So far so good.
Posted , 7 users are following.
Some of you may have read my posts and my ongoing withdrawal from Mirtazapine. I'm now down to 7.5mg. Initially I had a little trouble getting off to sleep on this dose, but now its ok. I intend stopping next week. My next target is to come off the Venlafaxine. I haven't had any difficult withdrawal symptoms. I have experienced itching around my neck, but I'm also perimenopausal and itching is also a symptom of that. Unfortunately I haven't lost any weight 
but that may be the Venlafaxine effect. I'm just writing this to give hope to those contemplating withdrawal from Mirtazapine. Obviously I'm not off it altogether.....yet!!
1 like, 7 replies
mvwaugh catherine55994
Posted
catherine55994 mvwaugh
Posted
To be honest my memory of time spans is not good I only can be sure that in 2002 I was started on the combination of the two starting at Mirtazapine 30mg and Venlafaxine 150mg. 4 years ago when I hit a crisis the Mirtazapine was increased to 45mg. Last year my Venlafaxine was increased to 225mg. Throughout all this my anxiety persisted and in fact got worse. I had little help from my GP. They just want to up meds, only later did I discover that the higher Mirtazapine was making the anxiety worse. I'm now receiving counselling is, this helping. I feel confident that I can come off my meds but I'm not rushing it. My withdrawal plan will take me to next August for the Venlafaxine. That's if I'm successful. I'm not pressuring myself. If I can get off the Mirtazapine and still sleep it will be a milestone. The Venlafaxine may be harder but if I don't try I won't know. My overall target is to loose weight and be drug free, in that order!
Calmer catherine55994
Posted
Hi Catherine
7.5 mg is quite a lot to jump off from, some would say cold turkey. You could go to 3.75? Save yourself getting stuck in wd symptoms. Did you say you havn't had any problems tapering so far, apart from "a little trouble geting to sleep" ?? Thats good ot hear - long may it continue, pleased for you.
Wising you well.
cheryl06744 catherine55994
Posted
good job!. I am also tapering mirtazapine and am down to 1.5mg now. Originally went on 3months ago at 3.75mg starting dose. I intend to taper as low as I can go as I originally went on it for sleep about 3 months ago and dont want to get myself in the same pickle by jumping off too early.
Also on effexor. Been on it for 6 years + which includes a year long failed taper this past summer which resulted in reinstatement. Had horrendous parasthesia symptoms which only now I am starting to stabilize after 5 months. So please be careful and go very slow. My year long taper apparently wasn't long enough and my neurologist informed me that it is quite difficult to get a woman in their 40's off effexor.
blyther catherine55994
Posted
How are you feeling now? I just came off 4 days ago, and am looking for some encouragement.
catherine55994 blyther
Posted
Hi thanks for asking. I've been off them completely since last Thursday. My final nightly dose was 3.75mg so no big withdrawal. I am experiencing some sleep difficulties but I've got a heavy cold so that's not helping. On the whole I feel good. No anxieties, no feeling on edge all the time. It's early days yet I'm ready for setbacks. I'm now reducing my Venlafaxine, very slowly. How do you feel? Did you reduce slowly or did you go cold turkey as they say?
blyther catherine55994
Posted
Oh good! Sorry about the sleep difficulties. I've heard that a cold can be withdrawal too.
I'm glad you are feeling well!! I am doing alright. The first 3 days were pretty torturous-anxiety attacks, nausea, cramps, and awful insomnia! I couldn't eat or sleep for 3 days. 
I was on 7.5 for two months. My doc said to quit cold turkey, but I decided to do 3.75 for a few days and then nothing. 
I felt the 3.75 a little bit, but not much, so I dropped. The first day was the worst! Just hoping I'm over it and more isn't coming. 