ablesprout: tapering Mirtazapine (Remeron)

[ablesprout]

hi everyone, extremely happy to have found this site. it's been hard finding others on the same med and i'm very pleased to see there are several of us here! i'm down to 15mg from 30mg and have decided to stay at this dose for awhile as i'll be moving out of state soon and don't want to disrupt my stability more than needed.

 

the last drop, which i now know was too large (3.75mg) hit me hard with a barrage of cortisol-related symptoms and i didn't know that it was the med until about 6 weeks in (when symptoms got really bad) because i hadn't had any problems making the previous 3 drops what so ever.

 

i was spacing the drops out about 6-8 weeks, and going 3.75mg at a time. things have calmed down considerably, but i'm still struggling with early-morning waking/restlessness/night sweats, so getting somewhere between 4 and 5 hours of sleep a night. my cns is very sensitive at night, where the slightest unexpected sound can send me into a frenzy.

 

from what i've read, it doesn't seem that there is much that can be done for the cortisol early waking and that it's something that my body will re-learn, hopefully sooner than later! if anyone has any suggestions, i'm very open to trying. i usually take warm milk at night as well as magnesium. it's strange, but i don't feel the sedating effects of the M- at all on this dose, where as, at the dose just above this, sedation was still very strong.

 

 

my other inquiry is regarding the horrible dryness i'm experiencing at this dose. i just can't seem to drink enough water, my mouth is eternally dry, and i just release any liquid i've put into my system around 30 minutes later. has anyone else experienced this? any suggestions? i have tried mixing electrolytes in my water, as well as a little salt and lime juice, but to no avail.

so happy to be here in this supportive community,

ablesprout

Edited March 20, 2013 by tezza
Added paragraph breaks for readability

[tezza]

Hi ablesprout,

 

Welcome! I moved your post here for your Introductory Topic. You can add updates here.

 

You will get lots of support and very good advice here.

 

There are some things you can try...Blackout shades are a good choice to make your bedroom as dark as possible. Some have had good results with a soft sleep mask, also.

 

There are many suggestions in the Symptoms and Self-care sub-forum.

 

Here is a good place to begin:

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/555-tips-to-help-sleep-so-many-of-us-have-withdrawal-insomnia/

 

There are several discussions about sleep and what helps in the Symptoms and Self-care section, so please browse through it.

 

If you would add your history , it would be very helpful to those wishing to offer support and advice. Here are instructions for that:

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/893-please-put-your-withdrawal-history-in-your-signature/

 

Thank you for joining us!

 

Tezza

[Altostrata]

Dry mouth is a very common side effect of mirtazapine, see http://www.drugs.com/pro/mirtazapine-tablets.html

 

When do you take your dose?

 

You might find updosing slightly, perhaps 1mg, will reduce withdrawal symptoms.

[ablesprout]

hi tezza + altostrata! thanks so much for your kind and thoughtful replies. tezza, i just got a sleep mask so i've been using that for the past two nights. i'm generally sensitive, always have been, so i think it will take me a few mores days just to get used to having it on my face. thanks for directing me to the Symptoms + Self Care forum. i read through a lot of the sleep suggestions and found them very helpful.

 

altostrata, i've been considering going back up to the last dose i was at (18.75mg) for the past several weeks. if i'm completely honest, i feel pretty destabilized in general. i keep telling my mom that i feel like my insulation got taken away, and i don't like it. my nervous system is super sensitive (more so than usual). i'm very proactive with self care and using relaxation techniques, yoga, meditation, etc. but i can't seem to get to a place where it feels like my feet are on solid ground. are there any potential draw-backs to going back up a dose? as in, could it backfire and make things worse? at least i know what i'm dealing with at this level, but again, not good.

 

i take my dose before bedtime. yes, M- is notorious for dry-mouth but it's just gotten a lot worse the past month or so.

 

with a grateful heart,

ablesprout

[tezza]

Hi ablesprout,

 

A lot of people go back up in dose and have good results. It's all really trial and error with these meds. You could try going back up gradually, by that, I mean maybe go up 2mg for four or five days and see if you feel any better.

 

Then if it seems like it's helping but not enough, you could go on up to 18.75.

 

I'm tapering from 30 mg of mirtazipine, myself. I crush the pill and mix it with 30 mL of water for precise measurements. How are you tapering?

 

Here is a link on tapering mirtazipine:

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2028-tips-for-tapering-off-remeron-mirtazapine/

 

Tezza

[ablesprout]

thanks tezza! i didn't realize water suspension was ok with M-. it sounds like it's been a good method for you. my dr. gave me 7mg pills so i've been splitting them in half. thought that was gonna be slow enough.

 

have you heard of anyone having negative reactions to updosing? it's been 3 months since my last reduction and i'm wondering if that will play into how i might respond? i'm feeling really bad today and feeling anxious about what it is i need to do. i'm at my wit's end with the lack of sleep. i can push through a lot, but this is a whole different bird!

 

thanks for the link to the thread on reducing M-. good + very helpful!

ablesprout

[dalsaan]

Hi Ablesprout

 

I'm tapering remeron. I've updosed numerous times for one reason or another and haven't had a bad response. It's no guarantee of course because everyone is different. But, of you've gone three months and are still in significant withdrawal you should think about updosing

 

 

I've never been able to outlast withdrawal. I've always had to reinstate/updose to stabalise and reduce more slowly

 

Happy to answer any other questions if it helps

[tezza]

Hi ablesprout,

 

I'm glad to help you in any way I can. I didn't know 7mg pills were available in the US. I have 30mg and 15mg. I live in GA so I should be able to get 7mg, I would think.

 

Anyway, mixing with water is not so bad and it makes very small cuts easy to measure. You can ask the pharmacy for a few oral syringes. I don't think you would have any problem updosing but as Dalsaan said, everyone is different.

 

I completely understand about the insomnia, there are few here that wouldn't. Please keep us posted on how the updose goes for you.

 

Wish you the best!

Tezza

[ablesprout]

dalsaan + tezza, thank you for your replies! i've decided to stay put at 15mg as i've been feeling steadier in energy the past week. the restless sleep/early waking is still occurring, but i'm being kinder, gentler, + more patient with myself about it, ie: not getting frustrated when i wake up + instead, getting up to get a sip of water with a little magnesium, then laying in bed thoughtfully/curiously, not stressfully. also, i had been taking ashwagandha for the past 1.5 years, which was an incredible ally to me for adrenal fatigue. about two weeks ago, intuition was suggesting that i stop taking it, but i'd had such a good relationship with it that my mind wrestled about that change. i decided monday to experiment with not taking it and my body has been less warm in general (welcome) and less restless. sleep hasn't changed yet but the restlessness of my thoughts around sleep has shifted and my nervous system feels calmer. so that is progress! instead of ashwagandha, i've added milky oats tincture, which is amazingly gentle and feels like a soothing coating over my over-sensitive nerves. i'm going to try going to bed earlier this week since i'm not having trouble falling asleep/staying asleep, until about 3ish. we shall see!

 

how are you doing this week? any new insights, experiences?

 

thank you again::: i have very supportive friends + family, AND the support i get here is that of those who know what it's like to engage this journey + transformation. invaluable.

ablesprout

[Meimeiquest]

Hi Ablesprout,

 

I'm from Spring Hill...welcome neighbor! Just wanted to let you know that there is a compounding pharmacy in Franklin, AllenHill Pharmacy, that can make solutions for exact dosing, should you need it. I'm picking up my Zyprexa Monday so can't vouch for their quality yet. I think there's also a compounding pharmacy in Green Hills, but I don't know the name. Best, Meimeiquest

[dalsaan]

I compound my mirtazapine. I highly recommend it when you decide to taper. It allows much greater control and precision

 

Best wishes to you

 

Dalsaan

[ablesprout]

meimeiquest, what are the chances?!? i lived in spring hill for a little while and loved how peaceful it was. comforting to know there's a fellow taperer nearby thank you for letting me know about the compounding pharm. let us know your experience of the quality when you are able. and thank you dalsaan, for that bit too. my plan is to get liquid once my sleep stabilizes, though i'm not feeling particularly positive about that today. been having the adrenaline surges when i start to doze off again, making it difficult to fall asleep + stay asleep. blerg.

 

tezza, i forgot to mention that the 7mg pills are from greenstone pharmaceuticals, a generic branch of pfizer.

 

ablesprout

[tgirl]

How are you doing Ablesprout?