Mirtazapine withdrawal

I have now been totally of Mirt. for 47 days and doing really well. It is so good to feel like myself again rather than that disconect that I felt on the Mirt. Each decrease in dosage has been a long trip to withdrawal hell for me, but did eventually pass.

The headache that will just not quit is finally being less persistant and I am having blocks of time when it is totally gone. I beleive from my previous reductions that it will eventually go. I beleive it is the central nervous system just crying out to be dampened as it was on the Mirt. so I amy trying to be very regualted with my sleep regeime to assist.

On Mirt. I put on 20kg and am very happy to say that 5kg of that has come of which gives me encouragement that the rest will be in the realm of reality that I can get rid of it. Always helps to start feeling better about yourself and your appearence.

I read on one of the previous posts about not feelong so alone with all of this stuff with the help of this site and I totally agree. The various posts from others who understand were the encouragement that kept me hanging on in there.

I would very much recomend that you use it for support as I found it invaluable and insightful.

Best of luck on all of your roads forward, Danae

After getting hypomania from paroxetine last year, ive been taking mirta since november last year. Initially 30mg but since im kinda anti meds i try to keep dosage as little as possible and went down to 15mg. In the first months it really worked well, finally i could sleep a night (after a couple of years worsening insomnia). but then i started to get more and more tired so i did a quick taper within a couple of days 2.5 months ago. since  then my insomnia is worse than ever, cant sleep at night and when i finally fall aslweep at 6am i sleep half of the day. when i wake up i feel more depressed than ever, no energy at all, no motivation to get out of bed. total decrease in appetite and crying all day. all i want is to disappear and to feel nothing at all. i lost a lot of weight (i tend to be skinny so the weight gain of mirta was welcome for me). This is already more than 2 months, when will this get better?

Hi Pearldrop.

I was on mirtazapine for 2years; 30mg.

I quit almost 3 months ago, tapered of to 15 in one month and than nothing.

The withdrawal is/was really heavy.

First month no sleep, no apetite, anxiety, paranoia, heart pain, headache, muscle pain, nausea, fatigue, crying moods,... I could go on.

It was really difficult go cope with, certainly at work. I did use xanax often to ease the suffering.

I still do take xanax when needed now.

I have the feeling it is getting better now, but very slowly.

Had a couple of 'good' days last week; but yesterday and today are really bad.

It will get better again i suppose.

Hang in there and let me know how you are doing!

Today is a very bad day again. yesterday I thought i felt a bit better, today im back to where i came from: general anxiety, restlessness, huge insomnia, extreme exhaustion/fatigue/weakness. Not the relaxed kind if tiredness that I used to have just before I went to sleep at night, no this is a kind of tiredness that completely disables me. Not even in my worst depressive episode I had something like this. It already started during the couple of months that I took mirta but since I stopped 10 weeks ago it only got worse. Is this a result of the messed up neurotransmitters in my brain or is something else going on? Will it get better one day? Im out of hope

Hi Friend

I have been into mirtaz for the past 2 1/2 yrs now. Iam taking 7.5mg. & would like to withdraw from the tab. The doc says to continue till the end. Iam not sure, whom to contact.If u have any advice from any good doc. let me know. Iam in india. Thank u. I pray for ur welfare and hope u too taper off.

Hello All,  I'm on about day 5 now of weaning off of Remeron.  I had almost always considered this as being the wonder drug and have been on it for a number of years.  But now I'm entirely understanding that the way I've been feeling lately is due to the terrible withdrawl symptoms.  Over the last few days, it has taken me through a real rollercoaster ride.  Some of my symptoms of withdrawl are: Insomnia (can't sleep at all), sore throat (flu like symptoms), thick mucus in the throat / constantly clearing my throat, chronic ear infection, racing thoughts, extreme tiredness, gassy / bloated, lack of appetite (this is a big one for me as I can lose weight very fast), dry mouth, feelings of being disconnected, confusion, racing thoughts (ie...can't turn off the television in my mind, especially when trying to sleep), huge mood swings, convulsions, night tremors.  There's so many really that it becomes almost difficult to define.......it just feels like crap.

I've been on a consordium of medications that started for me about 20 years ago.  There have been so many that caused terrible side effects, I can't even begin to describe how terrible some of them were, but remeron seemed like "The one" because it caused weight gain for me and made me tired.  Now I'm at the point where I'm consciously saying that I need off of them.....for good.  I'm also very luck that I have a wife that is very understanding and  supportive.....definitely an important part for my recovery.

What has worked so far: Well, the first few days were pretty rough, but I think one key element was to try to make things as comfortable as possible.  I have been playing on low volume very relaxing spa music.  It seems to take some of the edge off.  Also avoid things that are over stimulating (news events, high drama / violent tv programs).  I am also re-starting a CBT program to start retraining my mind to  provide positive inputs. A good trustworthy therapist is probably one of the best things I can do right now to move forward to ovecome this disease.  She is planning to assist with a relatively newer type therapy EMDR Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprogramming.  Along with this will be similar types of hypnotherapy.  I am looking forward to some day being "Brain drug" free.  I realize I'm only 5 days in, but I have the rest of my life to look forward to.

Has anyone used periactin to help with the symptoms of remeron withdrawl.  I know that the effects of going off of remeron are appetite loss and throat tightness / scratchiness.  My biggest worry is weight loss as I'm going through the withdrawl steps.  Anyone have any insight on whether periactin has it's own withdrawl symptoms.

I'm so thankful for this forum and the people who post. I am currently on 7.5 down from 15. I have tried the every other day approach and actually it's not so bad. I'm on day ten and yesterday and today I noticed tremendous fatigue ....not sleepy but exhausted and it so hard to push myself through my day and muscle aches in my hips. Some gastro disorders but nothing much no bad dream or panic. I mean if this is the worst I can deal with it. But I have a feeling this isn't the worst. No matter I will succeed in getting off this medication. I alerted my family that I'm in the process and they know, but don't understand completely...big deal neither does my doctor.

when I quit paxil it was difficult I'd say but the withdrawl was almost immediate like day two, and each day it seemed to get better and better, about two months worth with each day brighter. The problem with the mirt is that it doesn't stat right away, might take a week or longer( I've read for some reason women metabolize it differently and it takes longer to feel the withdrawal.)

so, I might get down to crumbs with my slow taper and still get hit pretty bad in a week or even two....I know this time I won't hop back on. I can't , it causing to much pain as it is.

its a great drug for anxiety for me and for sleep, but people should be warned that it's very difficult to come off from. 

i mean for me because I'm older, if it didn't cause muscle pains, I resign myself to be on it for life. Like an anti depressant it also poops out. I've been on it for several years. Soon it loses it's abilities. But it does not lose the inability to get rid of it.

im trying to stay positive. I know for me the gastro will be the worst so I'm prepared.

last time I got off I lost 12 pounds in 21 days. So don't worry about the weight gain, it will all come off plus some. ( I have not regained any weight since then either) 

so I'm thinking every third night starting this Monday. If it's to much I'm back to every other night.

I wish good luck good health...find a support system. Tell those you trust. Maybe they can help lighten the load

peace