Mirtazapine withdrawal - tips and experiences thread

Thanks, Kathy. How are you doing right now?

Hi Evergreen & everyone

I am good thanks.  Worth noting that geting down to 5.8 mg I feel less fatigue now it has settled, it's 11 days and all is well.  So another drop tonight ~ I'm getting confident that I don't have to wait 2 weeks to do another taper now (touching wood lol). So I go to 5.4 mg tonight - it's getting hard to see the lines on the syringe now !

I don't expect that the fatigue will stay away of course, Mirt' likes to play tricks, she makes me expect the unexpected !

Bet you'll be glad to get away from those bird scarers soon ... I would be beside myself if they were going off at sunrise, how do you cope?

 

Not to bad heading into 6th day at 22.5.  Anxeity not too bad ususally around a 2 except yesterday around 4:30 was about a 4.  My brain does not feel foggy clear actually.  Sleep could be better.  The tingling in the arms comes and goes.  Keep getting some really bad fatigue.  Heading to see a Naturalpath on Thursday can;t hurt for another opinion.  Glad to hear you are doing well.

Evergreen ♥♥♥

So very happy for you, it gives us troops belief and motivation to get our stripes!

Do you feel like you have more energy now? Or more clarity? I'm lacking in both! But on a positive note. ...I do not feel any kind of depression!

So delighted for you ♥♥

god bless xx

Bravo Evergreen, well done ... great news.  Bit worries about the "first two weeks isn't easy" bit, in what way?

Anyway, I hope you continue to feel amazing, such a turn around from all those sleepless nights, good work.

My food craving has subsided, I'm doing a bit more exercise wise, and waking without being stuck to the bed (remember that episode? ! ).  Two thirds of the way for me, now the hard bit maybe, although I do feel better at 5mg than I did at 7.5.

Best wishes x

 

Lorraine how are you now?  Where are youu at with the Mirt' - you reinstated at 3.5 ?  

x

Hi calmer

thank you for asking ♥

I have now been on 15mg for the past week. My depression has vanished but, my body hasn't caught! Just need to get my energy levels up and then I will be off like a rocket lol!

How are you? Whereabouts are you on your tapering?

Hope life is being kind to you xxx

Loads more energy and feel very alive IYSWIM. Sounds like you're doing really well. I think the mirt workd very well for depression, but even though you get used to the sedation, you have to remember that you are actually sedated, and that leads to sluggishness both mentally and physically. But I think it really is a good healing medicine. xx

It's not horrendous by any means, but I went through a period of feeling very paranoid and insecure. A bit jumpy. I think it was the effects of the sedation wearing off. Now I feel better than I have done in ten years and the weight keeps dropping off without even dieting.

You are doing so well, Calmer. I can't believe you are at 5mg already. Not far to go now! xx

I meant to say, the weight doesn't drop off straight away. I think the mirt stays in your system for a long time. It's only this third week it's really started to shift.

I agree it's removed my depression pronto! Love your updates. ....hope you keep them coming xxx

Evergreen do you mean thru your WD you felt paranoid and insecure?  I sent you a PM but you never answered that question??

Sorry, I thought I had answered it here. Yes there were days, especially during the first two weeks off of mirtazapine that I felt that way. But after the 2nd week, I gradually felt much better and am feeling very good right now. I can still get a bit paranoid, but that's just me. Always worried I've said something wrong or offended people; things like that.

Thank you for clarification and way to go girlfriend.  I just spoke with the pharmacy and he said since I have beenstable now for 13 days to drop down to 15mg which will be 7.5mg drop at once again like I did when I tapered from 30 to 22.5.  Then hold at 15 for 10 days and then 7.5 and hold for 10 days and I am done.  In between there I will be seeing my shrink which is Mar 22 and he may try and bridge with another AD and I still have my Klon to help and now my Natural Path who I am going to see tomorrow.  How does this sound as I have had it in my system for about 2.5 months.  Fingers crossed.  Are you taking anything else now that you are finally off the Mirt?  How long were you on Mirt I forget?

No, I'm not taking any ADs anymore but I do take a small amount of temazepam to help me sleep. As you haven't been on mirtazapine for that long, the taper you are planning may be okay, however, it is a very fast taper and if you are suffering WD symptoms, then I woud slow it down. Also, jumping off from 7.5mg is a HUGE leap to make. I would cut to 3.75mg for ten days before coming off. Good luck!

So its been 2 days dropping to 15mg sleeping well. Have some anxiety in daytime but not too bad and taking the Passion Flower as well as Bach Rescue Pastilles which seem to help with the lump in the chest..  Have slight tingling but nothng major just today I am very tired.  Went out for lunch with friends and then hit the gym.  Was going to skip the gym because of the feeling tired but forced myself.  Do you think drop to 15 for 7 days and hold there for 2 weeks beofre the next drop? 

Kathy, a friend of mine suggested the Bach Rescue Remedy, but I take clonazepam also and not sure if it will interact with it. So has Bach Rescue Pastilles helped a lot?

Yes, I would hold for at least 10 days, preferably 2 weeks. Glad you're sleeping well.

I also take clonazepam and they do not interact and yes they help.  There is no alchol in them and they are flower essences.  That is whatmy Natural Path doc said.  She also suggested the Night time Melts by Bach again no interaction.

Kathy how often and what dose of clonazepam do you take?

I take .5mg in the am, .5mg  around 11am, .5mg at 5pm and then .25mg just before bed.  I stillhave the anxiety lump in the chest in the morning though.  What is your dosage ans how often do you take?

I take .5mg around 6 am in the morning. I'm scared to add anymore. I know how addictive clonazepam is. I've been on it for about 10 years. How long have you been on it and do you take anything else? I forgot if you did. Have you ever tried to get off the clonazepam?

I have been on it since Oct different doses and yes will be coming off that as well with the help of the Natural Path doctor.  Mt doctor is not so concerned with me taking the clonazepam as I do not even take the dose prescribed I keep playing around with it going lower which is not a good thing.  As the doctors have said my adrendal gland is operating in panic mode and we need to calm my body down.  No nothng but that and Mirt.

Please let me know how your natural doctor gets you off the clonazepam. Did the natural doc test your adrenals?

I sure wqill I think she will be using the Passion Flower as it is a natural benzo but I have to be lower on the Mirt before she can start dealing with the sleeping issue.  The dose of Passion Flower she gave me 425mg to take in the am and at noon with my .5mg of Klon was a bit much and I was stoned or sedated as she called it. She said you would not know by talking to me or lookng at me it was the feeling I had inside me which I did not like so switched to only 1/2. 

My adrendals are in fatigue  mode she said by looking at the eyes.  My body needs to be calmed down in order for them to start functioning properly again.  They have been in over drive since July 2015 when I got the vertigo and anxiety.  Vertigo gone but anxiety is in full throttle.  For her to tune the salvia test with the swab would cost me $223.  Pretty pricey and I cannot convince my regular doc to send me to an endocrinologist  who delas with the glands, hormones etc.