Decided to come off

Posted , 7 users are following.

Hi. I've been taking mirtazapine 15mg (orodispersible) for about 4 months now. I've not really noticed any difference good or bad, so ive decided to come off them. My GP and my psych nurse both said I should start by taking the 15mg every other night. Could anyone tell me if they've had a similar experience and if so, what I can expect? 

Thanks in advance. 

Dan. 

1 like, 20 replies

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  • Posted

    Hi Dan,

    ive been on mirt for much longer and I'm going off too. I went from 30 to 15 to 7.5 with out much problem at all. It took me a couple months. I'm now doing 7.5 every other day and I'm doing pretty good. A little tummy stuff here and there, no big deal.

    I want to mention I tried going cold turkey once, and the other time going down and doing a drug transfer neither worked.

    so I'm doing every other on 7.5 for three weeks. Next week twice or three times a week, depending on how I'm doing, and then twice a week with out reducing the 7.5. I'm still in the process so I can just say that 7.5 every other day is working fine for me.

    i was at 45mg a couple years ago but mainly 30 for about 6 years. I think you should have a much easier time getting off, but don't underestimate the discontinuation.

    go as slow as need be

    good luck and good health

    • Posted

      Hi rose, thanks for the reply. 

      There's so many horror stories out ther, that I think I've got myself wound up about it already. I'm really glad you're doing ok, it's great to read something positive for a change. 

      Dan

  • Posted

    I was taking 15 mg and when my psych told me to stop taking it (having reported a side-effect) I just stopped taking it. I am not aware of any ill effects of so doing. But I would do what your people advise as there can be no harm in it.
    • Posted

      That's good to hear Nick. If you don't mind me asking how long have you been off them, and how long had you been taking them?
    • Posted

      I have been off them about 8 weeks. I was taking them for maybe 2 years. In fact, far from having side-effects from coming off them, I came off them because I was experiencing severe difficult urinating - I reported this to my psych and he imediately whipped me off mirt. The trouble has more or less completely disappeared. Additionally back/hip pains and neck trouble which I had been reporting for quite a few years have disappeared. In fact, I have a physio appointment to look at this which I will attend but I hardly need.

      Neither of the above were picked up my GP and has been a majoir factor in my deciding to change my GP.

      So coming off mirt has for me been like a miracle cure. I thought I was going to have suffer hip pains for the rest of my life only to find out that it was caused by this drug.

      This comes from drugs .com "Stop using mirtazapine and check with your doctor right away if you think you are getting an infection or if you have a fever or chills, sore throat, sores in the mouth, lower back or side pain, or painful or difficult urination".

      I mentioned to a doctor on my choir that I had recently come off mirt and that immediately my backpains had disappeared. He said that it was well-known that mirt caused musculo-skeletal problems.

    • Posted

      Nick,

      Similar to Dan,I've been on mirt  under 4months@30 mg.

      I've been trying to wean  the last two weeks down to 15(not fun)

      and among other things I've been having the hip pains you mentioned since the first drop from 30 to 15...probably too quick of a drop..

      I've managed to mostly avoid the pharma drugs " system "

      most of my life,so I'm pretty worked up about being prescribed something so hard to be on  with the tiredness you mentioned AND withdraw from.Do you mind telling me your wd schedule from 15? 

      Thank you

    • Posted

      I think that you misunderstand me, BartJa. I have had longstanding back and hip pains, When I stopped taking mirt the pains disappeared completely. From what had been a debilitating condition I went for quite a long cycle today, although I am totally knackered from that.
  • Posted

    Dan if you feeling any kind of anxiety this is why your doc told you this.But if not I`m sure you would be o,k to quit.I`m now on 45mg and this would take me a great deal of time scaling down to 30mg to 15mg.If you feel o,k quit while your ahead buddy.
    • Posted

      I couldn't take even 30mg. I have activities in the morning and I was so tired. I stuck on 15mg. I am not telling anyone else what to do.
  • Posted

    Hi Dan,

    We are in a similar place at 4 months on mirt..only I was started at 30.

    Even so,I thought at only 4 mos. ,weaning off of it would come easier for me,

    than someone who'd been with it for say a year or longer.

    The last two weeks I dropped straight to 15,and if my wd symptoms are any indication,Go SLOW...these dr.s are the enemy.

    Be safe

  • Posted

    Hi, 

    If you wean you will be absolutely fine I'm sure. I did cold turkey and it has been horrific, and although I'm coming out the other side now I definitely would not recommend it! 

    Good luck. 

  • Posted

    Hi there ...

    well I'm at every third day 7.5 and these are my only problems...very tired...and as weird as this seems to me my hip pain was worse today. Then again my on night was last night so.....

    so I'm off for two days, and I'm not cutting the dose at all just the days I take it. I've read to many people getting down to fractions and still getting sick.

    i mean this is working for me. I have to admit I'm afraid of going four days off. But I want so badly to get rid of this medication. The doctor said why not just stay on it...hey actually I would but the hip and leg pains ...once I realized came from the mirt... I have to get off of them. He kinda looked at me like I was crazy. He does not think it is caused by the medication and he also does not think there are bad withdrawals. I don't have the money or the time to find a doctor that gets it. So that's where I'm at in my discontinuation. I hope it helps someone.

    • Posted

      I can't say about your hip pains but my back and hip pains were debilitating and when I stopped mirt the pains disappeared. It was miraculous. Indeed I have a physio appt in a few weeks time. I have not cancelled it but I hardly need it now.

      My problems with urinating disappeared.

      Maybe you can switch to another drug.

      I might point out that when I switched from one drug to another in the past, I would have to taper down on one before I went on the other.

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