Coming off mirtazapine

It's probably the Mirt', I cannot tolerate alcohol very well now and kind of dread having to be in a situation where I've got to drink for a long period of time ... gone are the days when it was a large G&T whilst getting ready to go out !!

I've always suffered quite badly with hangovers, more than my fair share I'd say, I even used to get the shakes with anxiety the day after!

Perhaps the taste for it will come back for you on once you're off Mirt', but in a way, you might prefer to be sober, and might even sleep better yayyyyyyyyy

Wow, that's pretty bad that they don't have all your meds on record!

What was the dose you jumped off of?  I'm assuming you are working with liquid mirt?  Lucky you!  I would say you would be safe to reinstate the 1 mg, and once you are stable, you might work on doing a dilution of your liquid mirt so that you can take 0.9 mg on your next cut.  I know it seems crazy, but I've seen some people suffer horribly for doing too large of cuts down at that very low end.  One guy went from 5.5to 4.5 mg, about 20%, and went in to such bad withdrawal that he reinstated to 5.5 mg, but it didn't help!  Hopefully, 1 mg will help you, and then a very gradual taper from there to slide off gently would be advised :-)

Might I encourage you to join the support forum listed in the topic "Reducing ADs using a 10% withdrawal method" in the following link?

https://patient.info/forums/discuss/depression-resources-298570

It helps others to see your story, and you can be advised by folks who are very experienced in the finer details of tapering and withdrawal.  No cost, non-profit.  

I think the NHS in the UK is really going down hill and when they build another 270 house in our village the poor little surgery we have wont be able to cope at all.

I'm beginning to think the docs have given up on me as they have tried me on everything and nothing works.  I think you said in another post on here that I may be one of the unlucky ones that dont absorbed these types of meds and I should try the CBT self help which I am doing.  Step one is to identify whats causing the problem.  I'm still stuck at step one as I don't know whats causing the problem.

Anyway back to the me coming off Mirt.  I was on 15mg for 5 weeks and the doc suggested I go up to two 15mg a day one in the morning one at night.  This made me feel worse so I tried half a dose.  Just bite the tablet in half method and that made me feel top of the world for 4 days then a bit of anxiaty crept in and I took a valium to calm down.  I think it was my body saying just stop this stuff all together so i did.  Four days of pure bliss.  Felt great.  Then back to waking in the morning waiting for the feelings to come on and because i was waiting and thinking about it they came on.  So I have to get up and get on the PC to take my mind off things. So I went from 15mg to 7.5mg to nothing.  I do feel so much better and feel the old me is coming back but its slow and hard.

You may be experiencing morning anxiety caused by cortisol rushes.  What time do you wake, and do you wake with a jolt?  Is it just getting light out?  There are some things you can do for "sleep hygiene," like blocking all light coming to your eyes when you sleep.  Even cutting down on computer/tv viewing before bed (blue light) can be necessary.  Block any lights, such as computer routers and the like.  We had one that just glared in the night in our room so I had to cover it.  Some folks use a sleep mask to block the eyes, while others use the black-out curtains.

Many find magnesium helpful.  I take 500 mg of magnesium glycinate twice a day, especially at bedtime.  Sorry if I'm being redundant!  Also, inositol can be helpful, 15 mg of powder mixed in just about anything; it's sweet.

There is a calming technique that uses acupressure points, called Emotional Freedom Techniques, also known as tapping.  This can help with anxiety and with falling back asleep.  Sometimes it takes me three rounds of tapping but I do fall back asleep after that.

I too am trying to be drug free. The mirt worked well for a long time but then stopped working so I am coming off it. Tonight I cut down to 3.75mg from 5.6.

I have found inositol (aka vitamin 8) powder to helf a huge amount. It really lifts my spirits. My husband who has never taken any psych drugs and who is very anti them, has found inositol has helped him hugely. I have noticed he is far less bad tempered and stressed. I forgot to put it in his tea this morning so we shall see if he feels it! We take a huge heaped teaspoon every day. You have to take 12-18grams for it to be theraputic.

0.9 being equivalent to 13.5 mgs

1ml = 15 mgs.

Sorry ... just saying x

You know I've spent time looking at Si's history, and there is a typical picture of Mirt' withdrawal.  

Si was taking 15 mg for 4 weeks (did you feel ok on this dose Simon????) and then his doctor said to double the dose by taking 15mg in the morning, and also 15mg in the evening). (this often causes a wobble). This is the base line before Si tried to quit.

Before deciding to quit Si introduced Venbladex was it (?) to the mix which then caused breathing problems & further anxiety and therefore persuaded Si to quit 'everything'.

Si then went quickly from 30 mg Mirt to 15 mg Mirt to 7.5 Mirt  FOR 7 DAYS THEN STOPPED.  Si has now been off for what is it - 8 days maybe.

With understanding and compassion, I am trying to help here Si, I would keep a journal Si so that you get the true picture from here.

If you wanted to reinstate Mirt, I don't think 1mg is going to hit the spot do you ladies ?? We can't really advise the usual to "consult with your doc also" as an experienced, helpful GP or even a P.doc isn't around (ggrrrr) 

In my humble opinion, as Si was on 15mg for 4 weeks before the mix and swapping doses, only 15 mg is going to settle him.  

I know you said Si that you felt anxiety only started once on Mirt' - but reading your story it seems that the anx' was at 2 x 15mg, or am I wrong?

Anyway, I hope some of this may help you, I'd hate to think you were taking 1 mg Mirt for a week or more and matters/state of mind getting worse.

Wishing you a little peace Si, you deserve it.  

Youve hit the nail on the head with it all there except been of Mirt now day 9 and the anx was there before i started the Mirt .  I'm getting sweat nothing off my GPs and shrink so I asked my pharmacist what he think i should do.  Hes all for me staying off the Mirt now and believes it should be out of my system.  I've stopped having suicidal thoughts now i'm off all the drugs and that is a big relief.  I have had one negatove thought today and its my planned move to Las Vegas, I thought I can't do it I can't go.  This is how I felt about going on holiday and when I started having panic attacks after being on Sertraline for 4 days.  I'm having a hot flush now as I type!  I'm going to be OK and I'm going to do this.  I have to stay positive.  One thing I've not mentioned is in 1999 i was diagnosed with PTSD.  I went one valium back then and had sessions with shrinks for that and AA meetings.  I always say it was meeting my now wife that got me back in a good place and not the drugs or the little sessions with shrinks.  I don;t have PTSD now.

So were you on Sertraline for 4 days when panic attacks first started, it's impossible to say if the drug or a build up of anxiety caused those PA's. It sounds like you've made your mind up that AD's are not for you anyways.  

I don't suppose the episode in 1999 is related to this one necessarily BUT believing so will undermine your confidence, as will letting this bout of Anx & Dep DEFINE you ... in fact most people say hitting rock bottom makes then so much stronger, and I know the CBT that you are reading around will help you to move on and be even stronger.  

So glad your wife is supportive and you have no problems with the PTSD now, that's a blessing.  

So it's now 9 days off the Mirt, and everything else for that matter  great, hope it continued to be good for you Si.

There are folk who recommend Phenergen for sleep aid on this forum and other support sites also, just wondered if you might like to know, although I know you struggled breathlessness with one drug, very important to mention this to the pharmacist in future.

Hope you have a good night, sleep tight  

It is really individual, but mirt can in fact cause dependency in such a short time...i was only on it about 6 weeks before tapering.  My first cut was 20% and I experienced a numb tongue/lip sensation for quite some time.

Yes, reinstating 1 mg might help a little, even though it sounds like mirt never really helped, probably because you were in withdrawal from Sert (may still be) and had all the other destabilization due to all the other med trials.  I think your best bet is to try that small dose, give it at least four days to see if you benefit, and then sit tight there.  

When you say you are stuck at step 1 because you can't figure out what is causing the problem (of your anxiety?), I think that is because the problem is chemically induced, not related to your past.  The best you can do is self-care to support yourself with time being the only real cure.  We all hope that there is some other med we can take that will make the withdrawal and/or destabilization stop, but there is nothing, but time.  It helps to understand what is happening.  I still encourage you to join SA and put your story up there so that the mods can have a look-see and determine if there is any wisdom in taking 1 mg of mirt...or...how long ago did you come off the Sert?  I still think there might be some withdrawal from sert going on.

Mirt is often prescribed with SSRIs, the belief being that because they work on different receptors they have a synergistic effect together, better than each alone.  So, how long ago was Si on sert and at what dose did he come down from, and how quickly did he come off, or was it a cold turkey?