Mirtazapine withdrawal

Yes I did it cold turkey, I was ill for 8 months, then I started to feel better, I think that tapering just prolongs the agony, i. Just wanted toget it over with and it's done now thank goodness, if you are doing the same, good luck.

hi miami and margaret, the sooner you get off it the better... i found all those WD symptoms as well, not nice at all. would not wish it on my worst enemy... for some peeps it can take a week or so. for others a month or so... the brain, the nervous system and body is finding its way back to normality... its hell we know but you will get better, be as strong as you can. read some of the past posts, they may help ...

hi baileyp, its good to hear you are well... its been just over a year now for me and things are fine, good days and bad, such is life... the WD's were the worst i had ever felt in my life, that was one hell of a dark place to be, but there is defo light at the end of it. glad to see the back of them. much better times now : )

all the best all...

Thks pj. I spoke w/psych doc today I told him I was going crazy. He said I shouldn't have any sym with only

being on the rem for 5 weeks and at 4 mg. he said its prob the benzo WD . He also said to stay off it.

Pj, how long where u on mirtz ?

Bailey, did u have any windows of normality during those eight months?

Thk u all

Hi Pjdme, thank you for your words of encouragement, it really helps to get the perspective of someone who is experiencing this too, it helps to know that I am not going mad, whenever I talk to my doc about this they just tell me that it is the anxiety and that I should up my dose of mt, l just want rid of this awful drug, it is destroying my life, I.have always looked forward to my holidays but seem so disinterested in everything, why do doctors prescribe this drug knowing what it does to you, they really should try them out themselves then perhaps they would think twice, i have been tapering down slowly as I was told this is the best way to go, trouble is it just prolongs the agony, I started on 3 &half from yesterday, not sure how long to do this for, any suggestions?Once again thanks for your help.

miami/margaret, i was on them for 3 months, and came off cold turkey, it was hell but i made it... ive read in these past pages that some have been on them for much less and suffered... if your not sure, see your doc and tell him/her you want to ween off slowly over a few months, as you maybe sensitive coming off them.... and yes margaret, the GP's don't know it all. pharma sales reps sell this stuff like candy, and don't tell the less specialist GP's everything, its wrong but that's capitalism for you...

from now on, if i need any head medication, i will defo see a NHS specialist/psychiatrist and just liaison with the GP for check ups from timt to time... margaret, myself i would give the 3.5 dose a few weeks or more, that choice is yours of course, just see how it goes...

hang in there folks, you will get better. gods speed : )

Hey pj; I am miserable going back on 2 mg tonight . Hope after a few days that it will work. Bummer but

maybe was helping with benzo WD.

Hi guys. I'm 4 weeks offMirt now. I feel incredibly lucky as I have not had any withdrawal symptoms. I have been on this forum for a while and expected to experience the terrible effects most people do. I don't know why I haven't experienced the withdrawals that most of you on this forum do. I had gained about half a stone which I know doesn't sound much bust it made me more depressed I can't afford to gain weight.

That was when I decided i needed help and when I found this site. It was a huge inspiration in my determination to come off Mirt. the support you get from the group is fantastic, being able to communicate with like suffers and to share experiences is the best support you can have. Knowing that your not the only one out there going through what your going through, that you can speak openly and honestly and receive an open and honest reply.

I hope everyone on this site manages to come off Mirt by whatever way you find best for you either reducing or going CT. I don't think there is a right or a wrong way just the way that works best for you.

Keep up the fantastic communication between you. Together we can do this! Sam

Good for you Sam! What a feeling of freedom I sence in your words. I was off it for 14days (was on 4mg for 5weeks) ten days out got hit with all kinds of sx non stop so I took 2 mg two days ago and had the same

reaction (anxiety after dosing) that made me get off it. Thought I'd maybe take 1mg every other day if I start feel WD sx again. Hope I don't

Good luck

Hi all, cut down the Mirt from 15mg to 7.5mg about 4 months ago. I am only now starting to feel relatively human again! The anxiety and general feelings of panic were horrible; they kinda 'peaked' at about 8 weeks after reduction and stayed at that 'peak' until about 2 weeks ago, whence they gradually diminished throughout this time. I took Diazapam when it became so unbearable (my GP prescribes a very limited amount).

In a few months time, I am going to further reduce my dose, although this time using a more gradual decrease. I also aim to tackle my mental health issues through a totally holistic approach i.e. through diet, yoga, meditation etc.

Good luck to all on here who are fighting the fight.

P.S. Big Pharma must be laughing all the way to the bank

Hi Sam, how I envy you, you must be one of the lucky ones. Jolly good luck to you!! Does anyone experience bad heads? Mine feels like l"m out of my body if this makes any sense, it's the most horrible feeling, a big black cloud hangs over me and I feel that there is nothing in life for me, also my legs are all trembling, sometimes I think I'm going mad. Really hate this medication, can't wait to be free from it.

Hi all fellow Mirt. sufferers. My name is Danae, and am from Melbourne, Australia.

I was hoping that someone could explain to me why cutting down on the lower is causing me more side affects.

I have successfully gone from 45 mg/30 mg/15 mg/7.5 mg with approx two weeks of sleep/rest/fatigue problems, which then resolved. I have done this very slowly and thought all was going well but the last drop to 3.75 mg is causing much suffering.

I do not feel as if I have had any quality sleep for the past three and a half weeks.

I am totally exhausted, having nausea and flushes topped off with a constant headache.

I worry that if this does not resolve soon it may push me back towards depression.

Not sure if the best course of action would be to totally stop at this point and get it over with or go back up to 7.5 mg and hopefully get some energy back.

My overseeing doctor was no help telling me that everyone is different but your site here seemed to ring a bell for me.

Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.

Hi Danae,

How long did you take for every step, with a dose change? You'd might continue 7,5 mg for a day and then alternate it. One day 3,75mg and the other day 7,5 mg. Continue this for two weeks to catch up strength.

How long have you been on 45 mg?

Danae,

My story been on 30mg since Mid May 2013 for my first depression episode stayed on that dose for 6 months then I reduced to 22.5mg for 17 days then 15mg for 2 months and 7.5mg for 16 days ( since I reduced to 7.5mg, I have been feeling fatigued, irritable and had few days with awful gastro issues) I felt I stabilized and ready to drop further so I shaved a bit of the 7.5mg and I'm not sure what dose it ended being & I shaved more last night for a total of 2 nights, I did have difficulty sleeping & I woke up this morning with the same kind of anxiety that sent me into depression 9 months ago, I had to get up, I cant miss work & as the day went buy the effect lessened and now 5.30pm my time, I am feeling relaxed and not sure what to make of it? should I continue on last night's dose, should I go back to 7.5mg and start alternating for a week or so? I have been in such a life fight for the past 9 months and I have done so much in terms of changing my life style i.e eating healthy & working out ( havent been working out since the 7.5mg drop) you would think big pharma will come out with something that would ease our withdrawal suffering. Remeron helped me when I thought life was over for me, yet now its a fight to get off and fear of whats out there. Good luck to all the sufferers & feel free to help us cope with the devil.

Hello All. I've never joined a forum before but after being directed here I have found the information provided here so helpful that I wanted to add a little of my story in the hope it may be of help to others.

I have suffered depression and anxiety for a long time and constantly enduring major life events. I was prescribed citalopram last year but after 6 weeks and increases in dosage, I had to come off it as it increased my anxiety and insomnia. I stopped taking it and suffered the various withdrawal symptoms. I felt better for being off the meds for a while but the depression returned big time. In January I was prescribed Mirtazapine 15mg for major depression, anxiety and insomnia. Initially I would get drowsy and sleep for about 30 minutes but then was awake most of the night, only falling asleep again about 6am. I would then feel dreadful for most of the day. Food cravings were ridiculous. I've got issues with food so the constant cravings and bingeing on sweet things was very distressing. Everything became an effort, I experienced terrible rages which is so unlike me, the vivid dreams left me terrified and the depression became much worse so that I was seriously considering ending it all. After persevering for 5 weeks My Dr wanted me to increase dose but I just felt that this would increase the symptoms as did the citalopram.

After reading about all your experiences, I realised what was happening to me and stopped taking the mirtazapine on Sunday. On Monday I was very dizzy and had a migraine. After 2 nights of not taking it, my head feels lighter today and the cravings have stopped. Last night though I had the worst nightmare ever. I was woken up by my own crying! I was so upset I didn't want to go back to sleep! However, I do feel more energetic today which is good. I have been drinking lots of water and herbal tea which I'm wondering Might be helping with some of the withdrawal symptoms so far. I know it's early days and the withdrawal can take a while but in my humble opinion, anything that causes these symptoms and to effect your brain so much that you have such terrifying nightmares can't be good.

I'm so grateful to everyone on this forum who has taken the time to post their experiences. I just wish I had found you all before I started taking the medication last year. I think I would rather deal with the depression and anxiety without having all these other symptoms caused by these medications. Good luck to everyone, I hope you can all find something that works for you.

Hi all,

Still struggling on.

Another two days and I still feel like crap.

Tried some Valium the last two evenings and finally got some relief from this constant mother of a headache only to find her back in full force the next morning.

I am now up to day 24 on this 3.75 mg dose and want to understand why this drop is so much worse than the previous ones that took about two weeks to get past the overwhelming fatigue. This time it has company, with the sweats, nausea and this constant headache.

This time it seems never ending and wearing me down to a point where I am thinking of increasing it back up, or maybe stopping it altogether.

I have been trudging through but yesterday while out doing stuff I thought that driving in this state was unsafe and really irresponsible.

Life needs to go on and decisions need to be made, but I just keep on thinking that tomorrow might be better and that if I put the dose back up I will have to go through this all over again.

Made an appointment for the Chiropractor tomorrow thinking that it might help with the headache.

Increased B vitamins and extra fish oil. Trying to keep hydrated.??????? any other good advise would be welcome.

I know when I went on this evil drug it probably saved my life, but right now it feels that it wants to OWN my life ............................and I want it back.