Mirtazapine withdrawal, how long does it last?

Had then on mirt, had then after d/c. They are slowly easing up. I also got them on trazadone, also used for sleep and antidepressant. For me , worse on trazadone.

Thanks Gretel. So did you have SHA or night terrors? Or are they one in the same when you read my explanation of SHA above?

Nite terrors. It would some times take a long time to some out of.

Was on 45mg 6 years,worked well for major depression with anxiety ( took a while) but been 100% mentally wel since,would have stayed on them for life if it not for nightmares,also vivid weird dreams people I know from different parts of my life in bizarre situationswhere you ,also night terrors where you can't wake yourself up from almost,so now down to 22.5mg tapering.still having nightmares,but also occasional (SHA) complete with racing heart,racing.also during tapering experiencing full body mainly Niigata,but sometimes day too,where you have to change your pjamas as become wringing wet! and had this without racing heart same time.

So terribly sorry you’re going through this, Chrisy.  You wrote you’re on 22.5 from 45mg, that’s really good progress. Do you have a plan to taper down even further?

Yes joe,plan to taper off this mirtazapine completley,unless the nightmares and bizarre vivid dreams stop (which I really don't think will happen) but will hold each taper at least 4 weeks ( or even longer if necessary,until all withdrawels from that taper completley subside).good luck with your tapering journey,and keep posting to keep us all updated.

To be honest I've read of people tapering really slow and people going cold turkey still having the same symptoms, I myself the first 2 times I quit mirtazapine after years on it stopped cold turkey and had hardly any withdrawals, this time was on it only a short time and have had and am still having the worst withdrawals ever.

Hi Toria. 

That’s so strange about how you’ve experienced withdrawal differently those times you took it.  So sorry you’re having such a bad time this time around. 

I think our bodies change as we age but also adapt or become either tolerant or intolerant as we introduce chemicals (pharmaceuticals) to them on a steady daily basis.  

If it’s okay to ask, how long and what dose were you on when you withdrew cold turkey? And also how long and what dose were you on and what was your taper regiment this time, was it also cold turkey?

I was on 30mg for 4 years, then 15mg for 2 years, then this time I was given 1 dose of 15mg whilst in hospital by mistake whilst receiving IV steriods which change the way meds work then once home was put back on them for steriod induced pyschosis I took 7.5 x4 and 15 x3

Wow, that first time on mirtz was a long stretch and you got off them cold turkey, impressive. 

The second time, the x4 and x3 I assuming we’re months or were they weeks?

So maybe the steroid use changed things and that’s why you’re now experiencing severe withdrawals. 

It was years the first 2 times, the worst thing is if hospital would have explained that pyschosis would pass I would of dealt with it without meds as I wasn't depressed before it I'd sorted that and had never had anxiety 

I'm in week 14 off tomorrow 

Yeah, unfortunately hospitals, and conventional medicine in general, are quick to want 

Yeah, unfortunately hospitals, and conventional medicine in general, are quick to want to solve stuff with pharmaceuticals instead of explaining things and giving you options. 

A few mos of mirtz use and you’re having to suffer 3+ mos of withdrawal, just not right. 

Personally I think when doctors prescribe this stuff they should tell you the worse case % of taking it and the same for withdrawal, at least that way we’re allowed to make informed decisions for ourselves about our lives instead of being lied to. 

Jo it wasn't even a month it was 8 days if you include the one they gave me in hospital, but I read about a girl going through the same after two doses! Also the docs made my central nervous system worse by trying me on 10 drugs one after the other each making me worse 😭

They sure dont give a #@*

I went through 4 months of hell being changed from 7years on 30mg mirt to 20mg lexapro without any tapering.

I didn't know if I was going mad or going to die.

I'm still having dramas and have finally got the doc to refer me to a psych to sort it out.see him next month.

I'm now terrified to change again but don't think I'll be able to stay on lexapro as my constipation is terrible and I have trouble concentrating. I cant think I'll do something and 5 min later can't remember what it was I was going to do..

I've always been really sharp and could do 3 jobs at once.. before this

Oh my goodness Gina that's awful! I hate doctors at the moment especially when they turn to google for answers, we are just numbers to them, I really hope things improve for you soon x

I have a similar story as to why I even agreed to take mirtazapine.  Im 2013 i was going thru a life threatening illness and my sleep was impacted, was not on any kind of Med whatsoever.  I was very resistant and protested taking it, but provider promised it would be easy to get off of.  It never helped my sleep but instead I started having severe anxiety, SHA, pounding fast heart and a whole plethora of new problems. He told me that was normal and to wait for it to get to a therapeutic level. I waited and it got worse. Then he tried to up the dose, much worse yet!  By that time I had been on it nearing 6 mos and had to go into treatment for my Med condition, I was a complete and utter hot mess thanks to my provider and Mirtz.

After treatment ended 3 mos later and still taking mirtz my ND gave me a Chinese herb and that calmed everything down. 

Flash forward to 2015 and I made my first very unsuccessful attempt at weaning off Mirtz, and now here I am again trying.

Aw jo I really hope this time it goes smoothly for you bless you ?? In august I woke up with left sided numbness and facial droop was rushed to hospital and given steriods I'm 37 the day before I was healthy, this has been going on ever since x

Gina, that’s completely unforgivable of your doctor. I hope you’re no longer seeing that inept doctor.  Just terrible. I’m so sorry that happened to you.  Unfortunately, there are many psychs and Med doctors who are clueless about the meds they prescribe.  Especially when it comes to withdrawal. They take big pharma’s word for their txt book answers to us. And they ruin lives in the process. 

I feel like I’ve been spending the last 3+ years trying to get out of this horrific hell called “mirtazapine”. 

Thank you Toria. 

It makes me so angry reading all these stories, yours and Gina’s are just so wrong. 

It’s pretty awful when you are having medical probs and you have to resort to trusting Med providers who don’t give a rats ass about you, ones who will give you meds where they would never take them themselves or give them to their loved ones. 

Whatever happened to their hypocratic oath of “First, do no harm”?

I am another reluctant mirtaz user, but stuck on it.  Trying hard to get off but life is so hard just now taking it.  These psychs really mess you up and dont care when you find you cant get off their meds.  I wonder if psychs even takemthe hyprcraricmoath, from where i stand i dont thinkmtheyndo.

It's horrible jo, I'm at the start of week 14 off and thought it would be better not worse, I do have windows but the waves are awful x

I had waves to.

It took a long time but then I'd have a reasonable day and think, this is ok but then I'd have a run of bad ones again.

That is what is happening to me today and I feel back to square one trying to get through each minute x

I totally agree, docs just prescribe, they don't care! I used to be so independent and now can't even be alone, wish I knew when this hell would end 😢

Even titrating super slow like I am is so damn hard. I’m having nightmares and extreme anxiety & panic all day long. I’m also exhibiting OCD symptoms and afraid of everything, must have cortisol running thru my body all day.  I don’t know what is or isn’t rational. I may need to be hospitalized. 

So Toria & Gina, you’re both completely off mirtz but still having severe side effects? 

Toria is 14 wks off, right?  

How long off for you, Gina?

Jo, god bless you, please please feel free to message me anytime ?? And yes I'm at the start of week 14! And today has been bad but I do have better days, I've had so many days were I've cried and said I needed to go to hospital, I just want to feel calm but how can that happen when your thoughts are racing 😑 I nearly rang the docs before but I've learnt that is pointless, all this wouldn't be so bad if we knew how long until we felt better, sending hugs x

I’m so sorry Toria. But the good news is you’re having some semi-good days. So that is progress and shows you WILL completely recover. Your body and mind are trying very hard to stabilize. Those bad days will becom less and less as time goes by. Stay strong and when my mind races with irrational thoughts, tell yourself it’s ghe withdrawal and your mind is lying to you. 

Believe me, I know how hard this is. It’s all consuming, but you’re  on your way for sure because you’re finally off of it! Be strong even when you don’t feel like it. Be mad at mirtz when you’re looking for strength. Hugs.

Thank you for the kind words lovely, really hope the rest of your withdrawal goes smoothly x

Just on 12 months for me off Mirt...I too developed phobias getting worse and worse on them. I can't even see a low ceiling in a movie without panicking and feeling like I'm buried. Can't go to movies, lifts, small rooms, too many people in a room or shower on my face etc. It's getting rediculous.

Gina, how did you taper, in what increments?

Gina & Toria

When I was first on Mirtz and had all those side effects I mentioned my ND (Naturopathic doc) prescribed a Chinese herb that calmed everything down, it worked great. 

The name of the supplement is PS Calm by Panaxea International. You can get it thru ND providers. It’s worth a try.  

Oh gosh, sorry Gina. I remember now that your doc swapped you to another AD from mirtz without any taper.  Jeez!

I'll look it up Jo . I've always been a bit wary of mixing drugs with natural stuff as I had a reaction with st John's wort and an Ad..so will try and sus it out

Oh, well PS Calm does have St John’s Wort In it, so maybe steer clear.

What I try to do is direct my anger and frustration at the Mirtazapine.  After all, is it the very thing that is trying to destroy me and everything in my life, day by day, bit by bit. 

I am also angry at the provider who put me on it and who also told me wrong how to wean off it, but I want to try and forgive him for my own peace of mind. 

The Mirtazapine I don’t have to forgive.  I hate the POS drug. 

You're not alone there I hate it, feel like it's trying to steal my life forever, I used to love my own company and now I'm a anxious wreck x

Hey lovely do you get windows and waves at all? Also have you had bloods done as mirtazapine can deplete certain vitamins x

Hi Toria

Are waves, waves of anxiety/panic? And windows are glimpses of feeling normal?

Yes jo, windows I have I feel nearly normal again it's so frustrating x

How are you doing today, Gina?

❤Hi Jo.

Dizzy today. 2 hours sleep last night with anxiety. Will tell you how I went with first psyc visit on