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Mirtazapine withdrawal

Posted , 5 users are following.

1980
1980

Almost 3 weeks ago I stopped Mirtazapine cold turkey. I was on a small dose of 7.5mg but I'm also a small person (8stone) and that dose seemed to work for me. Just before I stopped I tried to taper but then changed my mind and double the dose which almost immidiately gave me some nausea, palpitations and very bad muscles and joints pain. I stayed on that dose for a week but none of the symptoms cleared completely so on Friday 30.05 I stopped it completely. 

Next few days were dreadful, with nausea, palpitations, ringing in the ears (and ear pain), burning sking on legs and arms, painful joints and muscles, especially left leg, muscle twitching, back pain, insomnia. They don't all come in at once and I do have a better moment or day but pretty much i'm still in pain most of the time and exhausted. I'm sure that the fact i've been on an antybiotic (doxycicline) for a bacterial infection drains the body as well and perhaps contributes to feeling ill but my GP says it shouldn't matter. 

Please can anyone having a similar experience reply to this post. My GP just took my hope away today telling me that I don't have any withdrawal as he's never had a problem with this drug, but the only other choice is probably a serious autoimmune disease, which I'm terrified to think of. I never had any muscle or jount pain until about 4 weeks ago and now having a very sad time thinking what happend to my life as I'm not able to look after my family. I just want to have my hope back that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, even if it's a few more weeks or months...

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • julie1111
    julie1111 1980

    Posted

    hi i tapered off mirtz stopped now...how would the doctor know have they been on it...they anoy me sorry
  • zaphod
    zaphod 1980

    Posted

    Everyone will have different withdrawal symptoms, ranging from virtually nothing, to crippling. I would thought that with you being a low (and I imagine healthy) weight of 8 stone (half what I am), that would make you more sensitive to both positive and negative effects.

    Never having had the inclination to stop taking Mirtazipine, being too afraid of falling back into that black hole of depression, and the terribly hard task of crawling out of it again. I can`t say if your withdrawals are extreme or not (i tend to think not). Basically anything that works on the CNS, and especially Mirtazipine which is one of the stronger and more effective antidepressants, I would strongly suggest NOT going cold turkey, it is much better to taper slowly, possibly over months than to just stop abruptly. Your GP sounds a bit Blaze about this, perhaps he has never come across withdrawals in someone in the same situation as you. But remember there is only one of you, and it`s what works beat for you that your GP should really be helping you with. I`m pretty sure, that the patient leaflet recommends slowly tapering from Mirtazipine, if your Doctor thinks he is wiser than the Manufacturer, then he/she is a bit arrogant.

    Good luck, and best wishes for yor future.

    Paddy

  • 1980
    1980

    Posted

    Thank you Julie and Paddy for your kind words. I'm sure it's recommended to taper slowly, it was only my doctor to say that it's not necessary from such a small dose (but that dose made a huge impact as it did help with all my problems with severe anxiety at the time - wouldn't that mean already that the body will miss it?). I since found a site The Road Back org which claim to help with withdrawals from about everything and should have my supplements tomorrow. I really hope this will help! 
    • julie1111
      julie1111 1980

      Posted

      cut the dose in half if u put a tablet in a glass it will desolve..try tapering off that way and ur welcome
    • zaphod
      zaphod 1980

      Posted

      I am not a doctor, so I can`t say if supplements will help or not, I`ve always been of the opinion that if something works, then the NHS would prescribe it.

      But certainly supplements will not do you any harm (if taken as stated on box), and they probably will help with overall health.

      I have heard that Valerian (calms) is good for anxiety, but don`t take my word for it as I`ve never tried them.

      All the best

      Paddy

       

    • 1980
      1980 zaphod

      Posted

      Hi Paddy,

      Thanks for the tip, I do actually use valerian in some pills (called quiet life) I got from Boots and I think they've helped a lot as I'm not so shaky now. Today is a difficult day but having read many previous posts I gathered that week 3/4 of the withdrawal can be the worst..

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