Down to 0.17mg but getting harder and harder
Posted , 5 users are following.
Hi all,
I have been trying to come off mirtazapine for over a year now, since march 2016. It has been extremely difficult but slowly and surely I have been getting closer and closer.
I have tried to stop about 3 times but always with disastrous results. All of which means, that I have had to reduce to a much smaller and smaller amount before I stop.
You would think that the lower the dose the easier it becomes but for me, the lower I go the more the withdrawl symptoms seem to hit me.
Normally if i can get through the first two weeks then it gets easier. However I am in the 4th week of 0.17mg and i have felt completely awful. The first three weeks were ok. So I am extremely confused.
Has this happened to anyone else? If so what advice would you give?
I am just hanging in there hoping it will get better/easier but day by day it isn't.
Any ideas, advice would be most welcome.
Thanks
0 likes, 9 replies
candy20021 andy46832
Posted
HELLO ANDY, IM AT 6 WEEKS OFF MIRTAZAPINE COMPLETLY I DIDN'T TAPPER DOWN I JUST WENT OFF COLD TURKEY FROM 30MG, I DO NOT RECOMED IT BUT IT HAPPENED SO I I'M JUST DEALING WITH SYMPTOMS AND HOPING IT WILL BE OVER SOON...FOR ME EVER SINCE WEEK 2 IT HAS BEEN REALLY BAD...NO APPETITE,LOTS OF ANXIETY,DEPRESSION,HEADACHES,PAIN ALL OVER MY NECK,TONGUE BITING,LOST NEARLY 20 LBS, CONSTIPATION,FEAR,OCD,CAN'T SLEEP...SO FAR AFTER BEEN OFF I'VE HAD MAYBE 5 OK DAYS SCATTER HERE AND THERE, LIKE I WOULD WAKE UP TODAY AND EAT FINE EVEN SLEEP FOR 5 HOURS STRAIGHT AND NO ANXIETY THEN FOR THE NEXT 5 DAYS I WOULD FEEL LIKE I'M DYING...I'VE BEEN TO ER SEVERAL TIMES CAUSE FOR SOME REASON I AM ALSO HAVING GI PROBLEMS NAUSEA, ABDOMINAL PAIN,HEARTBURN AND ALL THAT MIXED WITH CONSTIPATION...I WAS GIVEN VALIUM FOR ANXIETY BUT I'VEONLY TAKEN LIKE 2 DOSES ONLY WHEN I FEEL LIKE I NEED IT, WHICH HAS BEEN LIKE 10 DAYS IN BETWEEN...WHAT HAS HELPED ME THOUGH IS TE FACT THAT ONE DAY THIS WILL BE OVER AND I WON'T GIVE IN TO TAKE MIRTAZAPINE AGAIN,I AM TRYING MY BEST TO BE OFF ANTIDEPRESSANT FOR GOOD...ALSO DRINKING LOTS OF WATER,CHAMOMILLE TEA AND EATING EVERY 2 HOURS...TAKE LOTS OF DEEP BREATHS I'M SURE YOU KNOW HOW TO DEEP BREATH BUT TRY THE APP CALM IS LIKE FOR MEDITATION AND HAS BREATHING EXERCISES...KEEP DOING YOUR TAPPER AND DON'T BE AFFRAID, YOU HAVE ALREADY FELT THE WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS EVEN THOUGH THEY GET INTENSE THEY ARE ALL THE SAME, IF YOU REALLY WANT OUT AND BE OFF THIS DRUG YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO RIDE IT TILL THE END AND BE STRONG...YOU WILL GET BETTER JUST KEEP WORKING HARD!
andy46832 candy20021
Posted
Hi candy,
Thanks for your kind words of support. It's hard but easier when you are not alone. Be strong yourself. Sounds like you have great will power. I'm sure you will get there too.
candy20021 andy46832
Posted
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
andy46832 candy20021
Posted
I guess there is no real proper way of stopping, even the doctors don't really know. You could be right that just stopping is better than prolonging it. It's what ever works for you. Unfortunately I have tried to stop so many times but I simply can't bear the withdrawl symptoms. Which is why I keep going lower.
Perhaps once I am off, it will teach me to appreciate life that bit more, who knows?
ruth99954 andy46832
Posted
Hi
Have made comments on this site and as promised back with up-date. Was only on Mirt for 9 weeks but it nearly wrecked my life. I could not eat, sleep or function. It is now just over 6 months since my last mirt. Slowly but surely thing are getting a lot better. Thought I would never get rid of the morning palpitations (developed these while taking mirt) but very very slowly they have disappeared. I still have the occasional 'brain shift' but this is my brain still adjusting back to normal. I am 80% better. Still left with lots of bone aches and pains (another present from mirt) neck, arms, back and legs. So to everyone who is trying hard to come off these drugs, have faith, your brain will only adjust at it's own speed. Sometimes it needs to shut down one bit while it repairs another, or finds a new pathway. Mirt alters your brain patterns. Keep going and know that you will regain yourself. It will not happen over night but one day you will suddenly realise you are slightly better than you were. Looking forward to the day I am 100%. Good luck to you all. Ruth
candy20021 ruth99954
Posted
Hi Ruth so glad to hear of how far you have come, just gave me more hope i mean 80% is a great number cause literally we become 1% going through this horible symptoms, i'm really happy that you have manage to stay off mirtazapine, please stay in tpuch with all of us here, we need more stories like yours, we need to know that we will be better even if is 80%.Thanks again for been in here we need you!
betsy0603 andy46832
Posted
Candy and Ruth, you are my heroes! Candy, wow, strong will power is right! Andy, I first want to commend you on getting all the way down to 0.17 mg! I can't say one way or the other whether Ruth is right about just being done with it and that it may be worse to draw the taper out longer. I do know that Calmer came off of 0.1 mg and was fine for a few months and is now having severe insomnia and anxiety despite the 10% taper, so it seems mirt is cruel and will get you no matter what. My knowledge via withdrawal support sites is to do the 10% as far out as you can. How did you arrive at 0.17 mg - was it a 10% taper or did you go faster? With the 10% you aren't to reduce if having WD symptoms, and a 10% cut of the previous dose usually is pretty tolerable, though some have to go to 5% cuts.
I'm still up at 5.7 mg so can't say. Stay strong, my friend - you have come a long way and are almost there!
candy20021 betsy0603
Posted
Hi betsy thanks for your kind words, i am riding it out mostly because when i came off i wasnt even trying to quit, i went on a trip forgot my botte of pills and the rest is history...by the time i knew i was going through withdrawal i was way in too deep and too sick,reading and trying to make sense of all i made the commiment to never take it again, i have suffer so much and thought i was gonna die but coming every day to read stories on here gave me hope and use every little bit of info to manage to saty well...i was given valium 5mg and last night i had to take one cause i hadn't slept for 3 night straight last night finally did manage to sleep and today i took advantage and ate really good and went out to exercise...trust me is one hell of a ride but whenever i can get to be 100% that's what keeps me from taking any more mirtazapine just for a quik fix, we can do this together!
andy46832 betsy0603
Posted
Hi betsy,
Thanks for your words of support.I am aware of the 10% rule. I have followed a 30% reduction every 4 weeks. Which generally has been ok, not great but manageable.
Normally if I have problems with a cut its in the first two weeks, whilst the brain readjust to the new level. But this time it has affected me in the 4th week. Which I just can't fathom. I can only think that I am taking so little perhaps my brain is not registering it and therfore thinks that I have come off completely. Who knows?
I guess as with everyone else on here, its a bit of trial and error. Just hate it when I get it wrong as its so painful.
Anyway good luck with you too betsy