Mirtazapine withdrawal duration

Hey Christine. I’ve had a few nights where it was more difficult to fall asleep but generally I’m sleeping ok. 

I was on the same as you - 15mg for less than 6 months and went cold turkey.  For the first four days I was just fine.  Then the real withdrawals set in.  Anxiety, bad stomach churning, flu and feverish symptoms, migraine headaches that lasted days it felt like a brain tumour, lack of appetite, emotional weepiness, etc, etc,  it depends on the person, I suppose and the dosage but this all passed within 8 - 12 weeks.  That I could cope with.

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.

I slept well last two nights. I still have bouts of racing thoughts but that can happen anyways due to having the anxiety which was why I sought medication.

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.

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

So sorry to read of your suffering Karen.

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

Thank you Christine xx

Hey Christine,

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.

I really feel for you if you are struggling with sleep right now because in my opinion there is nothing worse.  

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