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Is nystagmus a side effect or a withdrawal symptom from mirtazapine?

Posted , 3 users are following.

linda8183
linda8183

My doctor put me on 15 mg of mirtazapine about three weeks ago for a severe depression that's lasted about 6 months already. I had tried several other meds but had side effects to them all. A week ago at the doctor's recommendation, I stopped taking the mirtazapine because I had been on it only two weeks, and I was on only 15 mg.

The night after I stopped the medication, I had severe nausea, vomiting, headache, unsteadiness on my feet (like standing on a boat's deck in a storm), nystagmus, and at the same time, a sound like a light saber from Star Wars. Weird!

Although the nausea has stopped, the most disturbing problem remaining is the nystagmus. It happens when I look sideways, and I get 3-5 flicks of my eyes, accompanied by the "light saber" sound.

Has anyone had a similar problem? If so, does it subside?

I'm still having withdrawal symptoms besides the nystagmus -- insomnia, jitteriness, irritability, headaches, huge appetite, and sensitivity to light and sound. I'm not going to taper off -- I'm just going to tough it out. I'm going to look into conservative ways to detox, too.

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • maz222
    maz222

    Posted

    Felt the need to reply...sorry can't help you on withhdrawels...never done it 19 days ago i went from 22.5 mg of mitaz to 30mg only felt normal last 3 day's....on detox i use chamomile tea b4 bed 2 cups is best 4 the zzz's liqurice tea to calm me down during day and redbush tea at all other times for me it tases bettet than gteen tea + has same benefits...look them up on the net make your own mind up i hope i have staryed you off in right direction....it need not break the bank supermarket's do there own make...and tesco's have named brand's on for 1.00 hope this has helped
  • jacqueline59667
    jacqueline59667

    Posted

    Hi Linda can I ask why the gp has taken you off your 15 mg mirta?
  • jacqueline59667
    jacqueline59667

    Posted

    I was on 30mg of mirtazapine for clinical depression for 2 yrs and completely recovered. When I came off my meds I did not experience one side effect.. Everyone is different and reacts differently to different medications. I reduced my meds to half every nite for 2 weeks then half every second nite for 2 weeks then half every 3 nites for a week and so on until my body probably never noticed. I can't comment on your withdrawal symptoms but hope you feel better soon.
  • linda8183
    linda8183

    Posted

    Jacqueline, I was having bad side effects on 15 mg -- nystagmus, sleeplessness, faintness, and irritability, which I hadn't experienced before I started taking mirtazapine. Before that, I'd been on venlafaxine, and before that, trazodone, and before that, fluoxetine. Nothing has helped the depression. I'm thinking about ECT as an option. I was on mirtazapine for only a week, so we didn't think I'd need to taper on such a low dose. Wrong!

    Thanks! I hope I do feel better soon.

  • jacqueline59667
    jacqueline59667

    Posted

    O Linda it's such a debilitating illness I so understand. I would really really think very long and hard about ect . My dad had many of them yrs ago and I must say that it's a route that I wld never go down but that's not for me to say .. I do hope that you get the suitable help you need .
  • linda8183
    linda8183

    Posted

    A friend of mine, who's a nurse, thought the nystagmus may be unrelated to the mirtazapine and might be related to an inner ear problem. She suggested I go back to the doctor for further evaluation. Meanwhile, I still feel terrible. This shall pass, this shall pass.
  • rexx_56331
    rexx_56331 linda8183

    Posted

    I went from 4 10mg methadone down to one now. I take a half less every month. But all a,sudden 2 days ago when I wake up, I roll over & my eyes jerk back & forth like 10 times like vertigo. I take Valium to sleep

    Also, It does it a few times during the day but only like 3 times they jerk side to side. It's called nystagmus. I was thinking I had a brain tumor.

    FYI I'm not a drug addiction. I moved to Missouri to care for my dad & lost my doc in cali. I just decided to taper since I'm not moving furniture any longer. But if you get anymore info, let me know. It's kinda scary!!!!

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