Quitting Mirtazapine 7.5mg cold turkey

How are you feeling about the sleep? Any idea how long the Mirt takes to leave the system??

I actually feel pretty good about the quality of sleep I'm getting. I've been out of town for a bit and my sleeping arrangement is less than ideal which is why I think the duration of sleep has been short. I have noticed that I don't feel as tired overall though so I wonder how good I'll feel if I start getting 8-9 hours of sleep. I believe it takes somewhere between 1 and 2 weeks for Mirtazapine to be completely out of your system due to its somewhat long half life.

I'm pleased this is going well for you, and is a massive encouragement to me! As much as Mirt helped me through dark times, I feel it stops me being really me, stupid cliche but I hope that makes sense to you?

Finding your updates, useful and very insightful. Thank you again!

Yes I've been able to stay off Mirt. It's only been about 2.5 weeks but I think I'm past the worst of the side effects (which were minimal for me). I don't plan on ever taking an AD again.

As I wrote above, I started at 15mg for sleep but found that 7.5mg worked just as well so I switched to that. I didn't notice any side effects when I made that switch so it could be worth it for you to try that. As far as the depression goes, I've taken a few other ADs in the past and experienced increased depression for 4-8 weeks after quitting, but after my brain recovered I felt better than I ever did when on the pills.

Susan,

I'm probably not the best person to ask that since I was very thin when I quit 3.5 weeks ago. I have not lost any weight nor have I noticed any positive impact on my metabolism. I will add though that when I first started taking mirt I gained about 20 pounds, mostly I believe from overeating at night. However, I lost all the weight once I was disciplined enough to not eat anything after taking my nightly mirt.

So just an update on my progress...I'm about 3.5 weeks removed from quitting mirt 7.5mg cold turkey. The only side effects I'm noticing are night sweats and a racing mind at night which continues to limit my sleep to around 4-5 hours a night. Overall, the side effects have been very tolerable. I'm confident my sleep will improve quite a bit over the next few months!

So good to hear! I'm trying to taper off Mirt now as well. I went down from 30 to 15, now going to 10. I have to say Mirt was a lifesaver for me, but I feel I need to get back to me, plus not being able to drink on it has really got me down, used to love sharing a bottle of wine with my boyfriend when he visited. Another reason is that I find it makes me incredibly snappy, did you feel this at all?

Kirsty

Kirsty,

I hope the tapering is going well! If you don't mind me asking, how long have you been on mirt?

Mirt actually changed my life as well. Before I started taking it I couldn't get more than 4-5 ours of sleep a night and I'd be falling asleep at work. After taking it I could get through the day without feeling tired, for the most part, and my productivity at work went way up.

The most I ever took daily was 15mg, so it could be hard to compare my experience to yours, but, I don't think mirt ever made me snappy. In fact, I think it made me more apathetic, which is one reason I wanted to stop taking it. I'm hoping to feel my emotions more, although I haven't noticed a difference yet.

Your experience is a duplicate of mine. I went on it in April so only a few months. I had a horrible time sleeping before. With it I can sleep a good 8-9 hours practically uninterrupted. Only take one 15 mg before bedtime. Unfortunately the weight gain is awful and I still feel tired during the day. Last night I took half (7.5) woke up a lot and took a little bit to get back to sleep but I wonder if this was just psychological. Am really hoping the weight will fall off as quickly as I put it on. I don't feel that it made me snappy anymore than normal anyway.

Susan

I've been on it six months. Originally started for panic attacks and anxiety. Tried Ssri's but was so poorly on them and lost so much weight, I'm like you and didn't really have that amount of weight I could spare losing! I've found Mirt helped me put a bit on, and same as you being disciplined with not over eating means it hasn't affected my weight greatly.

I have health anxiety and it's helped with that.

It is a concern that I just feel a bit better and that's why I'm stopping but I've been thinking about it for a while, it does make me snappy and sometimes like I don't have a filter for what I'm saying, I could do with some apathy haha!

My plan is to go down to ten for seven days, then 7.5 for another 7, then 5, then every other night until hopefully I can stop!! I'm a single mum and have two little girls, so I can't risk having side effects that bother me too much. Another reason why your post gives me hope - thank you!

Good luck! Maybe it's just me

With the short temper problem? Two little kids running me ragged may be the reason and not the Mirt! Haha! I just don't want to rely on meds, does that make sense? Not that o see any wrong in it, it's just not what I want Kirsty x

Can i just ask what happened when u drank alcohol. Ive stopped drinking a wee wine or 2 because i feel hellish the next day like seriously depressed n anxious xx

Kirsty im tapering off this too but i defo noticed if i drunk alcohol on this drug i was in an awful state the next day terribly depressed and panic attacks. Ive been on other antidepressant n could enjoy a wine or 2 and be absolutely fine the next day x

I felt if I had a drink whilst on Mirt it would hit me like a train! I asked the doctor and he said that the med lessens the body's tolerance to alcohol, thus making the next day ten times worse! 

Hope this is helpful 

Kirsty 😊

It defo hut me like a train i was in an awful state had too get out house just drove around tears blinding me. Defo off the drink until i get off the mitrazapine . Ive been on several different medicines and been able to enjoy a wee wine or 2 but defo not on this xx