My GP has said I can stop taking mirtazapine without Tapering. Has anybody Done This?

[smudger]

Hi all. Been to see GP 2day. Having blood tests next week for coeliacs disease as Dad n one Sis have it, plus other blood tests. I explained how angry I get on mirtazapine and she said the only way to find out if it is a symptom of depression rather than the tablet is to stop taking it. She said I do not need to taper it either as it has no side effects. Apparently it doesn't stay in the body very long which is why you can just stop it. And she said if it is going to affect you it would be pretty quickly after you stop taking it anyway. I am really surprised with this sweeping statement. I have read so many posts about side effects. I don't know what to think! I do want to stop it but I am on holiday at the end of March and am worried about doing it. My husband thinks I should give it a go n see what happens. Any thoughts please anybody. (I've bought a multi vitamin today as a boost just incase I decided not to take my tablet tonite). Thanks guys.

[pacman]

Hi Smudger, im not suprised by your doctors comment, my doc told me to experiment with the starting dose (start with 30mg for a couple of nights then drop to 15 and see how i feel). I guess it depends on the doctor and thier particular experiance with the drug.

As someone who is also considering stpping soon (after consultation with the doctor) Im undecided as to whether to just go 'cold turkey' or perhaps taper them abit (perhaps 15mg every other day).

I will be really keen to know what you decided to do and how it goes for you.

take care
Pacman

[KK77]

I think that ALL antidepressants should be stopped gradually. I would reduce the dose slowly rather than go cold turkey. Go down to 15 then 7.5mg if you can. A lot of people complain of bad nausea and insomnia when they stop cold turkey. I think a lot more doctors need to go on these drugs and experience withdrawal symptoms first hand before making such generalisations.

[ElizabethJane]

Dear Smudger this is truely bad news for you I am quite sure. If you trawl back through the mirtaqzapine posts you'll find one from me about exactly the same topic (25.09.08) I am sorry to say that I tried to go cold turkey from mirtazapine and experienced horrendous side effects. I had the worst panic attacks imaginable it felt like my skin was creeping, depersonalisaton and weepiness. bad nightmares. hallucinations, sleep walking. I might be unique and I had to go back onto mirtazapine because the anxiety was so bad. The next time I reduced the dose but I asked my psychiatrist to prescribe valium which I took and the side effects went on for about two weeks. I even believed that I was going backwards ie that I wouldn't be able to do the things that I was doing ie going out and about on my own. All mind games and utter lies! I would go back to your GP and ask for a programme for tapering. If you do go 'cold turkey' then be aware that it might get worse before it gets a lot better. Do not believe in the side effects though they will end and you will get through it. I did manage to go 'cold turkey' from dothiepin and was fully expecting the full cavalry of side effects. It did not happen. I hope things work out and the withdrawal isn't too bad for you.

[smudger]

Thank you for your opinions everybody. I have spoken with my husband about it and together we have decided to wait til next Wednesday (to taper or cease my meds) when I have my blood test done. I have to carry on with my normal diet until then anyway so I do not get a false negative on my coeliac test so we think to mess around with my dose now might risk affecting the blood test in some way. Better to leave things as they are til then. Im not sure whether to taper still. My doc said my dose is so low (15mg) that I should be fine. I can't see any harm in tapering myself. I really have read varying opinions on this I guess I just have to decided for myself and take the consequences. I'll let u know how I get on. Thanks everybody.

[jo61]

Please don't go cold turkey. Tapering is always better in my experience. Good luck :hugs:

[pheetuz]

My GP suggested i do the same when coming off of citalopram and im so glad i didnt take his advice, I suffered quite a few withdrawls even tapering myself down 5mgs at a time, they were quite bearable but i dread to think how bad they would have been had i of just gone cold turkey.
Would deffinately reccomend coming off them slowly.

All the best.

/Pete

[smudger]

Hi. Thanks everybody. Met with my CBT counsellor today and I discussed this with her. I have decided that when things are back to normal (ie. daughter back at school and exercise routine resumes and eating back to normal), I am going to taper my dose. Ill start taking 7.5 mg daily (half dose) on Monday next week. I am SO SO NERVOUS about it. I have stocked up on a multi vitamin too along with omega 3 to give me a boost. Ill post how things go. I doubt the doc at the CBT surgery will be happy about it as I only started mirtazapine before xmas but its my body and I am in control! If I am wrong doing what I am about to do then I will hold my hands up and do it their way. Here goes.....!:scared15:

[pacman]

Good Luck with this Smudger, remember there is plenty of support in here. Will look forward to you writing about how things go.

[smudger]

Thank you. You are all a godsend!

[trishaido]

Hello people!..... Having been on a med called Started taking 30mg Mirtazapine about 5 months ago, after I had a very serious episode which included hospitalization for a week, as I was harm to myself ...but not others.... I had been on Lexapro (escitalopram oxalate) for 9yrs unchecked...just kept taking them because I was supposed too.
I have been involved in weekly intense therapy with my Psychologist, trying to function and concentrate on my mental and physical health, resigned from my job which was the reason for my ...'loosing it'...(I am sure you all know what I mean by that)...
I was given the Mirtazapine and felt I was sleeping my life away since the episode, so the doctor changed it too 15mg about two months ago.
In the mids of this, I managed to rebuild and start a new job, this I found very hard, as it is a late night shift that means if I take my meds I get incredibly sleepy.
Over the last two to three weeks, I have for one reason or another either forgotten to take my meds in one to two day successions, or when I remembered I again found myself yet again, sleeping my life away.

So now, here it is, I have been without meds now for 5days, the only side effect is that I have to be aware of my reactions to people, as in when people say something, I find myself taking things the wrong way and or being what some call 'too sensitive'....
I have been well aware of my emotions/reactions with this illness for more than 15yrs, so I can tell if I am moving towards a down hill slide mentally....
One side effect I have found for me doing this,is I have had an unusually erratic change in my libido....ie- sexual needs are of paramount importance to me....but so far...the world is a better place.
Next week it may be different, who knows, but right now I have my fingers crossed and am taking on life day by day, as it comes.....

[deepreason]

In the past I've found mixing multi vits in with anti depressants can give some odd effects. My guess was that I was missing a few substrates needed which the vits then supplied. My point being, don't start the vits the same day you start to taper the mirt or you won't know which side effects have been caused by the mirt and which by the vitamins. Maybe start the vitamins a week or two beforehand just to seperate the two issues out.

[egghead90]

hi i have been on mirtazapine for around a year and a half on and off but more on nowadays,i am curious too think there making me depressed and over thinking everything and i cant think straight or properly too.is it a good idea too just stop taking them? i really have a gut feeling its zispin that is doing this too me more or less 100%.im not suicidle i just need too sort this out i am 24 years old and shouldnt be on a tablet too make or keep me happy,my vision is blurred too which is making my eye sight bad aswel?thank you for your time

[krischoy]

Hi,

Yes I totally agree that we need to taper or gradually reduced the dose until you fully stop the medication. This medication helps us to manage the and supply the needed serotonin or dopamine that sends signal to the brain to normalized everything to cure depression or any anxiety. If this stops abruptly there is a possibility that we will going to encounter imbalance in our body that causes this illness. Better ask and follow your GP about it.

[hanshan]

Hi Egghead,

It is definitely not a good idea to just stop. If you do stop, you should taper down slowly. You should also talk to your doctor, who can monitor what's happening. My guess is that your doctor would probably prefer a change of medication, rather than no medication.

Being med free is a goal that we all aim at, but there is nothing wrong with taking meds at any age if you feel that they are having a positive effect.

[teej]

Hi Egghead,

It is definitely not a good idea to just stop. If you do stop, you should taper down slowly. You should also talk to your doctor, who can monitor what's happening. My guess is that your doctor would probably prefer a change of medication, rather than no medication.

Being med free is a goal that we all aim at, but there is nothing wrong with taking meds at any age if you feel that they are having a positive effect.

I second everything Hanshan has said here.

I stopped Sertraline cold turkey and ended up in hospital for a week. Whilst I was in hospital they put me on the Mirtazapine.

I tried to stop my Mirtazapine in a similar way about a week ago. I was fine for about 4 days and then found myself heading down a very slippery slope - massive anxiety and nausea.

There's two facets to the story though - the underlying problems you were originally put on the medication for and any discontinuation syndrome you may experience coming off a drug.

Tapering is the *only* way to be sure which facet you face.