DeadShadow Posted January 24, 2017 Share Posted January 24, 2017 So my psychiatrist has finally allowed me to start tapering off of my remeron that I've been on for 1yr and 4months. She proposed a 2month plan regarding taking half my 30mg dose for a month, then cutting that down to 7.25mg for 2-4 or so, then stopping completely. I feel like that's too fast. Also, I have a pill splitter, but it is cheap and wouldn't get the job done if I would do the 10% reduction method. I could take half of the 15mg tablet and add that onto my other 15mg tablet for 22.25mg to start off with instead. I dunno. I don't want this to take forever, and I really have no idea how to get an exact reduction rate of 10% with this pill splitter I have. I'll be withdrawing soon. Any advice? September 2015-- started Remeron(Mirtazapine) 30mg (now on for 1 year and 4 months) Started tapering Feb 3 Starting dose--26.25mg 4 weeks Symptoms: Increased appetite, increased thirst, dry mouth(as of Feb 6) Link to comment
Timeman Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 Hello Shadow, First off...speaking from a tiny bit of experience. Take it slow. I had to reinstate because Im an impatient person. I am paying a price if you read my post. I will take my time and do 10% when I settle down. I went to someone who will tiltrate my does. I really advise you to to the same. 2000 September start Xanax .05 mg stop September 2002 start klonopin September 2002 November 2015 dose increased to 1mg x2 August 16 2016 STOP klonopin DETOX 11 days took drug to detox but I can't remember what it was stopped drug 11 days August 27 th 2016 start August 27 gabapenton 100 mg 4x per day increase to 300 3x October 2016 stopped gabapenton Started mertazapen 15 mg October 1 2006 reduce December 27- 29 2016 7.5 updose December 30 reduced January 1 2017 11.25 mg mertazapine Stopped January 13 January 19 Reinstated to current dose of 15mg Note Taking supplements from the ROAD BACK 1500 MG omega 3 body calm tart cherry and as of yesterday i ounce of tart cherry juice 2x per day Link to comment
nz11 Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 Hi DS A lot of people have scales and are weighing it. Another option is to get a compounding pharmacy to make the dose for you , or You could ask for your prescription to be filled with the smallest dose 7.5 mg and then use these to get as close as you can to the required dose. So for the first drop you would go 7.5 x 3 + 7.5 x1/2 = 26.25, However that would then be a 12.5 % drop for the first drop. See: Tips for tapering off Remeron (mirtazapine) Welcome to sa. nz11 Thought for the day: Lets stand up, and let’s speak out , together. G Olsen We have until the 14th. Feb 2018. URGENT REQUEST Please consider submitting for the petition on Prescribed Drug Dependence and Withdrawal currently awaiting its third consideration at the Scottish Parliament. You don't even have to be from Scotland. By clicking on the link below you can read some of the previous submissions but be warned many of them are quite harrowing. http://www.parliament.scot/GettingInvolved/Petitions/PE01651 Please tell them about your problems taking and withdrawing from antidepressants and/or benzos. Send by email to petitions@parliament.scot and quote PE01651 in the subject heading. Keep to a maximum of 3 sides of A4 and you can't name for legal reasons any doctor you have consulted. Tell them if you wish to remain anonymous. We need the numbers to help convince the committee members we are not isolated cases. You have until mid February. Thank you Recovering paxil addict None of the published articles shed light on what ssri's ... actually do or what their hazards might be. Healy 2013. This is so true, with anything you get on these drugs, dependance, tapering, withdrawal symptoms, side effects, just silent. And if there is something mentioned then their is a serious disconnect between what is said and reality! "Every time I read of a multi-person shooting, I always presume that person had just started a SSRI or had just stopped." Dr Mosher. Me too! Over two decades later, the number of antidepressant prescriptions a year is slightly more than the number of people in the Western world. Most (nine out of 10) prescriptions are for patients who faced difficulties on stopping, equating to about a tenth of the population. These patients are often advised to continue treatment because their difficulties indicate they need ongoing treatment, just as a person with diabetes needs insulin. Healy 2015 I believe the ssri era will soon stand as one of the most shameful in the history of medicine. Healy 2015 Let people help people ... in a natural, kind, non-addictive (and non-big pharma) way. J Broadley 2017 Link to comment
DeadShadow Posted January 25, 2017 Author Share Posted January 25, 2017 Thank you to both of you. I don't know what reinstating means, but I'm guessing you start back from your original dose from where you tried to cut down. Anyway, I don't have a scale, so without the scale should I just use the pill splitter to the best of my ability? September 2015-- started Remeron(Mirtazapine) 30mg (now on for 1 year and 4 months) Started tapering Feb 3 Starting dose--26.25mg 4 weeks Symptoms: Increased appetite, increased thirst, dry mouth(as of Feb 6) Link to comment
nz11 Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 It wouldnt take long to get a scale. You live in that wonderful country called America. They can do anything in that country and if they can send a man to the moon (and perhaps build a wall) then im sure they can get you a scale sooner than "soon" or within a day or two no worries. I dont think being on the drug you have to worry about reinstating you will be tapering (hopefully in a downward direction). Thought for the day: Lets stand up, and let’s speak out , together. G Olsen We have until the 14th. Feb 2018. URGENT REQUEST Please consider submitting for the petition on Prescribed Drug Dependence and Withdrawal currently awaiting its third consideration at the Scottish Parliament. You don't even have to be from Scotland. By clicking on the link below you can read some of the previous submissions but be warned many of them are quite harrowing. http://www.parliament.scot/GettingInvolved/Petitions/PE01651 Please tell them about your problems taking and withdrawing from antidepressants and/or benzos. Send by email to petitions@parliament.scot and quote PE01651 in the subject heading. Keep to a maximum of 3 sides of A4 and you can't name for legal reasons any doctor you have consulted. Tell them if you wish to remain anonymous. We need the numbers to help convince the committee members we are not isolated cases. You have until mid February. Thank you Recovering paxil addict None of the published articles shed light on what ssri's ... actually do or what their hazards might be. Healy 2013. This is so true, with anything you get on these drugs, dependance, tapering, withdrawal symptoms, side effects, just silent. And if there is something mentioned then their is a serious disconnect between what is said and reality! "Every time I read of a multi-person shooting, I always presume that person had just started a SSRI or had just stopped." Dr Mosher. Me too! Over two decades later, the number of antidepressant prescriptions a year is slightly more than the number of people in the Western world. Most (nine out of 10) prescriptions are for patients who faced difficulties on stopping, equating to about a tenth of the population. These patients are often advised to continue treatment because their difficulties indicate they need ongoing treatment, just as a person with diabetes needs insulin. Healy 2015 I believe the ssri era will soon stand as one of the most shameful in the history of medicine. Healy 2015 Let people help people ... in a natural, kind, non-addictive (and non-big pharma) way. J Broadley 2017 Link to comment
DeadShadow Posted January 25, 2017 Author Share Posted January 25, 2017 Yeah, I hear ya xD. I think I got this figured out though with a rough 12.5% decrease. If I get a scale(maybe tomorrow) should I weigh the pill itself or crush it or how would I weigh it to get the exact dose? September 2015-- started Remeron(Mirtazapine) 30mg (now on for 1 year and 4 months) Started tapering Feb 3 Starting dose--26.25mg 4 weeks Symptoms: Increased appetite, increased thirst, dry mouth(as of Feb 6) Link to comment
nz11 Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 okay Brassmonkey is the expert on this but as he is probably recovering from jet lag i'll have a go. My take on this is weigh about 30 tablets (which i think Brass is/was doing) and then get an average weight for one tablet. Im assuming you know how to calc the average ...total weight of 30 tablets divided by 30. You now will be dealing in two mg amounts 1. The pill weight (pw) in mg, 2. The active ingredient (ai) weight in mg The 30mg tablet is the active ingredient in mg. The weight of that tablet will be more than 30mg cos of filler. Lets say the 30mg tablet on average weighs 'w' mg or as we say 'w' mg pill weight then you will be working with 'w' and a multiplying ratio of 0.9 (thats what it is for 10% of the previous dose drops). For the first drop you will crush a tablet and then weigh it until you get (w x 0.9) mg of pw. Its all in here Using a digital scale to measure doses There are some taper schedule calculators floating around on this site somewhere do you want one? Good luck. There are some choice links on this site eh nz11 Thought for the day: Lets stand up, and let’s speak out , together. G Olsen We have until the 14th. Feb 2018. URGENT REQUEST Please consider submitting for the petition on Prescribed Drug Dependence and Withdrawal currently awaiting its third consideration at the Scottish Parliament. You don't even have to be from Scotland. By clicking on the link below you can read some of the previous submissions but be warned many of them are quite harrowing. http://www.parliament.scot/GettingInvolved/Petitions/PE01651 Please tell them about your problems taking and withdrawing from antidepressants and/or benzos. Send by email to petitions@parliament.scot and quote PE01651 in the subject heading. Keep to a maximum of 3 sides of A4 and you can't name for legal reasons any doctor you have consulted. Tell them if you wish to remain anonymous. We need the numbers to help convince the committee members we are not isolated cases. You have until mid February. Thank you Recovering paxil addict None of the published articles shed light on what ssri's ... actually do or what their hazards might be. Healy 2013. This is so true, with anything you get on these drugs, dependance, tapering, withdrawal symptoms, side effects, just silent. And if there is something mentioned then their is a serious disconnect between what is said and reality! "Every time I read of a multi-person shooting, I always presume that person had just started a SSRI or had just stopped." Dr Mosher. Me too! Over two decades later, the number of antidepressant prescriptions a year is slightly more than the number of people in the Western world. Most (nine out of 10) prescriptions are for patients who faced difficulties on stopping, equating to about a tenth of the population. These patients are often advised to continue treatment because their difficulties indicate they need ongoing treatment, just as a person with diabetes needs insulin. Healy 2015 I believe the ssri era will soon stand as one of the most shameful in the history of medicine. Healy 2015 Let people help people ... in a natural, kind, non-addictive (and non-big pharma) way. J Broadley 2017 Link to comment
DeadShadow Posted January 25, 2017 Author Share Posted January 25, 2017 Ah, okay, that makes some sense to me tomorrow I'll definitely ask my mom to help me get a digital scale for my tapering. Thanks for the help also a schedule would be nice as well. September 2015-- started Remeron(Mirtazapine) 30mg (now on for 1 year and 4 months) Started tapering Feb 3 Starting dose--26.25mg 4 weeks Symptoms: Increased appetite, increased thirst, dry mouth(as of Feb 6) Link to comment
nz11 Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 Okay i'll have a look around for a schedule and post it tomorrow for you...if i can find one. Then you will be taperwise for sure! I think a schedule could be useful....by the way would you like the $1 schedule, the $10 schedule or the $100 schedule? Well done on organizing the digital scale. nz11 Actually the schedules are free i'm just kidding! Thought for the day: Lets stand up, and let’s speak out , together. G Olsen We have until the 14th. Feb 2018. URGENT REQUEST Please consider submitting for the petition on Prescribed Drug Dependence and Withdrawal currently awaiting its third consideration at the Scottish Parliament. You don't even have to be from Scotland. By clicking on the link below you can read some of the previous submissions but be warned many of them are quite harrowing. http://www.parliament.scot/GettingInvolved/Petitions/PE01651 Please tell them about your problems taking and withdrawing from antidepressants and/or benzos. Send by email to petitions@parliament.scot and quote PE01651 in the subject heading. Keep to a maximum of 3 sides of A4 and you can't name for legal reasons any doctor you have consulted. Tell them if you wish to remain anonymous. We need the numbers to help convince the committee members we are not isolated cases. You have until mid February. Thank you Recovering paxil addict None of the published articles shed light on what ssri's ... actually do or what their hazards might be. Healy 2013. This is so true, with anything you get on these drugs, dependance, tapering, withdrawal symptoms, side effects, just silent. And if there is something mentioned then their is a serious disconnect between what is said and reality! "Every time I read of a multi-person shooting, I always presume that person had just started a SSRI or had just stopped." Dr Mosher. Me too! Over two decades later, the number of antidepressant prescriptions a year is slightly more than the number of people in the Western world. Most (nine out of 10) prescriptions are for patients who faced difficulties on stopping, equating to about a tenth of the population. These patients are often advised to continue treatment because their difficulties indicate they need ongoing treatment, just as a person with diabetes needs insulin. Healy 2015 I believe the ssri era will soon stand as one of the most shameful in the history of medicine. Healy 2015 Let people help people ... in a natural, kind, non-addictive (and non-big pharma) way. J Broadley 2017 Link to comment
DeadShadow Posted January 25, 2017 Author Share Posted January 25, 2017 XD yeah I'll have the $1,000,000 schedule please will I need anything else besides the scale itself? My pills are the chalky disgusting kind xD. In a sense they are powdery. September 2015-- started Remeron(Mirtazapine) 30mg (now on for 1 year and 4 months) Started tapering Feb 3 Starting dose--26.25mg 4 weeks Symptoms: Increased appetite, increased thirst, dry mouth(as of Feb 6) Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus scallywag Posted January 25, 2017 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted January 25, 2017 DeadShadow -- Welcome to Surviving Antidepressants (SA) I hope you'll find the information in the SA forums helpful for your situation. I'm glad that you found us before embarking on your doctor's white-knuckle-black-diamond-run taper. Yikes, that one's a recipe for withdrawal symptoms. nz11 gave you the link for weighing medications. Here are some other topics relevant to your situation. Please read them: Before you begin tapering -- what you need to know. Why taper by 10% of my dosage?. Tips for tapering off Remeron (mirtazapine) Thank you for posting medication information in your signature. Would you edit it to clarify that September 2015 is when you started taking Remeron? Also, it will help us help you if you keep it updated as you decrease with both the doses and the date you decreased to that dose. As for a schedule, the 10% topic offers suggestions about length of time to hold at a dose. You can use the links in my signature to determine doses: an online spreadsheet I've built, and a downloadable Excel file that nz11 developed. Let us know how things go for you with the scale. If you have questions, this topic, your intro+update, is the best place to post them. This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.1997-1999 Effexor; 2002-2005 Effexor XR 37.5 mg linear taper, dropping same #beads/week with bad results Cymbalta 60 mg 2012 - 2015; 2016: 20 mg to 7 mg exact doses and dates in this post; 2017: 6.3 mg to 0.0 mg Aug. 12; details here scallywag's IntroductionOnline spreadsheet for dose taper calculations and nz11's THE WORKS spreadsheet Link to comment
DeadShadow Posted January 25, 2017 Author Share Posted January 25, 2017 Ok, thank you so much September 2015-- started Remeron(Mirtazapine) 30mg (now on for 1 year and 4 months) Started tapering Feb 3 Starting dose--26.25mg 4 weeks Symptoms: Increased appetite, increased thirst, dry mouth(as of Feb 6) Link to comment
DeadShadow Posted January 26, 2017 Author Share Posted January 26, 2017 That dose spreadsheet is really helpful thanks. The scale was a no go with my mom, but... I left a message for my psychiatrist today explaining that I'd like to discuss my own personal tapering plan as well as her suggestions. So the waiting game begins again, also my new 15mg pills haven't been ordered yet either. September 2015-- started Remeron(Mirtazapine) 30mg (now on for 1 year and 4 months) Started tapering Feb 3 Starting dose--26.25mg 4 weeks Symptoms: Increased appetite, increased thirst, dry mouth(as of Feb 6) Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus scallywag Posted January 26, 2017 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted January 26, 2017 If the scale isn't an option, consider liquid tapering: Making a liquid from a tablet or capsules . Using an oral syringe and other tapering techniques]. The supplies needed for this are water, and syringes to measure the water and the medication in solution or suspension. Syringes are readily available wherever over-the-counter and prescription medications are sold. The cost is usually < $5.00 for one. Syringes are often used when giving children medication -- it's less messy than trying to get a spoon in a kid's mouth. This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.1997-1999 Effexor; 2002-2005 Effexor XR 37.5 mg linear taper, dropping same #beads/week with bad results Cymbalta 60 mg 2012 - 2015; 2016: 20 mg to 7 mg exact doses and dates in this post; 2017: 6.3 mg to 0.0 mg Aug. 12; details here scallywag's IntroductionOnline spreadsheet for dose taper calculations and nz11's THE WORKS spreadsheet Link to comment
DeadShadow Posted January 26, 2017 Author Share Posted January 26, 2017 Thanks for the suggestion. September 2015-- started Remeron(Mirtazapine) 30mg (now on for 1 year and 4 months) Started tapering Feb 3 Starting dose--26.25mg 4 weeks Symptoms: Increased appetite, increased thirst, dry mouth(as of Feb 6) Link to comment
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