Mirtazapine withdrawal, how long will this last??!!!!

Hi! 

What did you decide to do in the end? 

I couldn't go to 30mg either as it made me feel spaced out. 

I'm now Mirt free for nearly four months. And although it was honestly one of the hardest things I have EVER done, I'm really glad I did it! I nearly went back on the med several times as withdrawal was so hard. Personally I would always slowly taper down from any med, especially Mirt as it can be a tough one to lower doses on 

Kirsty x 

Hi Kirsty,

I decided to be my own doctor and stick to the 15mg. Fingers crossed, I'm doing fine for the last one week.

Wondering how long you have been taking Mirt before you decided to put it a stop? My next review will be 1st week of Jan. I'm just wondering should I request to tapered down the dosage or stick to 15mg for the time being.

Hi!

I was on it for nearly 7 months, I decided to come off as it wasn't helping my anxiety at all, and made me feel like I was desensitised to the world, which I couldn't stand 

Kirsty 

Did your doctor not get you to taper down from you Mirt dose at all? Or are you taking both meds? 

Kirsty 

Hi no they don't seem to give a damn , I managed 5 days with nothing but have given in and am now back on 15mg a day .What also concerns me is that I deliberately asked for non addictive meds and now find that i'm in the position of being very much addicted to Mirtazipine

Hi Toria, 

Yes it definitely got worse before it got better for me. I would have waves of feeling "okay" then it would hit me again. I found it particularly hard at the 12 week period. I'm no doctor, but I presumed this was the medication completely leaving my body? 

I too had every withdrawal symptom going, it was one of the hardest things I've ever done, but I'm so pleased I got there! 

Kirsty 

I am about to do the lowering from 3.75 to 1.88 then after a while off.  I have held for four months here. 

Do you think this last tapering will still be as hard? What symptoms should i expect?   Dr has given me diazepam for a while now for my anxiety and as its a low dose i dont want to put it up.

any helpful info about what to expect -i know about migraines, nausea, fatigue but anything else?

The main withdrawal symptom for me was heightened anxiety, that was unbearable at some points. Sickness, which felt very similar to morning sickness, the doctor gave me antisickness pills so I could still eat. Insomnia, headaches, and I also didn't want to go anywhere and felt an impending doom symptom too. I don't mean to scare you, I'm just saying what happened to me. 

I tapered slowly. But still had very severe withdrawal, that kicked in from about day 8. It lasted over three months, coming in waves. It was a very long process, but I don't regret doing it. 

Kirsty 

Thank you Kirsty really appreciate your response ❤️ Only went on it as I ended up in hospital when I woke one morning with my left side of my body completely numb, apart from fibromyalgia I was completely healthy before this, they gave me steriods which caused psychosis then docs tried me on 10 different meds, think the steriods changed the way every med worked, that was in august, been terrible since.

Thats very helpful, i will now know what to look out for.  Did you move over onto another a/d or just ride the storm, and were you below 1.88 when you stopped?   I already have the feeling if not wanting to go anywhere so i assume this will worsen, then alleviate.  I know its a devil to get off and want to arm myself with all i need.  Dr has given me anti nausea tabs and i am still on 5mg diazepam

I'm so sorry to hear this. Do you use it as an AD to help cope with what's going on? Kirsty x

Sorry didn't get an email to say you replied, Doctors put me on it for the anxiety/psychosis caused by the steriods.

Do you feel it helps at all? I didn't feel it was beneficial to my anxiety at all. 

It helped with depression in the past, to be honest never suffered from anxiety before the steriods, the only thing it did for me this time is made me sleep the first night but by the seventh morning I was convulsing on the floor so had to stop them, I really don't think it matters how long you take this med for, if you're going to get withdrawals you will get them, I was very lucky the first two times as I was on them years at a time, went from 30mg then to 15mg for 4 days then stopped, from what I can remember all I got was nausea and and worse insomnia, this time I'm scared almost 24/7 and feel like I'm dying.

I wonder the the formulation has changed at all? 

Then tried me on Prozac at first. Which I've taken for long periods in the past and had no problem starting or coming off. This time when I went on them, I was in such a hyper state they were worried I'd need to go to hospital. Bizarre! 

First episode of anxiety and depression they gave me prozac 20,then 40,then 60, i was in a terrible way and wanted to,die.  Took me off and started mirtazapine (1999) and gradually got better.  Stopped them as i was fine.  Then 15 years on after major surgery anxiety reared again and i got mirtazapine. Its never done much for me this time, cant raise up dose and now titrating down. Dont understand why a drug which worked before doesnt anymore and can only assume its now generic and formula changed.

I absolutely think that's what happened with me as when in hospital whilst on steriods they gave me a mirtazapine which wasn't meant to be in my medication bag as I'd been off years, then a few weeks later when I tried it all hell broke loose, the fact of the matter is is if I was told to ride out the psychosis without meds this would of been over many weeks ago.

Kirsty did the tremors, palpitations, nausea and feeling cold get worse for you? I'm scared something is wrong with me.

I would have those withdrawal symptoms daily. Sometimes they would peak and I would physically be sick!

Thank you for responding, you have no idea how much you've put my mind at rest ?? It's hard as only a few weeks ago I was having a few odd good days even though I still had morning anxiety on those days, thank you x

Exactly the same thing would happen to me. I would think I was getting better, then I would have a horrid day! It does get better I promise. I forgot how full on the tremors were until you just said it, but they go too. It's just a case of it leaving your body. Don't worry if you all of a sudden have dip days, I did too, and it seems a real norm with withdrawal on this med x

The thing I find hard is I was having a good day, bad day 2 weeks ago now I've had like 8 bad days in a row in week 10, started week 11 Monday, everyone else seems to only have a good day bad day 😢 X

Try not to compare what's happening to you with what's happening to others. Sometimes too much info can be a bad thing 😘

I didn't have a "whole" good day for months, at some part of the day for nearly 3 months I had a rough patch. But if that happens now, I know it's not the meds, and it's just me! 

Try and also remember that people who have no issues still have bad days, but they write them off, sometimes we can dwell on them and that makes them feel more heightened.

You will get there! X 

Thank you lovely, it's just hard when you feel so bad x

I know darling I really do, but it won't be forever I promise x

Thank you lovely I appreciate that I really do, it's just hard trying to calm yourself naturally without meds when you're anxious 24/7 with the constant dread, I tried diazepam after the steriods they made me worse ditto beta blockers, I have anti nausea tablets here but I'm even scared to take them, what ones did you take? X

I know, it's horrid, I tried to focus on my kids and got through every day that way. Just about! I wanted every day for someone just to tell me to go to bed and sleep it off! 

I was on prochlorperazine, and it really helped with the sickness, can make you drowsy though x

See I can't sleep it off as I've suffered insomnia many years plus I'm too anxious to sit still but in too much pain to move, can't bloody win can you? Trying to stay positive but it's hard with racing thoughts and constant dread x

Nope, I know, and I couldn't as I'm a single Mum to two. But I think that keeping up and mobile and trying to think of other things is a good thing, that way you have to keep going! 

I had the impending doom thoughts frequently too, but had to keep on fighting through them, It really is the only way. It's a long road, but it can be done! X

Thank you lovely, hope I get there soon, take care 😘 X

How doing Kirsty? Still ok I hope, I'm 3 months off tomorrow and no sign it's getting better x

Which symptoms are you still experiencing? X

Constant anxiety, depression, nausea, feel cold all the time, internal tremors, sore body but mainly stomach and back, dizzy, dehydrated, headaches probably more but those are the main ones also cannot stop crying x

Have you been back to the doctors? My tummy was bad for a long time to. My anxiety is still bad in the morning, but I think that is just me? Are you on any other meds? X

Yes, citalopram amitriptyline zapain and zopiclone but been on these for years x

Oh my lord , I've not been on citalopram but I was on Zopiclone a long time ago but got off them but am having proper trouble with these , I did get down to 7.5 every other night but am really struggling have you or anyone else got any helpful suggestions 

Hey Dave, I've only ever cold turkeyed so I may not be of help sorry 😐 

cold turkeyed yeah I've been down that road , I was a heroin addict some years ago now but have been clean for 5 and a half years now and trying to get off these damn Mirtazapine is far worse . Really don't know how or even why they can prescribe such a horrible drug x

Hi Dave, 

I've heard coming off Mirt is likened to withdrawal from heroine. I've never used that drug, but I can say that coming off Mirt is one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life. I was literally a mess! I had to keep chugging along as I've got two little ones, but there were days where I just wanted to curl up in a ball, but couldn't as the  anxiety wouldn't let me sit still. 

So I guess all I can say is keep going, and it's going to be tough, but you can get out the other side! I tried to drink tons of water, as heard that helped flush it through... good luck to you! 

Hey Dave, really feel for you, it's horrendous, I'm so shocked as like I said as the first 2 times I was on them a lot longer and just stopped with ease, it's bizarre, this time was on them a week and it's been a nightmare, I can't really advise you what to do as everyone is different, I picked cold turkey as didn't want to draw it out, from what I've read (and I've read a lot lol) some struggle with taper as much as cold turkey, really hope things improve for you soon x

Hi there Kirsty, yeah this certainly is a nightmare but think I may bet trying to do things to quickly . I went from 30mg to 15mg  to 7.5mg literally within a week oh and then to 7.5mg and 3.5mg every other day. I started to feel really rough again after 8 days ,this drug should be illegal

I did a much slower taper, but still suffered terrible withdrawal, so I'm honestly not sure which is the best way to go. 

Day 8,after I came off completely was a killer of a day. Apparently that's not uncommon. Bizarre isn't it...

Hi there again Kirsty , I thankyou for your input  I,m going to try and stick on 7.5mg for a while before I try and reduce down any further , actually how long did your taper last for ??? My gp said to me yesterday that shes never had any complaints off any of her patients that shes prescribed Mirtazapine to about withdrawal symptoms . Anyway i'll see how this slower approach helps , as for bizarre when you ask for non addictive meds and end up in this mess is pretty damn bizarre , regards Dave x 

Dave docs don't have a clue, after steriods I shouldn't of been prescribed anything as my CNS was a mess but they ploughed me with 10 different meds and now I'm worse off! Do it yourself and at your own pace but keep them in the loop x

Exactly what my GP said to me! Said they've never heard of anyone struggling with it, and it's one of the easiest to come off of... err, you know absolutely nothing! So many of us on here having the same symptoms, we can't all be wrong. 

I used to do 10% reduction. My last one was at 1.87mg for two weeks. But if I'm completely honest, the withdrawal was still hell (for me) so maybe no matter what I did, it was always going to be a struggle? 

Keep on going, one day at a time x 

Hi Kirsty , i'm struggling at the moment but I've gone down from 30mg to 7.5mg so it's quite a big jump ,but think i'm going to be ok but do feel rough for most of the day at the moment .Have you you any idea how long its going to take to get off it all together , regards Dave x

Kirsty, im going to try going down to 1.87 this week.   Will the side effects from 3.75 be bad? Its been three months since i last dropped from 7.5.  Im hoping im going slow enough.  I know about insomnia, migraine and nausea with the anxiety.  I am armed with diszepam from dr.  She also told me it would be easy just to cut it out!   Do the powers that be not communicate? Or is it the drug companies at fault?

Hi! I felt pretty bad when dropping doses, but it levelled out fairly quickly. I only truly struggled when I came off completely, that's when withdrawal hit me! 

I don't really blame anyone, just would like them to listen when I said how bad it was,  I wasn't making those symptoms up! I know Mirt works wonders for some, it just didn't help my underlying anxiety issues 😊

Hi, it took me a couple of months to taper off it completely. 

Withdrawal was bad for me after around day 8 of no Mirt. This lasted a good month, and I didn't feel like it was out of my system for a good few months. It was a long process. My main issue is anxiety and it really didn't help much with that at all. It helped me sleep, but that wasn't a problem for me anyway. 

Kirsty x

As you are well ahead of me now i wonder how you find if you dont need another anti dep? How do you know its all withdrawal and not illness requiring different medication?  I know if i go to psych and say i am feeling bad he is liable to want to put me onto something else which i have shown intolerance to in the past.   Do i need an anti dep or not, how on earth do i know?   Withdrawals are such a problem.  I also have diazepam which will have to be slowly titrated and i know withdrawals from that can be bad.  

Are you still around?

i am looking for help dropping down from about 1.5.  You were able to titrate down and then get off but i know you had symptoms, have they abated or did you go onto a new med?

your responses would be helpful.