Boymom33: tapering from mirtazapine / Remeron

[Boymom33]

Hi! I have decided to try to wean off of my Mirtazapine (remeron). My psychiatrist called in a 50% dose cut and said I should be fine. I have yet to start the taper out of fear. I’ve only been on them for a month and a week. 15mg. She called in 7.5. They haven’t helped at all. I’ve gained 15 lbs, sleep all the time and cry. Thanks for the add!! Anyone who’s taken this med please feel free to chime in. 

[ChessieCat]

Hi Boymom33 and welcome to SA,

 

To get you started please create your drug signature using the following format.   Keep it simple.  NO diagnoses or symptoms please - thank you.

• details for last 2 years - dates, ALL drugs, doses
• summary for older than 2 years - just years and drug/s

Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature

 

Once we have more details about your drug history we will be better able to offer suggestions.

 

This is your own introductions topic where your can ask questions about your own situation and journal your progress.

[Carmie]

Hi boymom33,

 

Welcome to SA from me too.Would you please be so kind as to put in your signature in first, just press the link ChessieCat gave you. Thanks.

 

I’m so sorry you are going through this. What were you like before you went on the meds? Besides added weight, being emotionally upset and crying all the time, do you have any other symptoms since starting the medication?

 

Sending hugs🤗

[Boymom33]

Before this medication I was just very anxious. Terrible anxiety. And I secluded myself and didn’t want to leave my house. I shut everyone out and had times I would zone out. 

[Altostrata]

Welcome, Boymom.

 

Did mirtazapine reduce your anxiety?

 

Here is our topic about how to taper it: Tips for tapering off Remeron (mirtazapine)

 

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

If I were you, I would not make a 50% cut right off, that might trigger withdrawal symptoms, which you will find very upsetting. Also, they're not good for your nervous system. Best to go slow all along, take your time.

 

Your doctor may not be aware of your need to taper slowly. Ultimately, you may need to take the lead yourself.

 

How do you talk to a doctor about tapering and withdrawal?
 
What should I expect from my doctor about withdrawal symptoms?

[ChessieCat]

10 hours ago, ChessieCat said:

please create your drug signature using the following format.   Keep it simple.  NO diagnoses or symptoms please - thank you.

• details for last 2 years - dates, ALL drugs, doses
• summary for older than 2 years - just years and drug/s

Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature

 

[Carmie]

Hi boymom33,

 

It doesn’t look like you’ve had an adverse reaction to the meds, so please TAPER BY NO MORE THAN 10% A MONTH. If you drop more than that you will probably get withdrawals. 50% is way too high. I can only taper by around 5% myself. Please be careful. 

 

Alto gave you some great links. Most doctors don’t know much about withdrawals.

 

Have you heard of Claire Weekes? She has some good strategies to coping with anxiety. ChessieCat will send you the link. Again, please taper slowly or your symptoms will be much worse. 

 

Sending hugs 🤗

 

[ChessieCat]

Here's some additional information which might help you to understand what is happening:

 

Recovery isn't linear it happens in a Windows and Waves Pattern

 

Withdrawal Normal Description

When we take a psychiatric drug, we are adding chemical/s to the brain.  The brain then has to change to adapt to getting the chemical/s.  It might have to change something to do with A and then once that change has been made it affects B so another change has to be made and so on down the line.  It is a chain reaction, a domino effect.

 

The same thing happens when we take the drug away.  That's why it's possible to experience such a vast array of withdrawal symptoms, and they can change, and be of different intensity.

 

These explain it really well:

 

Video:  Healing From Antidepressants - Patterns of Recovery

 

are-we-there-yet-how-long-is-withdrawal-going-to-take

 

On ‎8‎/‎31‎/‎2011 at 5:28 AM, Rhiannon said:

When we stop taking the drug, we have a brain that has designed itself so that it works in the presence of the drug; now it can't work properly without the drug because it's designed itself so that the drug is part of its chemistry and structure. It's like a plant that has grown on a trellis; you can't just yank out the trellis and expect the plant to be okay. When the drug is removed, the remodeling process has to take place in reverse. SO--it's not a matter of just getting the drug out of your system and moving on. If it were that simple, none of us would be here. It's a matter of, as I describe it, having to grow a new brain. I believe this growing-a-new-brain happens throughout the taper process if the taper is slow enough. (If it's too fast, then there's not a lot of time for actually rebalancing things, and basically the brain is just pedaling fast trying to keep us alive.) It also continues to happen, probably for longer than the symptoms actually last, throughout the time of recovery after we are completely off the drug, which is why recovery takes so long.

 

AND

 

On ‎12‎/‎4‎/‎2015 at 2:41 AM, apace41 said:

Basically- you have a building where the MAJOR steel structures are trying to be rebuilt at different times - ALL while people are coming and going in the building and attempting to work.

It would be like if the World Trade Center Towers hadn't completely fallen - but had crumbled inside in different places.. Imagine if you were trying to rebuild the tower - WHILE people were coming and going and trying to work in the building!  You'd have to set up a temporary elevator - but when you needed to fix part of that area, you'd have to tear down that elevator and set up a temporary elevator somewhere else. And so on. You'd have to build, work around, then tear down, then build again, then work around, then build... ALL while people are coming and going, ALL while the furniture is being replaced, ALL while the walls are getting repainted... ALL while life is going on INSIDE the building. No doubt it would be chaotic. That is EXACTLY what is happening with windows and waves.  The windows are where the body has "got it right" for a day or so - but then the building shifts and the brain works on something else - and it's chaos again while another temporary pathway is set up to reroute function until repairs are made.  

 

[ChessieCat]

During any taper, there will be times of discomfort.  We strongly encourage members to learn and use non drug coping techniques to help get through tough times.

 

Understanding what is happening helps us to not get caught up with the second fear, or fear of the fear.  This happens when we experience sensations in our body and because we don't understand them we are scared of them and then start to panic.

 

This document has a diagram of the body explaining what happens in the body when we become anxious:

 

https://www.getselfhelp.co.uk/docs/AnxietySelfHelp.pdf

 

Anxiety Stuff - all kinds of stuff about anxiety attacks and things that help ...

 

Audio FEMALE VOICE:  First Aid for Panic (4 minutes)

 

Audio MALE VOICE:  First Aid for Panic (4 minutes)

 

Non-drug techniques to cope

 

dealing-with-emotional-spirals

 

Dr Claire Weekes suffered from anxiety and learned and taught ways of coping.  There are videos available on YouTube.

 

Claire Weekes' Method of Recovering from a Sensitized Nervous System

 

Audio:  How to Recover from Anxiety - Dr Claire Weekes

 

CBT Course:  An Introductory Self-Help Course in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy

 

Resources:  Centre for Clinical Interventions (PDF modules that you can work through, eg:  Depression, Distress Intolerance, Health Anxiety, Low Self-Esteem, Panic Attacks, Perfectionism, Procrastination, Social Anxiety, Worrying)

 

On ‎4‎/‎28‎/‎2017 at 4:03 AM, brassmonkey said:

 

AAF: Acknowledge, Accept, Float.  It's what you have to do when nothing else works, and can be a very powerful tool in coping with anxiety.  The neuroemotional anxiety many of us feel during WD is directly caused by the drugs and their chemical reactions in the brain.  Making it so there is nothing we can do about them.  They won't respond to other drugs, relaxation techniques and the like.  They do, however, react very well to being ignored.  That's the concept behind AAF.  Acknowledge, get to know the feeling involved, explore them.  Accept, These feelings are a part of you and they aren't going anywhere fast. Float, let the feeling float off as you get on with your life as best as you can.  It's a well documented fact that the more you feed in to anxiety the worse it gets.  What starts as generalized neuroemotinal anxiety can be easily blown into a full fledged panic attack just by thinking about it.

 

I often liken it to an unwanted house guest.  At first you talk to them, have conversations, communicate with them.  After a while you figure out that they aren't leaving and there is nothing you can do to get rid of them.  So you go on about your day, working around them until they get bored and leave.

 

It can take some practice, but AAF really does work.  I hope you give it a try.

 

 

Edited January 20, 2019 by ChessieCat

[Boymom33]

So I phoned my psychiatrist today to call in a refil so I can taper. I’m currently on 15. They called in a week of 7.5 and told me after a week to stop. I threw a fit and asked about withdrawal symptoms and she brushed it off and said I should be okay. I have about a week of 15 mg left. What should I do??? 

I do have Xanax i take  daily 

[Altostrata]

To help us out, follow these instructions Please put your drug and withdrawal history in your signature

 

What times of day do you take your drugs, with their dosages?

 

You can try firmly requesting your 15mg prescription so you can taper more slowly because you fear rebound insomnia. You can tell her you intend to cut up the tablet into quarters.

 

Any doctor can prescribe these drugs, it doesn't have to be a psychiatrist. If your PCP is more helpful, you may wish to toss the psychiatrist off your payroll.

[Boymom33]

I take my .5mg Xanax around lunch 

1.5 mg Xanax around 7:30 pm

15 mg remeron (Mirtazapine) around 8:30pm 

 

I was on Prozac for 4 years and tapered from it easy because I went straight on remeron. 

My primary won’t write my Xanax script

 

Im just wondering if insomnia is all I’m looking at facing. Because I don’t take it for sleep. 

[Altostrata]

Believe me, you will not want to try withdrawal insomnia.

 

Why are you taking Xanax? It is possible the Xanax you're taking is causing the sleep issues, with a paradoxical reaction from the evening dose.

 

@Shep

[Boymom33]

I don’t have sleep issues?  I’m wanting off remeron because I feel like it isn’t helping my mood. 

Im on Xanax for severe anxiety disorder 

[Altostrata]

Why do you take mirtazpine at night?

 

How long have you been taking Xanax for anxiety? To help us out, follow these instructions Please put your drug and withdrawal history in your signature

 

Your Xanax dosing might be causing your symptoms of anxiety. Depression is a side effect of benzos. Could be all your problems are related to your drugs.

[Boymom33]

I take the remeron before bed because the dr told me to. Said if I take during the day it will make me to sleepy. 

Xanax also 4 to 5 years 

[Shep]

Boymom, we really need a signature to help you sort this out. 

 

Please add a signature.  Include drugs, doses, dates, and discontinuations & reinstatements in the last 12-24 months. Also include supplements. This will help us give you the most accurate advice we can. 

• Any drugs and supplements prior to 24 months ago can just be listed with start and stop years. 
• Please use actual dates or approximate dates (mid-June, Late October) rather than relative time frames (last week, 3 months ago) 
• Spell out months, e.g. "October" or "Oct."; 9/1/2016 can be interpreted as Jan. 9, 2016 or Sept. 1, 2016. 
• Please leave out symptoms and diagnoses. 
• A list is easier to understand than one or multiple paragraphs. 
• This is a direct link to your signature:  Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature

2 hours ago, Boymom33 said:

I was on Prozac for 4 years and tapered from it easy because I went straight on remeron. 

 

So you've only been off Prozac for 5 weeks? Again, we really need you to fill out a signature so we have a timeline of your drug history. 

 

How fast did you taper Prozac?

 

Question - Are you coming to Surviving Antidepressants only to come off Remeron? Or do you also want off Xanax? It's okay either way (this site isn't just for coming off all drugs, but also for reducing your overall drug burden). We just need to know your preference in order to give you the right advice.