to get off of mirtazapine is very quickly when I do and I know that I'm going to have to go through hell to get through the withdrawal from it..I go through terrible withdrawal symptoms from just weaning so this is the only way for me.
Did you do anything to help you during this period or is there really nothing I can do that will help?
candy20021 rob03933
Posted
Hey Rob....
Are you familiar with Valium, I was able to get a prescription and even thought they are very addictive(so I heard) I had them just in case things got really ugly, which it did...around day 40 after my last pill I was so anxious and hadn't slept at all for days, so I went ahead took a Valium around 7pm, literally with 30 minutes I was asleep, my husband said I was in a deep sleep and didn't move for almost 4 hours straight...but thankfully I rested and felt much better the next day... but I did promise not to take the Valium again unless I really needed it. Ihoirgh bought boxes and boxes of chamomilehhhhh tand bottles of honey, nausea pills and Tylenol pm,the chamomile tea I drank all day like a cup every 2 to 3 hours, the Tylenol pm I took every 2 to 3 days all of this in addition to going out for walks, deep breathing and forcing myself to eat every two hours, a gallon of water a day or so....
candy20021
Posted
Sorry wrote this from my phone is did mistyping😅🙄
rob03933 candy20021
Posted
I'm familiar with the benzodiazepines candy and I'd like to stay away from them if possible but I might have to keep that option available as lack of sleep can defeat anyone trying to get off these meds so it is something I will definitely discuss with my doctor and hopefully I'll come up with a good game plan.
rose66277 candy20021
Posted
Hi
Im on mirt for 4 weeks now I really like to come off of them because I also have sleeping pills Restoril which helps me sleep at least 7 hours with the mirt 30 mg for 2 weeks now so take BuSpar for anxiety during the day so I don't know if I should slowly go off the Mirt dont like the reviews that I'm reading about getting off of this these pills really for insomnia not for depression and anxiety I'm only going to take 15 mg tonight with 30 mg of Restoril sleeping aid and see what happens with that I really get that anxious feeling during the day when I go to sleep at night I'm fine as long as I take the sleeping pills thinking if I try to wean off of these pills now since I'm not on them that long would that be a good idea hope you can get back to me it's a pleasure talking to you thank you
rob03933 rose66277
Posted
Rose,
If you want to get off the mirtazapine I think you would be fine weaning off it really quickly or just stopping being that your taking other meds that help with sleep and anxiety.
If you don't like taking mirtazapine than it would be best to just stop taking it and try not to get freaked out by everything you read because that can make it worse for you. I would recommend you talk to whoever prescribed you mirtazapine and go from there and you'll be fine!!
rose66277 rob03933
Posted
I went to the doc before seeing a phyc and only wanted sleep meds e gave me remeron wich i thought was for sleep not depesion. I just moved to Florida 4 weeks ago and that was hell with 2 big dogs in my car . It took 3 days stopping overnight for two nights thank god i had xanax cause that was hell. So then i saw the phyc and he said to stay on the mirt and Ristoril for sleep i still get anxious and its hard to keep busy all day long. im 64 years in good health but this whole move and buying and trying to sell my house in Pa just was way to much to handel. I feel good better some days but my balance is off so not sure what i can take to correct that chemical balance. i stay positive and say im fine but i need to do things so i dont sit hear thinking so much. I take coconut oil and magneisum and b12 .Its the waiting time for brain to kick in i hope its soon. The heat here is horrible i lived in the mountains so big difference for me also. I really hate the stories i read about mirt so now im not going to read them any more only yours. How are you doing you on Mirt and how much? i take 30 mg mirt and 30 mg of ristoril then during the day i take buspar twice a day. this is only 4 weeks now. Its been great hearing from you hope to talk to you soon. Where are you from.
Rose
rob03933 rose66277
Posted
Rose,
I just weaned off of the Mirtazapine in a weeks time because I got symptoms from just weaning down so I decided to get off it quickly and my last dosage was on Thursday.
Mirtazapine can definitely help with sleep but it can tire you out all during the next day also so I guess check the plusses and minuses of taking it and decide from there, for me it was definitely time to get off. I know I have a battle ahead but I have to get through it.
I would definitely limit reading forums too much as they can freak you out and make you overthink everything which just makes it harder on yourself. I've stopped worrying about taking all the different supplements to help and just take fish oil daily because this again can make you overthink everything, you just have to try to keep on living and not let the depression, anxiety or insomnia consume you because it will!!
rose66277 rob03933
Posted
I wanted to know how long you where on Mirt and for what reason.
I took 1 and 1/2 last night instead of 2 plus the sleeping pills. i really feel good for the last few days not so groggy today i take fish oil 2 times a day 500 mg..Thanks
Rose
rob03933 rose66277
Posted
I had the depression, anxiety and insomnia combo with all of them make my the other ones worse..I was on mirtazapine for 14 months with 30 mg being the dosage I was on the majority of the time.
rose66277 rob03933
Posted
Thank You
Rose
rob03933 rose66277
Posted
Rose,
If you can wean off slowly that is the better way to go for sure I just had problems everytime I tried to wean so I was essentially prolonging the suffering and withdrawal. I'm using some hydroxyzine to help me sleep right now and help me get through the withdrawal but I'm hoping to be med free sometime in the near future. 🙏🏻
rose66277 rob03933
Posted
Iwill keep intouch with you on how im doing.
Thank again.
Rose
rob03933 rose66277
Posted
Rose,
Best of luck to you also and it's a lot milder than other meds and can be used to help with sleep and anxiety.