Mirtazapine withdrawal using prozac bridge

Not a good day today, i have the start up side effects of the prozac which are uncomfortable to say the least, and when i make it to the evening i have the withdrawals of the mirt. All in all a nightmare for me. However although its all unconfortable and at some points quite frightening as the ill feeling becomes a little overwheleming, I fully understand whats going on and that helps a little. I know the prozac side effects will eventually wear off, and i should start feeling a little better. When i reach this point( anyone have a fast forward) i then have to reduce the mirt using the following method. Crush my quarter of a tablet up into powder form and add it to 100ml of warm water. Then drink 3/4 of it and throw the rest. Do this for a week and see how i feel, if ok, do the same and drink half for another week, then a quarter then stop.I was also told that this method is good for relieving withdrawals if you miss a tablet or take it too late, as it enters the system quicker...Will keep posting as the days past and hope that eventually i right some nice positive ones, to all of you withdawing my thoughts are with you

Hi Craig I have read about the Prozac bridge and yet I haven't read any success stories so far with mirt.

In theory it makes more sense and is much easier to withdraw from Prozac so it might be worth a try

On the other hand from experience my doctor tried the bridge and it was a complete flop but I do think it could work personally I like the benzo bridge and although it too is addictive. it's a far less complex drug in your brain will thank you for that.

Even the makers of these antidepressants don't always understand them completely

Would it be possible for you to stay at 7.5 or are side effects making that impossible for you?

One stable on 7.5 and then dropped to 3.75 then introduce the SSRI if you are stable on the 3.75

While still using the benzo bridge.

Then I would just continue with the very small dose of mirtazapine and the Prozac

Stabilize again drop the benzo in fact a lot of doctors don't know but mirtazapine is used as a drug to be able to drop opiates and benzo, possibly the best drug to use to drop opiates benzo'

But then again it's back to square one trying to get off the mirtazapine!!

Catch 22

So it may be a slow process but it sure might be a lot less painful and maybe not painful at all. So in a roundabout way getting to 3.75 going with the Prozac or Lexapro jointly.

If this works then I would stay on it indefinitely and after year or so if the Mirtazapine is a problem to you then I Would try the drop

I hope this helps in anyway possible it's a long route but it may be the least painful route because mirtazapine does not cause withdrawal symptoms for 2 to 3 weeks after the last pill

Just some thoughts on it some options keep researching keep reading blogs and threads

Good luck and good health

Will send my email later tonight I love my phone and can't access your mailbox from my phone

Could any one help me I've been on mirt for 3months now and my anxitey is worse now than what it was b for I started on them I am coming off these cold turkey... I've also read tha if u take valerian herbal tablets it makes the w/d symptoms I little better.... I need to get of these tablets now I can't handle the feeling any more 

To anyone following my withdrawal, i'd thought i'd give an update. I have been on prozac now for 6 days. First 2 days i had a bad headache both days which added to my withdrawals but i got through them, day 3 bad withdrawal and light headache in evening. Day 4 pretty much the same, feeling rough pretty much all day. Day 5 woke up feeling a little out of it. Afternoon started to feel relaxed and mirt withdrawals were definately eased off. Day 6 pretty much the same apart from a mild anxiety attack around lunchtime. Was over quickly but shook me a little. So i would have to say that i'm still going through a rough time with the mirt withdrawal and the start up effects of the prozac, but i would say that there is slight improvement since i started the prozac. Just hoping as each day passes and the prozac gets in my system,i will become more stable, take care guys

Do u think if I taper dwn to 7.5mg my anxiety attacks will ease off a little I also take 40mg ov citalopram but they are fine I've been on them for 7years

Thanx a lot it's good to spk to ppl who are going thro the same.. All the best to u

Hi Craig,

I'm new on this site but thought I'd comment as I'm going through WD from Mirt as well. First of all, kudos to you for doing this. It's not easy at all... Second, coming off this drug is a bitch. it seemed like a gift from God at first but as so many people here, it gave me that hang over effect, couldn't get out of bed in the morning, and couldn't stop thinking about food all day long. I'm trying not to touch the stuff anymore but the lack of sleep is catching up on me I must say; I really do spend hours and hours each night just lying awake. You start to fear bed time after a while. Even went to the pharmacist to get some herbal remedies which shows my utter desperation. I've been on the Mirt for about 11 years; Combined with Sipralex and a few years ago started on Wellbutrin.

Wishing you all the best and let's hope we get through this.

I am just catching up with all the posts regarding Mirtazapine. I had no idea that it was such a difficult drug to come off. I'm relieved I didn't even stay on it for a week. I've always defaulted back to Prozac.

The conditions in my life have not changed so I feel I cannot expect any drug to cure me of long term depression and now mood swings.

I only take Mirt when I am so anxious that I fear a meltdown. I realsie that Prozac will never allow me to have a relationship as it strips you of that human desire to maintain one.. So it is always Hobson's choice for me.

I can't remember how it felt to be happy and positive and buzzing with desire to fill my days with new experiences.

It's just a case of getting through each day which seems such a waste of life.

Does anyone else find themselves at this confusing, emotional crossroads?