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Mirtazapine withdrawal

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rachael42781
rachael42781

Hey, I've been on mirt for a good 6months before I began to taper. I started on 30mg, went up to 45mg where I Stayed for the last 3/4months. I decides to come off because I felt the mirt was being counterproductive, I felt quite low and still anxious at times so decided that the worst that could happen would be I'd feel no different if I came off.

I feel like getting a new job and finally a diagonsis for my son with austism to be the really helpful boosts in my mental health. I tapered from 45mg to 30mg for 2 weeks, then 15mg for a week, then 7.5mg for another week and have now stopped. I'm day 4 of no mirtazapine and will admit sleeping has been Harder but not impossible, I have really weird cold symptoms and sneezing all the time, lost my appetite and have some anxiety. The cold and sneezing could possibly be hayfever as mirt has antihistamine effects so could have been masking this.I feel more capable of handling this anxiety and confident its just a mixture of withdrawal and natural anxiety about coming off the medication. I'm interested to hear about others that have withdrawn and had some initial anxiety but came through it again. I felt so good tapering down , like much better than I'd been in months. Its just now 4days off that I feel a bit wobbly.

0 likes, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • mark01943
    mark01943 rachael42781

    Posted

    Hi Rachael

    wow, very similar with me. Was on 15mg for bout 4months, and they helped at first, sleep was much better, but I was always sooooo knackered and no motivation, so decided to taper off, 7.5 for two weeks then 3.5 for a week, felt odd each time I reduced and dreams were very strange and nightmarish, but I had more energy than when on full 15mg, sleep not as good.

    Came off totally 2days ago, sleep very very bad, and like you I am sneezing for England, and because not slept, I am knackered! Can't win.

    I found that while reducing the mirt, the withdrawal for me only lasted a day or so and hope that this will be the case now. I think the mirt only helped with my sleep in the end, but having said that, I sort of person that needs my sleep, or, like you gets a bit wobbly if not slept.

    Its early days for us coming off so guess need to give it time, but for me I am already thinking that if it's still the same in a month with my sleep, I may go back to 7.5 or 3.5 to help with the sleep, as I had a bit more motivation in the really low dose,  helped me sleep a bit, but wasn't totally groggy and out of it as I was on 15mg

    • rachael42781
      rachael42781 mark01943

      Posted

      Yeah I was bracing myself for severe insomnia and so far its just been harder to get to sleep but I am sleeping. I'm not such a fan of the anxiety I've got though. Trying to stay positive that its just withdrawal as I felt so much better as I tapered lower and lower 
  • mark01943
    mark01943 rachael42781

    Posted

    Yes I felt ok while tapering, maybe it's to do with mentally thinking we are doing something positive ourselves, and then once got to point of stopping that as far as our input goes. I am sure it is an actual physical thing as well as this.

    At the moment don't feel anymore anxious coming off mirt than normal, other than the worry of not getting to sleep

    • rachael42781
      rachael42781 mark01943

      Posted

      Yeah its possible its a contributing factor. I'm much better than I used to be and I guess I'm naturally anxious because I'm trying to start a new chapter. I was nervous about the sleep as was the reason I got anxiety in the first place. (Really bad insomnia due to sinus infection). Going back to work after being at home with my son for 3years has helped anxiety wise more than the mirt ever did! Lol
  • mark01943
    mark01943 rachael42781

    Posted

    Starting a new job can bring about a lot if anxiety, as it does to a lot of people, so guess that normal, as can children ha ha.

    Afraid to say I quit my job coz of nerves, anxiety, lack of self belief etc and not got that confidence back really, and after being put under pressure from well being people tried the mirt, but it hasn't done the trick in that sense, only helped with sleep, say only, it is a big factor I guess.

    I am anti drugs and won't try anything again, but that not to say they won't work for other's, you don't know until you try and you and others on here have had the guts to give it a go.

    I many ways I think I am willing to accept now, for good or bad, this is who I am and no chemical can change that, but my attitude can change which will help, easier said than done of course, but at least coming off it, I feel that I am more " me" if that makes sense

    • rachael42781
      rachael42781 mark01943

      Posted

      I tried Citalopram initially as was worried about relying on mirtazapine for sleep for ever more. Citalopram was so bad I had 0hours sleep for 5days straight making my anxiety 1000 times worse! I went back on the mirt and just got stuck into it...upping it all the way to 45mg and then I just felt numb, fat and like it was pushing me down so thought I'd just come off. 

      I too would be a bit of a pain with work and morning anxiety but the job I'm in now is really good for me socially...I actually want to be there be as I don't worry about everything like I do when I'm at home. I'm going to order some 5-hpt to help with the withdrawal

  • mark01943
    mark01943 rachael42781

    Posted

    Yes was the same with cit, only tried it fir 3 days and was awake all night. Told doctor and she said well you not sleeping anyway, so stick with it! Didn't see that doctor again funningly enough, so had nothing for 4 months got worse so gave mirt a go, helped at first but after a while that seemed to fade.

    Even now after only short time off it I feel more pro active, sure I am going to have bad times, but there will be good as well. Just like everyone. Guess I am lucky not got any withdrawal symptoms as yet other than sleep issue, but I was only on 15mg and have very slowly tapered.

    Sounds as if the job thing is a great move in the right direction fir you, and things are on the up, you come across as being a strong determined person and with that and all support you will get, in time, I am sure you will be just fine. Patience.

    I wish I had it ha ha

    • rachael42781
      rachael42781 mark01943

      Posted

      I suppose we should have stuck with it, as it potentially could have done the trick for anxiety as the insomnia is not supposed to last. The problem was though that I was so upset by no sleep that I just couldn't bare much more. If I wasn't so worked up about sleep then I would of stuck with it.

      yeah, I was way up on 45mg, the best I've felt so far was coming down to 15mg. The last few days of 7.5mg I started to feel crap, so just thought I'd stop as was feeling a bit dodgey anyway! 

      Im im trying to be strong as I don't want my son to see me upset and sad again. I tell my partner when I'm feeling horrible and have been telling him lately... I haven't cried or broke down about it yet which is good. I, kind of taking it in my stride and trying to ignore the silly anxious thoughts.

  • mark01943
    mark01943 rachael42781

    Posted

    Funny what you say bout the cit, in that I could tell straight away that I was feeling better in myself, but like you, I was really struggling with lack if sleep, and have done fir many years, but on the cit, I just wasn't allowing at all, and that was making things worse.

    Yes it's not good that your children see you upset. My son is 15 and has seen me very down, so took the chance to tell him why. He is not daft, but to be honest I sometimes regret telling him bout my depression, but wanted to be open.

    It is hard for people who don't suffer to understand depression, I mean we don't, so,telling those close can be hard sometimes

    • rachael42781
      rachael42781 mark01943

      Posted

      Yeah it definitely is. My hubby has struggled to understand and cope with me when I've been really poorly, and I mostly understand that. It must be awful to watch the person that was once bubbly,happy and bouncey, suddenly questioning life. We've had a few arguements where he's commented how 'I didn't realsie it'd last this long' and I did get to the point where I told him to just leave me if he wasn't prepared to support and wait for me. His pressure and lack of support started to actually make me feel worse but after a few convo's he's packed it in now, and I think generally I have actually improved since going back to work... I'm lucky enough to have a fantastic set of parents that have really helped me through it all, but I have lost a lot of 'friends' I'm only 22, and when I told my friends what was happening...many of them just went 'oh okay' and never spoke to me for 6whole months... needless to say I don't class them as friends anymore! lol 
  • mark01943
    mark01943 rachael42781

    Posted

    Yes I know what you mean 're friends. A few I have found really supportive, one I really didn't expect, and I owe her an awful lot. Others.....well as you indicate, they have disappeared when told about the illness. That hurts, which in itself causes anxiety. It has left me not trusting people, which is very sad, and I have found that when you are low, you have little self belief and take on board more what others say, where deep down you know what is right for you but don't always have the strength.

    At the end of the day, it is you ( the people with depression) that have to deal with it, we are the ones when the lights go out at night that have to deal with it. Believe in yourself and go with your gut feeling, I reckon you are a very strong person and given time you will be fine. Don't let people say drugs are no good, or that you must take them, go with works best for you and the people that matter to you, and let the others worry about it

     

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