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Quitting Mirtazapine 7.5mg cold turkey

Posted , 17 users are following.

OnALateNight
OnALateNight

I've been taking mirtazapine as a sleep aid for 4.5 years. I took 15mg for the first 3 years and 7.5mg for the remainder. I decided 4 days ago to quit cold turkey, as I'm hoping to have less brain fog if I'm not taking any meds. I thought I would post my progress here:

Day 1: slept 4 hours. No side effects

Day 2: slept 5 hours. No side effects

Day 3: slept 5 hours. No side effects.

Day 4: no side effects

0 likes, 54 replies

54 Replies

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  • chris06405
    chris06405 OnALateNight

    Posted

    hi ive cut 30mg and take a third of it on a night didntsleep very well first few nights but in general i feel a lot better on lower amount im not agetated for first couple of hours on a mornining any more, memory improved leg weakness has gone and feeling of collapsing, had a couple of days in bad mood for no reason  but this has warn off think this is withdrawal symptoms as not normal for me
    • kirsty12709
      kirsty12709 chris06405

      Posted

      Those are the exact symptoms I've been getting, I am so bloody snappy for the first couple of hours in the day, didn't know other people had that too. And the leg weakness too, sometimes feel heavy legged.

      Glad it's going well for you so far!

    • kirsty12709
      kirsty12709 chris06405

      Posted

      Thank you for putting your symptoms on here. I thought I was going mad with these grumpy, snappy mornings, but I think it is definitely a result of the meds. It's strangely comforting to know someone else has been going through it too!

  • pamela51740
    pamela51740 OnALateNight

    Posted

    Hi I know this post was a few months ago but just seeing how you are doing? Like you I am only on 7.mtg for a while the highest i have been is 15mg I've been on mirtizipine for a year and I'm going cold turkey from tonight. Just seeing if you are ok

    • OnALateNight
      OnALateNight pamela51740

      Posted

      So it's been 3-4 months now. I actually feel better than I did when I was taking it. Every once in a while I have trouble falling asleep and I'm super tired the next day but for the most part I can fall asleep in about 3-10 mins. I can actually take naps now too which is great if I'm going out late after work on a Friday or something (never used to be able to do this).

      As for what you're experiencing now...the side effects got the worst for me after about a week and lasted maybe 2 weeks and then slowly got better. At about the 2 month mark I felt totally fine. I hope everything goes well for you quitting. If you have any additional questions don't hesitate to ask!

    • anxiousandbrave
      anxiousandbrave OnALateNight

      Posted

      I started Mirtazapine in January 2018 at 15mg. I quickly reduced to 7.5mg due to sleep paralysis. I have also put on 30lbs since January and am desperate to get off. I keep coming back to this page in my searches for how to taper off Mirtazapine. I am at about 2-3mg now (I break the pill up) and tonight I am considering just skipping to see what happens, and perhaps do every other day or just stop all together since it is such a low dose. 

      What was the collective list of side effects you experienced and how long did they last?

      I was previously on Klonopin and the withdrawal was brutal. I tapered too quickly and the side effects hit me about 2-3 months after stopping. That's part of the reason I was given Mirtazapine because the withdrawal effects of Klonopin were jolting me awake at night into a full fledged panic attack that would last hours. The weight gain is debilitating and I am trying to get off it as soon as possible without ill consequences. Thanks in advance. 

    • kaz_52274
      kaz_52274 anxiousandbrave

      Posted

      Hi im coming off mitrazapine too ive put on over 2 stones so tapering off but really scared of whats too come hopefully it will be ok. X
  • pamela51740
    pamela51740 OnALateNight

    Posted

    Thanks so much for getting back to me & I'm glad you are feeling a lot better after stopping mirtazapine xx 😊

  • brandi011278
    brandi011278 OnALateNight

    Posted

    I'm currently on 7.5mg for sleep. IT's not working anymore. Did you take anything else when you first stopped to help you sleep. Thanks

  • BFFblues
    BFFblues OnALateNight

    Edited

    great job on your commitment to move away from MIRT

    i have been on a very low dose ( 7.5 mg ) for about 90 days for a bout of situational depression, lack of appetite and poor sleep. i started the MIRT after i lost my best friend of 30 yrs to Metastatic breast cancer and found myself incredibly sad. MIRT was a great patch to help me get past the major holidays and focus on skills for moving forward with life. i am ready to stop taking it as well and your post really helped me consider pressing through! Per my Dr. i am doing 1/2 doses (3.75 mg) for a period while i focus on putting myself first including mindfulness meditation, journaling and good nutrition. i am told that having a solid plan and consistent support for yourself is key to a successful transition off medication. good on you for using this form to help others take the next steps!

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