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Mirtazapine withdrawal continues

Posted , 4 users are following.

craig2828
craig2828

Hello all, just an update on my withdrawal from mirtazapine. I have managed to get down to 7.5 mg without too much difficulty, but not sure where to go from here. I decided to not take the 7.5 on Saturday night in my attempt to get off, but on Sunday night I was horrendously I'll. I couldn't believe it could be withdrawal so quickly, but took the 7.5 and with half hour it all subsided. Although I felt ok I was left feeling really angry as I new it was my body craving the drug, my question from here is do I alternate night the dose. Stay on 7.5 and drop a dose once a week etc, or try and half the half 15mg dose. Any advice please. I've also got the option of the Prozac bridge

0 likes, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • sheila65847
    sheila65847 craig2828

    Posted

    Hi Craig

    from what others have said, alternative nights sounds like the next step. Thank to this forum iI have woken up to realise that my lack of energy and general malaise may be caused by mirtazipine. I have completely lost interest in life since my dose was increased from 30mg to 45mg. I would be interested to hear what your energy and motivation levels have been? I have been halving my tablets over the past few nights and feel better. Like you, I wonder could this pill work so quickly?

    • craig2828
      craig2828 sheila65847

      Posted

      Hey Sheila, I have been up on the higher doses and they made me wake up with a hangover effect and my anxiety levels were worse, as I've come down on the doses I have had to ride the withdrawals but mentally have felt so much better. I just can't believe what a difficult drug this is to come off. I was advised by a doctor that if I upped or lowered the dose and had a change within a couple days it showed the drug wasn't working as it should as they shouldn't show a change that quickly. This has led me on my quest to come off and what a quest it has been. I will however beat this eventually no matter what it takes. I have a good supply of tablets in case things go bad as when withdrawal hits you need to be able to reach for them if needed. Pm me if you want to know how I successfully got down to 7.5, wishing you well
  • London_ridge
    London_ridge craig2828

    Posted

    Having gone through mirt WD I think it may be a question of why you want to get off. Are you having side effects that are pushing you to get off or is it because you realize it isn't helping you in any way. I think your answer to that question somewhat dictates your WD stategy. 

    So if it's side effects then  you would want to go at a quicker pace and if it's just that the drug isn't helping at all and our tired of putting up with pills, Id say slow it way down. If I were you I'd stay with 7.5 for another six month. I know that seems way to long but mirt can be an awfully hard one to get off from, it was for me. So why not relax and set aside any mirt concerns for six months. At that point once acclimated to 7.5, go half of that and then Id go another six months. Yes I know it puts you at a year but you may just find that this is the most painless way to go.I went off with a small group from this forum and we all went off different way but the results unfortunetly were the same and they weren't good. Don't give mirt power over your everyday life. Try to make it a non issue. Don't let it become dominate over your day. It's a small dose so unless you have complications or side effects why concern yourself. I know the feeling not wanting to be hooked on anything and the addiction feeling but let that go. I would make mirt low priority, take a consistent low dose amount. Revisit a plan in six months, but in that six months ....don think about it or make it a big deal. I know easier said than done. Been there and I hope any of this helps you. 

    • London_ridge
      London_ridge

      Posted

      Ps....I had not much trouble going down to 7.5 so I thought I wouldn't have much trouble going every other day and then off. Remember mirt withdrawals do not hit until between day 7 thru 14 of your last pill. Im not saying you haven't already suffered withdrawals because I know you have. We all did but it's not the same as going off completely. That's why I say stay with low dose. Nothing wrong with 3.75 for long time. Very little side effects and keeps the demons at bay. Just an alternative view.
    • craig2828
      craig2828 London_ridge

      Posted

      Thank you rose for the advice, when I didn't take the 7.5 the next day I felt great, best I've felt for so long, it was in the evenings that I started to feel unwell until I caved in and took the 7.5. I think I will try the 3.75 you suggest and see if I can go along on that. I will happily stay on it forever if it means I can go on ok thanks again
    • Mermaid3011
      Mermaid3011 craig2828

      Posted

      I think thats because mirt has such a long half life. You still feel fine the next day, but 36 hrs after taking the last dose that's when it hits you. That's why alternating days makes sense.... you are using the 36 hr timespan and slowly increasing it to longer and longer periods .
  • lorraine24104
    lorraine24104 craig2828

    Posted

    Oh Dear. I have found its not the coming off. Once you have stopped the WD kicks in around 2 weeks. I am on week 3. I can't stand any more. Will resort to going back to Psych ASAP. I most definitely need something. 
    • craig2828
      craig2828 lorraine24104

      Posted

      Hi Lorraine, I have been told by my doctor that if the withdrawal becomes to much I can use what's called a Prozac bridge which apparently has a really good success rate. The Prozac counter acts the withdrawal and because it has the longest half life of all anti depressants its a lot easier to withdraw from after, so I might consider giving it a go
  • Mermaid3011
    Mermaid3011 craig2828

    Posted

    Wow... that's what I call immediate effect! 

    How about a quarter tab? 3.75 mg maybe twice a week... then 3 times a week... slowly reducing to 3.75 in general. And then maybe skipping one day a week... two days... and so on. 

     

  • sheila65847
    sheila65847 craig2828

    Posted

    Morning friends, raining and cold in Cumbria, nothing new in that! However I feel quite perky which is fabulous considering the way I have been over the past couple of months. Okay, spoken to GP and told him I've started halving the 45mgs and explained all about the zero energy etc etc, I have no need to repeat to you all. As this was a telephone consultation he was none committal whether it's my depression /mirt /recovery from pneumonia or RA. So I'm off for blood tests on Fri and have an actual consultation with him on 21st. It's so hard to get GPs appts in UK at present. When I telephoned the surgery last week I was in the depths of misery and beginning to have some very dark thoughts indeed (1st experience for me, I was frightened). I picked up considerably yesterday, actually did some housework, a little gardening + put my face on, I'd not done that for weeks. Could it be coincidence that I'd halved the mirth? I don't know but I want a really good discussion when I see the doc. Can someone please tell me how to send a pm? Thanks. You see this burst of energy spilled into last night, I've only had 1.5hrs sleep, can anyone relate to this? I used to take sleeping pills (another story!), briefly - used and abused. Stopped. Many years ago alcohol was my calming down/sleeping pill (gain another story! Same pattern, used and abused). Like a plonker stopped drinking and started taking ADs and sleepers. Always had problems with relaxing and sleep, goes back to trauma in childhood, not for discussion here. Maybe it's time for me to deal with things rather than seek oblivion on occasion. Any how folks, time to write out today's list, get the face on and play loud music! David, let me know how you're doing, please? And the rest of my Forum Friends. Seize the day😃xx
    • craig2828
      craig2828 sheila65847

      Posted

      Hey Sheila, nice reading some positive thoughts in there. I just wanted to comment on the bit where you dropped the dose and felt good. I have been there lots of times with a dose reduction, and many doctors have told me that if you feel better with a dose reduction it's normally a sign the tablets are not compatible. The only problem I always had was when I stayed on the reduced dose I started to feel unwell in a few days. It took me a long time to realise that it was withdrawal that made me poorly, when I always assumed it was my illness returning. I finally know different now and feel so much better on the 7.5mg I'm on. Still a way to go but know I'm heading in the right direction, wishing you well
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