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Remeron (Mirtazapine) Withdrawal Support Group


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Hi All,

 

I thought I might share my experiences with this. I am in the thick of cutting mirt right now, so I will tell you what happens when I cut - and would be curious to know if anyone else experiences the same - or different. We learn when we share.  :)

 

First, a small bit of background. So I have been a long-term mirt user, but in a choppy sort of way. I used a very low-dose of mirt (3.75 to 7.5 mg) for symptoms of anxiety from 1997 to 2012. For a long time, it worked rather well. In early 2012, the mirt seemed to no longer help, and in addition, it seemed to make things worse. There was some dizziness and morning anxiety that I felt I had narrowed down to the mirt use. In hindsight, I think the dizziness and morning anxiety were due to the onset of tolerance to Ativan and Xanax - I just didn't know that. So in early 2012, I jumped from the mirt. Benzo hell broke loose, and my life disintegrated. Fast-forward to early July 2012. I'd been off mirt for about 6 mos. I jumped from the Benzos in late June and found myself, as many of us do, in a psychiatric hospital - in disbelief that the benzo withdrawal could actually be messing with me THAT bad. I thought I had gone batshit crazy actually. I soon realized, in the hospital, that it was going to be about more drugs. They begged me to reinstate the benzos. Somehow, I managed to hold my resolve and declined. They pretty much wouldn't let me leave w/out a drug. So I left w/ Risperidone and Remeron. The Risp I tried and ditched quickly, the mirt I kept. They had me on 30 mg. Too MUCH. Because at 30 mg, the antidepressant qualities are activated. And most of us need the sedative qualities in early withdrawal - we don't need the lift. It was, in short, making me worse. So began, slowly but surely, the dry-cut tapers (that didn't really get serious until December 2012) that has me now down to 7.5 mg. As I went down on the mirt, I felt that it did actually begin to have benefit in my healing. It left antidepressant-action-land and became an anxiolytic. I needed some weight gain and sleep and I think that it helped those areas.

 

In mirt withdrawal, it is suggested to cut no more than 10%. I can not dry cut that small without completely pulverizing the tablet. And I want, and need, accuracy in the taper because I am SOOO sensitive to drug changes. In the UK, you can apparently procure liquid mirt. In the U.S., it is not available and therefore has to be mixed up by pharmacists who are able to compound. I am fortunate to have a pharmacist who does in the area, and I now have a bottle of Tutti Fruiti-flavored mirt in the fridge. It is a 1mg to 1ml equivalent - which is nice. It takes out the guess work. I take my syringe and at 7mg of mirt, I simply draw 7ml of mirt into the syringe and squirt it in my mouth. Easy peasy.

 

So what happens to me when I cut. Well, first, I don't cut until I stabilize. What is stability for me? The anxiety levels are low, sleep has evened out a bit, depression is low, appetite is up (and sometimes CRAZY out of control) and general feelings of well-being are pretty common. We all tolerate symptoms differently. I get to a point that is tolerable for me, enjoy a day or two of the solace, and then down we go again. It takes me approximately 2 to 3 weeks to gain this stability. I don't even feel a cut for 3 to 4 days after I make it. Then it settles on me, the symptoms peak, and then wane. It makes sense as it takes, when beginning mirt, 3 to 4 days (or longer) for the positive effects to really be felt. Onset, offset. And equation of balance. On to my symptoms.

 

Symptoms of a cut for me:

--sleep declines in duration and quality (find myself waking in the middle of the night)

--nausea and lack of appetite appear, though not horrid - but unfortunate.

--other digestive issues - use your imagination

--some muscle twitching/shakiness

--dizziness

--much higher anxiety, tho not panic

--depression at much higher levels (i don't normally have depression, so i notice this)

--irritability

--restless legs (sometimes, tho since supplementing magnesium, no issue)

--tinnitus

 

Those are the big ones for me. They tend to reach max. intensity within a week and then go down from there.

 

At this point, I plan to cut .5mg per cut until 5mg, and then smaller cuts from there so as not to exceed 10%. Keep in mind that I may be feeling some residual underlying benzo withdrawal symptoms underneath the remeron withdrawal too, so I can't squarely blame everything on the mirt w/d in total confidence. I will hold my cuts until I reach stability, even if this prolongs the withdrawal process. I'm not looking to play hero  ;)

 

I hope this helps us understand this process - or at least one human's walk thru it. I would love to hear others' experiences with this process.

 

I am on the side of believing that mirt benefited me to some degree during benzo withdrawal. Obviously, I would have much rather not had to take ANYTHING else and therefore would have avoided this whole mirt withdrawal all together. But hindsight is useless here. It is what it is. Once off, I know I will endure mental hardship and not reach for a pill to cure it. Other coping mechanisms will have to suffice. We move forward.

 

Blessings and healing to all,

 

-Dave

 

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I stupidly C/T'd from 15mg Remeron (Mirtazapine) for a week and am 2 weeks into stabilising on 7.5mg (not stabilised yet).  Am then planning a 10% taper to 3.75mg then decrease by 0.2mg per 2 weeks thereafter. It's going to take me ages. I can buy liquid here in Spain and UK where I live.  It comes in 66ml bottles unfortunately so have had to work out the equation to convert it per mg.

 

I am not looking forward to the taper.  I really don't want to feel ill and unfunctionable  from w/ds as I am having enough trouble restabilising after the C/T .  I am also a bit worried whether I will know if I will have stabilised enough to drop or whether I need to updose but I expect I'll learn that as I go along.

 

I will be interested to  check how your taper is going once I start and perhaps we can compare notes.

 

Good luck with it!

 

Angel

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Hi Dave thanks so much for sharing!,

I have tried to come off remeron 3x now and realized I need to first stop benzo 100% first then come of remeron.l I knew that would be the best a while ago, but I hate the weight gain and other side effects I have b/c of the remeron..

I love the sleep, it's not as good as it once was... But it's better than insomnia which I had each time I stopped the remeron...

I also can work, be a mommy, and get off the Valium... :-)

 

Keep up the hope and faith!

 

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Thank you for your replies  :)

 

I was fully off benzos for some time before I began the Remeron taper in earnest. If it (the mirt) is to be used as a tool, we have to give it the time to get us to the other side of the rough waters before we begin to shed it.

 

Proud of everyone who is on this same journey as I, just because of your fortitude...

 

Will keep you in the loop. And would like to hear what others have to say if time allows.

 

-Dave

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Thanks. 

 

When you cut you say you have these w/ds. How long do they last and do you then feel better?  I am so terrified of 2+ years of feeling lousy and not functional.  I am scared beyond belief. I am still getting nasty w/ds from my cold turkey and trying to stabilise on 7.5 mg. it has been 2 weeks.

 

If you or anyone else who's been through this taper can set my mind at rest I would be so grateful.  Sorry to hog your thread perhaps I should start another.

 

 

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Angel,

 

Maybe I can put your mind at rest a little.  :) When I make a cut, it takes me about a week to even feel the symptoms of the cut. Nasty withdrawals. Agreed. And, after my last cut (a bigger one for me, (from 9.5 to 7.5mg) it took 19 days for me to stabilize. And you aren't at 19 days yet. We are all different, I know. But I hope that shows you at least that you can give it some more time. That it takes time for your serotonin receptors to get used to the changes.

 

Does that help? That is how it affects me.

 

-Dave

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No prob, Angel - it will be good w/ the smaller cuts I do believe. Our brains need that readjustment period. Stabilization will come.  :)

 

I think it's good we have a group of us experiencing this at the same time. We can bounce things off of one another. I don't feel alone w/ it. Do you? I hope not.  :) You can hog this post any time you want.

 

This is a process - I've never been the most patient fellow. Learning tho.

 

Any chance you could get a liquid prep made for you?

 

-Dave

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Hi Dave.  Yes I can buy the liquid prep. It comes in 66ml bottles (15 mg) so to convert to the dose I need I have to use formula:  ?mg x 0.066ml = ml dosage.  I think that's right!

 

It will be good if other taperers can add progress so we can get mutual support.

 

Angel

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Oh, right  :) Sorry Angel, you told me that - about the liquid prep! Cog fog... lovely...

 

Better you than I w/ the formulas. Mathematics NOT my strong suit. Very glad my prescription is "dumbed down" to 1mg =. 1ml.

 

Still, great that you have it (the liquid) available so you can micro-taper as you need.

 

Agreed - mutual support would be grand... soooooo....

 

CALLING ALL REMERON TAPERERS  :) please consider checking in and telling us what you are doing, how you are doing it, etc. Would be very cool.

 

-Dave

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Great idea, Angel -  I just changed the name of the thread to "Remeron (Mirtazapine) Withdrawal Support Group"  :)

 

So please join us, anyone who is also tapering off of this AD. Some have easier times than others weaning from this medication. It would be nice to generate some collaborative support.

 

-Dave

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Great Dave!  I hope you get a few members joining.  I won't be participating for quite a while till I stabilise so see you later and good luck!

 

Angel

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Thanks Dave!  Keep telling me I'm invaluable and I'll be there every day  :laugh:

 

You have been in the belly of the beast and you have survived.  You will do the same with the Remeron. 

 

I think you need to write a blog about your experience  ;)

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So, small update and some observations. I am now using the liquid Remeron. I made a dose cut 10 days ago. I went from 7.5 to 7 mg. And I am feeling it - pretty bad actually. I will try to hold here to stabilize nonetheless, but feeling pretty worse-for-wear. Muscle twitches, higher anxiety, depression, etc. etc. - You/we know the drill. Parker always said when she was cutting the Remeron that she never knew if it was Remeron withdrawal, or the underlying benzo withdrawal being uncovered/unmasked. Anyway, it took me 19 days to stabilize after my last cut. So, I'll give this some more time.

 

Best wishes...

 

Dave

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Thanks for posting your progress. This will be very useful for me and others behind you.  Please log how long symptoms last.  I've read that the first few cuts and the last ones are the toughest.

 

I see you are dropping less than 10% to start. How long are you planning to hold for?  I guess you will be listening to your body. I was thinking if doing full 10% drops from 7.50 mg to about 5 then slower from there but I may follow your guide when I get to it in a few months time.

 

Thanks for this thread and good luck!

 

Angel

 

 

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I see you are dropping less than 10% to start. How long are you planning to hold for?  I guess you will be listening to your body. I was thinking if doing full 10% drops from 7.50 mg to about 5 then slower from there but I may follow your guide when I get to it in a few months time.

 

Hi Angel,

 

Well before this last cut, I dropped about 21%. Ick. I went from about 9.5 to 7.5 and it was a mistake. But it was my last dry cut, so I went for it. That took 19 days to stabilize. And I only let myself ride the stability-zone for about 4 days before cutting again. So this last cut was around 7% - from 7.5 to 7. I am truly glad I went NO more than that at this time as it really feels nasty. 10% is sort of the the rule of thumb, but I think we need to make room to flex.

 

I started at 30 mg. And i can attest that the first cuts were the BADNESS. Then the middle cuts were sort of "eh, this isn't great, but ok." Now we're back to BADNESS.

 

I plan to hold here for a bit (at 7 mg). It is my hope that within the next 9 days, I will stabilize. And just to give myself a breather, I will probably give myself a week or so after stabilization to just enjoy the solace. Then I'll plan the next drop. I will definitely document here. If I can save anyone even a tiny bit of suffering, I will be immensely happy.

 

Will keep you - and anyone else who happens by - in the loop.

 

Blessings and rapid healing to all...

 

-Dave

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Hi Dave, I'm sorry that it's been a difficult cut. I'm at 1.1 mg and doing well (finally) after reinstating, but I've started gaining weight again... It's so annoying! I'm really fed up with these drugs. Can't believe how 1 mg can still affect appetite so bad... So it's totally understandable that you're struggling after cutting 0.5 mg. Honestly, once I'm off I'm not touching any pill ever again.

I'll be following your progress.

T. Lily

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T. Lily,

 

Thank you for the update! I'm glad to hear that your reinstatement has provided you w/ that stability you were seeking. :) I know, I know the weight gain. I take my dose about an hour before bed and if I don't hit the pillow when the first wave of tiredness comes on, I can easily consume a day's worth of calories in snacks.

 

I am SOOOOOO with you. Never another psychotropic - EVER - once this whole saga has reached its end.

 

Thanks for being there and following my progress. It means a lot to have support, I know you know.

 

I am possibility stabilizing from my .5 cut. Though I feel pretty worse-for-wear at the moment, I had a pretty stellar afternoon and evening yesterday, which tend to be signs that I am bouncing back up.

 

I will keep everyone in the loop.

 

-Dave

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Hi Dave. I am happy it is going well. I am avidly following your thread and updates even if I don't respond.  I think I am finally beginning to stabilise on my reinstatement at 3 weeks on.  It is very early days and I am far from stable yet but am itching to join you and getting off this damn stuff!

 

Angel

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Hi,

 

I have been on 7.5mg mirt of 20 days.  Now I am afraid to keep taking it after reading this thread.  At only for 20 days use can I just quit?? would that be OK??

 

Thanks

 

Bird

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Hi Bird. Everyone is different. Some people have found mirtazapine beneficial and haven't had trouble quitting. I only took it for 2 weeks and, when I tried to quit, I got horrible withdrawal symptoms 2 weeks afterwards. So I was forced to go back on it, and here I am, almost a year after, still struggling to get off. If I were you, I would taper. Take 3.75 mg for a week, then 1.8 mg for another week or two, then quit. Just to be on the safe side. If you don't get any withdrawal symptoms by week 3, you've done it. Good luck! Let us know how it goes.

T. lily

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Hi Bird. Everyone is different. Some people have found mirtazapine beneficial and haven't had trouble quitting. I only took it for 2 weeks and, when I tried to quit, I got horrible withdrawal symptoms 2 weeks afterwards. So I was forced to go back on it, and here I am, almost a year after, still struggling to get off. If I were you, I would taper. Take 3.75 mg for a week, then 1.8 mg for another week or two, then quit. Just to be on the safe side. If you don't get any withdrawal symptoms by week 3, you've done it. Good luck! Let us know how it goes.

T. lily

 

Hi, what do I expect for w/d symptoms?  Are they benzo like or more SSRI like??

 

Thanks

 

Bird

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