beautybabe taking mirtazapine

[beautybabe]

Hi all, so glad to have this forum! I'm currently taking 15mg mirt and gave been on them nearly 3 months. I really would like to come off them due to weight gain and also would just like to be pill free. My question is will it make it easier if I start to come off now then staying on them the minimum 6 months the doctors advise, or should I stay on them for 6 months the recommended minimum time then start tapering. Very confused. Any help will be great, thanks in advance.

[Altostrata]

Welcome, beautybabe.

 

I moved your post here to start your Introductions topic, where you can put questions about your own taper and updates about your progress, as a type of journal.

 

Weight gain is a common, undesirable side effect of mirtazapine. Your doctors think if you stay on it for 6 months, your "depression" (or whatever brought you to seek an antidepressant) will be treated. Quite frequently, antidepressants are prescribed for situational stress that requires learning coping skills rather than medication.

 

If you go off mirtazapine, you will have to manage your situation with non-drug means, or they will think you need another drug. Are you willing to take that responsibility?

 

Staying on mirtazapine for 6 months will not make tapering off any easier. See Tips for tapering off Remeron (mirtazapine)

[beautybabe]

Thanks for the advice, I'm planning to go to docs tomorrow and see what they say about coming off,still a bit confused about this six month thing and whether to stay on them a bit longer. My problem was sleeping and anxiety got bad, but I now know it was withdrawing from amitryptaline!

[Altostrata]

Very few doctors know anything about tapering or withdrawal syndrome. It's likely they will insist you stay on it or switch to something else.

 

You might talk to them about "minimizing" your mirtazapine dosage to lessen the side effects. You will need to gradually lower it to do this -- although, again, they probably will know nothing about gradually lowering the dosage.

 

Please read a few Introductions topics, you will see the kind of advice people get from their doctors.

[beautybabe]

Great I will look at the these posts. When you say gradually come down do you mean the 10% tapering? Sorry for all questions!

[Altostrata]

Yes, we recommend a very gradual taper of 10% every 4 weeks, calculated on the last dose -- the amount of decrease keeps getting smaller.

[beautybabe]

Well I've been to doctors and he has suggested I cut 15mg in half once a week for a month, if after a month I get withdrawal than he will give me liquid. Can't give me liquid straight away as it is too expensive! What do you think about this as it still equates to me going down to 14mg per night or is this totally wrong?

[Altostrata]

We recommend a very gradual taper of 10% every 4 weeks, calculated on the last dose -- the amount of decrease keeps getting smaller.

 

See Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

[beautybabe]

OK so what's best make a liquid or get some scales and chop tablets?

[Altostrata]

See Tips for tapering off Remeron (mirtazapine)

 

My opinion is that making a liquid is easier.

[beautybabe]

Thanks for advice. I've work up this morning bit twitchy with little anxiety symptoms, I know what's caused it its the thought of coming off and not wanting to go when I came off gabapentin! My question is, if I feel like this is my nervous system still not calm enough or is it just my own fears, if that makes sense. I wish I'd never been put on that damn gabapentin,its been nearly two years on and its still taking effect!

[Hopefull]

H8 BeatyBabe,

You can make your own liquid using Avanza SoleTab,15mg.

15mg = 15mls of water.

Then use what you needed, discard the rest.

[Fresh]

Hi beautybabe , welcome to the site.

 

Please could you fill in your signature so readers can see your history at a glance?

You've mentioned withdrawing from amitryptaline (tricyclic antidepressant) and gabapentin?  

It's helpful if you can show your journey so far.

 

Best wishes , Fresh

[beautybabe]

I will do, how do I fill in signature, sorry for being thick!

[beautybabe]

I'm in UK can I get avanza soltab do you know? Is it exactly same as mirt? I presume its on prescription.

[mammaP]

Hi BB, welcome from me too.  Avanza dissolves on the tongue so would easily dissolve in water. The only problem will be convincing your doctor to prescribe it for you as they will probably not understand the need for a taper after such a short time on the drug.  They want you to take it for 6 months then would probably have you taper in a couple of weeks!  Alto posted the link on how to make a liquid, many of our members make their own liquid for tapering. 

 

You will find the instructions how to fill out your signature here http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/893-please-put-your-withdrawal-history-in-your-signature/?view=getnewpost

[Hopefull]

Hi Beautybabe,

Here in Australia,

I have no problem getting a prescription from my doctor for Avanza Soltab.

Avanza iz just a brand name, it is soluble mitrazapine.

It dissolves very quickly in the water.

I have been tappering using this method and it has been very easy.

You can make your own liquid from normal Mirtazapine tablets, the tablets take longer to dissolve. Not sure how things work in the UK if you can get it, it is worth it.

Just tell your doctor you have difficulty swallowing and maybe he will prescribe it for you.

Good luck with it.

[Altostrata]

Good to hear about that, Hopefull. Please add to the mirtazapine topic in Tapering.

[beautybabe]

Hi all, docs finally prescribed me avenza tabs so I can now start tapering. Docs said to make up by using 100ml water with one 15mg tablet then can do my 10% drop. Is this right as got myself confused and still haven't got to navigating around site properly yet to find this answer out!

Thanks in advance.

[dalsaan]

Hi

 

Here are some details from the making an oral liquid thread. http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2693-how-to-make-a-liquid-from-tablets-or-capsules/

 

The only tricky thing about making a solution is creating and remembering the concentration.

 

The easiest concentration is 1:1 or 1mg medication in 1mL solution. Examples:

If you want to take 18mg Prozac, for example, you can mix 20mg with 20mL water and take 18mL, which contains 18mg Prozac.

You could put a 10mg Paxil tablet in 10mL water for a 1:1 dilution. There would be 1mg in 1mL and 0.1mg in 0.1mL. The 1:1 dilution would require a small 1mL oral syringe. To reduce 10% from 1.1mg, you would take 1mL. Another 10% reduction would be 0.9mL.

You find a 1:1 dilution to be a little thick or grainy. For convenience, you may wish to make a higher dilution of 10mg tablet in 20mg water for a 1:2 ratio. There would be 1mg in 2mL and 0.1mg in 0.2mL. If you made this liquid, your dose would be 2.2mL (1.1mg). To reduce by 10%, you would take 2mL (1mg).

 

I'm not sure why your Dr recommended that you make 100ml. I have tapered using a compounded liquid which is 1:1. If I want 15mg I take 15 ml, if I want 13.5 (15ml less 10 percent) I take 13.5. I use an oral syringe from the chemist to measure this.

 

Please read through the thread above

 

Dalsaan

[Altostrata]

15mg in 100mL would be .15 per mL, or 1.5mg in 10mL. To make a 10% decrease from 15mg to 13.5mg, you'd have to take 90mL. This would be very awkward with an oral syringe, as the larger one is only 10mL.

 

15mg in 15mL -- or 1mg in 1mL -- would be a lot easier to mix and measure out every day.

[btdt]

Hi all, docs finally prescribed me avenza tabs so I can now start tapering. Docs said to make up by using 100ml water with one 15mg tablet then can do my 10% drop. Is this right as got myself confused and still haven't got to navigating around site properly yet to find this answer out!

Thanks in advance.

 

It is good to read about tapering and wd before you actually attempt it kind of like stacking the deck in your favor.  A signature helps others know where you have been with this drug and others oddly enough it does make a difference I think in how wd will affect you having a history helps others understand where you are.. if you were to read my signature at the bottom here and compare it to others.. it is obvious we are not the same.. so will have different experiences based on our drug and withdrawal history.... it tell you who we are kind of... it also helps others to say hey I am a lot like this person in drug use.. think I read how they did it... 

 

reasons I think signatures are important... peace to you

[Hopefull]

Hi Beautybabe,

I am glad that you have managed to get a prescription for Avanza Soltab.

I dissolve 15mg tablet in 15 mls of water and take the amount that I need.

My doctor also gave me the big number mesaurements which was confusing.

How much are you taking at the moment?

[beautybabe]

Hi all, not sure if I'm in right place, still getting to grips with site!

 

Couple of questions, got soluble mirt from docs so starting to taper from 15mgs to 13.5. Been doing that for nearly two weeks now been OK apart yesterday and today upon waking felt slightly anxious, nothing I couldn't handle. Well question is how likely do ypu have withdrawal doing slowly,is this normal and as long as withdrawals arnt to bad just keep going as I am?

Second question us when you start getting crazy calculations say for example 10.7 or 6.9 do you go up to 11 or down to 10.5. Then 6.9 up to 7 or down to 6.5 or 6. Hot myself very confused!

[bubble]

Hello Beautybabe and welcome to SA.

 

I'm sorry I can't add any links for you but still wanted to greet you. Yes, this is the right place. This is your thread for entering updates and asking questions.

 

It would be good to add your drug history in your signature.

 

In response to your question feeling some withdrawal symptoms is normal after a cut. Then we just wait for them to disappear before continuing the taper. However if they are too intense that 's a sign that we are going too fast and cutting too much.

 

The most important part of tapering is learning to read those sugnals from your brain and adjust your pace accordingly. Therefore we don't follow a pre-established plan and reducing 10 every 4 weeks is a rough guide. Sometimes we can reduce less and have to hold a certain dose longer. External stressors will also play a role.

 

If your symptoms are too disruptive you should consider cutting less next time and definitely hold as long as they don't go away. Sometimes it can take more than 30 days. First few cuts are kind of testing waters and agreeing with your brain on whar feels most comfortable for it. The brain is the main authority and keeping a record of your symptoms together with their severity is very helpful.

 

Regarding your second question, you can round up the dose to whichever figure is the closest.

 

Hope this helps.

 

It' great you are starting your taper so well prepared. Whenever you have any questions, feel free to ask.

 

Are you taking any magnesium or omega 3? Most people find them helpful whem tapering.

 

Once again welcome.

Bubble

[beautybabe]

Thanks Bubble for the reply. I have put my drug past in signature so not sure why you can't see it? And yes just started to take magnesium and krill oil so hope this will help.

I think I need to get some more syringes as I've got one 10ml for when taper gets lower.

[beautybabe]

So just to check my next dose down works out 12.15 so do I go to 12 if not 12 then what do you think? Sorry for all questions still getting head around the figures.

[Hibari]

Hi Beautybabe,

 

I too am withdrawing from Mirtazapine and I have found that the WD seem to hit about 2-3 weeks after a cut.  My pattern has been, make a cut, feel the physical symptoms a few days later, have about 4 or 5 days of feel okay, blah but ok, then week 2 or end of week 2, the emotional symptoms hit and hit hard  I then feel emotionally terrible, cry and cry for 2 or 3 days and then start to emerge. I have read versions of this pattern on the Internet though the timing is unique for all of us.

 

I too am on a liquid suspension of Mirt and am feeling my way through the cuts but am holding at 27mgs at this time.   I am leaning, as far as cuts, to be more conservative and not round down the next time unless I am feel particularly strong.  I am bad at math so I am going line by line down the syringe I am using. 

[Altostrata]

beautybabe, here is your Intro topic.

 

Please bookmark it or click Follow at the upper right of the topic so you can add to it. Only one topic to a person in the Intro forum.

[beautybabe]

Hi, I've cut my mirt from 13.5 m.g to 12 m.g two days ago and last night haven't had a wink of sleep! My sleep was hit and miss on 13.5 and if I wanted a good night sleep I would have to have a little drink. Not good I know! Should I stay on 12mg and push through or go back up. I have got a bad cold at the mo which isn't helping. I didn't sleep before going on mirt due to that vile gabapentin! Any advise would be great.

[beautybabe]

Hi cut down Sunday to 12mg from 13.5mg but already finding hard to sleep! When I couldn't sleep on 13.5 would have a little drink them would sleep well, not good I know. Was wondering if I could something natural lime Valerian and hops or lemonbalm with Mertazapine? Am I suffering insomnia as too big a drop or is this normal? Hope I've posted in the right place!

[Altostrata]

beautybabe, what you have found is that a decrease of 1.5mg from 13.5mg to 12mg (11%) is too much for you.

 

If I were you, I'd go to 12.5mg and see if that helps, then hold there for a while to let your nervous system settle down.

 

You may be a person who needs to taper by smaller amounts, such as 5% per month.

 

Please use search in the Symptoms and Self-care forum for our discussions of valerian.

 

Many people do better with fish oil and magnesium supplements, see
http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/36-king-of-supplements-omega-3-fatty-acids-fish-oil/
http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1300-magnesium-natures-calcium-channel-blocker/

[beautybabe]

Hi all, bit of advice please. I'm now on 10.5 of mirt and have been on that dose for just under 3 weeks. First couple of days a bit anxious but then OK. Well last 3 nights have started waking at 3am again and not getting back off! There has been a bit going on around work so don't know whether it's work or gone down bit fast and its withdrawal. Should I carrying on with dose or go back up slightly. Feeling deflated with it all this morning and wondering how I'll ever get off it!

Thanks.

[Hibari]

Hi beautybabe

 

My pattern with Mirt, and I've seen it on this site with others, is that the Mirt wd symptoms hit about 2-3 weeks after you made a cut.  This may not be everyone's experience but it has been mine.  I usually have about 3-4 days in the 2nd or 3rd week that feel the worst and then it lifts.

 

Others with more experience about wd can offer you advice on whether to up dose at this point.  I had to do it when I was dropping from about 28mgs to 26mg, it was a tough drop for me so I had to go back up and stabilize.  I then have been working my way down much more slowly than I would like but Mirt is a strong antidepressant.  There are people on this site who have successfully gotten off of Mirt so it can be done!

 

My signature is on the cluttered side but you can see my drops. 

 

HIbari

[Altostrata]

You may wish to hold on tapering for bit until your sleep stabilizes. Work stress could indeed be interfering.

[beautybabe]

Thanks for replies, I'll hold for a while and see how I go.