Advice on tapering from 45mg

[xrachykinsx]

I've seen a doctor this morning and he said he's happy for me to tapper off as I explained how I feel like mirtazapine isn't helping or is making me feel worse. He was very vague, and just prescribed some 30mg tablets and said take them straight away and then cut them in half. He gave me no time scales or examples and I feel totally lost because he wants me to after 15mg, just stop.... This is my first ever experience of antidepressants so I have no idea what I should do,

[Gemical]

Hello xRackykinsx

I am also currently thinking about coming off Mirtazapine as after being on 45mg for 10 months it hasn't helped me at all apart from with my sleep, which on reflection I don't think is good enough either. I put on one and a half stone in weight since being on it too - not my biggest problem but not so great either. I have also been taking Venlafaxine for a few weeks now and been at 225mg for 4 weeks but still feeling no better. I am wandering if the Mirtazapine is stopping the Venlafaxine from being effective? I am planning on seeing my psychiatrist as soon as possible to talk about tapering off the Mirt.

It sounds like you weren't given very much useful info from your Doc with regards to tapering off. I wish I could offer you some advice but as of yet I myself am also unsure how to go about it and am worried about going back to hellish insomnia. What I can tell you is that I successfully tapered off Zopiclone a while back and I did it very slowly. I invested in a good pill cutter and just took my time, gradually going from 7.5mg to nothing in about 2 months. So I would say to you although you may be very keen to get off it as soon as possible you might have more success if you do it slowy and let your body adjust to reduction of the drug. But, of course I am not a Doctor and Mirt is a different med to Zopiclone so it may be a different kettle of fish.

I will let you know what my psychaitrist has said about it when I have mannaged to see him. Last time I saw him he did hint at the possibility it could be causing me more problems than solving them but I felt so reluctant to stop purely because it helps me so much with sleep. I don't know why but yesterday it came to me that maybe it is time to come off it and just stick with the Venlafaxine.....it all gets very confusing doesn't it?

Any way whatever you do I hope it helps. Be good to know how you get on.

Best wishes, Gem x

[aprilmoon]

Hi Gem!
Nice to hear from you,was wondering how you were getting on.
I'm also going to be tapering down on the mirt.I've had another rough patch lately and my anxiety was through the roof again.I even ended up in A and E with it.
I've been upped on the ven,and am on Olanzapine at night to help.
The mirt certainty helped with the depression, but not with the anxiety.
I hope you can get to see your psychiatrist soon to get sorted out.
Take care xx

[Gemical]

Hey Aprilmoon - been wandering how you were getting on too. After not coming on the forum for a little while I have spent the morning catching up a little bit. I just posted to you in another thread about your new move with the meds. I am so sorry things got so tough again - here's hoping upping the Ven will really help. In my experience the worst side effects lessened in intensity over a few weeks so hopefully if you do feel any bad effects they will calm down fairly quickly and the Olanzapine will counteract (is that the right word?) them.

Thanks for your kind words. lots of love and hugs , Gem x

[keggsy]

I've split my 45mg tabletsnin 2 for the last 3 nights to try and get the higher sedating qualities.
Don't feel any different as yet, so will prob carry on for a bit like it.

[aprilmoon]

Are you still having sleep problems Keggsy?
Is that why you're cutting the mirt down?

[xrachykinsx]

I took my first 30mg dose last night. Was feeling okay this morning, felt okay this morning but feeling a bit anxious now, nothing too bad, its maybe a mixture of me worrying about the taper and just general stressing about childcare for my son whilst I'm at work tomorrow. I'm staying at the 30mg for a few weeks as have my father in law staying next weekend, but have purchased a pill cutter to go down to 22.5mg rather than straight to 15mg. I'm bracing myself for some increased anxiety but believing in myself that it will all disappear once im off meds and feeling better about life. The idea of medication has never sat well with me and that's possibly part of my problem. I still can't believe all this happened to me as a result of insomnia...

[Humly]

Just take it slowly and you will be fine. I went down 7.5mg each time and didnt notice any effects. You are probably going to feel anxious at times but thats just part of life and it doesnt mean that its because of the reduction in meds. x

[xrachykinsx]

I just really hate the way I feel on these tablets. Sometimes I just feel like stopping all together to get it out my system.it makes me so depressed feeling this numb

[raggamuffin]

I went from 45mg to half a tablet of the 45mg. Stayed on that for a week then dropped down to a half tab of 15mg. That was for another week then a few days at a quarter tablet of 15mg then came off it. I'm on my 4th day off it entirely. The whole journey was horrid and I came off them meds way too quickly. Pharmacist recommended reducing the dose as small as possible and staying on that for 2 weeks at a time. I was impatient and wanted out a.s.a.p. Paid for it with heightened anxiety and the severity of my daily aches and pains sky rocketed. Oh well at least i'm off it now and it'll be out my system in another few days.

Ed