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Mirtazapine slow withdrawal

Posted , 9 users are following.

pixie22
pixie22

Well I can't claim that I wasn't forewarned. I'm very slowly reducing the mirtazapine, from 30 to 22.5mg, one day a week, then twice a week and I've reached every 3 days. So far I'd had little adverse effects, apart from not sleeping so well the nights after the reduced dose but even that had resolved. Then last night I woke up in the middle of the night with brain and body zaps. It was disconcerting, to say the least, although not too upsetting and it took me a while to get back to sleep so I'm tired today. So I shall be staying on this level until I'm sure my body has got used to it.it's obviously going to take a LONG TIME! It shows that withdrawal effects don't necessarily appear straight away.

1 like, 16 replies

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  • kathy56977
    kathy56977 pixie22

    Posted

    Pixie, I think you should go as slow as you need to. You are using a practical approach and that is wise on this nasty nasty pill. Slow and steady wins the race.
  • kal22
    kal22 pixie22

    Posted

    Hi Pixie just remember you are doing brilliantly ...ive tried the same reduction several times but have gond straight from 30mg to 22.5 for a few weeks then to 15mg but i only last a few mths and go back up prob due to the speed of reduction !! i think how you are doi ng it is the right way but when i try alternating i find it leaves me out of sorts really wound up and tetchy ... can i ask you if mirtazapine makes you look tired as i always feel it does but not certain if it is ths drug or my anxiety that makes me look exhausted ...
    • pixie22
      pixie22 kal22

      Posted

      I've not found mirtazapine made me look tired, but I did always look drawn when my depression and anxiety were bad.
  • david28533
    david28533 pixie22

    Posted

    Pixie, listen to kathy. My situation landed me in a painful, miserable, anxious, depressing mess. And, other medications/conditions complicated things. Take advantantage of the time that you have. I don't know which way wins the race, but it is how you feel crossing the finish line that matters.
  • shez32
    shez32 pixie22

    Posted

    I've tried going 2mg every 3-4 weeks. I got from 15 to half way in 3 months. WhAt a wreck I was and became. Every reduction kicked in after 4 days and it lasted week. I've decided I have no more strength left and had to go back to my 15 this week to gather my self. I still feel lowsy and like I have constant flu symptoms. I wake up confused and hung over every morning and takes hours to feel Awake. Im out of answers and give up Trying to work out if it's anxity or these horrible things. I had non of this before I took these a year ago. I feel stuck on them it upsets me. The docs don't listen. I just wake up and try be thankful for the small things and try do positive reading and hope one day I am ok. So I feel your pain and dont feel bad as it's not our fault we take something we thinks making us better but not told how are it is to stop. If i try to reduce again I'm trying 1mg a month at worse case. Really don't want to try another med Tho as i feel cbt and coping techs and a balance lifestyle might be best for mE.

    Keep strong for now :-)

  • norma72045
    norma72045 pixie22

    Posted

    Hi Pixie, I went from 45mg then one month later 30mg month later22.5 then it hit me.   Finally I got to 15mg,and it hit me more terrible Stomack cramps,my GP told me to stick with 15mg untill I felt comfortable going lower,I've now got to 12.5mg,but I'm not having it very easy.I will have to stay at this mg for a while again.  When I got to 30mg I was Haveing brain zaps but at the time I didn't know what they were they frightened the life out of me.

    Still if you can stick it out it's better than going back and Haveing to go through it again,so if it's to bad just stick with that for a while.  Good Luck Pixie

    • shez32
      shez32 norma72045

      Posted

      I was terrified of the brain zaps I got them at night if I was not sleeping and also mild during the day. I then learnt what they are and can't hurt us. I still get them now from altering my doses. I've heard the lower the does the harder it is to get down. defo slower seems the best option. I hope we all end up ok soon and we win this battle folks. Keep pushing even tho its hard. Remember anxity can't hurt us just makes us stronger over time :-)
    • margaret77657
      margaret77657 norma72045

      Posted

      Hello Norma,

      Thought I would ask how you got on at the hypnotherapist, did you find it beneficial?Also how are you, I'm still having a terrible time ,I'm beginning to wonder if this torture will ever go away, I have never in my life had such terrible permanent headaches,nothing will get rid of them.

      It's such a shame that cita have closed down, when I rang them they told me it's a long miserable process,and that it was early days that was 5 weeks ago, and still it goes on, I wish I had never taken this awful drug, my life is utterly miserable.Anyway I hope you got some comfort from the therapist.love and hugs Margaret.xx

    • norma72045
      norma72045 margaret77657

      Posted

      Hello Margret,it's really nice to here from you.  Because it's been a while since you posted I thought you were over it. I couldn't agree with you more about it being a really bad drug,I don't think GPs know enough about the WD of Mirt. I personally wish I had never had it ,but we do put to much trust in GP.    Not anymore for me I now take my health as my responseablity.  A bit late but there you go.   

      As as for the hypnotherapy I'm quite enthusiastic about it Im holding a lot of hope for it to work.  The Mirt im only down to 12.5mg but that is from 45mg it's quite slow, and is giving me very bad Stomack pain,so I'm staying there for a while untill it settles a bit,it's slow but I will get there.

      How long have you been off it now? I wish we still had manuelmanuel ,Rose and so on back. I did speak to Fudgeybear last Sunday privately it was quite a surprise.  Still Margret I hope it can only get better for you,just take baby steps each day has to be a little better.( I hope ). Take care and keep in touch I like to know how your getting on.  Hugs x

    • kathy56977
      kathy56977 margaret77657

      Posted

      Correct me if I am wrong, but didn't you take your last mirt sometime last October? If so, I cannot even imagine all these months of illness you have endured. My heart goes out to you. I hope and pray you start to feel better yesterday!!!!
    • margaret77657
      margaret77657 norma72045

      Posted

      Hello again Norma,

      So pleased your therapy went well, is it something that you can recommend? Also did you organize it yourself? I have been off the drug for 5 months now, I had hoped that I would have been free by now, no such luck, my go said that it wasn't withdrawal anymore the drug would be out of my system by now, what they don't understand is that it is a mind altering drug and your brain has to readjust, this I think is the problem, we don't really know what damage it does,if only I could turn the clock back. I can honestly say that I have never been so miserable, I get days when I really can't be bothered with anything, this is not like me at all,feel totally hopeless,not a nice feeling at all.Are you still on touch with Manuel etc,do you know how long it took him until he was free from all the symptoms? I suppose we just have to have faith that one day we shall all be free. Hugs to you and take care.x

  • pixie22
    pixie22

    Posted

    Thanks to everyone who has posted , I'm heartened by the encouragement. It's disappointing to have the withdrawal zaps when I hoped I had avoided them but I'm going to stick at it if I possibly can. Since I've been feeling fine for well over a year, I'm not going to risk a relapse. Not only because I don't want to feel bad again, but also it wouldn't be fair on my family who have supported me through dark times.We must all support each other.
  • sapphire14
    sapphire14 pixie22

    Posted

    Hey Pixie,

    You are doing an awesome job! Keep it up. It's hard, I know, and a very slow process too. At the moment I'm also in the process of coming off Mirt. I was taking 30mg every day for a year. I've jumped straight down to 15mg and have been taking that for a few days. Surprisingly, I feel fine - in fact, I feel better! The only things I'm noticing are my continued cravings for sweet/sugary foods... need to keep that in check!

    Best of luck.

    • pixie22
      pixie22 sapphire14

      Posted

      Hi sapphire, You're doing very well to go down to 15mg in one step. You might be OK, but I would urge caution. I felt fine for 3 weeks after just a slight occasional reduction, before the brain zaps started! However you have only been on mirtazapine for a year, I was on it for more than 6 years, so that might make a difference. It took a few weeks for the drug to work fully when I first took it, so it's not surprising if it takes a few weeks for the withdrawal effects to become apparent.
  • evergreen
    evergreen pixie22

    Posted

    It is very scary to hear about all the problems people are having coming off mirtazapine. In an ideal world I would come off them too as I have been fine now for over a year. No depression, except when bad things happen and make me upset, but that is just how it should be. However, I feel that I might need to stay on mirtazapine for life because it balances my body mentally and physically. I think it makes me 'normal'.

    Before going on mirtazapine I had been on and off severely depressed since having my second child. I tried loads of ADs and none suited me. Mirtazapine felt like a miracle, because not only did it cure my depresssion, but I used to have severe morning sickness and couldn't eat anything until the afternoon, which with a physical job was making me a wreck. I also had very bad migraines with visual auras and loss of function of one side of my body sometimes. Very frightening! And I had to take anti histamines daily or I would get covered in intchy hives. Mirtazapine has bannished all of these things, and so for me it is not a nasty pill, but a fantastic drug which has really sorted me out. Yes, I put on weight, but I am nice and slim again now. My biggest fear is my GP making me come off them.

    You are doing really well, Pixie22. I really hope you are able to come off them eventually. Slowly does it. smile

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