Mirtazapine withdrawal after stopping - how long?

Oh Abby, what was your doctor thinking of ... they have little or no knowledge of tapering from Mirt'.  I have been tapering for 9 months, doing the recommended 10% every 4 weeks, I have been trying to spread the word on the forum, sorry to have missed you.

Peple I have spoken to get something from their doc for the nausea, some get diazepam for the anxiety, some take Phenergen (over the counter) for sleep aid, it makes you drowsy, some take Benadryl for sleep aid (again makes youu drowsy).  

Any itching is due to the fact that Mirt' contains a huge histamine block (anti histamine) that your body has been dependent on and once whipped away with cold turkey can cause some prety mean itching and even breath difficulties - so some over the counter anti histamine (non drowsy for the day).  

Yes those withdrawal symptoms are said to come in and out, in windows and waves, 5 weeks in pretty good going, a lot of people cave in and reinstate, so I hope your symptoms ease for you.

Take care.  Wishing you well.

Hi Abby,

Good to hear from you. Unfortunately unlike you, I really couldn't take the pain that the withdrawl was causing, so reinstated on 7.5mg. I am currently at 5mg and am trying to find the most efficient/painless method of coming off.

I really applaud your guts and determination of toughing it out. Best advice I can give you is, is just try different things. If you look on this site there are lots of good ideas. See what works for you. Listen to your body. Only you know what works for you and no one else, inclucling doctors. We are all different.

I am currently taking 1000mg omega 3 and 200mg of chelated magnesium, as suggested by others on this site. I don't know if it helps but it may be worth a try.

Someone else has recently suggested niacin (vitamin b3) but have not tried it myself.

Exercise is also a good counter balance. I do a lot of running. Something I hope to continue once off this dreaded drug.

Ultimately I feel, unfortunately there is no magic fix or cure to coping with coming off this drug. The key is find what works for you, whether its supplements, exercise or diet,etc

I hope I have been of help.

Good luck.

Andy

Hi Calmer ,

thank you for the reply , i wish i had found this site 6 weeks ago , i had no idea that coming off this med would cause all of these problems i had trust in my new pdoc when she said i should stop it nad made no ref to any problems that might cause.

.

I am bi polar and was given mirtazapine along with lithium and quietapine 14 yrs ago but my original pdoc retired and i was passed onto a new one who was horrified that i was taking this ad which isn't recommened for bi polar depression as it can increase mania.

I won,t ever assume again that the Dr knows best without researching the possibilties myself first.

Thank you for the info about anti histamines i will go to the chemist in the morning hopefully it may help ...if i have any intact skin left by then ..i have chopped off my finger nails to lessen the damage !!

The cyclizine my gp gave me is helping abit , i can now look at food and even be in the same room as someone else who is eating but am not yet at the point of eating much other than plain bread sticks, but that said it is a big improvement from the 4 weeks which went before.

I hope your journey to ceasing will be a much gentler ride.

take good care and thank you again for the advice

x

When you feel you can't eat smoothies are good, add banana, porridge oats, yoghurt, whey powder (protein), when we're eating it helps settle the nervous system I think.  When we can't eat the insomnia seems worse.

Thank you for your good wishes, I have been ok so far really, I did try to step up the pace but was facing horrific scarey wake ups in the night and not being able to get back to sleep so I went to 5% drops every 2 weeks.

Hey ho, hope you get well soon.

Thanks Calmer , i hadn't thought about smooties infact not really been able to think of anything which may have a strong taste which is why i had stuck to water and bread sticks , but fingers crossed things do seem to be getting easier i had some toast this morning and a scrambled egg this evening so i will see how that settles and then try some stronger flavoured foods.

I hope the insomnia doesn't become too much of a problem for you , do you wake shaking but don't know if it was caused by a nightmare or just the suddeness of waking?

The hisatamines you suggested have calmed the itching and the sinus problems , i wish i could offer some help to you in return,but the only thing i have stumbled across is a possible relief for the restless legs , i have found if my legs are very warm and i use cold gel packs the restlessness eases .. .strange but it seems to work every time ,

I admire the knowledge you have gained and hope you will reach the goal of being clear of this medication soon.

take good care and lots of luck .

I wish you well

Hi Andy ,

thank you for the reply and advice ,

I most certainly feel for you , it must be so difficult when you get near the end of tappering, taking those last steps to come off completey takes some courage i would think .

I would never have just come off if i had known there would be such severe withdrawel effects my Dr never said a thing about that so by the time i realised that all thses awful symptoms weren't some sort of bug i was already weeks in , after so much suffering i was far to scared to start taking them again which was the only option i was given .

I think from everything i have read on here the way my treatment was stopped was creul and dangerous and has really shaken my trust in Drs.

I have been taking anti histamines which Calmer suggested for the itching and it has helped my sinus trouble too.

I will get some omega 3 too certainly can do any harm anything which speeds up the process of feeling better is worth a try , just want to get back to work and walkiing my dogs ..they miss it as much as me !!

Good luck with the running and i wish you success in being finally clear of this medication.

thank again

Abby

Andy

Hi Calmer

I have been following your tampering plan from day one

My gp prescribed liquid solution which I was really grateful for and all your threads have been amazing help I am at 7.5 mgs

Leaving 4-6 weeks between decreases maybe longer

I wondered where you are now with thing

My

Consultant is impressed at what I have done - but still insists that is not normally this difficult to come off generally- I think I will disagree on that one- and not argue with him

Foggy thinking low mood broken sleep headaches are what I am typically experincing now- have to get out into fresh air and lots of walking at gym to aid sleep

I just had to thank you

Your helps been invaluable to me and others I am sure

So how's things now for you

I am having now expectations with time - your story gave me hope - it will happen at the right time slowly

Would love to hear bk from you

Ahhh Vanessa thank you, I just want to help people really because I know how much suffering folk go through trying to discontinue this medication.  

Thank you for asking how I am doing.  I finally reached zero several weeks ago, put the flags out !!  I feel fine, no sickness, no tummy flu, no symptoms apart from the fact that my sleep has reduced of course.  Mirt helps us to sleep so much we should be ready for that aid to stop, afterall I found that at even 1 mg I still felt sedation ... so I no longer fall asleep on the sofa before bedtime, in fact I read in bed for some time now - I am so not used to that !!

I understand that sleep does get back to normal but it takes time.  I am finding it manageable, and if I need help I have taken (twice) Phenergen (25 mg tablet) - it is available over the counter here in UK - maximum dose is 50 mg.  So some would take 50 mg before sleep, quite strong though; or some would take 25 mg before sleep then another 25 mg if they wake up at say 3 am.  Its worth making a note for when you're off so you're prepared maybe  

Keep in touch please, you can always private message me, I'm not on here quite so much now, but I would always answer a private message.

All those symtpms you mention are pretty much common, the foggy head and fatigue were my worst symptoms during tapering, even at 2 mg, once at 1 mg I felt great most days.  Keep up the good work, that walking pays off and is really uplifting - I read getting out in daylight for at least 15/20 minutes helps with sleep.

Wishing you the very best xx

Hello Calmer

i would really like your  advice.  I very foolishly went cold turkey on 15mg of  mirtazapine 7 weeks ago.  I was only on the drug for 6 months.  So like most people on here I'm being driven mad by dreadful insomnia.  I do try to help myself with a daily walk, healthy eating and a magnesium supplement but after 7 weeks I'm exhausted and need to know that beating this drug can be done.  From reading your posts I get the impression you have managed to do this.  Please help

 could you give me some advice or point me in the right direction please. I was on 15mg Mirtazapine for 5 years. My gp took me off this over 2 weeks and put me straight on amitriptyne. This caused massive anxiety and manic episodes, Mirtazapine was originally for pnd.. they quickly gave me Diazipam for the night to bring me down and put me straight on Sertraline 50mg. With this is was the other end and I was so fatigued and nauseous. They then took me off everything. I figured out on week 8 it has been Mirtazapine withdrawal. I’m currently in hospital after crying having a headache so long saying I was dying and questioning who would look after my 5 year old.. I’ve seen numerous doctors who say no it’s not the tablets. Until finally 2 days ago I see another doctors when I started vomiting and couldn’t keep Water down. I TOLD him it was withdrawals. I was put straight back on 15mg Mirtazapine. Next day I felt 50% better but heavy headed. Yesterday my partner rang 999 as pins and needles took over my body and I couldn’t move. I’m in hospital have had a CT, it’s clear.. bloods are a bit out but no one is listening again. Anyway I’m due to fly out on holiday Monday with my son. What do I do ? It’s going straight back to 15mg to much? I feel heavy headed and a bit whooshy and my sinuses feel odd. Will it get better? Help please xx 

Hi Betty ,

i don't now anything about serpax or restavit i am afraid , but i know the effects of coming off mirtzapine only to well and not a journey i will forget in a hurry !!

The effects for me started a few days after stopping and just grew until i was so unwell that i was sure there was something terribly wrong , to cut a long story short i lost a massive amount of weight as i ws unable to eat , i would say it was a good 9 weeks before i began to feel better .

I really hope your journey is less unpleasent many folk stop with minimal problems while others suffer a good deal i guess it is all down to tolerance of medications and how or bodies react as with all substances.

I wish you all the best