Weaning off Mirtazapine

[LittleMissAlone]

Is anyone trying to wean off Mirtazapine right now? I could do with a weaning buddy. Thanks.

[LittleMissAlone]

It's now been about a week and a half and I thought I'd do a quick report for future people trying to come off mirt.

I realised yesterday that if I didn't know I was reducing (now down to about 10mg per night) I wouldn't really have noticed. I can still sleep just as well as before, but I did think at first I was more restless when trying to get to sleep. I have the same amount of energy during the day.

My problem has always centred around nausea. The last couple of days I'd had unpleasant acid indigestion but again, not necessarily much worse than I would have been on 15mg. I realised I'd been eating heavy foods so am making an attempt to eat more whole foods.

I still feel on edge doing very simple things like doing my daily shop, again no noticeable change.

So I think within the next month I'll be off it completely. It's a matter of time if I'm doing the right thing. I started taking it mid February, and twice during that time I've tried to increase to 22.5 but not able to because of stomach troubles.

[Mermaid16]

Hi Little Miss Alone! Thank you for the updates. I am currently taking Mirt. So it's handy to know if I ever want to taper. Can I ask what dose you reduced down from and also do you take the solutabs. Do you just quarter the tablets or do you use another method of measure? Thank you. Tracy

[LittleMissAlone]

Hi Tracy

I've only been on 15mg tablets. I haven't found them particularly helpful, possibly even a hindrance so I thought I'd come off it. I'd been chipping bits off so by no means exact, which might be hampering me. In the next few days I'll go down to 7.5mg which is of course easier to administer.

But, after I wrote the above I struggled to get to my supermarket this morning. Im one minute away, got there, but felt too tense to buy anything, no real symptoms just overwhelmed. I've got the option of going back, it's not as if it was my only opportunity. So I'm wondering if that's because of the reduction, but in all honestly, that would have happened anyway, certainly not the first time I've got there and struggled.

But so far no drastic withdrawing symptoms, so you should take heart about that.

[Mermaid16]

Hi! Thank you for your reply. I haven't found them helpful for anxiety at all (I did for the first couple of days until the initial grogginess wore off). I have only been on them for a month or so, but find them helpful for sleep, but don't really want to stay on them long term if I don't have to. Good to hear that you haven't really had any withdrawals so far.

[LittleMissAlone]

I was initially put on sertraline but they disagreed so was put on Mirtazapine. Very unusually I don't have problems with sleep so I'm hoping I'll go back to that once I've come off mirt. I've not noticed increased appetite either. But as like you I haven't noticed it's particularly helped with anxiety. I still do a lot of avoidance which I can do but of course I'm not living a full life. I've noticed only in the last few weeks I'm better with being away from my safe places of my car and flat, but again socially it's difficult. Very frustrating! I couldn't say if you'll improve if you've only been a month, we're all different. But best of luck.

[Mermaid16]

I'm tapering off Sertraline. After 10 or so years it has pooped out on me...it's kind of weird really. It is almost like a safety blanket for me...don't think I have missed one day not taking it in all that time. My psych is very much into deep breathing and said that he has had patients with double the anxiety that I have had and they have successful come off medication with deep breathing. He said to practice it for an hour every day and by doing that you are maintaining a healthy mind. I'm definately not at that point yet. He did give me some techniques (kind of like mindfulness I guess). He said for instance, if I am in a shop and I start having a panic attack, to hold my hands together and push very hard with the thumb of one hand into the palm of my other hand (he said no one would notice what I'm doing). But by concentrating on the feeling in my hands, it will bring my mind back from thinking about what may happen. I haven't tried it yet, but will next time. I find it very interesting the relaxation techniques. I have always relied on medication, but I'm starting to wonder if you can really retrain your mind. It is good that your avoidance is improving, it really can limit you if you let it. Good luck to you on your journey also xx

[LittleMissAlone]

Thanks Tracy

I managed to go back to the supermarket an hour or so after quitting earlier, it's still annoying though isn't it.

Funnily enough I've been in a meditation routine the last few days. The trick is to set an alarm so you're not checking the clock the whole time. I do 20 mins morning and again evening. Again, no idea how effective it is, or indeed what I'm actually doing. I just keep trying to keep it back to my breathing, but I'm quite relaxed with it.

I saw a YouTube thing that said a good technique is to toss a ball from hand to hand when you're feeling tense. Apparently the part of your brain that does the panic also does the coordination. I tried it once when I was feeling a bit nauseous while out (no one about!) and I think it did help a tiny bit. But I like the idea of pressing your hands together, quite discreet too, I can see that working too.

Keep in touch if you want!

[Mermaid16]

Hi Little Miss Alone! I seem to do the meditation thing for a week or so and then I just forget about it...which is not good. I really have to be dedicated to doing it, because I think that it definately has it's benefits. Someone gave me a stress ball, so I should try your technique, it would be especially helpful for when I get anxious if I take the kids to the park alone (and at least I wouldn't look out of place). I have attached one of the breathing techniques the psych gave me if your interested. I quite like doing the guided meditations, because they keep my mind from wandering. Would love to keep in touch. Congrats on making it to the shop and not letting it stop you. Have a nice night. Tracy

[LittleMissAlone]

Hi Tracy

It's been really hot and muggy here, so I feel even more lazy and lacking in motivation than usual! I tried to go out yesterday but had to return, the heat brought on a bit of a panic, fuelled of course by thinking it was related to withdrawing. But because the mirt hasn't been successful I only feel slightly worse than I do normally when out. Convinced I'm doing the right thing. Thanks for the attachment, will give it a go. How's your day going?

[LittleMissAlone]

It's now about 2.5 weeks of weaning, and for the last 2 nights I haven't taken anything, prior to that I'd reduced down to half a 15mg, or just over. Genuinely don't feel noticeably different from when I took 15mg, which gave me an acidy stomach, but I'm still getting that. On Saturday afternoon I managed a longish walk, but then yesterday I struggled all day with walking (fine at home). This morning I went for a short run, which is something I've resolved to do a lot more often.

Obviously I don't expect a completely easy ride of it. It's notable that the Mirtazapine hasn't helped me with a lot of my issues at all. I think they've helped with panic attacks though, but they've been hard on my stomach which affects everything, doesn't it? I hope this helps others coming off this drug, but bear in mind we're all different.

[Mermaid16]

You have done very well little miss alone and looks like it was relatively easy. How long did you take it for overall. I am hoping to come off it in the future once I get everything sorted with my meds. Sometimes I feel like I take a cocktail of medications and really want to try and get off some of them when the time is right. Have a nice night. Tracy

[LittleMissAlone]

Hi Tracy

Not out the woods yet! I'm still expecting some reaction to follow. I'm hormonal this week too so that won't help, but yes I'm surprised how my body hasn't particularly reacted at all.

Good luck.

[dale12345]

Your Still doing well isn't it weird that the same meds that upset your stomach helped mine.

[LittleMissAlone]

Hi Beth

Very early here! Yes, Mirtazapine has really irritated my stomach which I know is unusual but not unique, I've read of others who have this awful acidy feeling on it. I think they use it as an antiemetic, which I just think is hilarious. I've made a very good friend on line who finds Mirtazapine doesn't help her at all with sleep, she gets so annoyed when other people are knocked out on it. Everyone's different.

Just done my third night without meds and still feel exactly the same, even going to bed early and falling asleep straight away. No jittery feelings aches or pains, I'm sure it's to come.

Goes to show 15mg a bit of a waste of time so far, but I couldn't increase because the acidy feeling turned me agoraphobic which is very frightening.

Glad it's helped you. Take care.

[LittleMissAlone]

Quick update. 4 days off.

Yesterday I had a tiny brain zap, just the one, I barely even noticed it. Hope it's the only one, though it was nothing, and I know to expect them since I've withdrawn rather quickly.

Also, I've noticed I'm not so jittery after caffeine since coming off it, another plus. I've banged on for ages now about that second cup of tea causing a problem for me.

My stomach is better too, but I've not eaten bread for a few days, so it may be related to that.

So far so good. :)

[LittleMissAlone]

Hi

I've been off Mirtazapine for 8 nights now, and I had been doing well. But this morning I'm having a difficult start, panicky and shaky, comes and goes, it shouldn't last much longer.

I've just found this and it's a right good read. Really helpful and easy to understand advice, positive too. Then at the bottom there's loads and loads (I only got through a fraction) of comments, all different of course.

http://mentalhealthdaily.com/2014/07/21/remeron-mirtazapine-withdrawal-symptoms-how-long-they-last/

From what I read there was one person who had tapered and quit similar to me,the only difference is they were on it 6 years to my 7 months. They said the first week was fine but the second is difficult, so I'm wondering if that's going to be the same for me. The article was really encouraging, it just kept saying hang on in there, they'll go.

There's a lot if symptoms I haven't had that seem to be common, like itching and blurred vision. Literally I'm just feeling panicked this morning so far.

Good luck all!

[Mermaid16]

Hang in there Little Miss Alone! You are doing a great job. Hopefully this is just a little hiccup day and you will continue to improve. Thanks for posting the link. It will be helpful when others are trying to come off. Hope the panic stays at bay :bighug1:

[LittleMissAlone]

Thanks Tracy. Very kind.

One and a half weeks. I've just come back to have a look at that link again. The coldy symptoms if anything getting worse but still bearable. I don't know whether to take paracetamol, I know it's not a virus. I'm supposed to be going out this evening, so I'll play it by ear.

So far so good!

---------- Post added at 08:16 ---------- Previous post was at 08:13 ----------

Oh great, apparently it can take one to three months!

[LittleMissAlone]

Hiya

Two days ago I put the following on a Mirtazapine withdrawal forum, website on an earlier post, and it would make sense to put it on my thread here. But everyone is different so it's still a waiting game even for me 4 weeks in as to how I'm going to react. Yesterday I was much better, and was even able to make enquiries about working a shift.

I thought I’d give my story as everyone’s accounts are different so it may help someone. I’m 46. I was on 15mg Mirtazapine since mid-February for anxiety, agoraphobia and especially social anxiety. Twice during that time I tried to up it to 22.5 but couldn’t because of my stomach. I’ve always had a very nervy tummy, especially acid indigestion, though never pain or reflux.

Towards the end of August I realized the drug wasn’t helping. While I hadn’t had the weight gain and I was fine with sleeping (never had a problem with sleeping, still don’t) I still felt incredible nervousness doing very small things out my home, I still wasn’t working and still spent most of the time alone. So I spent 2.5 weeks very slowly chipping away at a tablet until I got down to half.

At that point I noticed my appetite rocketed for rubbish and I did put on some weight which I didn’t want. Really without doing proper research four weeks ago today I took my last bit of Mirtazapine, went cold turkey. The first week I was great (it coincided with a heatwave so I couldn’t do a lot but was amazed I was fine). I had a brain zap but it was so small I hardly noticed it.

The second week for a couple of days I was into cold like symptoms and reduced appetite, but didn’t even take a single paracetamol. I noticed then that I was able to do a few things that I’d had mental blocks about. I’d read something on here someone said they’d developed phobias being on it and I can relate to that. But for the past 2 weeks I’ve had awful acid, really quite debilitating, the only thing that clears it is crying!

Strangely I can run further in the morning than I can walk in the day when feeling like this. Even now at home I don’t feel great. So I’m hoping the tummy calms. I’ve had no other symptoms to speak of except crying. I’m not taking any other pills, going it alone. I hope others have had similar experiences and can tell me I’ll be back to ‘normal’ soon. Good luck everyone, it’s a horrid thing to have.