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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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  • loopy69123
    loopy69123 rachael42781

    Posted

    Here is my experience with Mirtazapine, the events leading up to me taking it and my withdrawal process.

    ?About four months port-partum, my son (who wasn't sleeping particularly well anyway) started waking on the hour, every hour. Within a week or two of this, this sent me into a tailspin to the point where I'd lie awake all night, expecting not to get a wink of sleep at all.

    ?Unfortunately that turned out to be a self fulfillling prophecy.

    ?I tried many things, but ultimately I needed to turn to something stronger to get me over the hump (Mirtazapine).

    ?I was prescribed 15 mgs which did everything it was meant to do (and a couple of things I wish it didn't).

    ?I slept great for the first few months, but I also piled weight (which ultimately led to me making the decision to get off this stuff).

    ?By the four month mark, I was angry and bitter about the weight gain. It wasn't a health issue, but I was concerned with the way things were heading.

    ?To taper down, I tried to make the process as easy on myself as possible.

    ?Here is a rough breakdown of what I did.

    7.5mgs for 10 days

    ?3.75mgs for 14 days

    ?Half of that again for 18 days, then crumbs for about a week.

    ?Side effects?

    As I tapered down toward the lower dosages, I occasionally awoke in a panic due to central nervous apnea (this apparently happens due to a temporary drop in serotonin, which was to be expected whilst my body was adjusting).

    I also suffered from some slight heart palpitations accompanied by mild anxiety in the beginning (which resolved itself within a few days).

    Things I did to help myself cope:

    Qi Gong- I felt this was a huge factor in my recovery.

    ?Exercise and exposure to sunlight

    ?Flower Essences

    ?Vetiver Essential Oil (rubbed onto the soles of my feet every night before I went to bed).

    ?I still suffer from the occasional rough night, but my attitude is different about it all now.

    ?I don't lie awake thinking "oh crap, what happens if I get no sleep at all?"

    ?I say to myself, "I may feel wired now, but eventually I will tire enough to get to sleep. Right now I'm here to just relax".

    ?This mind shift has helped me no end.

    ?Good luck and I wish you well on your endeavour x

     

    • wendy37876
      wendy37876 loopy69123

      Posted

      I started Mirt about 12 years ago. your reason for starting them is very much like my story. I like your strategy for sleep. This sounds doable. I have been on 30mg now for 3 weeks and today is the first day i have felt normal and actually conent since tapering from 45mg. I am not ready just yet to taper any further. I see a phsychiatrist in Feb next year. I was going to talk to him about the tapering but really from what I am reading here I think we all posess an inner strength that can guide us as to how much we taper and when. It is a great help to read the posts and I feel stronger and can trust myself a bit more from reading them. Thank you to all.
  • mikeyboy100uk
    mikeyboy100uk rachael42781

    Posted

    ive been on 45mg for nine years. i have developed liver problems, so i withdrew from mirtazapine over four days. am now on none and so far ive not had any withdrawl effects. im so glad of this and so glad to be off this medication. i feel great
  • emma67832
    emma67832 rachael42781

    Posted

    I'm now on 7.5mg of mitrazapine in an effort to wean myself off them completely. I tried a few weeks go but had a blip & went back to 15mg.

    It's early days yet but I've had migraines each day almost since I cut down on the dose but I'm going to try and persist this time.

    I've been taking magnesium supplements and 5http to help with restless legs and sleep for a few weeks and that generally has been better.

    I'm determined to nail this eventually and live life without my happy pills!

    • connie08861
      connie08861 emma67832

      Posted

      How are you doing now Emma? I hope great! Please update. Thanks. I'm just over 4 weeks and struggling.

  • gordon13756
    gordon13756 rachael42781

    Posted

    Hi Rachael I'm currently in severe withdrawal from Mirtazpine. I was on 45mg for 14 Years and I've decided I want off this drug. I have gained a lot of weight over the years because of mirtazapine. I'm also schizophrenic, I've sent the route of 45mg then down to 30 for 2 weeks.. I'm now at 15mg and I feel absolutely awful I'm only 38 and I feel like I'm constantly hungover even though I don't drink! I'm sick every morning and have flu like symptoms all day every day. This is only the end of week 1 at 15mg. Any advice you can give me would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

  • nicole37319
    nicole37319 rachael42781

    Posted

    Hi i just want to say that i was on mirtazapine disolvables for 3 years. About 9 months ago i tapered from 30mg down to 15mg....the first few weeks i felt amazing and i thought i was finally seeing the light again. Then the 3rd week in i started getting muscle cramps really bad in my abdomen and feeling really clogged up i ended up in the ER where they did ultrasounds and other tests and everyrhing was fine. Then i started getting headaches and stomach pains and lots of diarrea and mucus in my stool. I have been getting anxiety extremely bad i struggle to walk long distances and i feel very confused all the time. I will feel good for a few days then id start to feel really sick for like a week straight. Its been 3 months since i came off the tablets all together from 30mg down to 15 then down to nothing. I feel absolutely terrible and i didnt think the withdrawals could take this long. Ive been to the doctors several times in the 3 months taken blood tests etc and soon to be going in for a colonospopy because we cant find out whats wrong with me. Has anyone else had this trouble for this long and came through from the side effects?
    • connie08861
      connie08861 nicole37319

      Posted

      I cold turkey from mirtizapine 2 and half weeks ago it has been horrible. Confusion,dizziness, tired, anxiety, shaking, nauseau, itching. I'm not turning back but wondering when it will end. It's a struggle everyday. It feels like my brain is damaged. 😞 why did you stop?

    • nicole37319
      nicole37319 connie08861

      Posted

      Hi connie quitting cold turkey is probably the worst thing to do on these tablets u should taper. How long were u on the tablets for?

      I stopped because i was getting horrible side effects and my chest was feeling really tight eveeyday and kept getting diarrea. 4 months out and im still getting all that. Not to mention the sinuses and blurry vision like seeing my white blood cells all the time. This drug is the devil and i never want to go back on. How come you stopped?

    • vikki87350
      vikki87350 nicole37319

      Posted

      It's a very similar situation to mine and it's because of the sudden huge drop of serotonin that your brain has become used to. Just see it through if you can with help from your Gp and remind yourself constantly that it gets less aggressive in time. I got there in the end, you definitely have to re-evaluate after 90 days and I know how long that time feels like whilst going through the motions. Stick with it and be easy on yourself.

    • connie08861
      connie08861 nicole37319

      Posted

      I have had a struggle with this med for the last year and 1/2. tried it 4 different times and as soon as I got to the 10 week mark I would have adverse reactions- loss of appetite, no sleep , feeling sick, so I would stop and go thru withdrawals.  I have so much sinus issues and last week my white blood count was way elevated.  I just re-did blood and it is back to normal thank goodness.    I have blurry vision when I drive and anxiety - everyday I hope today will be better than yesterday.  and I have hives from the lack of histamine that good ol mirtizapine had provided my body while I was taking it.   every single time I let my doctor or psychiatrist talk me into taking it again - I started after my dad passed away - they said I was depressed and mirt will help.  never was on meds in the past and I am wondering how a completely normal person for 50 years can deteriorate into a mental breakdown like I have?  xx 
    • vikki87350
      vikki87350 connie08861

      Posted

      The Mirt withdrawals alone is enough for a breakdown... bless you, get another plan and take your time and be kind to yourself whist recovering 😊

    • nicole37319
      nicole37319 connie08861

      Posted

      That sounds awful. Hopefully this withdrawal process will get better for us all. I havent heard any success stories yet where anyone has fully recovered from this. So im hoping for the best.

      Anxiety is the worst and it sucks that anyone would get put on these devil drugs they should be illegal. I should of just stuck with natural therapy. As long as we stay positive. There was one thing i noticed though that when i eat really healthy i can feel good for days on end but as soon as i eat a bit of bad food im back in sickness and pain again.

  • gordon13756
    gordon13756 rachael42781

    Posted

    I've been trying to come off mirtazapine for 4 months now. I was on the maximum dosage of 45mg for 13 years. I've managed to taper down to 15mg, but I have severe withdrawal symptoms. I'm going down to 7.5mg. This medicine has caused me to gain an obscene amount of weight. I also take respiridone for schizophrenia. This withdrawal is terrible, but I'm determined

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