Mirtazapine withdrawal duration
Posted , 4 users are following.
I was on 15mg of mirtazapine for about maybe 7 months. My psychiatrist said I could just stop if I wanted to stop taking it. I had read about tapering and cut 1/4 off the 15mg pills and took that for about a week. After that I took 7.5 for a few days and then forgot to take it one night. After that I just quit.
It’s been about 10 days and I’ve been experiencing all kinds of withdrawal symptoms. How long does the withdrawal usually last? It’s been difficult, but meditating helps.
0 likes, 10 replies
marion70011 david31241
Posted
been off mirtazapine for about 10 days....
Would like to know how long the withdrawal period is....and when I can stopped waiting everyday for the withdrawal symptoms to start or the return of the original anxiety to come back.
Took 7.5 for 10 months tapered off 1/2 tablet each night for one week then 1/2 tablet every other night for one week and the stopped completely.
Thanks
christine15542 david31241
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david31241 christine15542
Posted
christine15542 david31241
Posted
What I really struggled with was crippling insomnia, week after week, month after month. Most nights I would be lucky to get anything from 2 - 3 or perhaps 4 hours a night. Then worse was the awake all-nighters. No sleep at all, zilch, NADA. I slowly shut down. But I wasn’t depressed, I was just ground down by lack of sleep. Mirtazapine withdrawals hit most people in windows and waves. So a few good windows appear, followed by waves of bleak withdrawals you thought you’d finished with. There will be lucky people who may escape these withdrawals but I was not one of them. And reading all the literature regarding antidepressants, the doctors advice is unhelpful and not backed up by scientific results.
david31241 christine15542
Posted
I was on Prozac before and that had unwanted side effects. Coming off that was easier.
I feel my psychiatrist kind of too easily just suggested this. I totally get it can work for people and there were some benefits to mirtazapine but I realize - even more so now being off it - how it zonked me out and that’s not how I want to live and deal with my issues - to just numb them and thus myself as well.
I also did gain weight, I didn’t realize till recently.
Excercise helps and staying active/our. It seems the anxiety and rumination ca be interrupted/stopped by moving around and getting out of my head.
I still have moments of like fear/dread, hard to explain.
karen_57593 christine15542
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Absolutely everything you said has happened exactly too me I thought I was managing with tapering but I kept not sleeping then over working thinking that would make me tired never worked ran myself into the ground didn't actual see it at the time only looking back now I see it. I stated taking high end extreme anxiety attacks collapsing on the bathroom floor feeling I was chocking. Long story short after going bk n forward to gp it ended the crisis mental health had too come too my house they see me every 12 hours I'm now taking 5mg of diazepam n 7.5mg of zopiclone I'm now a lot better than what I was I'm just worried it returns mental health nurses have made a world of difference and assured me they won't leave me I was scared they would make me better then leave me scariest time of my life. How are you doing now Christine x
christine15542 karen_57593
Posted
So long as the diazepam and zopiclone are helping you get through the day and help you to sleep, they are doing the right job.
I have learnt through this withdrawal process to take one day at a time. Because the GPs have an all too dismissive attitude regarding withdrawal side effects with drugs such as Mirtazapine, it’s very easy to feel completely unsupported and alone. And that then increases the stress and anxiety.
You are doing better than you think, getting the input from the mental health professionals. Take one day at a time and get as much rest as you can.
Ive been free of Mirtazapine for 12 months now. I still struggle a bit with sleep but I will not touch another antidepressant. I feel stronger without them
karen_57593 christine15542
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david31241 christine15542
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Have you found anything to help with sleep?
I’m not about over 2 weeks into being off the Mirtazapine and it is harder to fall asleep. I work a very physical job so it’s important I get to sleep but falling alseep has been harder.
Glad you are doing better. I was on Prozac before Mirtazapine with some time in between and I think both had benefits but costs as well and I think I’m done trying anti-depressants and focusing on lifestyle changes and improvements.
christine15542 david31241
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After stopping for over a year, I still have bad nights sleep. I can go many weeks without a problem, although it takes me longer to fall asleep (which does stress me) and then I only get between 5 - 6 hours. All this was brought about by mirtazapine and the withdrawals. I never had this problem before. Anyway I use Zopiclone for bad nights. Contrary to the what the medics say, they are not as harmful nor as addictive as antidepressants. I do not feel groggy or comatose and I can get up and go running. They do not impede my day in any way