Mirtazapine withdrawal

Do you know what? One lesson I received from my father: "Manuel, as soon as you have a hiccup, if you want to get rid of it in 5 seconds, just swallow a spoonful of sugar" IT WORKED. He had read about this method on a newspaper. Now everytime I see a friend of mine with a hiccup I tel him/her to do the same. It works all the time...People think I'm a magician....

Hi

Can I please ask as you are so knowledgeable when I'm likely to feel better. I'm reducing 1 day a week as per CITA's tables of reduction & this week I'm upto 3 days off Mirt. Will it be 6 weeks approx after my last dose? I've had days of feeling fine & then days of extreme awfulness!! Comes & goes in waves, which CITA said it would. 

Also a huge well done to Susan you're an inspiration, continue good health hun!

Thanks

Jo

Thank you Jo, 

I'll let Manuel work it out but just know the awfulness WILL pass.... Just focus on one day at a time x 

Which protocol are you following? Describe "awfulness".

Hi

I'm following the CITA reduction plan, I'm down to 0.1ml of liquid which equates to 1.5mg of tablet. I started, as they suggest, dropping a night each week of the Mirt, so this week it was Mon/Weds/fri next week I'll add another week. I've been tapering all year. 

The awfulness is aching, low mood, fatigue, nausea, anxiety & then tends to be one night where I don't sleep at all. Mainly due to anxiety & nausea.

I'm starting Acupuncture tomo afternoon, never had it before but they reckon it's effective for all of the above, so fingers crossed.

Jo x

Thanks Susan for your kind words. On the good days I've felt amazing, but the horrible days make it hard to stay focused.

How's your sleep been throughout the withdrawal process? I have patchy nights & then nights where I wake at 3am, like this morning & the knot in my stomach prevents me falling back to sleep!

Well done tho, so happy for you!

Jo xx

Hi Jo,

My time lines are a bit hazy now but I think for two weeks I really struggled sleeping, at first due to just waking up at the wrong time and not being able to get off again.

If I remember rightly the first week of withdrawal wasn't so bad, I think it really kicked in on week two. Then I suffered like mad with hot and cold sweats through the night.

I would wake up absolutely freezing but drenched with sweat. Extremely unpleasant as I began to feel really unwell on top of having little and very much interrupted sleep. I think the night sweats lasted about a week at their severest and then tapered down. My son slept with me one night about three weeks in and swore never again lol.... I had thought I was ok but apparently when I slept I was all over the place. (I'm not complaining ..... He no longer feels the desire to ambush my bed 😃).

After the sweats calmed down I was totally exhausted. I would be getting ready for work and literally have to have ten minutes snooze between getting out of the bath and doing my hair. Everything and anything just depleted my energy. This lasted for the duration until the antibiotics kicked in, so it could have been a mix of withdrawal and the infection. 

We need to sleep well and eat well to cope with the withdrawal, unfortunately they are the two areas which really get screwed up in the beginning which then leaves us in a vulnerable place to then face the rest of withdrawal and recovery. 

I would recommend taking a good balance of vitamins to help your body cope, however, the problem I had was that I couldn't keep anything down even if I managed to swallow it. 

In the end because of the swallowing issue my GP gave me liquid antibiotics. I was able to keep this down .... and I feel like they have saved my life. 

So many side issues going on with this stuff but I think a comprehensive listing of possible effects could do a lot to calm others.

Remember that if you start to feel like it is something more than withdrawal it is possible you have picked up a virus or just a simple infection but because our body's is already at war, then it's resources are depleted and any infection could get a real foot hold. If you even suspect you have an infection ask your GP for a blood test as that is the only way they will be able to distinguish between withdrawals and something else as the White cell count will be high, indicative that the body is fighting an infection, or at least trying to. 

Let me just say though ..... The withdrawal may be vile but it IS WORTH IT! 

Also it is worth mentioning that I was really stupid in my withdrawal approach and those that are being sensible and tapering may not feel such extreme withdrawals. Hopefully! 

You will get you back again and everything will seem that bit more brighter. 😀

 

Hi Susan

Thank you for your reply. I've had nights where I've woken up with a wet chest neck area from sweating too! 

Is your sleep better now? 

I'm taking Aloe Vera Gel drink daily plus, Vit D, Omega 3, 3 x a day, multi Vit & B complex too! 

I'm starting Acupuncture this afternoon too! Eeek bit nervous bout it but have been told it can help with withdrawals etc. hope so! I really miss going to the gym, haven't been properly for weeks! Just too fatigued or feeling ill on & off.

We will get there, just like you!

Best wishes

Jo xx

So, you are starting the cita protocol from 0,1ml right? Before  were you  reducing at the 10% rate? May be your withdrawal symptoms are the result of your previous reduction...They might as well kick in after the second week...or at the third. Acupuncutre is a great choice, go for it. Nausea can be controlled by ginger tea. Anxiety by 0,5mg Lorazepam. COming off Lorazepam is a joke comperared to mirta, so don't worry. As you see we are all supporting each other here. It's tough. Susan went cold turney (without knowing) and she rode the thunder, women have incredible resources. Rose is following the cita protocol from 7.5mg. I'm going to follow it next week from 11,5mg. After a lot research I notice that the 10% reduction every 2 weeks, might be just a major agony...Because the brain seems to read every little change. So, it's best to take away a dose each week to allow the body to get used to the new situation. Yesterday we celebrated Susan, a war hero. Hat off. From now on our "guardian angel". Today we have to start rooting for Rose. 

Hi Jo,

I sleep like a baby now . It's all temporary....just keep hold of that thought x

I'm stock piling my resources now for the next ten years at least.... 

Hi Jo,I was on 7.5mg of mirt for four month,I only tapered down for a week before I came off it,I didn't t know anything about the drug I was taking.a week later I was hit with all the withdrawals,couldn't t sleep,if I did go to sleep I would wake up after a couple of hours shaking from head to toe,I was hot then I was freezing,my thoughts were all mixed up I couldn't t think,extreme anxiety,the list goes on!! I m just over 4weeks off mirt and things are calming down a little,I m still anxious,feel sick,head is a little muddled but I m starting to feel more like myself,I ve been taking aloe Vera gel,and anti nausea tablets.without this site I don t know what I would have done,the people on here have been fantastic !!! By telling each other our experiences we have helped each other realize it does get better.we re all on a bit of a roller coaster at the moment so strap yourself in and enjoy the ride 😀x ps any symptoms that might be bothering you,let us know one of us will have experienced it x

You are sooooo close!!! All will be fine very soon x

Thanks Susan your support means a lot.me.My daughter was on a sleepover last night  and I slept for 10hrs,I woke up now and again,but I'm so happy that I could fall back to sleep I can t remember the last time I did that!! The only thing that is still bothering me a bit is the nervous shaky feeling,when I m like that I feel like I can t walk properly and the back of my neck feels numb,did you ever get that? Xx

...Last night I had a nice dinner with friends. I had to pretend I was completely fine...A huge sense of anxiety arrived. I do not know, this drug made me experience sensetions I never knew. It's been tough, but I had Susan's victory in my mind. So, even if at the table with my wife and friends  I was feeling awful, I just pretended I was ok. Fake it until you make it. The horrid sensation abandon me after one hour. 

I became quite shaky yes, lack of food probably contributed. In the final stages I just hurt all over. One day I asked myself which part didn't hurt and the answer.... My legs lol x 

That's all you can do for now....literally fake it till you make it. You WILL make it. 

Thanks Susan. I'm getting ready for a picnic. Today, in Germany is a national holiday, so I'll have a day off with my family.  The sun shines and I'm looking forward to going back to my Rome next week. I need to start planning my movie. I'll ride the storm. Also, I'm ordering some great supplements from the british brand Viridian. Have a great day, Manuel

Hi

Thank you for replying. Before 0.1ml I was tapering by dropping a dose or two each week so tapered each drop over 4-5wks more in the beginning. I dropped by 0.05ml so tiny dose but it worked fine up until I hit 0.1.5ml!! 

Like I've said I'm having good days in amongst the bad, so at least there's some rest bite for me.

I've got diazepam for when anxiety is really bad, but use them sparingly. I've also got nausea tablets from GP for when it's bad, & use either ginger tea or ginger beer which does help.

I guess I'm nearly there, just hoping it won't get worse when I'm virtually off or have come off! That bit scares me.

Thanks again

Joe: YOU ARE ALMOST THERE. Follow the cita thing and make it! Susan went cold turkey and made it, Rose is about to make it like you within 2 weeks. What I found out is this: SERT occupancy is 80% even at low doses...This is why there is no difference if you jump abruptly from 7.5 to 0 or from 1.5 to 0. So you are doing the right thing: alternating doses...Be very happy because your agony will soon be over. Have a great day!

Hi 

Can I please ask how was your sleep before MIRT? I went on it for sleep & anxiety problems that only started last year. My GP wasn't sure which was triggering which. 

I hoping my sleep will balance out once I'm

Off it. Touch wood my anxiety isn't like it was last year anymore only on off days!

Jo xx

I went onto Mirt because I couldnt sleep, they gave me temazapan but only for a week. I couldn't stop crying and that's when they diagnosed me with depression (genius!).  So initially I stumbled on it because of my lack of sleep, panic attacks and emotional meltdown. Now I'm sleeping as I should. The bad sleep/anxiety has not returned ... X

Hi, thank you for letting me know. That's very encouraging that you also went on it for lack of sleep (like me) but now sleep well. 

Thanks again Susan. Have a great weekend, feeling well!! 😃

jo x

Thank you for your encouraging words and advice xx it means lot x

You're right, we are all helping one another, which is brilliant. I really hope you start to feel better soon.  Wishing you well xxx

No problem Jo, 

Concentrate on how well you are going to be feeling soon, consider every ache and pain a victory, as the drug is purged from your body, all be it kicking and screaming, it's just its death throws. 

Don't worry about the reasons that took you to Mirt, don't make yourself anxious that the symptoms will come back, avoid any self fulfilling prophecy. 

It's not something you can foretell, focus only on getting better. Man, if we can persevere with this level of crap .... Then getting a handle on anxiety has got to appear a much easier option. We are FAR stronger than we think we are. 

Worrying will only do you harm and it really isn't worth it. Worrying is useless but having a plan is useful.

Tell yourself if any symptoms re occur then you will deal with them as and when. I told myself that if any of the nonsense started again I would look at alternate methods of management. I had a solution ready in case but I didn't worry about it at all. 

All my anxiety symptoms have gone and I was on this road for around five years (stress and more stress). I feel more together now than I have in a very long time. So will you! X 

Hi Susan, just been reading through all your posts and found them very inspiring, well done to you!! Can I ask you what you took for the tummy upset? My stomach is in turmoil, I have the meds for anti sickness which help. I am down to a quarter of 15 mg, breaking a piece away each time, a bit difficult as it is impossible to get it exact, like you I am having a torrid time , I keep thinking that it won't last forever, keep reading all the posts keeps me going, I really don't know which is the best way to withdraw, do you think it's best to alternate the dose ie one night on one off, how did you do it? Also I am having terrible sleep problems, like awake most of the night with all the usual symptoms that everyone experiences.l wish it would all end, I have no help from my gp all she wants to do is increase my dose, she told me that there were no we from mitt, little does she know, quite honestly I could hit her, I am determined to beat this drug wish I'd never taken it, I know that everyone on here is in the same boat so we all need guidance and strength, good luck to everyone that is riding the storm which seems never-ending.

Susan is our source of inspiration in this forum. I suggest you start following the cita protocol for mirtazapine. We all tried to reduce it by slowly tapering off, but at evry reduction you get nasty withdrawal symptoms no matter what. The cita plan has a smarter approach cause it makes the body used to the reduction little by little. have a lookk on their website. Rose is following it, I'm starting as well.

Hi Margaret, 

whatever you do DONT up your dose, think GP's are confusing the WD symptoms with a need for more Mirt. Will Bob badk later, in a rush now x 

We are all riding the same storm. try to sabilize on that dose, to sleep 2mg Lorazepam work (and it's not dangerous) YOU ARE NOT ALONE. 

Hi Susan

can I please ask, did you have any anxiety whilst withdrawing?