Really bad withdrawals

Hi Sarah I get lightheaded , really bad headfog , nausea , shakes , flu like symptoms, exhaustion

Hi

I am planning to start reducing from 45 soon. Doing a 10% reduction evety 4 weeks.

How long do you feel withdrawals with each drop ? How fast have you tapered ?

Hi Murv

It is a difficult AD to discontinue, rest assured most folk seem to get those symptoms if the taper is too fast.  So lets see if I can help at all.  I see youu started your taper at 30mg, so how long have you been tapering and did you hold at various doses along the way and for how long?

I tapered very slowly as I had heard of such awful stories trying to get off Mirt, I finally quit in January this year.

The golden rule that works for most, is to taper no more than 10% every 4 weeks, or in my case 5% every 2 weeks.  I did this with liquid Mirtazapine which is available here in the UK; however doctors may not prescribe it because it is expensive BUT, as you have had such an awful time you might be able to persuade your doc if you are in the UK?  

If not the next best Mirtazapine is the Sol Tabs which may be dissolved in liquid ~ there are instructions of how to do this ... I would start to research by reading the info available, click on my name and copy & paste the links under my status.

Hope this helps a little  

Wishing you well.

Hi thank you so much for you're reply I have tapered simalar to you but by 10% every 2 weeks.

Yes I'm from the uk and I honestly didn't know you could get it in liquid form in the U.K , I will definitely be asking my gp about this , only thought you could get it in the U.S.

My gp says that she wants me to go on to venlafaxine 37.5 to start with when I have tapered to 7.5 on the mirt , but I'm a bit worried about that as I've read that it is just as bad as mirtazapine, so don't know what to do

Im on ven and it has really helped me unlike the mirt although it is hard to come off. The combo of ven and mirt is very popular.

How long with each 2 week drop did you get discontinuation symptoms ?

Unfortunately they never stop it just gets worse , doctor says if I go on ven the withdrawals won't be as bad

Murv, hi again. It's up to you but I think you might feel better sticking to 29% every 4 weeks instead of the 2 weeks / obviously it will take longer, it's all about what you want to cope with.

Ven wont lessen the WD effects of Mirt, no other AD can ease the symptoms, only Mirt itself, many folk have been told that by doctors, they just don't receive the training, even p.docs will say the same, trying one after another, or adding another into the mix, watch that, don't end up polydrugged with interactions between them like done do. Sorry, just look after yourself & do your research x

Dang ... that was a terrible mistake I apologise - I meant to say "better sticking to 10% every 4 weeks" (and not 29%) !!

Hi

I agree with Calmer it would be better to slow down. I am wandering why you are coming off mirt....was it not working for you ? I ask because although i agree with Calmer another med wilk not prevent or reduce withdrawals i do think if your mental health is more stable the withdrawals are easier to handle. I attempted to drop to 37.5 from 45 a few months ago before the ven had started to work and it was hell. I am alot more stable now mentally and am hoping that will make the withdrawals easier. If the mirt has nit worked for you and your mental health is generally unstable and then withdrawals are added on top i think that will make it harder. I know alit of people who have come off mirt with few problems particularly if they are stable when they stop. I have yet to test this theory for myself. Ven and mirt can be taken together without risk.

For the record i am not a supporter of just takung loads of meds but finding one that works is so important. So i am asking how stable was your mental health before the reduction ?

I am terrified about reducing but hope i am at least partially right as i have a toddler and need to be able to function.

It is very odd how different we all are. My friend stopped mirt with no problems but had a terrible time coming off citalopram. I had very few problems coming off citalopram but may well struggle with mirt. All so hit and miss.

It will take 2 years for me to come off 45 of mirt at the suggested rate. My psych says it should take 3 months. They really need more training.

I do think the reason for coming off is relevant.

Hi Sarah , mirt is ok for me if I'm not at work and I don't have to be up early in the morning , I'm a truck driver so early starts and long days is the norm , I find that if I wake up early in the morn I'm so tired and lightheaded all day which is not good when driving.

I think my mental state is ok I'm up and down really I get really down because of the tiredness and the other side effects I get because I really struggle with day to day tasks , it's marking my life a living hell , just want to sleep and lie there all day because I just don't have the energy for anything , I wish I could take time off work to get through this but I don't have that option as I'm due to get married in October and still have things to pay for.

Hi Murv.Calmer and Sarah both are right about combo going on/off drugs.I was started on 15mg Mirt at night about 6 months ago upped to 30mg Mirt(15am,15pm) 4+ months ago.Also put on 200 mg Gabapetin upping to 600mg(200 am,200 afternoon,200 pm) about the same time for IBS /nerve pain,anxiety/depression.Unfortunately I was also being weaned off Paxil(20mg twice a day for 20 years).Throw in Tramadol 50mg twice a day for back pain caused by the IBS and it has been a real "fun" time the last few months but I  seem to be finally stabalising by the Grace of God.It's hard to say how you'll react to the"up and down" combo of drugs.All you can do is see if it might work since the other attempts didn't.I'll be praying for you.Good luck and God Bless You,Bob

Hi Sarah,

?I was put on 60 mg's of Mirtazapine supposedly for sleep. Add 120 mg's of Baclofen and 900 mg's of Gabapentin and I was and still am on a bit of a drug cocktail. Initially put on these meds for back pain that was and still is radiating to my upper torso, shoulder, arm and leg..., all on my right side of my body. 

?That was about nine months ago I was prescribed these medications and my pain has gotten much worse. I've been tapering off of all three medicatons over the last three months at a pace that seems comfortable to myself. No precise formula for the taper.

I have some major pain that wasn't there before going on to these medications. Not certain if the medications made it worse or the withdrawal is causing some additional problems. Likely a combination of the two. 

I really believe the Mirtazapine is the culprit as I feel very rigid a few hours before dosing at night. Is this a possible side effect of only dosing at night? 

?Current dosing: Mirtazapine - From 60 mg's to 15 mg's - Baclofen - From 120 mg's to 52.5 mg's (cutting tablets into quarters)  - Gabapentin - From 900 mg's to 300 mg's

Any advice on how quickly to drop the last 15's of Mirtazapine would be greatly appreciated.

?Sidenote; More training is needed before handing out these medications without informing the patient of potential risks. I was told by my Internal Medicine specialist that Mirtazapine, Baclofen and Gabapentin were non-addictive. I certainly don't crave them but informing me that these medications have many side effects and would take many months to come off of would have been beneficial. I guess like with most things in life, it's 'buyer beware'. It shouldn't be that way with Physicians but unfortunately it is.

Thanks pal

Hi Campaigner

I can offer advice to taper from the 15 mg, but firstly how has it been titrating from 60mg Mirt (massive dose, limit is 45 allegedly ugh ...) so far ?? Because everyone is different & a few can get away without too much suffering??

The 10% per month is best to avoid such symptoms, and yes this means using a liquid which can be made up ... but I'll wait for your reply x