Started Mirt Last Night.

[[jo...]]

Hi, I started mirt last night 7.5mgs, And it pretty much knocked me out. I haven't slept that long in months. About 8 hours. When I got up Whoa! was I shakey. But My anxiety wasn't as bad. My heart was racing to but the panic wasn't as bad. I feel pretty spaced out too. I've only been up for an hour so we'll see how the rest of the day goes but it has had an effect. Questions to those who have started taking it during withdrawl.

Is this normal?

Do these side effects continue or do the ease off?

Does it's effect on sleep continue to work with regular use?

I actually feel better this morning/early afternoon than usual even wit the new side effects. it feels more manageable.

Thanks.

 

[[Hu...]]

Last weekend was exactly a year ago when I started mirt 7.5, also for withdrawal reasons. 

First day I was a zombie. The majority of the summer I lay on my bedroom floor, because it was cold and I can't tolerate heat. My GP asked me about mirt and I told him, the word is "lethargic".

First days I had some sexual dysfunction, but that went away pretty fast. And for the rest: I gained a lot of weight. (8 kilo's in a year). Now I'm tapering the mirt because it no longer works that well and I don't want to gain more weight. It makes me crave sweets more, and it definitely does something to your metabolism. 

The original reason I wanted mirt also was because of withdrawal tension headaches, and it worked very well for that. Until I started cutting it, of course. 

7.5 did help my anxiety a little bit when I think back now. But don't expect benzo-like reductions. Not at all. For depression you need more, like 15-30mg. Because of the weight-issue I never wanted to increase. From all the AD's Mirtazapine makes you gain the most weight. 

I did notice however that when I started to taper it I lost a few kilo's easily. 

Edited June 19 by [Hu...]

[[jo...]]

Thanks @[Hu...] How difficult a taper was it if you dont mind me asking?

[[Hu...]]

 

5 minutes ago, [[j...] said:

Thanks @[Hu...] How difficult a taper was it if you dont mind me asking?

I'm at 2.6 now, from 7.5

Some people say you can CT it, but I don't believe that. 

I think it still does costs months to get off it in a manner that doesn't cause too much stress. I notice the reductions in the form of depression symptoms. But knowing that I'm not longer so slow and zombielike helps.

I don't think it is a bad med. Probably the best sleep I had ever. 10 hours deep sleep in the beginning. 

Edited June 19 by [Hu...]

[[jo...]]

3 minutes ago, [[H...] said:

I'm at 2.9 now, from 7.5

Some people say you can CT it, but I don't believe that. 

I think it still does costs months to get off it in a manner that doesn't cause too much stress. I notice the reductions in the form of depression symptoms. But knowing that I'm not longer so slow and zombielike helps.

I don't think it is a bad med. Probably the best sleep I had ever. 10 hours deep sleep in the beginning. 

so after a while you would have to updose to maintain the seditave effect right, which would add to other side effects like weight gain?

[[Hu...]]

Just now, [[j...] said:

so after a while you would have to updose to maintain the seditave effect right, which would add to other side effects like weight gain?

No, because the sedative effect is only below 7.5 But whenever I take that small dose I still take, It still makes me sleepy within an hour. 

Now mirt is also different in that higher doses work more stimulating because of the noradrenaline. You might have not have that much weight gain from 15. I don't know. All I know was reading the reviews before I started and reading about all the complaints of weight gain and I was like: "not me because I am in such good shape and never weighed more than 75kg no matter how hard I trained and ate".

[[jo...]]

1 minute ago, [[H...] said:

No, because the sedative effect is only below 7.5 But whenever I take that small dose I still take, It still makes me sleepy within an hour. 

Now mirt is also different in that higher doses work more stimulating because of the noradrenaline. You might have not have that much weight gain from 15. I don't know. All I know was reading the reviews before I started and reading about all the complaints of weight gain and I was like: "not me because I am in such good shape and never weighed more than 75kg no matter how hard I trained and ate".

Thanks @[Hu...] You've been very helpful. I think I may keep taking it for a couple of weeks and see about the side effects ,and how well I tolorate them. If it will help smooth things like insomnia and anxiety it might be worth gaining a few pounds. I can live with that. If I end up taking it long term I will surely slow taper it.

[[Cr...]]

@[jo...] glad to see you finally made a decision. I am sure after a lot of thought, research, reviews, and other opinions you have weighed the benefits vs the risks.

If getting enough sleep helps your anxiety and depression enough on its own you may not have to go to 15 or 30 for the anxiety/depression benefits. If your doctor says it is okay, you could even see if taking it just a few times a week for sleep is viable so you don't have to worry about tapering.

[[jo...]]

Yeah today has been a bit easier so far. I feel very foggy but give me that over the crazy anxiety all day long. I had crazy shakes when I got up too but they died off pretty quick so no biggie. Getting some sleep beyond 2 hours is important to the kind of day your going to have that goes without saying.

[[Ja...]]

Jonwill im glad it’s helping you bud,,you’ll need to keep us posted on this throughout the rest of your taper.I thought about the idea of going back on the mirt as well,.I had a setback from sertraline so was a bit hesitant about jumping on another 1 

 

[[Cr...]]

You get the munchies yet? That may only occur on certain doses or from regular use.

Some people are okay with insomnia as long as they can least get good sleep a few nights a week. If that is you, then perhaps PRN dosing may be fine. If you want decent sleep every night going forward along with anti-depressive/anxiolytic effects, then regular daily use may be more effective as well as a higher dose.

I assume you are going to try it for several more nights before deciding whether to commiting to the med daily.

[[jo...]]

8 minutes ago, [[J...] said:

Jonwill im glad it’s helping you bud,,you’ll need to keep us posted on this throughout the rest of your taper.I thought about the idea of going back on the mirt as well,.I had a setback from sertraline so was a bit hesitant about jumping on another 1 

Yeah I tried sert a while back before all this and it is notorious for it's side effects when going onto the drug. I had crazy acute like anxiety and insomnia for near 3 weeks! I stuck it out but had all kinds of other effects I didn't like so came off after a couple of months.

 

7 minutes ago, [[C...] said:

You get the munchies yet? That may only occur on certain doses or from regular use.

Some people are okay with insomnia as long as they can least get good sleep a few nights a week. If that is you, then perhaps PRN dosing may be fine. If you want decent sleep every night going forward along with anti-depressive/anxiolytic effects, then regular daily use may be more effective as well as a higher dose.

I assume you are going to try it for several more nights before deciding whether to commiting to the med daily.

I have already ate more today in 6 hours than all of yesterday combinedYeah I m gonna keep taking it for the next few days and give myself a little time to hatch a plan. Thanks for all the insight. Very helpful

Edited June 19 by [jo...]

[[Kr...]]

1 hour ago, [[J...] said:

Jonwill im glad it’s helping you bud,,you’ll need to keep us posted on this throughout the rest of your taper.I thought about the idea of going back on the mirt as well,.I had a setback from sertraline so was a bit hesitant about jumping on another 1 

I think you should try again. 

[[jo...]]

6 hours ago, [[H...] said:

I'm at 2.6 now, from 7.5

Some people say you can CT it, but I don't believe that. 

I think it still does costs months to get off it in a manner that doesn't cause too much stress. I notice the reductions in the form of depression symptoms. But knowing that I'm not longer so slow and zombielike helps.

I don't think it is a bad med. Probably the best sleep I had ever. 10 hours deep sleep in the beginning. 

Thanks @[Hu...] How long have you been tapering the mirt and when do you plan to be off?

[[Hu...]]

31 minutes ago, [[j...] said:

Thanks @[Hu...] How long have you been tapering the mirt and when do you plan to be off?

I really don't know when I started to taper. In hindsight stupid to not journal, but that's who I am. 

I don't know when I will be off it. Could take some time because I have terrible headaches.

[[...]]

Hi, @[jo...])

By my experience, it's normal, although my mirt side effects were a bit different. I never slept that long but the reason i took it was also different, as if it knows why it is taken) For me, side effects like morning dizziness and kind of brain zips at night disappeared about 1-2 weeks later but some others, including sudden urges to eat immediately, stayed much longer. Thanks to mirt i gained my usual weight back but not more than that. I can't say mirt helped me much with lots of wd symptoms but nevertheless, i guess, helped in general, although i always felt its alien presence and was happy to start tapering off of it as well. Right now i'm about to finish with it. I tapered from 30 mg down to about 0.1 mg. It was bearable and no comparison to benzo tapering even with the help of mirt.

 

 

 

 

[[jo...]]

If I remember right most of your symptoms were/are physical right? Because what physical symptoms I have it doesn't seem to have effected, but sleep etc it has had some effect for sure. I have only taken it once so far though so no expert yet!

[[2c...]]

I started Mirt about 18 mos ago for sleep.  I started at 7.5 mg snd have stayed on that until yesterday actually.  It did help tremendously with sleep without super noticeable side effects except for hunger and weight gain. Terrible sugar cravings and hungry all the time.  I gained 15-20 lbs in about 6 mos.  
As time went on I got more and more lethargy during the day and felt like I was walking through jello! I can barely function some days.
 FYI I jumped off Ativan on March 6 of this year so I don't know if some of my symptoms may be from withdrawal.
 I decided yesterday to start cutting the Mirt.  I am going to try a 10% cut every couple of weeks. 

[[...]]

@[jo...], yes, my symptoms have been more physical but mirt didn't affect lots of them, only my headache to some extent, and it was more than enough. I also somehow slept and never felt depressed while taking it. Don't know how it could have been without mirt though. I agree, it's difficult to be an expert after just first piece of a pill but i felt the long-waited relief concerning the headache at once. And however i'm grateful to mirt, it's not a candy)

 

[[Ct...]]

[[...]]

3 hours ago, [[C...] said:

@[...] You tapered down to about 0.1 mg of mirt. Did you do all dry cuts? Did you use a scale?

Hi, @[Ct...]) Yes, only dry cuts. Now it's more like powder. I've been tapering without a scale bc couldn't find anything suitable, just by eye. It's been enough so far.

[[jo...]]

The mirt I took last night didn't really work well. I dont understand how the first time I took it, it knocked me out and the second time it did pretty much nothing.

[[jo...]]

I may start to move up to a thereputic dose for depression as I have heard people have had results in that department, and that is one of the things I'm suffering with most. Something has to give. It's brutal.

[[Cr...]]

24 minutes ago, [[j...] said:

I may start to move up to a thereputic dose for depression as I have heard people have had results in that department, and that is one of the things I'm suffering with most. Something has to give. It's brutal.

You doing so right away or are you sticking to 7.5 for a week or so? Since mirt made you hungrier, is it possible that the 2nd time you had more food in your stomach when you took it, causing it not to hit you that hard?

I was going to say maybe 3.75 might work better for sleep if you wanted to try that one night. Since you are concerned about depression, the higher doses are designated for that. 

[[jo...]]

1 minute ago, [[C...] said:

You doing so right away or are you sticking to 7.5 for a week or so? Since mirt made you hungrier, is it possible that the 2nd time you had more food in your stomach when you took it, causing it not to hit you that hard?

I was going to say maybe 3.75 might work better for sleep if you wanted to try that one night. Since you are concerned about depression, the higher doses are designated for that. 

I had eaten a lot now that you mention it. You think 3.5 would be even more effective? I was thinking maybe give it a week on 7.5 and see what happens. But I'm a bit torn. What I mean is lower doses help insomnia. Bigger doses help depression. Which will serve me more?

I'm kind of thinking stay low and see what happens. Then if I'm not getting much sucess move higher and target the depression. I know from reading other stories that AD's can have an impact on this symptom in the same way they do for depression in people who aren't in withdrawl.

Their one of the only meds that can work for us. Obviously they come with there own problems like needing to be tapered, but sometimes needs must.