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Still experiencing difficulties at 0.05mg of mirtazapine

Posted , 7 users are following.

andy46832
andy46832

Hi,

It has taken 17 long months but I am finally down to 0.05mg on mirtazapine.

I have to keep going lower as each time I try to come off it becomes unbearable.

I am still, even at this dose, experiencing really bad withdrawls. I am scared I will never be rid of it.

Has anyone else had to go so low before and how did they feel?

Has anyone gone lower?

Thanks

0 likes, 22 replies

22 Replies

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  • Calmer
    Calmer andy46832

    Posted

    Yes, that last drop is valuable in as much as it feeds any addiction. i think we're all agreed Mirt can be

    addictive, for some.

    I went that low Andy, Like you it took 17 months. My original condition (insomnia) returned after 3 months off Mirt ~ I've heard this can happen (protracted withdrawal).

    If you want my opinion, stay at that dose, weeks/months until you feel well, I felt great at under 1 mg - it makes one wonder whether to stay on the drug !!!

    How long did you hold at each dose&. And did you suffer WD all the 17 months? I ask because it will help anyone else who might be reading this,

    Best wishes, I hope things turn around for you soon smile.

    • andy46832
      andy46832 Calmer

      Posted

      Hi Calmer,

      Thanks for all your kind words and suggestions.

      On the whole yes I have always had the withdrawls ever since I started to come off. Some days are better than others though.

      I have followed a taper of a 30% drop every 4 weeks. Sometimes longer depending on how I feel.

      In terms of your insomnia, I take inulin and magnesium. Inulin is a natural prebiotic. It has helped me a lot.

      Just a suggestion.

  • 3sillykidsnadog
    3sillykidsnadog andy46832

    Posted

    I've been on Mirtazapine for 5 years but this past Feb it just stopped working. I was only on 15mg (tried 22.5 and 30mg but could not function).  Over the past 5 months I've gone down from 15mg to 7.5 in a matter of weeks. I'm not sure if I experienced withdrawls or if it was side effects of the new meds I was starting but I felt awful!!  I tried Buspar and Clonazapam and didn't like either. I tried Buspar for a month and clonazapam for 3 days. I did not tapper off those ones. I continued with 7.5mg of Mirtazapine & I felt better within a week of stopping the other meds. I dropped down to 3.75mg of mirt and have been on that since about May. I have not experienced any kind of withdrawls. I don't have depression, I was given Mirt for anxiety and panic attacks. I do still have anxiety but it's when I have to drive so I have .25mg of Xanax that I can take if I need it. Could this be an option for you?  I do not take Xanax on a daily basis, I don't take it if someone else is driving. I found it so helpful for me. I do agree with going off Mirt slowly. I don't think many gp's will acknowledge withdrawls or even side effects for that matter! I found out than and "infrequent side effect" of Mirt is anxiety and nervousness! Kind of dumb when that's what I was taking it for in the 1st place!  We all know our bodies and what doesn't feel right. I don't doubt your awful feelings but wonder if it might be something else. Have you had blood tests run to make sure what you're feeling isn't maybe something health related? Headaches could be dehydration, fatigue could be anemia that kind of thing.  If all bloodwork is good then maybe you could ask for a small dose of Xanax to help you. I advise not taking it on a daily basis though.

    • andy46832
      andy46832 3sillykidsnadog

      Posted

      Hi,

      I understand what you are saying. In fact I had a blood test on Monday. Although it is in relation to a leg injury.

      But I have been feeling pretty much the same way ever since I started to taper off the mirtazapine. Cannot believe it could be anything else. Although will be interested in what blood tests reveal.

  • ann55375
    ann55375 andy46832

    Posted

    I am trying to taper down from 7.5 at the moment by 10% cuts as per advice.  Its only been three days and i am feeling terrible.  Mainly waking/sleeping with nightmares all night, then feeling fatigued and sickly when waking.  If this is 10% then i dread to think what it could be like on 3.75.   I am very sensitive to meds, have tried many, i have never really stabilised on them,  the mirtazapine was the best of the bunch but couldnt get it higher due to side effects.  Now im between feeling bad on them and worse trying to come off.  Dr has not suggested anything else at moment.  Still using diazepam. Saw psych who suggested again trying to go up but tried it and felt awful. Gp,suggested withdraw at half, quarter then none, couldnt imagine how bad that would be.
    • andy46832
      andy46832 ann55375

      Posted

      Hi Ann,

      I know that when you taper down to a new dose it takes 4 days for your brain to fully register that is what you have done. It then takes a week for the neurotransmitters in your brain to readjust to the new dose. Then they say leave about a week or so for everything to calm down. So my advise is stick with it, it should get better.

      If you are really sensitive to meds you could also maybe try a 5% drop each time rather than a 10%. Perhaps taking you longer but maybe less pain.

      Unfortunately only you will know what is best for you, ie what your nervous system can handle.

      Hope that is of help.

  • rob03933
    rob03933 andy46832

    Posted

    I had terrible withdrawal effects every time I tried to taper down so I finally had to do a really quick taper from 22.5 to 0 in a week after being on it over a year. I'm now 3 weeks off and it has been a very up and down experience to say the least.

    I'm not here to tell anyone how to get off mirtazapine because everyone is so different but sometimes a long weaning process where you have difficulty every time you drop your dosage may just be prolonging the withdrawal period and making things worse. Tapering is the best way to go if it works for you but it just doesn't seem to workout for some of us and can make things worse.

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