Mirtazapine (Remeron) Withdrawal Success Story!!

Thanks for your quick reply.  My drs suggestion is to UP the mirtaz to 15 and see if i feel better, tried this a year ago and got most awful zombie like feeling together with increase in anxiety, needless to say i dropped down.  Imdont reallynthink drs realise the difficulty coming off this.  She lauhed and said well i hope you dont ask me for liquid version as the health board would go bananas! Looks like its only in my own hands.  Out of interest what are they suugesting for you now?

Hi Ann, I can't believe your doctor said that!! Doctors are all about money these days, they get you stuck on terrible medication then don't help you get off. Im in the same situation as you, i managed to get 1 bottle of the liquid but it only has a shelf life of 6 weeks and getting more was impossible so I went back to the tablet. I know lots of people on liquid in the uk so I suppose it depends where you live? I've reduced from 15 to 7.5 and 3 weeks on I'm not sleeping at all and my anxiety is through the roof, I suppose it effects ppl differently. How you coping?

What new med are you trying for anxiety MirtSucessBaby?

I'm going to try Pristiq (desvenlafaxine) which is an SNRI. I have previously tried to go on Lexapro but it made me faint three times in the first day so I can't go on SSRIs because of that! I'll be starting it tomorrow and can let you know if it helps the anxiety if you like? Once I've given it enough time to do its thing

Good luck.

And please keep us informed.

Sounds similar to you. Yes, down onto 7.5, dont think its doing much as i am not better. Wonder whether to try to halve it, but not sure thats a great idea when still down.  Do i ask for something else, weve tried several. I do get some sleep on this but still wake feeling terrible, are you bad every morning?

How has it been swopping from mirtaz to pristiq? I am getting lower on mirtsz but anxiety not gone so will need something new.

Hi meg, nobody can say what will work for you we all reacting very different for cutting back medication. 50% drop is seems to much to me.

I m coming off remeron for a 3rd times bc first 2 times I did to fast and end up many times in ER and went back on remeron. Now I'm coming off very slowly and dropping 10% every 2-3 weeks even 4 weeks if my symptoms very bad. Right now I'm only 0.6 mg and I'm still tapering. I was on only 7.5 mg for sleep problem. Never new it will be the hardest things to come off and I will have severe anxiety what I never had before.

wishing you good luck and strength to come off this drug

Eva

Thank you for replying 

I have been (touch wood ) doing okay on the 30 to 15 drop 

I would never have started this horrid drug if I knew just how bad it was to get off feeling like I am loosing my head a little with fear  

Hope you get off it this time ! 

Don't be afraid!!! Fair is very negative though and it effect you on a negative way! 

You have to tell yourself is going to be ok, alots off people came off this drug without any problem, I will too. 

Keep cutthing until you feel something then slow down. Listen to your body, it will tell you, you going to fast or is ok. 

Good luck with your taper

love and healing

 

Thank you! I appreciate your advice 

An I hope you get off it without too much of a problem

Hopefully soon we will both be rid of this horrible drug 

Wishing you well 😊

I have to say that you would do well to take Eve's advice, your dropping 50% each time is extremely fast, so yes your doctor is wrong so maybe do more research other than your docs advice.  The golden rule with tapering Mirt (and most AD's) is no more than 10% every 3-4 weeks - preferably 4.  And yes it will take longer this way but you will avoid the nasty discontinuation/WD symptoms and enable your mind/brain/body/CNS to find homeostasis gently.

Best wishes.

Hi Calmer,  what is the lowest dose you would advise to come off? 

I remember you, you always give out good advise here in this board.

Did you come off remeron? How was it after stoping?

Eva

Yes the anxiety is the worst part of lowering, no doubt about it.  How did you get to .6 is it liquid?

No I'm dry cutting. Bought a Gemini scale and dry cutting every 2-3 weeks.

How you getting on meg I'm off 2 for around 3 weeks feeling a bit anxious now n can't sleep xx

I am in very much the same boat as you were when you posted this. I have severe emetophobia ( fear of vomiting) and when I started his medication about 5 years ago it was originally for my appetite. I was not able to eat due to my anxiety and depression. I have been very scared to wean off of this medication as I made the mistake of reading all of the terrible w/d others have gone through. Of course what concerns me the most is the nausea and vomiting. I also get pretty anxious when it comes to dizziness. 

I have been on a quarter tablet for over one year and embarrassingly  the only reason that I am still taking it is because I was too scared to go through what everyone described. Last week, for the very fist time in the five years I skipped a day. This was a very big step for me. I did have a little bit of anxiety but I think that was due to me being so nervous about not taking it, I also developed a pretty bad migraine. My plan is to take this med every second day for two weeks then every third day for two weeks until I stop completely, I am pretty nervous, even though my dose is so low. 

my pharmacist encouraged me and said that my dose is low enough that its not even getting into my blood but I don't know if I believe that. She just knows how bad I am with change and especially with what I have read.

I wish I never started this med in the first place but I did really need something and it helped me at that time, I find myself putting off the wean because I get busy with work or something else comes up that I don't want to miss. It never seems like the time is right but I guess it will always be like that unless I isolate myself from the world completely.

I hope I am able to do this because I really want to succeed and I hope that you made out ok.

Hey! 

I am sorry you are in the withdrawal process, but there is defiantly a light at the end of the tunnel, I did as I said took 30mg for a week then 15mg for a week then 7.5 mg for a week then took 7.5mg every other day for a week then stopped completely I used anti nausea pills through out an stopped them a week after I hadn’t taken any mirtazapine. I had no withdrawal symptoms nothing at all! An I have been off them months now! It wasn’t as bad as I thought after reading the horror stories! 

I would really try it calm your mind, sometimes your mind makes you believe your having psychical symptoms. I hope you have a smooth ride getting off them an when your completly off them you will feel so much relief that it’s over ! 

Good luck and I hope this helped a little  

Hey! I am completely off them now! It was easier that I thought after reading the horror stories, sometimes your mind makes you convinced your feeling psychical symptoms! Well done for stopping them! Hope your doing well now!  

Thanks so much for the reply. I was hoping that you would still see my post as it had been a while since you originally posted! 

Wow! I am so pleased and also very happy for you that your wean was not terrible. That’s honestly so reassuring to hear your experience as there is not many positive testimonials out there when it comes to getting off mirt. I am going to continue with my schedule of every second day for a week, then every third day for a week and ultimately come off. May I ask if you had a prescription for anti nausea medication? Or was it over the counter ? In Canada it is called gravol in the us i believe it’s called Dramamine. I truly believe you are correct when you say the mind can make you feel physical symptoms. If you like I can update you on how i get on with this. I decided to finally make the initial step when the pharmacy told me that my generic brand was on a shortage of my medication. I freaked out because the other one i took made me have bad vertigo. Anyways, I’m rambling now. I can’t wait to be off and be free from this. I haven’t felt like myself in ages now and I’d like to get back there .

That’s no problem at all  

I understand how difficult it is when your weighed down by the fear of vomiting an needing to wean off the medication! I had many emotional break downs just at the thought of coming off mirt because of what I had read! But once I started the weaning I kept telling myself I can’t give up! I really needed off this medication an this was the only way I could so I just took the step! An thankfully was pretty straight forward! I am glad I have made you feel more postive about the process! Yes I had anti nauseas off the doctor He was quite understanding of my fears an my mental state which was good! I would defiantly give it a go getting some of those they were a life saver for me. You need to do what you feel is best for you, ( even though the whole thing is draining you know your own body ) the anti nauseas defiantly kept my phobia at bay which helped loads! Please keep me up dated yes! An I really hope goes smooth for you! If I can help any way even just to chat I’m here  

I've been on mirtazapine 3 times cold turkeyed twice with basically no withdrawals the 3rd time I was on it a short time and had quite severe withdrawals that lasted 5/7 months I'm better now and coming off citalopram next  xx

That’s odd isn’t it! Would you think the longer time on them the worse it would be! Glad your free of them now though  

You would think rather *

Its so nice to actually be understood about this. On one hand I can't believe I have allowed the fear prevent me from weaning but on the other I know it could have set me right back to where I was when I started taking the medication. Its even harder when all you read is horrifying reviews of pals withdrawals. 

Today I am on my second skipped day ( I didn't take it last night). This week I will be alternating days. I think I will also be quite rattled when I stop completely. Was that hard for you also? I will be seeing my doctor this week for the anti nausea in prep for when I stop completely. It just never seems like the right time , you know what I mean ? there is always something on the horizon which requires me to be "on" that stresses me out too. 

I really appreciate your support and replies. I will keep you updated with how I get on with this. Thank you for reassuring me and sharing you not so terrifying wean story. 

wow , this is something. I would have assumed the opposite. If you don't mind me asking what dosage were you on  and for how long when you cold turkey as well as when you weaned? what made you wean the last time and what type of symptoms did you experience for 5-7 months. gosh thats a long time, sorry that you went through that.

1, 3 years 15mg ct

2, 2 years between 30mg and 15mg ct

3, between 7.5mg and 15mg 8 or 9 days ct and was convulsing and had severe withdrawal 

I have a Facebook support group if you would like to join xx

Defiantly keep me up dated! 

The anti nauseas will make you feel so much better an more confident to continue coming off them! I took them through out then a week after my last mirt I stopped them also. Do you take any other medications or plan to? If you don’t mind me asking ? 

Hi meg. 

Thanks for your post regarding the mertizapin. Since I last spoke things have taken a turn. I no longer take mirtizapan. Instead after numerous appointments with different doctors it was decided to change my medication and one of the changes was mirtizipan to clonazipan which now has me hooked because without them I have the worst panic attacks you can imagine. Essentially they’ve swapped one for another. Pretty much what they did before. I’ve tried withdrawing but the shakes are just to much. 😤

oh no i am sorry to hear you are having a tough time! i hate when they swap a tablet for another, just the swap gives me terrible panic! with out even taking it ! so i understand how frustrating this must be for you!

have you been back to your doctor to see if there is anything you could maybe try or even to explain how your feeling with it?

I would love to join the support group Meg. Thank you so much

also convulsions sounds absolutely terrifying, Im sorry that you experienced that.

I certainly will ! Thanks for the reply. I will take the same precaution and take mine for a week or so after the last dose. I do not want any rebound nausea.

I do not take any other medications. I dont even drink tylenol or advil. This is the only medication I have ever been on aside from antibiotis when I needed them. I do not plan on any other medications anytime soon. The reason I started taking this one is because my emet was so bad I had stopped eating and lost a lot of weight. I was also very depressed at the time. I can say that the mirt definitley helped me and probably even saved my life tbh. Ive just been too scared to come off of it because of the horror stories and my anxiety around being sick.

Hi Richard, im sorry to intrude on your comment here but have you by chance tried supplementing vitamin B100 complex ? It is supposed to help a lot. My pharmacist is the one who had told me about this. She said a lot of ppl use it when coming off of medications to manage and reduce unwanted symptoms. Its worth a shot. I hope you are able to find some comfort and peace.

the mirt didnt help me at all not even eat! thats why i was prescribed it also but didnt work i am still seriously underweight an now waiting to have a feeding tube fitted 😦

i take a different medication now for my bi polar which i wasnt happy about starting another med but obviously i need medicating. i totally understand your fear for it making you sick even the thought of nausea scared me

hi, i have severe emetaphobia too!

i can deal with all the withdrawal symptoms apart from the nausea and sickness. im dropping 3.75mg every two weeks as directed by the doctor and for the first two days i feel sick to my stomach and thats the worse part for an emetaphobe!!

i too was put on them to increase my appatite as well as depression they even increased me all the way to the full 45mg within a couple of month being on them.

they made my anxiety around the emetaphobia 1000% worse and i ended up losing 2 stone whilst being on these tablets instead of gaining weight like everyone else does.

i keep trying to fight it and trying to train my thought pattern so i can get through each drop im already on two lots of different antiemetics but i still feel super nauseous after each drop! 😦

coming off them is awful especially when all you expect is the worst to happen, an obviously the worst is nausea an vomiting in our case!

The anti nausea pills were my life saver i dropped a dose every week an i never had any issues with feeling ill which was a relief! i hope you get off them soon an it isn't to bad for you 😦

what anti nausea pills are you taking?

i take 1 ondansetron and 2 prochlorperazine in the morning 2 more prochlorparazine in the afternoon and then 1 ondansetron and 2 more prochlorparazine in the evening!

Im sorry that you are going through that right now. Just try to remind yourself that every time you decrease you are one step closer to being off of them completely. Although I did gain weight whilst being on this med, it has started to come off now that I am reducing my dose. i was also put on the meds for my appetite, i had completely stopped eating due to emet back in 2013. It definitely helped me with my appetite but mostly at night after taking it. I was so surprised to hear you say it had made your emet worse because it seems like the same for me. i have become so much more hyperaware of everything and i fixate more on my emet.

this is so reassuring! makes me feel better just reading it.

yeah it made me have severe panic attacks all the time and it convinced me that was going to be sick every day so i felt (feel) sick ever single day, iv completly stopped eating this past year also due to the phobia. the tablets never made me feel hungry. if anything it reduced my appitite even more. but that could be the anxiety over the phobia flaring up more than anything.

iv managed to get to 30mg from 45mg but its been a huge struggle! but i keep telling myself iv done really well to get to this point! just keep going!

i was taking the prochlorparazine didnt need anything else, i dont take them now i am fully off mirt now so stopped taking anti nauseas also

it takes time but believe me you will get there an its so much of a relief when your off them fully!

hoe long have you been off the mirtazapine?

i have been off them about 8 months now

oh wow thats really impressive,

did it ever make you sick? people say they stuggled the most from 15 and down how was that for you?

to be honest i never had an issues with any of the drops

nope never made me sick an never suffered any nausea

you are so lucky!!!

im nausous for about 2/4 days after each drop whoch i suppose isnt too bad but its bad enough for an emetaphobe aha!

i totally get what your saying any kind of stomach pain sends me off in to a panic !

i really hope it gets easier for you ! an you dont suffer much more with the nausea !

im the same any feeling i get in my stomach i panic!

the drops are making me feel good in my metal state though which is a plus im not having panic attacks like i was when i was taking 45mg iv got some anxiety but no where near as bad.

i can deal with all the other side effects well. people say their sleep becomes bad while tapering but that dont bother me iv got a doctors appointment tomorrow im going to ask if there is anything different i can take for the nausea, if i can get that under control i can sail through coming off this drug!

how long the withdrew last? i am on day 7 dropping off. very bad anxiety . please help me

Hi! It's been a year since this but just want to rant and feel understood I guess.

I have TERRIBLE emetophobia and I've been taking 30mg for a year.

Gonna take 15mg today since my psychiatrist told me that since it's not giving me any benefits it's better for me, I obviously told her I was scared of the withdrawal symptoms but she told me that not one single patient she had said they had problems with tapering it off. I was quite positive but I just searched stuff on the internet and after reading this I'm TERRIFIED of the nausea. I do not have any prescription for antinausea meds and the doctor doesn't open til Tuesday! I have no choice in taking 15mg today because I finished my 30mg pills 😦

I'm so anxious and terrified of throwing up because of the withdrawal..... Shouldn't have just believed the doctor and not read anything else I'm so upset

Did you get sleep problems