Gigi68: introduction

[Mirtazapine20mg]

Hey @Gigi68. I am new here and also trying to come of Mirtazapine. I searched on "napping" and "mirtazapine" and one of your posts came up and I saw you once had napping problems, which I also have (I miss napping). So I read your post about napping. And then just one more post, and then one more… And the more I read the happier I got. Because besides heart palpitations and globus feeling I have exactly the same symptoms down to the last letter: Angle and left hip pain: Exactly. Not right hip pain, left hip pain. Lethargy (check), Constipation (check), sedated feeling (check), no naps (check), agitation especially early in the day (check), and blurry vision that comes and goes (check). So two good things comes out of this: All the worrying about my health has lifted a bit and I expect heart palpitations to begin any day now. And 2) you are doing so good so I am filled with hope.

 

Here is what I originally wrote about naps: I can't nap anymore and God I miss it because a good nap can give you an evening with good energy. Not anymore. Napping for me follows this weird pattern: I close my eyes and focus on my breathing. After a short while my brain begins to wander in to sort of a “dreaming awake state”. I'm awake. I can hear the birds chirping outside, it is not dream birds, and I can at any given moment force my eyes open. It is a surreal state. After a short while I feel heavy anxiety for some reason, I pull myself out of the “awake dream state“ and try again. Seldom, seldom I cross the bridge to sleep but most times I just give up. And if I croos the bridge to sleep I usually wake up in a state anxiety and dread so the nice thing about a good nap is gone.

 

Thank you documenting your mirtazapine withdrawal so thoroughly. You helped one mirtazapine warrior immensely.

[Mirtazapine20mg]

Hi Gigi, I was so grateful for message in my introduction yesterday. I have said it before, but it means the world to hear those little experiences: Standing before the dishwasher unable to decide between a coffee cup and a spatula. Priceless. The strangeness of it is mind boggling. It is not that you under normal circumstances gives any thought to the choice between a coffee cup and a spatula. Even if I am consciously aware of the stupidity of the situation and think to my self "this is stupid, just do something random" I still draw blanks. I know I am more less repeating what you pointed out, I am just so ecstatic that somebody is experiencing EXACTLY the same thing. When I read about somebody withdrawing from for example Zoloft some the symptoms sort of fits. But there is certain flavour to mirtazapine withdrawal, and you are nailing it. 

[Bestill]

I have been thinking about you!  How have you been doing?

[Gigi68]

It has been a very long time since I posted. Thanks @Bestill for reminding me. I have a lot has happened since May. At the end of May I ran out of Buspirone and my pharmacy couldn’t get anymore for six days. I decided to try to cold turkey off of it and it worked! I had absolutely no withdrawal problems. Things were going along well on 2.3 mg of mirtazapine and I was within four days of my next drop which was scheduled for June 20 when I had a mountain bike accident and broke the top of my right humerus. Pain from that was the worst I have ever endured and it lasted more than four weeks. It hurt so much it took my mind completely off of withdrawal problems. How’s that for a silver lining?? I held at 2.3 mg for an additional six weeks making my hold a total of 10 weeks, the longest hold I’ve had. The pain is settling down and I am no longer taking massive doses of Tylenol. I also took oxycodone for 10 days at the beginning. I was worried about both of those drugs but they didn’t seem to affect my taper.
I am now doing physical therapy to get back my range of motion and then to strengthen my arm. It has been very slow going. I wonder how much mirt has contributed to the long recovery I seem to be experiencing. 
I decided to do another drop of 5% in late July. It has gone OK. WD has been similar to the past- diarrhea, some RLS, and insomnia are the most difficult issues. The insomnia has been particularly bad but probably having a broken arm has contributed a lot to that. I have been taking CBD:CBN when I wake up at night and it helps me relax to go back to sleep. 
As for some good news, I have not had palpitations, internal tremors or nausea for the past three months. Those things had been with me since I started to taper. Yahoo!

My next drop will be tonight, 7% which will bring me down to 2.05mg. 
It has been a very difficult summer but I won’t give up!

 

[Bestill]

Oh man.  That is not fun and I’m so glad it’s a thing in the past.  I hope it healed up nicely.  
 

Almost out of the 2’s.  That is amazing.    You are getting closer and closer to the finish line.  I’m glad things have been going smooth except for the injury.  A 10 week hold May have been great as well for your body to find balance.  
 

i look forward to hearing more positive things along the way with your taper!

[Gigi68]

I just want to do a brief update but plan to do a long one next month which will be my second anniversary of tapering. 
 

It has now been almost seven months since I broke my arm. I still have limited range of motion but it is getting better and the pain is gone. I did PT for five months but have been discharged from that with lots of stretching and strengthening exercises to do. 
 

My husband and I both got COVID for the first time in mid-December. It was like a bad cold for me and took two weeks to recover. About the time I got COVID, I started having a lot of diarrhea. I know it can be a symptom of COVID but it just kept getting worse. Then I thought it was maybe a WD symptom. I have had it off and on throughout my taper. I was starting to get really worried about it because it lasted about three weeks and was getting worse. But, neither of those reasons was the cause. I had been taking cbd gummies to help with sleep and one day, I read the label of the container. In addition to cbd, they contained melatonin. I cannot take any amount of melatonin as it gives me severe diarrhea. Light bulb moment. I quit them immediately and the diarrhea got better but didn’t totally go away until I took Imodium. Just one dose did the trick and now I am back to my usual constipation, but magnesium citrate and prunes fix that for me. I guess I learned a lesson from this debacle- Mirtazapine isn’t always the culprit (even though it often is). 
 

I dropped my dose 8% last night to 1.35. My drops since I got to 2.0 have gone very well with few WD symptoms. I have even done a couple of drops after just 3 week holds rather than my usual 4 weeks. 
 

Next month I will post my reflections on my second year of tapering. I’m pleased to say that things have really improved for me this year.

[marie123]

Hello Gigi. Nice to see you posting again. Sorry you got covid but at least it was not so bad for you. I feel like that too, I blame Mirt for everything. Like you said a lot of times it is. You are doing well with your drops. I am curious how long are your holds? I'm not sure I can go faster since I like to have minimal withdrawal. I just chip away .1 mg at at time. Good that you've noticed improvement from year-to-year. This is how I do it too. I self-talk and say, "Marie you're doing better that last year. Keep going." It looks like you might finish your taper this year. Good luck. Marie.

[Gigi68]

Hi @marie123 through the 2’s I tapered  .2mg every 4 weeks until I got to 2.3mg. That’s when I broke my arm. Because I was taking so much Tylenol and in so much pain, I held there for 10 weeks. I didn’t really feel any different after 10 weeks than I did after 4, so I continued on. It’s very possible that the long hold helped me to be really stable when I restarted my taper. It has been quite smooth since then other than COVID put me into a somewhat wavy place for a bit (mainly a return of feeling really sedated much of the time, but maybe that was just COVID 🤷‍♀️.) Now in the 1’s, I am cutting 8% each time which is less than .2mg. A couple of times I only held for 3 weeks and was fine. If all goes well this time, I will probably hold this dose for 3 weeks. Mirt’s hold on me seems to finally be lessening. I’m not sure what I’ll do when I get to 1.0. At 8%, it could take a very long time to get down to a good stopping point. I’m not sure what that is either. 
 

I enjoy reading your posts. You are inspirational to so many people! You are doing well and you have incredible patience! The 2’s were good to me. I hope they are to you as well. ❤️

[Bestill]

This is very exciting.  I am so happy on how far you have come and It gives us hope who still have a ways to go that it will get better.  
 

I am sorry about Covid.  I was sick this past Dec.  lasted about 2 and half weeks and it was a doozy but tested negative for Covid.  From what I hear it could be something new going around or another form of Covid that isn’t showing up on tests.  🤷‍♀️  I got through it with all natural remedies however.  Being sick is the pits and I’m glad you and I are on the other side.

 

I can’t wait to hear your full update on your second year.  ❤️❤️

[Gigi68]

I have now been tapering off of Mirtazapine for two years. It's just incredible to me that it takes so, so long to safely get off this drug. The past year has had some extremely challenging events (see above for posts about broken humerus and COVID) but it has also brought a lot of healing. I am now at 1.24mg of mirt.

 

The biggest improvement for me has been that all of the mental issues mirt caused have been gone since January 2022. What remains is all physical but there have been improvements there as well. I haven't had any nausea since last spring. The globus sensation and palpitations are gone. I have kept a record of all of my side effects/WD symptoms since I first started tapering. The first drop, there were 20. This drop there are 6- tinnitus (been with me since starting mirt), insomnia (my biggest complaint), constipation (getting better), blurry vision (very brief),  internal tremors (gone for a long time but back now), RLS (one episode so far at night). Emotionally, I felt very flat and apathetic. About 5 months ago I noticed that I was able to cry again. It's great to have feelings. During my first year of tapering, my sister-in-law who I was very close to passed away and I couldn't even cry. Shortly after that, I lost a much loved cat and again I didn't cry. 

 

In September, I began using CBD:CBN with THC on nights when I have insomnia. It has really helped. I never take it when I go to bed because I've read it can mess with Mirtazapine. If I wake up and it has been at least 2 hours, I take some. It takes a while to work but has bought me at least 5 hours of sleep on many nights. 

 

I thought I would write about a few things I have done on my taper journey that I think have helped me so here goes:

     Acceptance- This was really difficult for me. I was advised at the beginning of my taper to learn to accept this new reality. That was so difficult considering the amount of anger and fury I felt. I still struggle with it some when it feels like I will be on this drug forever. I read the book The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle and have tried to live more in the present. It is the only time that truly exists. As a part of this, I often go on a walk and try to really notice what is out there in nature- the colors, the textures, the shadows, the sky etc. This was extremely helpful when I was really suffering with mental anguish and anxiety. 

     Diet- I have been eating a Keto-ish diet since before starting on Mirtazapine. I think it has helped me to avoid the massive weight gain that so many complain about. I lost 20 pounds before going on mirt due to stomach pain after eating. I have gained that weight back but it has taken the whole two years to do it and I am at a comfortable weight now. Just recently I have been eating more Vitamin C foods, especially kiwi to help combat the histamine problems that mirt causes. I don't follow a low histamine diet but do avoid the worst offenders- chocolate, coffee, tomatoes. 

     Supplements- I am lucky that I seem to be able to take supplements without issue. My list is in my signature. I have recently started using milk peptides before bed and I think it may be helping with relaxation. 

     Distractions- This has been key for me. Anything that takes my mind off tapering, mirt, the whole journey has been very helpful. I began painting with watercolor which I absolutely love. Hours can pass by and I barely notice. Other great distractions have been mountain biking, hiking, playing cards with friends, quilting, meditation, yoga, weight lifting and spending time outside. Sometimes I have to force myself to do some of these things but they are becoming a lot easier and I'm always glad I did them. 

 

Finally, I have to say a little about some positive things this experience has given me. Of course, given a choice I would not have chosen this path but it happened and here we are. Learning to live in the present is really a gift. I feel so much more gratitude for the smallest things and enjoy taking a moment to appreciate them. I also have a lot more empathy for anyone who is struggling with any challenge. I never really understood just how difficult life can be until now. Without mirt, I would never have started painting. It has brought me so much joy even though I am very much a beginner and have so much to learn. It's a voyage of discovery and exploration. I have met so many wonderful people on this website and through other support groups. I have a taper buddy who I have become very close to and am in a private Facebook group that has been incredibly supportive. (You all know who you are. Thank you!) Also, I have learned to research, research, research before ever considering another drug. I am nearly 71 and have been diagnosed with osteopenia. My doctor hasn't yet pushed osteoporosis drugs on me but I'm sure it's coming. I have researched a lot about them, and it's another case of big pharma pushing us into potentially very harmful drugs. In addition, I have learned that there are many steps that can be taken to improve bone density at any age. That has become my path. 

 

Someone in a support group wrote that from this experience, he felt like a phoenix rising from the ashes. Stronger than before. That is my hope for all of us. We will rise stronger and more resilient than before. I hope to be done with my taper before a third year comes around but if it takes me that much longer at least I am moving in the right direction. 

 

~ "In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invisible summer."  Albert Camus ~

 

 

[Hibari]

19 hours ago, Gigi68 said:

I have now been tapering off of Mirtazapine for two years. It's just incredible to me that it takes so, so long to safely get off this drug. The past year has had some extremely challenging events (see above for posts about broken humerus and COVID) but it has also brought a lot of healing. I am now at 1.24mg of mirt.

 

The biggest improvement for me has been that all of the mental issues mirt caused have been gone since January 2022. What remains is all physical but there have been improvements there as well. I haven't had any nausea since last spring. The globus sensation and palpitations are gone. I have kept a record of all of my side effects/WD symptoms since I first started tapering. The first drop, there were 20. This drop there are 6- tinnitus (been with me since starting mirt), insomnia (my biggest complaint), constipation (getting better), blurry vision (very brief),  internal tremors (gone for a long time but back now), RLS (one episode so far at night). Emotionally, I felt very flat and apathetic. About 5 months ago I noticed that I was able to cry again. It's great to have feelings. During my first year of tapering, my sister-in-law who I was very close to passed away and I couldn't even cry. Shortly after that, I lost a much loved cat and again I didn't cry. 

 

In September, I began using CBD:CBN with THC on nights when I have insomnia. It has really helped. I never take it when I go to bed because I've read it can mess with Mirtazapine. If I wake up and it has been at least 2 hours, I take some. It takes a while to work but has bought me at least 5 hours of sleep on many nights. 

 

I thought I would write about a few things I have done on my taper journey that I think have helped me so here goes:

     Acceptance- This was really difficult for me. I was advised at the beginning of my taper to learn to accept this new reality. That was so difficult considering the amount of anger and fury I felt. I still struggle with it some when it feels like I will be on this drug forever. I read the book The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle and have tried to live more in the present. It is the only time that truly exists. As a part of this, I often go on a walk and try to really notice what is out there in nature- the colors, the textures, the shadows, the sky etc. This was extremely helpful when I was really suffering with mental anguish and anxiety. 

     Diet- I have been eating a Keto-ish diet since before starting on Mirtazapine. I think it has helped me to avoid the massive weight gain that so many complain about. I lost 20 pounds before going on mirt due to stomach pain after eating. I have gained that weight back but it has taken the whole two years to do it and I am at a comfortable weight now. Just recently I have been eating more Vitamin C foods, especially kiwi to help combat the histamine problems that mirt causes. I don't follow a low histamine diet but do avoid the worst offenders- chocolate, coffee, tomatoes. 

     Supplements- I am lucky that I seem to be able to take supplements without issue. My list is in my signature. I have recently started using milk peptides before bed and I think it may be helping with relaxation. 

     Distractions- This has been key for me. Anything that takes my mind off tapering, mirt, the whole journey has been very helpful. I began painting with watercolor which I absolutely love. Hours can pass by and I barely notice. Other great distractions have been mountain biking, hiking, playing cards with friends, quilting, meditation, yoga, weight lifting and spending time outside. Sometimes I have to force myself to do some of these things but they are becoming a lot easier and I'm always glad I did them. 

 

Finally, I have to say a little about some positive things this experience has given me. Of course, given a choice I would not have chosen this path but it happened and here we are. Learning to live in the present is really a gift. I feel so much more gratitude for the smallest things and enjoy taking a moment to appreciate them. I also have a lot more empathy for anyone who is struggling with any challenge. I never really understood just how difficult life can be until now. Without mirt, I would never have started painting. It has brought me so much joy even though I am very much a beginner and have so much to learn. It's a voyage of discovery and exploration. I have met so many wonderful people on this website and through other support groups. I have a taper buddy who I have become very close to and am in a private Facebook group that has been incredibly supportive. (You all know who you are. Thank you!) Also, I have learned to research, research, research before ever considering another drug. I am nearly 71 and have been diagnosed with osteopenia. My doctor hasn't yet pushed osteoporosis drugs on me but I'm sure it's coming. I have researched a lot about them, and it's another case of big pharma pushing us into potentially very harmful drugs. In addition, I have learned that there are many steps that can be taken to improve bone density at any age. That has become my path. 

 

Someone in a support group wrote that from this experience, he felt like a phoenix rising from the ashes. Stronger than before. That is my hope for all of us. We will rise stronger and more resilient than before. I hope to be done with my taper before a third year comes around but if it takes me that much longer at least I am moving in the right direction. 

 

~ "In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invisible summer."  Albert Camus ~

 

 

@Gigi68

 

Hi Gigi,

 

It's good to read your update and assessment of your Mirt journey. 

 

I'm glad you are feeling better and that a lot of your symptoms have dropped away.  You are getting so low on your dose and the end of your Mirt tapering is in site. 

 

I appreciate you writing about the mental symptoms of Mirt. They also have been the worst for me. I too feel the emotional flatness and flatness at this higher dose. You give me hope that these symptoms will go away, the lower I go.

 

Did you have any headpresuure or headaches during your taper? I've just started having them.

 

I too have had a lot of anger, and in my case, self-blame for being on this med again. I took it for sleep but it didn't work and after 7 weeks, I started tapering, which will take me over a year. 

 

You have discovered painting as a distraction and now a joy. That is wonderful.  I just taught myself to knit in order to distract. I can't feel any pleasure in it but I'm hoping I will as I heal.  I'm happy you now have activity that sustains your creativity. 

 

I'm curious about the CBD for insomnia. I've been nervous about trying it but you describing how you take it,  makes me want to consider it.  I will do some research on it's interactions with Mirt. 

 

Thank you for your post and support. You have provided me with a lot of hope. 

 

Hibari 

 

 

[Gigi68]

@HibariYou are making good progress. I have not had headaches but I think they are common. I decided to try CBD when I broke my arm. Between the pain from that and insomnia from WD, I was getting very little sleep. I started with CBD:CBN without thc. It helped a bit but just wasn’t enough. I also don’t take it every night. I don’t want to become dependent on something else. 

[Hibari]

1 hour ago, Gigi68 said:

@HibariYou are making good progress. I have not had headaches but I think they are common. I decided to try CBD when I broke my arm. Between the pain from that and insomnia from WD, I was getting very little sleep. I started with CBD:CBN without thc. It helped a bit but just wasn’t enough. I also don’t take it every night. I don’t want to become dependent on something else. 

Thanks @Gigi68

 

It's good to have outside eyes tell me I'm making good progress.  Every scrap of encouragement helps. 

 

I appreciate your thoughts on the CBD. I too don’t ever want to be dependent on something again. 

 

I'm rooting for you in this final stretch of your taper. 

 

Hibari 

[Gigi68]

Thanks @Hibari Keep in touch!

[marie123]

On 2/11/2023 at 12:53 PM, Gigi68 said:

I have now been tapering off of Mirtazapine for two years. It's just incredible to me that it takes so, so long to safely get off this drug. The past year has had some extremely challenging events (see above for posts about broken humerus and COVID) but it has also brought a lot of healing. I am now at 1.24mg of mirt.

 

The biggest improvement for me has been that all of the mental issues mirt caused have been gone since January 2022. What remains is all physical but there have been improvements there as well. I haven't had any nausea since last spring. The globus sensation and palpitations are gone. I have kept a record of all of my side effects/WD symptoms since I first started tapering. The first drop, there were 20. This drop there are 6- tinnitus (been with me since starting mirt), insomnia (my biggest complaint), constipation (getting better), blurry vision (very brief),  internal tremors (gone for a long time but back now), RLS (one episode so far at night). Emotionally, I felt very flat and apathetic. About 5 months ago I noticed that I was able to cry again. It's great to have feelings. During my first year of tapering, my sister-in-law who I was very close to passed away and I couldn't even cry. Shortly after that, I lost a much loved cat and again I didn't cry. 

 

In September, I began using CBD:CBN with THC on nights when I have insomnia. It has really helped. I never take it when I go to bed because I've read it can mess with Mirtazapine. If I wake up and it has been at least 2 hours, I take some. It takes a while to work but has bought me at least 5 hours of sleep on many nights. 

 

I thought I would write about a few things I have done on my taper journey that I think have helped me so here goes:

     Acceptance- This was really difficult for me. I was advised at the beginning of my taper to learn to accept this new reality. That was so difficult considering the amount of anger and fury I felt. I still struggle with it some when it feels like I will be on this drug forever. I read the book The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle and have tried to live more in the present. It is the only time that truly exists. As a part of this, I often go on a walk and try to really notice what is out there in nature- the colors, the textures, the shadows, the sky etc. This was extremely helpful when I was really suffering with mental anguish and anxiety. 

     Diet- I have been eating a Keto-ish diet since before starting on Mirtazapine. I think it has helped me to avoid the massive weight gain that so many complain about. I lost 20 pounds before going on mirt due to stomach pain after eating. I have gained that weight back but it has taken the whole two years to do it and I am at a comfortable weight now. Just recently I have been eating more Vitamin C foods, especially kiwi to help combat the histamine problems that mirt causes. I don't follow a low histamine diet but do avoid the worst offenders- chocolate, coffee, tomatoes. 

     Supplements- I am lucky that I seem to be able to take supplements without issue. My list is in my signature. I have recently started using milk peptides before bed and I think it may be helping with relaxation. 

     Distractions- This has been key for me. Anything that takes my mind off tapering, mirt, the whole journey has been very helpful. I began painting with watercolor which I absolutely love. Hours can pass by and I barely notice. Other great distractions have been mountain biking, hiking, playing cards with friends, quilting, meditation, yoga, weight lifting and spending time outside. Sometimes I have to force myself to do some of these things but they are becoming a lot easier and I'm always glad I did them. 

 

Finally, I have to say a little about some positive things this experience has given me. Of course, given a choice I would not have chosen this path but it happened and here we are. Learning to live in the present is really a gift. I feel so much more gratitude for the smallest things and enjoy taking a moment to appreciate them. I also have a lot more empathy for anyone who is struggling with any challenge. I never really understood just how difficult life can be until now. Without mirt, I would never have started painting. It has brought me so much joy even though I am very much a beginner and have so much to learn. It's a voyage of discovery and exploration. I have met so many wonderful people on this website and through other support groups. I have a taper buddy who I have become very close to and am in a private Facebook group that has been incredibly supportive. (You all know who you are. Thank you!) Also, I have learned to research, research, research before ever considering another drug. I am nearly 71 and have been diagnosed with osteopenia. My doctor hasn't yet pushed osteoporosis drugs on me but I'm sure it's coming. I have researched a lot about them, and it's another case of big pharma pushing us into potentially very harmful drugs. In addition, I have learned that there are many steps that can be taken to improve bone density at any age. That has become my path. 

 

Someone in a support group wrote that from this experience, he felt like a phoenix rising from the ashes. Stronger than before. That is my hope for all of us. We will rise stronger and more resilient than before. I hope to be done with my taper before a third year comes around but if it takes me that much longer at least I am moving in the right direction. 

 

~ "In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invisible summer."  Albert Camus ~

 

 

This is a great update Gigi. It's interesting that you now live in the moment. I do this now too and appreciate everything including all the little things. You've found painting which is an awesome distraction. Distraction is key to get through all of this. You have a lot of nice distractions.  I like gardening, small hikes, visiting parks, arboretums, museums and botanical gardens. Lately I've been back to traveling. It was too hard previously. Like you I don't follow a low histamine diet but have been eating much more healthier. This helps a lot. The end of the taper will come and it will feel so good. I remember when I finished the trazodone taper. What a relief!  Be well. Marie.

[Gigi68]

Thanks for your comments @marie123. We are getting closer. You are such an inspiration having successfully gotten off Trazadone and now carefully tapering Mirtazapine. I’m glad you are enjoying travel again! I have done a number of road trips but no flying. I’ll be flying this summer for a family wedding. I think I’ll be ready. 

[Hibari]

@Gigi68

 

Hi Gigi,

 

Checking to see how getting below 1mg of Mirt feels? 

 

I hope you are doing well as you move lower and lower. 

 

Hibari 

[Gigi68]

Hi @Hibari, the last two drops have been different. I still have some insomnia but it’s only been about half of the nights. CBD has helped with that. The big thing is feeling absolutely desiccated. My eyes, nose and lips have been so uncomfortably parched. Fortunately it’s not affecting my mouth. My ears are plugged up and one crackles like there’s fluid in it though it doesn’t hurt. The past two days have been much better and I will drop again tonight too .83mg. The only other thing worth mentioning is that I still often feel sedated. It seems to happen mostly after I do some intense exercise which I try to do most days. A nap always puts me right. 
 

I have been dropping 10% every three weeks and will continue with that for now. 
 

Hibari, I read your recent post. You are making good progress! Way to go!

[Hibari]

@Gigi68

Sounds like the pace you are going at is working well. You've done a great job at doing a consistent taper.  I understand that dried out feeling. My eyes have been super dry being on Mirt. My only other physical symptom is achy shins. I know Mirt can cause restless leg so that may be causing it. 

 

I'm glad you are getting decent sleep and that the CBD is working for you. I've been sleeping pretty well and combine the Mirt with Magnesium Glycinate and L-theanine. It takes awhile to drop but I eventually do.

 

I hear you on the sedation issue. I wake up so sedated and it takes a few hours to get going since I don't drink coffee anymore. I can't wait till I can nap again. 

 

Thanks for the encouragement. I too feel like I am making progress. Looking forward to getting into the 3s. 

 

Wishing you continued success on your taper. You are in the home stretch! 

 

Hibari 

[Gigi68]

Hello all, it has now been 2 1/2 years since I started tapering mirtazapine. There have been some significant improvements in the last 6 months, so thought I would share.

 

I now am experiencing very few WD problems. I still have tinnitus and expect to have it until I am off. Other than that insomnia is my biggest complaint although it is much improved too. The constipation I've had has resolved. I was taking magnesium citrate to help with that, but have switched to magnesium glycinate when I started having a lot of GI issues. All is better there.

I've had blurry vision off and on while tapering. It always resolved within a day or two, but in May it just didn't clear up. I saw my eye dr. and needed a new prescription as my astigmatism had changed (for the first time in 20 years.) I haven't had any blurry vision since then. I still occasionally get internal tremors during the night. They aren't painful, just weird. I went through a difficult spell of sedation in the spring for about 3 months. Then suddenly, it was gone. I've only had a few days when it has bothered me for a couple of hours. 

 

When I got down to 1.24, I started dropping every 3 weeks instead of 4. I didn't notice any difference in WD so have continued to do that other than a 4+ week hold once due to travel. At some point I also bumped up the % from 8 to 10 and that has gone well also. My most recent drop was 12% and the only WD has been 11 nights of brutal insomnia. I resorted to CBD for 5 of those nights and that helped. Daytime naps also helped me. The past 5 nights, I've slept well. Last night I slept for 7 1/2 hours, the best sleep I've had since starting mirt. 

 

In May, I was able to drive 1300 miles alone from Arizona to my summer home in Wyoming. I was really nervous about it because of the fatigue/sedation issues but it went well with one cup of caffeinated coffee each afternoon. In July, I flew to San Francisco for a wedding and a week long vacation. That also went better than expected. It's wonderful to participate in life again. I've been doing a lot of hiking, weight lifting, quilting and painting. I've been to 3 outdoor concerts this summer and have spent a lot of time with my 5 year old grandson including sleepovers at my house. 

 

I will drop again soon. I'm planning to try another 12% drop but spread it out over 3 weeks, so I'll drop .02mg per week. Hopefully I can avoid some of the insomnia issues that way. We'll see. 

 

[marie123]

Happy for you Gigi. Yes participating in life is awesome. I am holding for a long time and have been participating in life a bit too. What a difference a year makes with tapering. Next summer you will be off Mirt and I will probably be in the 1's. We have indica gummies in the house but I won't use them until the very end if I really need them to sleep. Enjoy the rest of your summer. Marie.

[Utek]

On 8/23/2023 at 5:44 PM, Gigi68 said:

There have been some significant improvements in the last 6 months

I am so happy that you are doing good.

[Hibari]

Great to hear your update @Gigi68.

 

As I head into the 1s with my next drop, it's nice to know that things can get better still.

 

I like hearing that you have tolerated the 12% drops and that the time in between drops has also decreased. I know you are someone who pays attention to your bodies response whatever drops you make. 

 

I've experienced more muscle stiffness as I gotten lower and am curious if you experienced that along the way? I've been exercising more but this feels med related.

 

Hibari

[Gigi68]

@marie123 Thanks Marie. Im glad you are able to enjoy life more. You are getting so close to the 1’s! 

[Gigi68]

@Utek Hope your taper is going well. I see you are down to less than half. 

[Gigi68]

@HibariYou’re almost in the 1’s! Well done!! I have had a lot of muscle and joint stiffness and pain but I’m 71 so maybe shouldn’t blame it all on mirt. I think it’s a contributing factor though. It seems like a common complaint

[RKroos]

Hello, I'm glad you're doing well and are getting closer to your goal.

I am currently on 2.3 mg. At what dose do you plan to jump to 0? I had planned to do it at 0.075 but I'm not sure if this is too low or too high.

Greetings.

[Gigi68]

Hello @RKroos I’m not sure where I’ll jump off. I know the recommendation is to keep tapering all the way to 0. I’m tempted to do it now because the WD is fairly mild at this point. Insomnia is really the only thing bothering me now with occasional daytime sedation. On the other hand, why not keep tapering since I’m not having much trouble now. It seems like it would be safer. I will keep going for now. It’s hard to know what to do. 

[Gigi68]

I am 7 days off Mirtazapine! I will write a post about this first week, but first I want to write about the past several months. In January, I started having a lot of palpitations and acid reflux. I assumed it was WD and contemplated slowing down my taper until it resolved. I started reading old Facebook posts searching for information and came upon a post from someone who said that he had palpitations and potassium helped them. Doing some research on foods with potassium, I realized I don't eat many potassium rich foods. I bought some potassium pills and started drinking coconut water and electrolyte drinks. The palpitations went completely away. The acid reflux is much improved. Mirt may not have been the culprit but I bet it was a big contributor. 

 

I would probably have stopped at .1mg but my daughter was coming for a visit and I didn't want to be going through any unknown WD while she was here. I have to say my dose of .07 and .04 were extremely uncomfortable. My energy just waned more and more the longer I stayed on. My usual symptoms of insomnia and fatigue along with the ongoing tinnitus persisted. It seemed that possibly the drug was causing my problems and not WD. I don't know if that's possible but that's how it felt.  I had set a goal of being off by my birthday, February 24. It was my last night of taking mirtazapine. 

 

Next up, one week off. 

 

[Gigi68]

Today, I have been off Mirtazapine for 1 week. I plan to write an update weekly because there isn't a lot of information out there about how people actually feel after quitting. It was information I desperately wanted so I hope by posting it here, others in the future will be able to find it. It takes incredible strength and courage to stop this after doing a 3 year taper but my mantra for the past year has been "No Fear". In November, I set a goal of being off by my 72nd birthday. I had quite a few accounts of people successfully reducing rapidly from 1 mg and decided that's what I was going to have to do to reach my goal. My drops got progressively larger and my hold times shorter. I didn't notice much difference in how I felt. In fact, throughout my taper, I have never felt as badly as I did after taking 7.5mg for several weeks. While insomnia has probably been my worst symptom, it has slowly improved. I'm often awake for a couple of hours in the night, but still manage to sleep 6-8 hours which is a whole lot better than to 1-3 at the beginning. Besides, I've read a lot of books! 

 

This week has been just like any other drop- same old insomnia, daytime fatigue, ongoing tinnitus, super dry nose and lips. I managed to sleep well on nights 3-4 so that's very encouraging. I've been able to carry on with life as before. I can't say I feel any better but I also don't feel any worse. Day 5 was the most difficult. I went out for a 3 mile hike but cut it short at 2.2 miles because I just felt really odd and unbalanced. I started lifting weights last summer and have been able to carry on with that. I think I'll have some very nice muscles under this layer of fat, if I can lose it. I love to hike and hopefully, the next time I go, it will be ok. That day, I planned to do some house projects but decided to give myself permission to spend the afternoon watercolor painting which has been a lifesaver for me. Such a great distraction! I felt better by evening. 

 

A really positive thing is that I have lost 1.5 pounds already. I have eaten a mostly keto diet since tapering but continued to gain weight up until the very end. It's fascinating that at .04mg, I could still be packing on pounds but by stopping it has already started to fall off. I hope this trend continues. I also do 16:8 intermittent fasting. 

 

I worried a lot about all of the awful things that could happen when I stopped. I suppose everyone does. But so far, none of them have materialized. No headache, nausea, diarrhea, anxiety, depression etc. I know it's still very early, but I chose to remain positive and look forward to a bright and shiny future. Ready for Week 2. 

 

If you are still tapering, hang on. I never thought I would survive this or be on this side of withdrawal. It will happen for you too. 

 

 

[Hibari]

@Gigi68

 

Congratulations Gigi! 

 

You have offered great information to others tapering and also a shot of hope.

 

There is a way off these meds and your updates will be very helpful to others. 

 

As @marie123 said before, our band of Mirt tapering folk are moving to and across the finish line @Bestill is right behind us. And I know that @Oaktree1 and @Faure are moving down. 

 

Look forward to hearing more of your progress. 

 

Hibari. 

[Gigi68]

Week 2 is in the books. The beginning of the week was similar to the week before. On the afternoon of day 9, I was extremely tired. Went to bed early and woke up at 10:00 feeling very distraught. The rest of the night was very long and restless. The next day, I was wired but tired all day and that night was also long and restless. I had experienced times like this during my taper, it wasn't new. I think this was the point where mirt and I said goodbye. It had totally left my system. The following day, I felt much better. The next 3 nights, I slept well. I can't remember the last time I slept well 3 nights in a row. Hope it's a trend. Yesterday, my husband and I went to the Tucson Festival of Books followed by dinner in downtown Tucson. I felt great all day and didn't even need a nap. Today, I have been more tired and had some diarrhea. Perhaps I overdid it yesterday. Tinnitus continues. My eyes, nose lips and throat seem a bit better, less dry. I have fluid in one of my ears. It's not painful but is affecting my hearing. I have now lost 2 pounds and look only six months pregnant, not nine. Ha ha! Ready for Week 3.

[Faure]

Thanks for these updates @Gigi68, I’m currently around 1.3mg (my spreadsheet knows my exact dose!) and just started tapering again after a family tragedy where I held for about 8 weeks. I haven’t had any WD symptoms at all this round (I was barely getting any recently anyway).  Keep them coming ☺️

[Gigi68]

Week 3 Check In from the Promised Land

This week started much like the previous two. Still felt like I'm tapering. As the week progressed, I have noticed very subtle improvements- not as much fatigue but still have some, waking up in the morning or from a nap without that toxic hungover feeling, naps are getting shorter, my dreams which have been very unpleasant since starting mirt are becoming more neutral or even pleasant. I have had a pugged up ear for several months. There have been times this week where it has cleared for short periods. I've also been sneezing a lot for sereral months but seems somewhat less now. The dry eyes and throat are a bit better. I have also had some teary episodes but I welcome that because it means I can actually feel things again. Sleep has not been great but I usually manage to get about 6 hours. I had two very bad nights several days ago with the wired but tired feeling in the daytime. I am lucky to not have any mental problems. The past two days have been very good. I almost feel like myself again. I haven't lost anymore weight mut my mirt belly continues to deflate. So my conclusion for this week is that I'm taking baby steps in the right direction. 

[mariamisery]

Glad to know you survived mirtazapine withdrawal. I hear do many say how difficult it was to get off. You are doing so good.  I am going into my third month of withdrawal and having awful waves. Hope more windows open up for me. This is a very difficult process.  

[Gigi68]

@FaureThank you! Well done on your taper. I could never say in the past 3 years that I didn't have much in the way of WD. You are making good progress.