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Mirtazapine withdrawal, how long does it last?

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rachael42781
rachael42781

Hi, Just looking for some reassurance/support. I was on mirtazapine for about 6months. I went up to 45mg and decided to taper down as I felt they were making me worse and the weight gain was nasty. I felt fab tapering down and generally, its been better than I anticipated however, I'm approaching the 3rd week off of mirtazapine and have started to feel a bit anxious the last few days. I've read withdrawal peaks around the 3/4week mark, so I'm trying to stay positive that it will pass.

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  • HappyApple
    HappyApple rachael42781

    Posted

    Hey thanks so much, this thread was really helpful. Ive been off for a month now. I put my own reduction together as i feel pretty uncared for by my medical proffesionals and so I probably couldve made it easier on myself but Im here now and Im glad. The weight gain and disconnection I felt were horrible and the panic, anxiety and depression it was sposed to treat were all still very much a part of my life. Now, however, I am feeling really bad but I read here in this thread that maybe thats pretty normal for being four weeks off it so I guess I will hang in there. Almost daily I consider popping one of those little tablets just to ease he anxiety and insomnia and the depresion I am feeling. I am told that it will take a long time for my body to come back to normal so I will put up with these this a bit longer. I am really grateful for this thread. Thanks so much, Mark, New Zealand
  • si675
    si675 rachael42781

    Posted

    Hi all,

    This has been a big help to me.  I'm into day 5 of being off the dam stuff.  I was only on 5mg for 6 weeks when it was having no effect so my doctor doubled the dose.  This made me feel worse.  So I halfed the dose and started to feel a lot better especially first thing in the mroning when I was feeling sick and anxious.  After a few days these feelings started to come back so I assumed it was my body sayung stop taking the drug all together, so I did. Started to feel great again and then the last few days especially today is hell.  I darent try and sleep cos when I lay down i feel worse.  My arms are on fire and week and I'm scared.  I've taken valium to try and ease the feelings.  The docs have tried me on different SSRI meds but they have a bad reaction on me which means I cant take them so the latest drug I have is Trazodone.  I took one and that was it never again  I was so zonked out I worried if anything happened and I had to get out of the house during our recent storms that I couldn't.  I just could not move my body at all.  So I've decided to take nothing other than the valium when I need it.  I'm alone tomorrow night as the wife is away and I'm already panicing over that.  After reading everyones commenst on here it sounds normal what I'm going through. So I will try and stick with it so long as the uncontrolled thoughts dont come back that is.

    • si675
      si675

      Posted

      Drugs I have been on in the last 3 months:

      Sertraline

      Amitriptyline

      Mirtrazapine

      Venladex

      Valium

      Before I went on any of these i jsut felt tired, stressed and had chest pains.  Four days after taking Sertraline I started to have severe panic attacks in the middle of the night that would last for hours.  I believe Setraline started me having panic attacks.  I now want off everything and would rather than the chest pains and lack of energy than the anxiety I now feel.

    • ann43144
      ann43144 si675

      Posted

      Hi there I am on week two after coming off mirt . I stopped taking 15mg and wonder if that advice from my drs was a bit drastic I started taking 10mg of citalopram 1day after stopping mert. I have been through hell waking every morning 5am feeling shakey stomach doing cartwheels then straight to the toilet diaareah,can't think straight,I have now been given 2mg diazepam.I can relate to your feelings of your wife being away I too feel apprehension when my husband leaves me alone. My advise is deep breaths say ok go with it this feeling will pass. Another thing I have found helpful is "headspace' app you get ten free 10mins lessons I have found it really helpful.I too feel I wish I could come off all mess and just take something when needed. I hope what I have advised will be of help good luck 

    • ann55375
      ann55375 ann43144

      Posted

      Hi, i notice you are coming off mirtaz. I am doing slow taper, couldnt hack any more than 15 and ended up on 7.5.. now reducing and f

      having bad agitation and depression.  See gp tomorrow but she always refers back to psych so no instant answer.

      do i ditch the mirtaz, put it back up or take nothing but diazepam.  I am lost.  I havent tried citalopram but many others.  Dr told me it causes nausea when i asked.

      i dont like being on my own either.  Trying to see psych takes weeks. 

      Have you tried many anti deps before these?

      headspace is good but i find i can only sit for  short time before it gets to end.

      diazepam is all thats controlling me just now.

      hope to hear your progress.

  • si675
    si675 rachael42781

    Posted

    Well I had a bad day today.  Its day 8 off the Mirt and I was having problems with morning.  I'm finding as soon as I wake up properly ( I wake about three times in the night) I have to get straight up as I start thinking about anxiaty and get anxiuos waiting to get anxious.  I'm sure some of you know what I mean.  Anyway I got up and if I go and do some work on my PC it helps take my mind off things and calms me down. Today took longer than normal and everytime I stopped being busy I started to get hot and sweaty.  I had a doctors appointment today to discuss my medication so at least I was taking comfort in that, which helped calm me down and reading on here about the CBT methods of self help which I have to find again as my dam PC crashed loosing the website also helped calm me.  Anyway off I trotted to the doctor wanting to discuss my withdrawal from the Mirts and the withdrawal symptom.  I choose the only doc at the practice that seems to listen to me as I have had some crap doctors and specialist that seem to just want you drugged up on horse sleeping pills so they can put a tick in a box and move on to the next customer.  Anyway when I got there she took my blood pressure and point blankly refused to discuss my Mirts withdrawal symptoms as she hadn't put me on  them and according to the surgery records I had only just started taking them this week.  I had 6 different boxes of pills with me that I had been prescribed by different doctors at my surgery and only two where down on record as being prescribed.  So I came away very unhappy and no wiser.  I was thinking of taking 1mg of Mirts to try and help with with the withdrawl effects it that would help.  I now have to wait till the 13th Jan to see the doc that put me on Mirts.  Dam usless NHS.
  • melbartolo
    melbartolo rachael42781

    Posted

    I was on mirtazapan for almost 2yrs - 7.5mg. Am super sensitive to any meds, but coming off this has been the worse thing in my life!! Am tapering off .25 a week - omg I feel terrible, anxiety, panic attacks, can't eat or sleep, dizzy, hot, tingly feet & hands,fainting, and feeling of despair. I now have so much more empathy for ppl coming off other drugs. I really wish I hadn't started the meds to begin with. Some days I can barely move let alone work & function!
    • si675
      si675 melbartolo

      Posted

      I too am very sensetive to any medication and lots of meds dont work on me, whether they be ADs or pain killers etc.  They just have no effect.  But Mirt did and it made me worse with the anxiety, all day long I felt it. So I came off it 16 days ago.  Best thing I ever did as now I only have half those feelings and on the whole feel much better.  Hang in there, don't drink anything other than water or juice, eat banannas and excercise.
    • melbartolo
      melbartolo si675

      Posted

      Thankyou so much - I need to see the light at the end of the tunnel
    • ann55375
      ann55375 melbartolo

      Posted

      I too was on 7.5 for 2 years.  Trying to get off now. Tapering, still feel terrible.  How long did it take you to feel better?
  • emma67832
    emma67832 rachael42781

    Edited

    Hi I was prescribed mitrazapine less than a year ago but they've gradually increased my dose to 45mg. Following Surgery (unrelated) I was feeling v.low & after a discussion with my counsellor it was decided they weren't helping and I was getting distressed about weight gain.

    I saw my gp who prescribed duloxetine and said to taper off mitrazapine over about 3 weeks then have a week clear of medication before started duloxetine.

    In the first week I felt fine and naively assumed I was clear of them. I noticed a drop in mood and took duloxetine on Monday at a very low dose.

    Monday evening I began to feel extremely sick,palpitations,dizzy,violent headache etc. I thought it was the new meds so didn't take any more.

    Throughout the week my symptoms have gotten worse. I've had a constant sore throat (although I'd say I've had that for 10 days & can't shift it) flu like symptoms,raging temperature once minute and freezing the next,lethargic etc.

    The sick feeling was definitely linked to duloxetine as within 24 hours it passed.

    I'd assumed I'd got some kind of viral throat infection but reading this thread I'm wondering if these are classic withdrawal? if so I'm terrified! I can't find the energy to even get dressed.

    Going to try & see a gp tomorrow.

    I don't want to try different antidepressants in case of side effects and I'm tempted to go back onto the 15th dose I finished up with just to feel better.

    Thanks in advance for any advice. If it's a week or 2 I can tough it out but I've got responsibilities and can't afford to be sick like this sad

    • craig2828
      craig2828 emma67832

      Edited

      Hi Emma, I was on Mirt for 4 years and had 2 attempts to come off which failed miserably. I thought I was dying. My third attempt was with the knowledge that Mirt causes severe withdraw symptoms when discontinued. I am 6 months off now and doing fine. I don't care what anyone says you can come off Mirt quickly. I know I've been there read the book. I almost thought I was losing my mind. I belong to a private Facebook group ( mirtazapine withdrawal). The people on their helped me tremendously. I am now part of that support group. If you want to join just look for ppwindow repairs on Facebook, she's called Linda and ask if you can join. Hope this is of some help, sending you best wishes
    • emma67832
      emma67832 craig2828

      Posted

      Thanks so much..I will look it up tonight smile

      Saw GP yesterday. She scoffed at the notiony symptoms were mitrazapine withdrawal related and said I had a viral throat infection.

      To be fair glands are swollen etc but then.I explained in desperation on the night before my appointment I took 15mg and within the hour I was calmer and woke up feeling less unwell.

      The latest is that I'm on 15mg daily for 4 weeks..I think she wants to see if indeed the throat infection is relevant and then we will assess it again.

      I've told her NO More antidepressants. .I will do this nature's way..exercise,horse therapy (I have a a horse I haven't seen in a week cos I'm too poorly) healthy eating..basically whatever it takes to stay mentally and physically well.

      I was so nave taking these drugs..I wish I'd known then what I know now sad

      At 15mg I'm coping and I've been losing weight for 5 weeks with diet plan so that's one less thing to worry about Thank you for the advice.

    • maz24000
      maz24000 craig2828

      Posted

      Hi Craig ,are you back to how you were before taking mertazapine ? 

      I have looked the group up on FB but can't find it . It's good to find people who have come off this awful drug and are doing we'll ,I hope you continue to do so 😊.

      best wishes .

  • ian72355
    ian72355 rachael42781

    Posted

    It will pass, I got off from 45mg that I'd been on for over 6 years in 7.5mg cuts about 2 weeks each.   The benefits of getting off are to look forward to smile.   Don't see withdrawal symptoms as "bad", it is your body's way of getting back to normal, and trust me this is one drug they should ban.   Trust me also that it is worth some pain to get off it as you will be so much better.    Exercise also helps a lot, even walking.   Look at withdrawal symptoms as a way of telling you that the cut down is working!   They always go away as your body re-adjusts itself to each lesser dose.   I also took vit C, B complex, Cod liver oil tabs, these all help the body recover.
    • maz24000
      maz24000 ian72355

      Posted

      Hi,my husband was given these to take for depression after my son was taken ill . He took them for about 6 months and during that time his personality changed completely . He is normally a very loving tentative man . He became distant ,didn't show me or his children any affection ,and we haven't had sex for over 8 months now . We have been married for 33 years and have enjoyed a healthy sex life .  He stopped even cuddling me in bed and we became very distant .  I almost left him as I couldn't cope with how he was being ,he was not the man I married . But I love him ( even though he told me he doesn't love me how he used too and doesn't know why) .  We decided that it was the mertazapine that was giving him the lack of emotion and feelings towards me and our children as he has never felt like this before and doesn't seem to really care about how his lack of affection is hurting others.  He tapered off the tablets by taking one every other day ,then one every third day and so on . He hasn't taken them now for 8 weeks or more but is having withdrawal effects .  He has the dreaded cough ,aching joints ,flu symptoms ,and itchy skin .( his sex drive still has not returned ) . He has become more affectionate but I'm not sure if this is for my benefit ( I dare not ask ) . His temper and impatience is getting bad and I fera that if he goes to the doctors they will just give him more pills to take . He doesn't take any other medication apart fron an inhaler for COPD. I've bought him high strength vitD for his immunity as I have read that mirt affects histamine too .

      how long did your withdrawal symptoms last and did it affect your Labido .

      thank you ,my husband doesn't research anything and ust takes the Drs advice and goes along with it . 

      I work in mental health and see the effects that psychiatric medication has on many people , they don't tell you these things when they prescribe these horrible life ruining drugs! ,they don't just harm the user ,they also harm the people who love and care for them 😕

    • PaulMar
      PaulMar ian72355

      Posted

      Hi Ian - I was on initially on 45mg for a few months and then 30mg for about 4 years. Itès been great for helping me fall asleep but over the years my anxiety, especially in the morning has been awaful. I tried it in combination with Effexor, Paxil, Trintellix and now Cipralex and I could still not get rid of my anxiety. My doctor thinks that tooo much seretonin may be the problem and wants me to get off of Mirt. I reduced it two weeks ago to 15mg which did help a little. My problem now is going down to 7.5mg. This has been difficult as it has efefcted my sleep and I wake up really tired and I just donèt feel myself. I took a lorazapam this morning which has helped me feel relaxed and more myself.

      Annyways, your advise is encouraging and I will stick to 7.5mg for at least a few more weeks before I get off completely.

    • connie08861
      connie08861 PaulMar

      Posted

      Hi Paul have you got off mirt completely? How are you doing? Going thru mirt hell myself. Itchy,can't sleep,feelings down. 9 days off from 7.5 mg thanks

    • PaulMar
      PaulMar connie08861

      Posted

      Hi Connie - I had actually gone back up to 15mg because I couldn't handle the side effects but two weeks ago I went back down to 7.5mg and I began to start feeling better. I've been sleeping OK but still wake up with anxiety but not as bad. I take a lorazapam around 8:15am and by 10am my anxiety is gone and I've been feeling good the rest of the day. This is progress since before my anxiety would last all day and it's been like this for the last 4 years.

      Today was a set back. I woke up more anxious and the lorazapam didn't help me. I took a second lorazapam which has now helped relax and kill the anxiety.

      I'm currently on 20mg of Cipralex and 7.5mg of Mirt. I also take lorazapam (adavin). I'm planning to stop the Mirt in the next week or so. Hopefully the Cipralex will keep getting better do I can stop taking the lorazapam as well.

      This forum helps me to remember that it will pass and I will get better. I need to be stronger and put up with the horrible feelings of anxiety. It would be great if someone could finally come up with a drug that works for sure without the side effects.

    • hilary95948
      hilary95948 PaulMar

      Posted

      Hi PaulMar, I have recently been in Hospital privately, as there is no help in the UK, for depression, only Medication, hoping they were not going to put me on meds again, as my depression was for another loss, put me on medication all last year for delayed grieving, made me feel worse, did not go with my thyroid... but yet again they have put me back on Mirtazapine, I was put on 15ml for a week with 4 diazapam  got myself off the diazapam, cut down to 7.5  Matazapine, and now after 4 weeks down to 4ml, I am feell like hell, worse now than before I went into this private hospital, why is it they can't just listen to you instead of putting you on tablets.  Was on these horrible tablets before for only 7.5 weeks and felt like hell coming off them, I went on Fluxotine to come off them, so why the hell do they put you back on them, there answer was you were not on strong enough Mirtazapine, how sad is that, I feel my feel my son's partner is fed up with the way I am, I was okay before all thes Meds, that was a year ago, just needed to grieve, can't upset my family anymore.... any help or reasurance would be much appreciated 

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