Mirtazapine withdrawal

i am attempting to do the same.  Down to almost half of the 7.5mg now.  Getting axiety and feel down but trying to pursue.  Tryng to get to your level.  Any hints on how to deal with the anxiety would help

I will be sending you positive vibes as you kick the mirt. It was hell for me, but I did it. I am feeling pretty good. It got better after 1 month in terms of any withdrawls. I had to work while going through the myriad of side effects, but it helped me push through and not obsess. You can do it.

It took 1 1/2 months for me to titrate down and about the same amount to get over 90% of the withdrawal side effects. I was on 7.5 mg for 2 1/2 years for night time insomnia and panic attacks. I developed a myriad of health problems I did not have before taking this drug (high blood pressure, obesity, fatigue, severe gastritis, reflux, high cholesterol). I was a fit runner and weight lifter. I was unmotivated, sick and a zombie on this crap. Anyways, I went to cutting the tablets in half for a couple weeks, then every other day for a week, then every two days for about a week, then every 3 etc. Until I was not on any. I felt sick in every way for about a month and a half. Stomachs pain, nausea, blurred vision, headache, flu like symptoms gone now. I have a slight low grade headache but it is manageable. I had to read enough peoples experiences to know everyone goes through this detox and they come through it. I never experienced this coming off of Prozac, Wellbutrin or Paxil 25 years ago. I feel pretty darn good for the most part.

Mike,

I'm now cutting my klonopin. I agree with you. It all sucks.

Anna

Klonopin and Xanax are the hardest drugs on earth to quit. I wrestle with which one is hardest cause they act differently. Xanax is faster acting and more potent, but Klonopin stays in body longer. I'm 25 days into a Xanax cold turkey jump. How about you? Cold turkey or taper?

Mike, I wish I never had to take them. I suffered from anxiety and depression as a kid before meds. I just somehow ploughed through those years. I got started on Prozac at 27 when my father was dying of cancer. What I found is that they did work for a short period. Then the body got accustomed and I had to keep increasing doses until they didn't work at all. Now, almost 25 years later, I wished I would have just stayed off everything. For me, I believe the long term problems associated with psyche meds isn't worth it. Some people can't function without meds and I believe they do help many. For me, i should have done more talk therapy and CBT prior to meds. Doctors so quickly write scripts without discussing side effects and how the body quits making its own chemicals.

Mike, I take .5mg Klonopin to sleep at night because Trazadone, Sonata , Lunesta, Ambien, Melatonin and antihistamine sedation doesn't work for my insomnia. I take on occasion Lorazepam if I have a panic attack I can't come down from using other non drug methods. Xanax didn't work for me and I was able to cold turkey quit (I only took it for a short period). Now talking about Klonopin aka Stevie Nicks nightmare, it works well on my system. I purposely take it every other day or every two days so my system doesn't need a higher and higher dose to help with sleep. The days I don't take it, I sleep like crap. Never the deep rem sleep. I have not attempted quitting this drug yet because my job requires me to not be sleep deprived. I work in health care. I am waiting for my next vacation from work which is usually 10 days to see if I don't take it at all what I'll feel like. I'm sure it will be he'll but my hope is to get off everything this year. I'm keeping a positive attitude. My former therapist and psychiatrist diagnosed me with major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety. I rarely feel depressed but get short fused, angry and frustrated easily. Anxiety apparently can be hereditary. Most of my father's family suffered from this. I hope you are successful in your detox. Keep us posted. We are all going through this crazy shi* together.

i am trying so hard to get off mirtazapine first.  It is proving so hard.  I dont know if its normal,to be waking up feeling like crap, sickly, like my life isnt normal and i cant push on. I cannot do so many of the things i used to be able to do.  Will this come back i wonder, as im down to 2mg and this is the way i felt before i went on them.  Nothing has worked for me.

i then have to look at the diazepam, not a huge amount, 5mg, but dont know how i will manage to get off it.  I know you want to dry cut like me but how bad are the withdrawals on this one, i dont have much knowledge of these meds as never been on them before and im sure psych will try to put me on something else.

Ann, you will feel sick for about 1 1/2 months coming off mirtazapine. The body has to re regulate it's brain chemistry. You will feel better after . It's kind of like coming off of heroin. There is a period where you feel like total crap. That is normal and you can push through it. Keep tapering.

I'm currently 28 days into a cold turkey Xanax jump. It's misery. Last time I went 35 days but went psychotic. This time I'm on mirtazapine 7.5mg to help me get through benzo withdrawl. I will not even attempt to taper the mirtazapine until I am completely free of the benzo.

I hear mirtazipne withdrawl is rough. It's best to taper it nice and slow. Both alcoholics and heroin junkies tell me that benzo withdrawl is the hardest!

Mike, I totally get it. I'm going through similar things right now.