Taking 5-HTP during withdrawal

Hi. I was on it, for over 2 years, apart from a short 2 month break when I tried to come off it too quickly and ended up back on it. Know more about it now and that withdrawal is difficult and so this time tapered over about four months from 30 mg and finished just over four weeks ago.

I'm now left with slight early morning anxiety and general low mood with difficul in motivating myself. 5HTP was recommended when I was still on Mirt but not a good idea to combine the two! However I think now I'm free of it I may give it a try. Reviews are very good and I'd rather go down that road rather than more ADs

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Hi

Im also in the process of comeing off MIRT, I tryed 5htp and it did not  help with mood or sleep, but that is just me, it seams to help others who take it,

It's hit and miss with this stuff,  as you know. Are you sleeping ok?

Hi Best of luck as you try to come off, don't know what stage you're at but with me WD was easier to cope with while tapering , far more difficult when you finally quit completely.

Sleep for me isn't a big issue for me, occasionally am wakeful during the night but OK in the main. If only I could lose the early a.m. anxiety and general low mood I'd feel so much better, hence trying 5-HTP.

Worth a try anyway, sorry it didn't work for you, seems to be an individual thing.

Best of luck.

Hi,

There are diffrent typs of 5-HTP, there is one that is sublingual and will not upset your stomach, I relly doint know why it did not work for me as I know I have low serotonin, and that could be I did not take the right dose?  Let me know how it works for you?

Thanks, that's interesting. Worth a try I think.

Did it help with your sleep problems? It's supposed to be good for that. Maybe you need another dose before sleeping? I know it's a problem you've been having. 50 mg is quite a low dose I believe. Maybe you've sorted sleep out now though.

Think I'll give it a try.

I slept pretty good the last days, but yesterday had a bad night again. Had to take a benzo around 2:00 am, so I might up my dose as you said. I do think it helps me though. I hope I will feel better and more stable soon. Hope it helps you.

Hi, I also am trying to jump off MIRT 7.5mg im haveing the sleep issu like you are.The most I have gone with out MIRT 7 days then BAM no sleep next day no sleep then I have to take the MIRT again to get some sleep. The no sleep issue is what makes me have to take it again, one night with out sleep and haveing to go to work and feel like like poop. but I will keep trying, Im thinking of cutting down to 3mg for a short time, have you tryed that? 

Yes switchman, good idea, trying to jump off at 7.5 is way too high, no wonder you can't sleep. I'd do that, 3.75mg for at least 2 weeks, see how you feel then & reassess, be kind to yourself x

Hi,

Thanks for the reply,  Im going to try and stabilize at 7.5 and do a slower taper, Im sure hopeing this new year will be better for me.

Happy New year

Hi Switchman,

I did a very slow taper, but I still seem to have rushed at the end too much, that's why I now have the rebound insomnia. I am trying to ride out the storm, but if I don't improve I will think about reinstating 3,75 mg. That seems to be the last dose I was really stable on and it's easy to cut the pill in four parts. You jumped off from 7.5 mg, and maybe tapering with liquid (if you are in the uk) would be advisable. Taking it on and off is usually not recommended. It confuses your system. 

Hi Whosthatgirl

Your right about system being confused, mine is confused right now, some days the MIRT works and other days it does not, My Doc said I could take it as needed for sleep, but for me that is not the case. Got 0 sleep last night feeling very poopy right now. 

 

Hi, FYI

I jumped off the MIRT again, This time the  Dr gave me some GABApentin to bridge the sleeping issue, It  used for seizures and nerve pain.,  off label sleep disorders. I took some last night as I had not sleep for two days, I sleep so hard I could not open my eyes in the morning, had to use my fingers to pry them open. A little scary at first. He said If sleep issue continious, I will be refered out to a sleep specialist. 

Hi Switchman

Your doctor is playing Russain roulette with your health - telling you to take Mirt on a as and when needed basis, and when that didn't work he/she throws in Gabapentin.  Doctors love to try meds out on us but the picture I see regarding you, is that you are in withdrawal from Mirtazapine, and nothing, no othher drug can cover that.  

When we take Mirt we build an artificial "trellis" that remodel our neurotransmitters within the brain - if it is taken away too quickly withouut a slow taper, the trellis falls down and that is when we hit insomnia, nausea, tummy flu, gastric issues etc etc ...  

I hear you are desperate for some sleep, and I see you say you have "jumped off Mirt twice", maybe the very best thing you can do to help yourself right now is to reinstate at the lowest dose that you were on before and wait for stabilisation again, and then after several weeks, start a very slow taper ... just looking out for you ... so disturbing to go through this nightmare when there is another way.

Wishing you well.

Your doctors advice is shocking! You MUST listen to the advice Calmer gives, she really wants what's best for everyone, she's been a godsend for me!

She's always said that she can only advise us and unfortunately not make us listen, she knows how to make the best of this nasty experience, really!

My advice is to NEVER take an A/D sporriodicly, it's just messes up our system and causes unwanted misery through withdrawals,

Get stable on your dose and then follow Calmers advice on reducing slowly

I'd let your Gp know that he should think about his advice, it hasn't helped you at all.

Take your time and you will fully heal!

Hi,

Update 3nd day jumping off 7.5 MIRT tossed and turned all night but don’t feel too bad, am at work, Brain feels, hard to explain (raw) in a way. Im in a very stressful job, I manage catastrophic network outages for the state I live in. I normally get to work with morning anxiety, but not feeling that lately , Taking magnesium, Omaga-3 and Melatonin and L-TRIP at 2 hours before bed, started taking them two weeks before trying to get off the MIRT., Am able to get some sleep, the supplements are definitely making a difference, Or could be the placebo effect, never the less it seems to be a lot better this go around. Last few times trying to get off I was a complete mess. Will post more later. Oh,  last time I talked to my Doctor and told him I was trying to get off the MIRT and was having  A  ruff time, he said  that the MIRT is none addictive and that my bran has just become accustom to it. And that it just like trying to quit coffee or any other stimulant.  I am one who is very sensitive to any medication, I all the time manage to get all the side effects, been that way all my life.

dang ...

just wanted to say your job sounds extreme, maybe you need to take extra time out.

Think your doc should read up a little more; actually I took in some papers I copied and gave to my doctor and she also copies them, maybe, just maybe the next person knocking on her door won't suffer with any "discontinuation syndrome" - so yes officially we're not allowed to say Mirt is addictive, but pull it away and we fall to pieces ... so we still need it, greatly.

Hope you get some quality sleep, sweet restorative sleep.

be careful gabeoentin is habjt forming