Posted by SLS on April 22, 2006, at 7:44:45
In reply to Re: mirtazapine/remeron updates? » cashy72, posted by jules354 on April 22, 2006, at 7:13:51
> the way my doctor described it was basically giving your body the amount of time you'd give it on a new increased dose of something to see how your depressiion symptoms are.
I agree with your doctor's abstraction. However, the time necessary to allow the brain to adapt is probably closer to 2 weeks. If a dosage decrease is going to produce withdrawal symptoms, it will do so regardless of the time allowed to elapse beyond this 2-week period. The key is to attempt to reduce the dosage by an amount small enough to prevent an intense withdrawal syndrome that lasts for weeks. I think it is better to think in terms of percentage reductions than absolute amounts. The percentage difference between 7.5mg and 3.75mg is as large as the percentage difference between 30mg and 15mg. 50% is a big number. It might be better to reduce by 25% every 2 weeks or even 10% every week. I guess the bottom line is to allow your body to tell you how large a dosage decrease is comfortable and how long it takes for the brain to stabilize.
While there is nothing counterproductive with waiting months between dosage decreases, I don't think it is necessary.
- Scott
poster:SLS
thread:613132
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/wdrawl/20060412/msgs/635766.html