Should I Stop & How (after 4 weeks at 15mg)

[cathycrumble]

Yes me to just sit in chair and be quiet.

What a pain lol.

Cathy xx

[lauz_lea]

I really feel for you both, we've all gone through some horrendous periods on these meds haven't we.

I struggle to understand it personally, maybe I should have tried another SSRI rather than mirt. I was on paroxetine for many years and apart from the initial start up side effects they worked wonderfully (not this time round though). I've only ever tried one other SSRI and that was prozac, I didn't get on with it either - don't remember much about the experience other than spending several weeks with my head down the toilet.

I'm going to persevere with coming off mirt and reducing/coming off paroxetine and hopefully go med free for a while to give my body, mind, daughter and husband a break. If I don't either a) return to me pre-med self, or b) improve from where I am at the moment, I'll consider trying something else, maybe cit or sert but one thing I'm certain of is that these meds have made me WORSE than I was before I started taking them, and not just for a couple of weeks, it's been 4 months now.

[lauz_lea]

Well, I thought I'd post a little update (partly for my own records as I don't keep a mood diary).

Having reduced the mirt on Sunday night (5 night ago tonight), I'm feeling tons better. The foggy mind is a lot clearer, I'm not obsessing as much (hardly at all today), I've got my emotions back and I can concentrate again (I even watched a whole TV programme tonight and I don't remember the last time I was able to do that).

I will add, that my GP has been pressing me to reduce the paroxetine, but everytime I went below 10mg I felt terrible, and before the mirt, everytime I went above 15mg of paroxetine, I felt terrible (the doc wanted me at 20mg as it is the minimum recommended theraputic dose) which is what led me to having a really bad period after New Years Day and ending up on the mirt. I'm glad I haven't come off the paroxetine completely, seemingly it just needed more time and a lower dose.

Tonight I feel exactly as I should - not high, not low, just exactly as I should without a heavy dark cloud hanging over me and without my brain racing, raging and obsessing non stop. I know I will wake up in the morning feeling less than perfect, but I'm hoping it will pass as quickly as it did today.

I'm keeping everything crossed, but this time it doesn't feel like an unstable normality like it has over the past few weeks/months.

Sometimes, too high a dose can be as bad/worse as not enough.

I don't want anyone to think I'm anti-mirt, I'm not, it gave me some relief, it has helped me sleep and for a short time gave me back my appetite after losing over a stone and a half, I just don't think it was the one for me but I'd have regretted not trying it having read so many success stories and personally knowing someone for whom it literally saved there life after being suicidal.

[Monostich]

I am very anti-Mirt. It nearly ruined my life. But that doesn't mean that it won't help others, because we are ALL so very different (just see Ingenious' success with it).

It started well for me but horrible changes happened - I'm not a "majorly" depressed person, I just suffer with minor anxiety. But the Mirt was making me worse, it actually DEVELOPED a panic disorder and then there was the obsessive thoughts.

I am going to be drug free from now on. Like someone said in another thread on here, the drugs have so many side effects and we don't actually know what we're doing to our bodies long term.

BUT if they help you and you feel they work for you, please stick with them. All of this is just my opinion and because of my experiences.

[LAURA48]

Totally agree with you both - not anti Mirtazapine but it made my depression worse (felt empty) but it works well for others. Like Lauz says - good for sleep and appetite - gained a stone fairly quicky but needed to.

On Sertraline - lets see how this one goes (3rd time lucky) I hope!

[Monostich]

Yep I need to edit my post really as I don't want to be scaring anyone who is new to the drug. "Anti Mirtazapine" is a bit strong as it did start off well for me.

It's amazing for sleep. But I always felt so low the day after.

I still have a few left to take as I am supposed to be taking 7.5 every few days, to 'gently' let it come out my system. But I feel so damn good after not taking it, I'm afraid of taking it tonight :(

[Belleblue]

You're quite entitled to your opinion Mono If it didn't work for you long term and actually caused a new problem, then I think to share that on the forum will be helpful to someone else... as they might have the same symptoms. No-one likes to feel that their experience, either good or bad is unique to them.

Glad you're feeling better.

Belle x

[lauz_lea]

Well, to add to my last post I've had a shitty 36hrs, it feels like Groundhog Day :(

I've felt really disconnected, DP really, and associated low mood. I was so exhausted last night I went to bed very early and didn't take the 7.5mg of mirt because I fell asleep.

I've only started feeling more connected and like myself over the last hour or so and I can only hope tomorrow is a better day.

I'm going to reduce the meds as best as I can and see how I am without them for a few weeks before considering trying anything else.

[Monostich]

Thanks Belle, nice to hear from you

Lauz Lea - I hope you're feeling better now? I am taking my last EVER 7.5 mg of Mirt tonight as I've been tapering off. I feel better the day after NOT taking it, which is most strange. My wife thinks that I don't need anti-Ds which is why I'm having a negative reaction to it.

I'm going to the London for the day tomorrow with my brother as I'm off work this week and I can't WAIT. In the past, I'd be dreading it so I am definitely feeling better.

And coming off Mirt is a DODDLE compared to Paroxetine (for me anyway).

Good luck guys, my thoughts are with you - keep me updated on how you're doing.

[lauz_lea]

Well, its been nearly a week off mirt ad 4 days off paroxetine, and besides the typical SSRI discontinuation effects (like a wooshy head and zaps), I'm feeling better mentally and emotionally.

As soon as I stopped the mirt I started retching and vomitting again and this has continued pretty much daily, but it was the paroxetine that caused this in the first place so I just have to hope that as the paroxetine lowers in my system day by day the retching and vomitting will stop. I don't know if I quit the paroxetine too fast (i.e. 10mg to 5mg in just under to weeks then 5mg to 0mg in a week), but now I haven't taken it for a few days I'm loathed to take it again just to alleviate the wooshing and zaps but I'll have to see how long I can tolerate it for.