Mirtazipine withdrawals
Posted , 5 users are following.
Hi,
I know this gets asked a thousand times but I just wanted somewhere to vent my experiences so far and I really don't want to bother or concern anyone in my life. I told a few people I was on Mirtazipine and warned them that I was coming off them. But now that I am in the thick of it, I can't tell if I am overthinking things or my own thoughts so I don't want to burden anyone.
I started on 15mg about 8 months ago after I was getting anxiety and low mood, which I've always had. But they were exceptionally bad because of the situation in my personal life - being in a relationship with someone who was always in some sort of stressful situation and would give me hell about stressing them out if I spoke about my own feelings. I was their support for a year and it pushed me over the edge. So I went to a doctor, who started me on the meds. In their wisdom within 2 months the doctor had me on their maximum dose, 45mg - they said the side effects are better on the highest dose (this seems at odds with everything I've since read on forums like these).
It definitely helped with the low mood and the insomnia, but after I was no longer needed as a crutch, the relationship ended. After a few months I processed this, but the medication left me feeling groggy, apathetic and bloated/heavier than I have ever been (I always struggled with weight gain, now I have a moon face).
So I decided to come down off them. The doctor lowered me to 30mg for a month, had no issues at all. So a month later went back and down to 15mg to review again in a month. I've been on 15mg for a few days now. Didn't feel that different at first but now I am not sure what is going on. I haven't had any physical symptoms (yet), but I seem to be irrationally upset about things - at least I think I am being irrational. That's the hard thing. Like, a few friends I saw on social media went out last night, and didn't mention it. Even though the logical part of me is like - a few people went out independently and all hooked up since they were out. And I'm now sitting having stared at the ceiling wondering if anyone would know if I ever just vanished. This isn't me.
So... sorry for the long story, but has anyone experienced similar on similar doses? I'm not normally a dramatic person. I'm due to go to a wedding party tonight and I've turned my phone off and am sitting in my room in the dark - I haven't done anything socially/left the house for about 8 days. I can't face it.
0 likes, 10 replies
tempest1 kh1985
Posted
hi, its withdrawl. your body needs time to adjust to the new dose. it all takes time. Think of your brain like a spirit level!. You know the bit in the middle that moves from side to side until it's level. This medication has been helping your brain calm down and stop moving all over the place. Now the dose is reduced this causes a imbalance in your thinking. Your brain has to learn again to work without the medication. This will pass.. Listen to your rational thoughts that are slowly getting back to normal, Still moving around but getting more level .
kh1985 tempest1
Posted
Thank you for the advice and words 😃 Today I have a horrible knot in my stomach of anxiety like something awful is going to happen. I'm debating whether to maybe do a day on/day off of the 30/15 or go for a dose in between. But it's comforting to know my brain will adjust, so I'm tempted to just rough it out. But then at the same time, I do work and not sure how I will deal with going into a busy work environment tomorrow!
kh1985 tempest1
Posted
Thank you for the advice and words 😃 Today I have a horrible knot in my stomach of anxiety like something awful is going to happen. I'm debating whether to maybe do a day on/day off of the 30/15 or go for a dose in between. But it's comforting to know my brain will adjust, so I'm tempted to just rough it out. But then at the same time, I do work and not sure how I will deal with going into a busy work environment tomorrow!
tempest1 kh1985
Posted
hi, i cut back from 15 mg by splitting pill into quarter s. with pill cutter. so from 15 mg which is whole pill. Then 3/4 of pill for a month, then half a pill for a month. then quarter of pill for a month. then quarter pill every other day.. Then quarer of pill every 3 rd day and so on until quarter pill once a week then stop. It's hard and once you stop it takes a few days fur you to feel level again but it does happen. remember the spirit level! Everyone feels different on withdrawal some good , some bad. I thought not so bad as i did not dwell on feeling anxious and got on with everyday stuff. keep busy.
david46414 kh1985
Posted
It seems likely that you are going down in too large steps. Using a tablet splitter, you could go down by 3.75 mg per step but starting from back where you were last comfortable. That does require collaboration by the doctor, of course, as he/she may need to prescribe for more than he/she intended. And you need to know that the last step to zero needs to be very gradual. I write as one having problems with the last step. But take heart: you will not have these withdrawal symptoms for ever.
kh1985
Posted
Update: so I did a full month of 15mg, after the initial bad spell of feeling paranoid and anxious, it did calm down. I have decided to go down to 7.5mg and see how I get on. I had a question - when you adjust your dose how long is it that you would expect to feel the after effects (i.e. if you were going to get side effects, how long would it typically be, I presume you don't normally feel them straight away).
I've been on 7.5mg for 5 days now, and have to say so far so good. I'm starting to feel myself again, but I don't want to rush it. I had plans the other day and rather than feeling crippling anxiety I was actually (almost...) looking forward to it. The past couple of days I've actually felt moments where I'd say I was in a good mood. Not just numb. So I am hopeful.
a34527 kh1985
Posted
hi was wondering how you are feeling now and what taper schedule did you use. I'm on them at 15mg for a little over 2 months. trying to gather as much information before I attempt tapering. I know liquid is best option but I live in US so might be a hassle. any advice would be appreciated. thank you
kh1985 a34527
Posted
Hi there,
About 3-4 weeks ago, I decided to try coming off them completely. Honestly, I found the experience fine. The general experience seems to be that when you come off completely that's the hardest part for me was going down from 30 to 15.
I still get moments of unexplained anxiety, but it's nothing overwhelming or that I've not been able to deal with. I'm assuming/hoping that having been off it completely for nearly a month I shouldn't be getting any other withdrawals. My sleep problems aren't as bad as they were before I started on it, but I do still have some general trouble with getting up frequently/getting to sleep.
But the upside is I feel myself again. Mostly for the better - my friends have noted a difference in me. I still have my down moments but I would take the real me even if he is a bit of a rollercoaster over feeling numb.
Of course everyone is different so I wouldn't use my experience as a reason to taper off quickly, which I am aware I did. However, I think having only been on them 2 months (I was on them for about 9), you shouldn't have too many problems.
Hope that helps
K
a34527 kh1985
Posted
thank you for reply. I'm glad you are doing well. my main fear is insomnia which I still have to some degree with mirtazapine and nausea. I seem to have terrible nausea when I get side effects. the main reason I was put on mirtazapine was insomnia but they really didnt help me sleep. my sleep has started improving on it's own very slowly. I even feel sleepy and then take mirtazapine and feel wide awake. they may be having opposite effect on me. I'm hoping that is a sign that it wouldn't cause worse insomnia coming off if they aren't even helping with sleep. I was on 7.5mg which only helped me sleep 3 days then stopped working. then I upped to 15mg and that never worked. I then read they are more sedating at lower doses which I should have gone down not up. thank you for sharing your experience.
kh1985 a34527
Posted
It seems most doctors have a different view on it, I'm not sure they truly understand how it works. Insomnia was the main reason I was put on it but it definitely helped me sleep, but it didn't at 15mg, I felt groggy and still wasn't sleeping well. The doctor very quickly put me up to 45! At that point I did sleep so much better. But it was sort of pointless because even though I could happily sleep for 8+ hours, but would wake up feeling more groggy than had I not slept.
Being off it, I try to change my mindset with that in mind and I think it's helped me with my insomnia a bit. Doesn't always work but telling myself it's fine if I only get 3-4 hours sleep, I'll still be less tired than sleeping twice that and feeling even more groggy from the Mirt. Psychological but it makes me feel more relaxed about not getting a full nights sleep.
But yes if you were put on for insomnia and it is having the opposite effect I would definitely come off it... you haven't been on it too long so I think you shouldn't have to spend too long tapering!