Calling those at low-end of taper (3% and under of your original dose - or ?)

October 7, 2026··

Posted in:Symptoms & Self-Care Tapering

I want to create a space for those of us who are at the low-dose taper point to share experiences and tips. I know 'low-dose' is always relative and also somewhat hard to pin down, given we're all tapering different drugs from different starting points, but since Horowitz recommends a min taper endpoint of 1% receptor occupancy of the original dose (personally, I expect to continue to taper well beyond that to ensure safety and stability), I figure we could maybe define the low-dose realm as anything 3% and under of the original dose/taper starting point. But hey, let's not get hung up on numbers: if you're getting lower and finding that the game's changing and/or getting harder, this thread is for you. I know for me, it became a different ballgame once I hit 3% of my starting dose. I'm currently on 0.12mg, aiming to come off no sooner than 0.04mg, based on my WD experience to date, and the past 6 months have been the roughest since I started my taper (currently in week 8 of holding). I remember hearing at SA that it gets a long harder once you hit low doses. I wanted to believe that might not apply to me or that it might not turn out to be that much harder, but these past few months have shown me that I am, indeed, in new territory now, and the old game plan no longer applies. Keen to hear from others where you're at and how you're faring and navigating this rocky road - or, if there are any out there breezing through it!

Mirtazapine — 0.12mg — 3 years, 7 months

4 Replies

Mcat1d ago

Mirtazapine · holding

I'll start with a couple of things that are now emerging as a bit of a challenge in case there's anyone out in the low-dose realm who will engage with this thread. 1. I'm noticing that I now have to be scientifically precise with my dosing. Of course, throughout my whole taper, I've aimed to be accurate when dosing, but there can be minute shifts from day to day; the syringe plunger being so fractionally in a different place on the line that you can't even see it. I didn't use to feel that, but now I think I'm feeling any teeny tiny difference keenly. For example, last night, I prepared my dose at 9pm; triple-checked it as usual (cause I'm no nervous about making a mistake, especially as I'm cognitively less sharp) - I thought it looked ever so slightly different in placement, but was tired, so just took it. As soon as I lay down in bed, I got some internal vibrations, which seemed to have calmed down on my current long hold. So, gots to take the time to try and get EXACTLY the same spot on the line every time from now on. 2. CW bodily functions: this has been a thing for quite a long time in my taper, but seems to be getting more intense, and it relates to gut symptoms (no doubt the gut-brain receptors): three things happen at once out of the blue: overwhelming fatigue, almost like a fever, a spike of high anxiety, and the urge to do a #2. Once I go, it eases off. Weird!

Mirtazapine — 0.12mg — 3 years, 7 months

anne noni moss15h ago

NavigatorPaxil · holding

Great idea Mcat! Im scared to go lower for fear of falling into hell. Precision? Im awful at that. Im grateful for the compounding pharmacy. They can get my liquid down. But thse marks on the syringe are pretty small. Thanks for the reminder to be careful!

atypical in presentation of side effects, super sensitive to small doses and general delayed responder. never took a psych med that didn't' make me sick immediately with infections and restless legs. have never been able to tolerate being on them, but have never had support to get off so I've been bouncing back and forth. i don't like capital letters. sorry.

Paxil — 1 mg — 2 yrs — holding until Oct. 7 doc appt.
Seroquel — 50 — planning taper |
trileptal -75 planning taper
prasozin 1 mg planning taper

started my psych med saga in 2001 and wish I never had. I had some difficulties with sleep and anxiety, but NOTHING like what was in store for me after trying every med out there. My last treatment center promised to "get me totally off" in 2022 but it was a lie. They just switched drugs and added more and more in a desperate attempt to help me "stabilize," so they could call me a "success story" once insurance stopped paying. I agree with those who state that this industry needs to change. AND I'm working on not being resentful about my suffering because it doesn't help anyone.

been on an off cocktails since 2001. Most recent mixture, prescribed in 2024: 20 mg Paxil, 150 Trileptal, 50 Seroquel, 2 mg prasozin, (for PTSD/nightmares.)

immediately went to 1 mg prasozin, and after 3 months cut to 10 mg paxil. No felt effects. Then went to 5 about 3 months later, (though I didnt' keep track so I'm rusty.) No felt effects. So, I've roughly been on 5 mg for a year and a half.

Side effects always force to to start tapering RIGHT AWAY.

I didn't start keeping track of my Paxil taper until this year. I went from 3mg to 1 in 10 months, using a liquid Maudsley-ish slow taper. Again, no felt effects until now.

October 2026...sleeping less and feeling more sedated during the day. Having trouble managing my social life without getting over-stimulated. Must set boundaries according to my body and not my heart.

Holding 1 mg paxil until blood work done and evaluated, and to see if build a social life that doesn't make me lose sleep. Sounds silly as I type it, but actually, nothing is "silly" on this ride! Everything is WILD!!!! LOL

Keeping all other meds the same. Sorry so long.

Cosmic197314h ago

WelcomerMirtazapine · active

Hi Mcat, You ask a very good question. I'm also at a similar place to you, but i think (hope) i'm less sensitive because my symptoms are less volatile then yours. After stopping at 0.3mg, by the 6th week the WD symptoms were really bad so i started back on 0.2mg which i'm slowly stabalising but it's took 2 months to go from feeling 2/10 to around 6/10 fairly linearly. My plan is to get to feeling 8/10 for 4 weeks each stage and go 0.2>0.15>0.1>0.05 and stop. But after reading some of the posts here, it will be very tentative and i'm very much prepared to come back at the middle at say 0.18mg if, like you things change and get increasingly sensitive. Even if i stop and things come back i'm prepared to come at 0.025. Eventually, it has to get to the point where it's so small, it's stopped having an effect. What would you say that dose is?

Mirtazapine — 0.2mg — 1 year — actively tapering

Mcat5h ago

Mirtazapine · holding

No idea - I think that will be very individual, depending on lots of things including how many receptors your poison binds to (we are in the unlucky position of being on an AD that binds to quite a few - only the tricyclic ones bind to more). I'm preparing to go super low because I'm older than most of you (that really makes a difference with these drugs and the CNS) and also have had a very sensitised nervous system for a very long time. Plus have other health issues in play. You might well get away with jumping off higher.

Mirtazapine — 0.12mg — 3 years, 7 months

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