Hey guys and girls. I am wanting quite desperately advice on the anti deppressant Mirtazapine. I have a few different diagnoses of mental health including Borderline Personality, depression/anxiety with psychotic symptoms and a few other bits. The problem I am having is the Mirtazapine I have been on for several years now. It never really did anything to improve my depression and the times I have tried to get off it, as it does nowt, I just cannot get off the awful stuff. I have managed to get clean of all street drugs I was hooked on, and I have even stopped drink and cigarrettes, but with Mirtazapine I just cannot get off it. I am on Mirtazapine 45mg at night. I am also on Largactil 50mg 3x daily and Depakote 500mg 3x daily. The Largactil and Depakote are fine, but I cannot even reduce to 30mg of Mirtazapine without having to go back up to 45 within 2 weeks. I hate this drug as it makes me tired all the time, and now after being underweight in the past I am now overweight and eating bad habits. I am so desperate to get off this mirtazapine but each time I try my head ends up feeling like there is a storm going on in there!!
Does anyone here have any experience of getting off mirtazine SUCCESSFULLY and if so how did you manage it? I will be honest, I found it easier to get of Xanax, at least the withdrawl off that only lasted a week per tablet dropped. Any advice on this issue would be greatfully recieved.
Sorry I don't have any advice as I've not come off my Mirtazapine yet, I'm on 45mg at night too. Does your Doctor know you want to come off it? Their supervision would probably be the best way to go.
Also well done for getting clean of drugs and drink and cigarettes
Hi,
I was on Mirtazapine for a year or so and didn't find it helpful either. (remained depressed, more tiredness, some weight gain.) I don't remember having massive problems getting off it, but I did have trouble getting off paroxetine...
You've obviously got enormous will power though to give up the other stuff.
I think your best bet is to reduce the dose even more slowly. (ie. 40mg for a couple of weeks, then 35mg etc.) If you can get a liquid form of Mirtazapine you can measure out the dose exactly. Otherwise you might need to cut up the pills, or take different doses alternate nights. In the UK it's worth asking a pharmacist - with something like this they are often as knowledgeable as GP's.
No real advice, becos, i have just stopped this (cold) becos of the sudden acne problems and the weight gain/ appetite issues.
Do you feel you can be honest with the doc prescribing it?
Weight gasin is a HUGE issue and therte may be something lese to help that doesnt have this effect.
Im wondering why you want off so bad? Do YOU think it has helped you at all? Doesnt sound like it.
I think you really need to talk honestly to whoever prescribed it and ask if they cannot rewcommend anything else.
I hate to advocate more pills, but perhaps they can prescribe something to counteract ( or at least ease) your wd sypmtoms.
I know how distressin the weight gain, etc can be.
Have you tried a nutritionist/dietician?
That may help as well...
I always find it a bit amazing that some docs dont realize how negatively weight gain can affect your overall mental helath
I would speak to your prescriber and talk through a plan of coming of off the Mirtazapine. You will need to reduce the dose gradually. Reduce to one dose until your body no longer shows signs of withdrawal, then reduce again. It is slow and drawn out, but it is achievable.
Best of luck.
Roiben x
If the Human brain were so simple that we could understand it, we would be so simple that we wouldn't.
Sorry I don't have any advice as I've not come off my Mirtazapine yet, I'm on 45mg at night too. Does your Doctor know you want to come off it? Their supervision would probably be the best way to go.
Also well done for getting clean of drugs and drink and cigarettes
Thanks De', I actually tried reducing my miratazapine about 3 or 4 times slower than the doctor recommended and I just can't get down even to 30mg. The first time I dropped I was told to drop from 45 to 30 just like that, but even slower reduction, for me has caused great problems. I am back on the 45mg and sleeping too much. Will go and read other replies....
Thanks for congrats with other substances. It is good to be clean after all these years.
Hi,
I was on Mirtazapine for a year or so and didn't find it helpful either. (remained depressed, more tiredness, some weight gain.) I don't remember having massive problems getting off it, but I did have trouble getting off paroxetine...
You've obviously got enormous will power though to give up the other stuff.
I think your best bet is to reduce the dose even more slowly. (ie. 40mg for a couple of weeks, then 35mg etc.) If you can get a liquid form of Mirtazapine you can measure out the dose exactly. Otherwise you might need to cut up the pills, or take different doses alternate nights. In the UK it's worth asking a pharmacist - with something like this they are often as knowledgeable as GP's.
Hope that helps, good luck.
Thank you. I actually tried reducing by alternating doses even lower than doctor recommends. I been given appointment with psych Dr, but to be honest I have no faith in them. Don't particularly want to see one. I sorted myself out with my faith in the last year more than dr's and psych's in 16-17 years ever did. Don't mean to be down on them, I had a couple of good ones but they not done much on the whole. Will try my pharmacist though, he is good.
Unfortunately there is no easy way off this stuff, well there is, but that is gonna leave another addiction to deal with although I found xanax easier to get off than this stuff.
I have just spoken to psych dr (I dont really wanna go see one of them) and hope to get appointment soon. I just hate this mirtazapine - I sleep too much and cant stop eating junk. It baffles me how doctors can call stuff like this "medicine." Even my ability to write and spell has deteriorated. Well, at least there is hope - that I may get off it some time!!
Thanks to all for ideas and advice. It is appreciated.
I hope the psych can help you, I can imagine it must be hard if you don't want to go, but I hope you manage to get an appointment without having to wait too long.
I had trouble with mirtazapine too, but it kept on making me feel nausceous. Been on 6 different antidepressants, and that was the only one that made me feel like that.
Wannabe CPN : -)
"He who is tired of Weird Al is tired of life." - Homer Simpson "I hear those voices that will not be drowned" Sanity is a nasty disease. The world would be a happier place without it. - Rilic
RIP Kat 4th July 1987- 11th June 2013
I came off of 45mg mirtazapine with no issues, but as I was decreasing mirtazapine I was tapering onto Trazodone.
I was on Trazadone a few years ago, but it really didnt agree with me, I think I was on that before Mirtaz, but it made me suicidal. I do want to try coming off mirtaz while coming onto something different though so thank you for confirmation that may very well work.
