Is this Mirtazapine withdrawal or MS???

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So I was taking 15mgs of Mirtazapine a day for a couple of years to address insomnia and health anxiety, and then tapered down to 7.5mgs for about a month or so and then at the end of July I stopped altogether. The first month off saw me experiencing problems with sleep, itching skin etc, but all of that seemed to pass in time and I thought I was through the worst of it. However for the last week and a half I've had increasingly bad pains in my feet, legs, hands and sometimes arms too, the pains are especially bad at night and especially when lying on my front or either side, like the pressure of my body pressing down against the mattress is causing them, but also just when lying on my back, to the point where I struggle to sleep every single night.

The pain is similar to the pain you get when you constrict the blood flow to a limb by accident, and I don't mean pins and needles or numbness, but actual pain, the pains are quite short and sharp and feel neuropathic in nature. I also experience them throughout the day but I perhaps notice them less as I'm distracted with other things, and sometimes it's painful just touching things or leaning against things, and sometimes it's not exactly pain but like an awareness of the bones and it feels like they're against a hard surface all the time, especially the bones in my feet as I walk along.

The doc didn't seem to have a clue about what this could be as I stopped the Mirtazapine over 6 weeks ago now, and sent me for various blood tests and his main advice was to go back on the Mirtazapine, but I am reluctant to do that as if these pains are caused by the withdrawal, how bad will they be further down the line if I keep taking the medication?! Both my aunts have MS so I'm really terrified that these pains might be the start of MS, although I want to believe it's part of the withdrawal from the Mirtazapine. Has anyone else experienced symptoms like this so long after stopping the medication? If anyone's got any advice or insight I would be super grateful.

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • Posted

    hi, just to let you know i had similar pains when i stopped mirt, all the withdrawal stopped after 5 months x

    • Posted

      Oh really?? Oh, that's a relief to hear as it doesn't seem to be so common. So you think I just need to ride it out? Did anything help relieve the pain? CBD oil? Sleeping pills? I'm really struggling as I can't ever get a good night's sleep now.

    • Posted

      hey, have you tried epsom salts? they are great for pain, natural, contain magnesium so help with anxiety and sleep

  • Posted

    i also had similar withrawal symptoms burning skin anxiety no sleep i think everyone experiences similar or different withdrawels i am now 4 months out everything has settled down it just takes time hang in there i would suggest u get tested for ms only because its in your family my guess its just withdrawels good luck

    • Posted

      hi tac! i know its been awhile but I hope uou get this message. i have the burning skin issue too plus tinnitus! its driving me mad! do u recall when the burning skin resolved? was it just like one day it stopped?!

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