Tapering Mirtazapine, PLEASE HELP

Hi Aquarium

Fear not ... the appetite diminishes around the 3.5 mg mark, however doing a 50% taper could really rock hyour nervous system.  Have you been tapering big drops already?  I hear you when you say that mainly the symptoms have been tiredness.

Anyway, I hope Evergreen will pick up and reply to your thread, she worked really hard to lose weight and worked out that you needed a 400 calorie daily deficit to stay the same which is yes .... not workable.  

Mirt' is sometimes prescribed for people suffering with anorexia and also slows down your metabolism at the same time, just so very difficult NOT to gain weight.  I too gained 20lbs +, as have most people on this med'.  

I have noticed a considerable difference in craving food during during my tapert, once at 5mg it stopped, so hang on in there, my best advice is not to rush the taper, all will be well in the end.

Wishing you well.  

Hi there, 

It sounds like you're really struggling at the moment. FIrstly hats off to you for tapering down to 7.5mg. It's not and easy thing to do but glad that your symptoms are seemingly minmial.

It's difficult to say how the body is going to react to changing any of your medication. Some people find that right up until they come off they still have an appetite which feels uncomfortable to them. My GP actually pre-warned me that some people do have a stronger appetite at the lower doses but once off of the meds, it usually goes back to normal. 

To an extent I can understand the distress you are feeling. I also have an eating disorder - or am in recovery from one I guess - so that feeling of despising your body in such a way is one that I am familiar with. It's not an easy thing to deal with. 

I'm wondering how much of your appetite is being influenced as well by your eating disorder. If you live in a cycle of binging and purging, your body starts to try to tell you something and the only way it knows how to tell you is by physically responding in some way. Are you recieving any treatment? 

 

Hi Aquarium. Please try not to panic; the weight WILL come off once you get off the mirt. But as Calmer quite rightly points out, I graphed my weight and exact calorie intake for a whole year and found that I needed 400 calories less than a woman of my age, height, weight and exercise level should need just to stay the same weight. So not only does it increase your appetite, but it lowers your metabolism too. A double whammy! But your body will return to normal once you get off it, I promise. Not immediately but around 2 weeks after you completely come off it, your metabolism starts burning calories at your normal rate. Hang on in there, and don't go too fast. You will get there in the end.

Hi Aquarium

Please dont panic I felt exactly the same, I thought i would never lose the weight, when I was on Mirtz I ate vitually nothing and went to the gym 6 days a week and nothing moved it was so upsetting and depressing which defeats the object really!! However i have now been off of Mirtz for 4 weeks and I am so pleased to say I have lost nearly all of the weight I gained without even dieting!!!  I cant believe how much food I used to crave, I would be looking for the next thing to eat now I am back to how I used to be its unbelieveable how much those tablets can affect your life, take it easy coming off the last part but then you will be back to your old self