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Mirtazapine 7.5MG Withdraw. (Please read)

Posted , 39 users are following.

October93
October93

**Anyone who reads this please do not go cold-turkey from this medication**

I have tried to come off this medication once -- I went cold-turkey without realizing what it would do. I wasn't informed about the withdrawal symptoms I would get if I tried to stop it and If I had known before taking it I never would have considered taking this medication. When I went cold-turkey my following symptoms were;

Insomnia.

Vomiting.

Rapid weight loss.

Panic attacks.

High-anxiety.

Depersonalization.

Derealization.

Heart-palpitations.

I was off the medication for about two weeks and I couldn't take it anymore so I went back on it. I was on 15MG for three years, I cut down to 7.5MG when I went back onto Mirtazapine and this is my fourth year on it. Anyone who says 7.5mg isn't doing anything, you're very mistaken because this dosage helps me sleep and has caused me to put on a lot of weight, too. Now I want off it -- but my question is, how do I exactly come off this medication without experiencing what I did before? I need like a guide on how much I should cut down each week or something, and I cannot speak to my GP about this because as far as I'm concerned my GP isn't well informed about this medication because my GP's advice was to stop taking it after 3 days which I did and then I had that hell experience and he actually wanted me to not go back on it. So I am doing this solo, I just need a helping hand.  

4 likes, 77 replies

77 Replies

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  • October93
    October93

    Edited

    Just a little update for everyone -- I've been on Mirtazapine 3.75mg for 20 days now and this past week has been hell.

    I have high anxiety. I also have been struggling with constant headaches throughout the day and worst of all I've been struggling to sleep properly and I got to experience two panic attacks within a week, I want to also add that I've been experiencing tinnitus and I wanted to know if anyone else has experienced this symptom on Mirtazapine or if it can cause tinnitus? I have no doubt all these symptoms are from cutting down because I was absolutely fine beforehand on 7.5mg minus the weight gain. 

    Does anyone have some tips for trying to get my sleep back on track? I know exercise is good but I do that in the morning and it pumps me up, but when it comes to night I just can't seem to go to sleep because my mind is racing.

    • linda72833
      linda72833 October93

      Edited

      I know this is a response to an old post, but it may help others. The best thing I can tell you about the insomnia issue is to hang in there. I'll admit that I sometimes took a dose of (another) drug I was tapering just to get a good night's sleep. Insomnia is a terrible problem that I've experienced, but it finally got better. Eventually I was able to stop. The advice of some experts give is to reinstate if withdrawal symptoms are intolerable. I don't mean going back to 7.5 mg every day. Perhaps just once every 3 days. Give your body time to adjust before lowering your dose again. I don't think suffering helps the withdrawal process. I'm not a doctor and am only speaking from my own experience. When withdrawal symptoms from other drugs were too bad, I'd either go back up slightly for a while or stop tapering for a while. Mirtazapine is a bear to come off of.I've been taking Mirtazapine for over 20 years. Yep, you read that right. I began tapering off of 45 mg of Remeron over 3 years ago. I tapered around 5% a month and experienced no withdrawal symptoms. When I hit 15 mg and tried to taper another 7.5 mg (one day a week), my tinnitus went off the charts. I reinstated back up to 15 mg and my tinnitus settled down. For various reasons, I stayed at 15 mg for over a year and began another slow taper about 7 months ago, tapering 3.75 mg one day a week every month. No problems until this month when I dropped to 11.375 mg every day. Since then, I've experienced mild itchiness which is mostly anxiety provoking. It seemed to start when I would take another medication and last for a few hours. The more I read about Mirtazapine withdrawal, the more I realize that I still have a long road ahead of me. It may take years for me to get off without experiencing the nightmarish withdrawal symptoms some have described. Not knowing when my body will adjust to the lower dose and the itching stop, has caused more anxiety. I'll have to wait for it to stop until I try another taper. I may only be able to taper every other month. Good luck to all.

  • alison46649
    alison46649 October93

    Posted

    After being on Mirt 15 mg for 2 months and when it stopped being sedative instead of upping the dose  which I did not want to do  because of weight gain, etc,  I  went cold turkey using 10 mg Temazepam for sleep and 4 mg Diazepam  at nite -and gradually reduced them both by halves for 3 weeks till I was on 2.5 mg Temazepam and 1 mg Diazepam-then stopped the Temazepam, kept on 1 mg Diazepam for 3 days, then STOPPED. Sleep  ok  only noticed a few minor withdrawel symptoms like dizziness, headache,  anxiety but nothing compared to what others have suffered. So glad I followed my G.P's advice in doing it this way instead of upping the dose to 30mg. That's why he has patients on 60 mg. I stopped cold turkey because I did not want to drag it out any more-I had had enough. That is my experience -it may help others-I don't know. 

  • alison46649
    alison46649 October93

    Posted

    Another helpful tip -if you repeat out loud 300 times-I will sleep tonight- it almost always works, my dr mentioned this as well and it helped me during withdrawel from Mirt-and I still find a quiet spot and continue it now- apparently it also works for other things like- anxiety, stress, depression, etc-  if really bad  it is best to consult your dr first as drugs may also be needed. This method trains the brain into believing what has been repeated. The applications are endless.
    • ann55375
      ann55375 alison46649

      Posted

      good advice. I have gleaned so much from these sites. The latest is to use inositol powder, i havent tried yet as i am on warfarin and not sure its compatible.  I also need to get off diazepam slowly, anyone got any help with that?
  • Isabel0912
    Isabel0912 October93

    Edited

    Hi, I have been taking Mirtazapine for about 2/3 months now.

    My doc prescribed it to help with sleep and my mood after my husband died at the end of September. I wasn't down or depressed as we had warning (he had terminal cancer) I was just apathetic and couldn't get started.

    But I feel I have now built a foundation were I don't think that should be an issue anymore.

    She says she wants me on it for 6-12 months, but I am keen to get myself of the medication and my psychologist said that if you think you can handle it thats a good idea because she knows I have always been anti medication if it isn't needed and I am happy to look into other ways to get to sleep if I need it.

    A big reason I am thinking I will be ok is that I forgot to take it last night and I slept well and this has happened a couple of times now. And I also don't want to be on an anti-depressant forever. I realise why my doc put me on it, but I really wish I had done some more research before I started taking it.

    Given I have only been taking the medication for a couple of months I am wondering if going cold turkey going to be ok or do I still have to wean, or could it be a wait and see?

    I have a three and a half year old and I have to be able to function for him but I am also keen to move forward on my journey without having medications in my system.

    Thanks

    • brandi011278
      brandi011278 Isabel0912

      Posted

      were you able to stop taking Mirtazapine successfully? I've been on 7.5 mg for 3 months. It's not working anymore for sleep.Would like to know how it went for you? Thanks

  • brandi011278
    brandi011278 October93

    Posted

    Hi, I'm new to this forum . I'm currently taking 7.5mg of Mirtazepam for sleep. It has stopped working. I will not up my dose, I desperately want to hear some success stories on anyone who has stopped them and come out ok on the other end. I have only been taking for almost three months. Any tips on getting some sleep during the withdrawl process. I have a three year old and four year old to take care of and work part time. Thanks in advance for any advice.

    • Sept76
      Sept76 brandi011278

      Posted

      CBD oil is very helpful for me dealing with insomnia so far although I'm only in the early days.

  • andrew45271
    andrew45271 October93

    Posted

    Hi David I get the same problem with this drug the anxiety is always there on waking more so on the 15mg I re instated at 7.5 mg a week ago to try and taper when I feel the time is right I have never been higher than 15mg good luck with your taper loo

  • tranquil35835
    tranquil35835 October93

    Edited

    hi,

    i was prescribed 30 mg mirtazapine. I used 30 mg mirtazapine for 3 weeks and then tapered to 15 mg by myself though the doctor told me to use it for 3 months. It has been 4 days and no side effects do far.

    Is it safe to do so?

    I had also been taking 50 mg seroquel , which i tsprred to 25 and finally stopped taking it. So far no problem due to it.

  • janey2019
    janey2019 October93

    Posted

    I'm was on 15mg for a year dropped to 7.5mg for a week or so then stopped it night before last. yesterday I was really bad weepy and despondent. I was nauseous but wasnt sick. I was so tired I slept 5 hours in evening and then didnt sleep all night. my pharmasist said I can just stop it and go onto cbd oil. I didn't do that as I was scared to. Anyway going to persevere if I can and get something natural to help me sleep in meantime.

  • Light786
    Light786 October93

    Posted

    Hi,

    How was your experience coming off of mirtazapine?

  • tracy92277
    tracy92277 October93

    Posted

    I started mirtazapine in April 2019 on 30mg for anxiety and depression it was OK until January 2020 when it made my blood pressure really low for a month I couldn't function because I had blurred vision my whole body was weak the dizziness I experienced was like a trip to hell constantly felt like the room was spinning my anxiety on top of all that was hell my gp told me it was the mirtazapine doing it so he put me on sodium tablets and reduced the dose to 15mg and its been OK not great I'm still getting weak spells and dizziness occasionally iv very low energy still abd I have an 8 year old daughter so I need my energy I'm reducing to 7.5mg tonight and I'm hoping I can function properly on that and stay on that dose then I'm scared il get rebound anxiety tho

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