Withdrawing from mirtazapine

[karenp]

I found Mirtazapine really hard to come off when I was on it 8 months. Far worse than getting off Lorazepam. I am back on it now but just cannot seem to settle on a dose so sure it just is not for me but my doctor keeps pushing it! I stopped altogether for 6 nights and just felt low not like before when I was on it a long time but took it again last night...I just wish I cold have the Lorazepam back as it really was not that bad to get off (two years on it) and it made me feel NORMAL which surely is the most important thing, where as I just never feel right since coming off it. The only AD I ever took on it's own and felt great on was Citalopram but I cannot get back on it without Z drugs or benzo's as SSRI's give me panic attacks for about three months before they really kick in and I didn't find Escitalopram anywhere near as good as Cit. xxx

[SADnomore]

Hi, all,
I am not feeling smug, believe me, only just grateful that I went another route than mirt for the sleeplessness I was having this past spring. Well, really, I have had sleep issues for years, and ended up quite dependent also on zopiclone, despite them saying it wouldn't happen. ... I struggled again last winter with depression even on Effexor. Having read that zop is a contributor to this (great, hey? not only addictive, but it can worsen depression!), I decided to withdraw from that. (Not the Effexor.) When I talked to my doctor about a low dose of mirt for sleep, he wasn't all that keen. I read some more (on here), this time about Trazodone. This is one mild AD, so mild in fact that it is rarely prescribed as such anymore. It is, however, used for sleep! Much more gentle than zopiclone, but I find it both effective (more gradual), and can stop it whenever I like. It took me just two weeks of substitution with it to come off of the zopiclone and sleep with nothing at all!

Just thought I would pass that along. I know how vexing it is to not be able to sleep, on top of anxiety and depression. I take one 50 mg usually, but have taken two tablets and slept like a log, straight through! This is the dose my pharm says is normally prescribed for depression. And call it placebo effect if you like, but I honestly think it is boosting my mood!

Best to all! xx
Marie

[sandie]

With regards to the Melatonin - I know it is prescription only in the UK, and I have a friend who was diagnosed with CFS and has been given Citalopram AND Melatonin for her insomnia.

Whenever I have mentioned the sleep problems I have experienced, my GP has refused to give me anything to help. When I mentioned to him that my husband could bring me back some Melatonin from the US, he was reluctant that I should even consider taking it; he firmly believes that all sleep aids are addictive and eventually lose their efficacy.

I find it so ridiculous that GPs dole out powerful and expensive ADs which mess with 'brain chemistry', and yet don't support a patient's decision to take something which is 'natural' - and which hasn't cost the NHS a penny !

[MissyMischief]

Hi Sandie,

Sorry to hear you are struggling with mirtazapine. You sounded so hopeful about it in the beginning when you switched from sert .

I had no idea melatonin was prescription only in the UK. I've read that taking propranolol and maybe other beta blockers can cause insomnia and melatonin is a good fix for that, which is why I've started taking it. Wish I could just mail you some, lol

Take care!

[pulisa]

You may want to consider valdoxan (agomelatine) which can help restore sleep patterns and is used for major depressive disorder. There are potential side effects of raised liver enzymes though. There are no gentle anti depressants no matter what the doctors say..

[sandie]

I'm happy with the melatonin - but don't intend to use this long term - only while withdrawing from Mirtazapine.

Melatonin is 'natural' and as far as I am aware not harmful.

Withdrawing from Mirt is not easy - and when you consider I have only been on it for around 8 weeks this is quite a surprise.

Last night was my second night reduced down from 22.5 to 15 mg. I slept okay and so far this morning I think I feel less anxious than yesterday.

Yesterday I was tired a lot of the day - but I think being anxious and having adrenaline surges can be so tiring.

I know that ante-depressants are necessary to so many people, but I do feel that often they are prescribed too freely - I think this was the case in my situation. Had the young and newly qualified GP spent more time talking to me and understanding why I was anxious and depressed, perhaps she would have thought twice about suggesting them.


I hadn't fully appreciated the impact they would have on me - I thought they would be a magic bullet and that I would feel 'better'. In my 12 week journey with ADs I have not had one day when I felt 'better' - but lots of days when I felt exhausted, anxious, and unwell.

I think the ADs have heightened those things over which I have felt anxious and then exacerbated an already difficult situation. I was concerned about my husband's blood pressure (for all sorts of reasons), my anxiety honed in on this concern and I have become fixated on the amount of salt and sugar in our diet - this has given me quite a phobia about eating. It is all so ridiculous and at aged 62 not something I have ever given a second thought to.

So let's see what today brings; yesterday my anxiety was quite high at one point during the day, so I reluctantly took a 2 mg diazepam. My GP gave me a prescription for these some 6 weeks ago and I have only taken 12 in all that time.

Husband is just off to the GPs to have a 25 hour BP monitor fitted, so let's see what this does to my anxiety !

[pulisa]

Good luck today, Sandie. Anxiety can provoke many behaviours which we would not otherwise find rational.

I'd love to see anti depressants restricted solely to prescription by mental health professionals. GPs haven't the knowledge nor the experience to monitor patients on these powerful drugs

[sandie]

I managed a reasonable day yesterday, but do find my anxiety is heightened quite considerably in the morning. Yesterday I took a 2 mg diazepam and it helped.

Last night I had another night sweat but while it disturbed my sleep it was not as bad as previous nights.

I am already feeling jittery at the moment but hope this eases as the morning progresses.

I really wish I had not started the AD journey.

[karenp]

I feel really hot today but think I have PMT, grrrrr! I could cry at the drop of a hat and just feel exhausted but can't sleep. Just going to chill today and watch Christmas movies I think as my shopping is all done and wrapped up. Just wish the weather was brighter as I am sure it effects my mood too. Really not sure if Mirtazapine is helping right now, it's till early days and my doctors keep swapping my dose so I never seem to settle, moan, moan, moan, lol. xxx

[sandie]

I really hope I am not tempting fate by saying this, but despite a disturbed night's sleep, I didn't have a night sweat, and I don't feel very anxious today.

Yesterday was my fourth night on 15 mg Mirt, having already reduced from 30mg to 22.25mg before dropping further.

Yesterday was a VERY anxious day and for the first time in the 12 weeks I have been on ADs, I had to take 2 diazepam (albeit they are only 2 mg tablets) - most days I manage without any diazepam.

It really helps having my husband at home - that extra support makes a huge difference.

My GP has been refused to give me anything to help with sleep - and I have been surviving on around 2-3 hours sleep most nights. My husband bought me back from the US some Melatonin which I have taken for the last 7 nights and I think they have helped, but tonight I shall give them a miss and see how I manage without them.

I shall stay on the 15 mg until just after Christmas Day (a total period of around 10 days) before dropping to 7.5 mg.

Fingers cross the day continues well and I get a decent night's sleep without the Melatonin !