Quitting mirtazipine cold turkey.
Posted , 10 users are following.
I'm a 21 year old women who has been on 45mg of mirtazipine for the last year. I ballooned from 7st to 11st 7lbs and had an unbelievable appetite. I have never been overweight in my life, I was never NOT hungry. It's made me so miserable. I feel repulsed by my lack of self control and appearance. I have tapered down to 30mg / 15mg depending on how hard it is for me to sleep.
I use them mainly because I cannot sleep without them, but I refuse to take them again.. I'm terrified of withdrawal because I get very aggressive and suicidal.. However I am on tramadol which I honestly believe will make it easier for me.. Has anyone else had success quitting cold turkey ? Tapering does not work for me.. I always end up having a breakdown and taking more than I should
I have no more mirtazipine in the house and this will be my first night not taking them.. I guess I'm looking for words of support ? Anyone who has managed this successfully ? I feel ashamed of myself, I'm 21 and have no life - mirtazipine has not only lead me to gain weight but I am so groggy and lightheaded from them, I stumble around and constantly feel like I may pass out on them, which has led me to isolate myself in my house.. I leave maybe once every two weeks.. This drug has ruined my life Please tell me that there is light at the end of this awful tunnel ??
2 likes, 8 replies
sllymyr
Posted
sandy93756 sllymyr
Posted
First of all I would reccommend that you do not quit cold turkey. I quit cold turkey on 15mg and it was an extremely unpleasant withdrawal. I was in a really similar situation to you but the mirt did definitely help my sleep long term. I definitely don't miss the light headed feeling.
However I feel infintiely better without it and lost a lot of the weight while I was withdrawing. So if you are planning on withdrawing just know that it is a long rocky road. You will 100% pull through but it is not fun, I felt depressed and somewhat suicidal while withdrawing.
Everyone is different and you might not experience any sort of withdrawal. If you need to talk to someone just send me a message
oldboy sllymyr
Posted
How will you sleep if you quit?
It seems you take mirt for sleep, but the dosages you have been taking are probably too high for that. I suggest you try tapering down to say 7.5mg.
That may reduce the hunger but still help with sleep.
I take about 11mg of mirt to help me sleep. When I started it it restored my appetite but not to more than it was before I got ill with GAD.
Lynz11 sllymyr
Posted
I have been off mirtazapine for 8 weeks now and can assure you it gets better. I attempted to taper slowly but experienced withdrawal symptoms every time I lowered the dose so decided to quit mirtazapine cold turkey but used benzodiazipines to help me sleep. I know this method seems unusual as your substituting for something even more addictive but this method has really helped me. For the first few days I didn't leave my bed as the withdrawal symptoms were so severe. For the next 4 weeks I suffered with withdrawal symptoms but every week they would gradually ease of (I got severe tremors, migraines and suicidal thoughts) but found keeping myself busy with work, days out and going for walks really helped keep my mind off the symptoms.
As I said above I am now over 8 weeks clean of mirtazapine and most of the withdrawal symptoms have cleared although I still have the occasional tremor but most of all the grey foggy feeling will lift and you will feel better again. Like everything it just takes a bit of time. I hope this reply will be of some help to you.
norma72045 sllymyr
Posted
Calmer sllymyr
Posted
Reading between your lines, it looks like your taper was 30 to 15 mg and thats way too fast. There is a 10% method that will be much kinder to your system and you won't feel like you're having the breakdown you speak of.
If I suggewst a web site on here the moderator will remove my post so i'll in box you the link.
Norma is right, she's a wise lady and her advice is sound ... Tramadol is a form of Opium - highly addictive, a pain killer used after surgery, not usually for minor pain and it caries a nasty withdrawal too, so be careful to wean off that also.
You might be wise to read the "cold turkey" stories that have been posted over the last year or so on this forum and make an informed choice.
If you want to know how to break down the tablets to the 10% ratio give me a shout, happy to help a fellow sufferer.
Wshing you well - s-l-o-w-l-y does it or you will be so poorly.
C x
Kc2325 sllymyr
Posted
mud93433 sllymyr
Posted
I've been on mirtazapine on and off since 2003 and even though I gained weight, it was a godsend for my anxiety—at first. I accidentally missed my dose last night and I swear, today, I haven't felt this clear-headed and full of energy in ages. So I'm debating going cold turkey. Tapering takes a long time, and you're slightly miserable for months. I have 6 weeks off from work so I think I just might do it and be done with it.
Quitting mirtazapine cold turkey isn't dangerous like quitting alcohol or benzos, and it won't cause a discontinuation syndrome anywhere near that of SSRIs (I tapered down from Paxil years ago and it was awful) but I would recommened talking to a psych about this, and make sure you have enough benzos around to take the edge off if it get's uncomfortable. But whatever you do, don't start taking benzos every day for more than a week or two. I withdrew from them after taking Ativan for a year and it was hell on earth. Not to mention, benzo withdrawl, like alcohol, can kill you.
Hope you're feeling better!