Mirtazapine withdrawal - light at the end of the tunnel
Posted , 12 users are following.
I would like to share my withdrawal experiences in a bid to encourage all of those having a hard time coming off this drug.
I was prescribed mirtazapine for sleep issues in April last year. I was assured by my Doctor that they are 'totally non addictive' and that I 'could come off them at anytime' This was appealing to me as I was desperate for a solid 8 hours sleep (I had been sleeping around 3-4 hours a night for 2 months)
Please note, insomnia was the only reason for taking these tablets. I didn't feel depressed, just desperate and anxious for sleep.
My sleep improved dramatically from the first tablet I was sleeping for at least 9 -10 hours each night. At times I'd feel a little groggy but most of the time I felt refreshed and I was so relieved to be sleeping well again.
About 4 months later, my sleep pattern started to become very erratic. I'd sleep for 10 hours one night and then I wouldn't be able to sleep at all the following night. I contacted my Doctor and she advised me to double the dose. I didn't double but I did increase it from 15 mg to 22.5mg This seemed to do the trick. Apart from the occasional bad night I was sleeping well again.
My sleep continued to improve for at least 3 months, until my sleep became erratic again. The mirtazapine had obviously pooped out and I had become too tolerent for this dose. Of course my Doctor advised increasing the dose again, but I had wised up this time. I wasn't going to set myself up for another fall, I couldn't keep increasing the dose for the same thing to happen again.
I decided to taper off the medication. I had no idea of the misery and suffering that lay ahead. I would go up to 3 consecutive days without any sleep at all. Not even the dozing type! Instead I would have heart palpitations and repetetive songs playing in my head throughout the night. (I later realised this is a common withdrawal symptom) I had it really bad.
I felt completely depersonalized. I didn't have any interest in anything and I could barely muster up the energy to leave the house. I have my own business and this really suffered. I was a wreck, a complete zombie. I'm ashamed to say that there were times that I felt suicidal. What had this drug done to me?
I was able to seek comfort from other peoples experiences on this site. I also contacted the charity CITA, I spoke about my troubles and the state that I was in. It was a relief to do this, as I tend to keep things to myself so nobody around me would've known the extent of the problem. They helped devise a plan to gradually come off the medication altogether. It was reassuring to know that my symptoms were very common and that the situation would improve. They weren't able to give me a timeframe as recovery varies for different people.
I had spent 5 months on a slow taper from November - April. I cut the tablets up into smaller pieces and remained on 2 mg for a month. I then continued to miss one 2mg tablet over 7 weeks. So I'd take 7 one week, then 6 in a week, then 5 etc.
I have been off the tablets completely for over 6 weeks. I'm not out of the woods yet but I feel so much better. I sleep between 6.5 - 7 hours each night. I have been taking 100 mg of 5htp capsules an hour before bed.I could only take these after I had quit mirtazapine completely in order to avoid the risk of seretonin syndrome.
My advice to anyone suffering from withdrawals is know that the symptoms will pass eventually. stay strong and do the best you can to get on with life. Try not to dwell on the withdrawals and know that each day you're getting furher away from mirtazapine. There will be set backs, that's part of the withdrawals. Just accept it and keep moving forward.
Good luck to everyone trying to come off this drug. You wil get there!
2 likes, 58 replies
Dastardly2015 scott10262
Posted
I was taking Mirtazapine just over a year, into the two years max. I spoke with my GP and told her I wanted to come off them but she insisted I try Sertraline until I wait for an appoinment with a therapist (takes months) so I did and while on the third day of taking Sertraline, I had a really bad day, dizzy spell, anxiety shoot through the roof, shakes, vomiting, derealization etc. I did not take any medication for 7 days except Buspirone one day when I thought it would calm me down but it didn't. Now the problem is that I don't know if the Setraline did this to me (how could it, though? It was only 3 days and I continued to feel like this even when I stopped it) or it was the withdrawal from the Mirtazapine.
I had to call my GP back and she recommended I go back on Mirtazapine and when I felt better she would slowly bring me off them when I'm ready. Now, the thing I am concerned about is if I go back on them will it just be the same side effects as before such as increased appetite, sleep and weight gain? OR will there come new side effects? I am not a suicidal person, very opposite in fact and want to live a good life, so I am hoping it does not make me suicidal and these bad symptoms disappear, especially the derealization. I hate that symptom more than anything.
When you went back on Mirtazapine, did your symptoms go away?
Dastardly2015
Posted
scott10262 Dastardly2015
Posted
from my experience and from what I have read it sounds like classic mirtazapine withdrawals.
You should be able to reinstate at a low dose and try to stabilise. From there I would taper slowly and see how you feel.
You are less likely to get the same side effects at a lower dose but it's still possible. A lower dose may be more sedating.
The depersonalisation was one of the first things to disappear but it was replaced by dizziness and fatigue . My biggest problem is insomnia. This is still haunting me now at 7.5 weeks off, but it's much better than it was.
Good luck.
Calmer Dastardly2015
Posted
Yep I agree with Scott - classic Mirt' wd symptoms. Have you decided to stay on Mirt for now? I don't think your symptoms will get any worse on Mirt unless you go up to 30mg, so I'd say go back to where you were - was it 15 mg?
Am going to PM you.
georg85519 scott10262
Posted
Thanks for sharing your experience. I tried 3 times in the last 10 month to get off. Just recently I tapered down 2 month from 15mg with last 2 weeks taking 3.75mg every other day. First week after last tablet was great, middle of second week I started to fall apart with bad depression and no sleep. My doc told me that it is most likely withdrawal and it might take another 10 days to ride it out. There was no way to survive any other day so I went back to 3.75mg, which immediately did the trick and I was fine after 3-4 days again. I am planning to recover form this experience and start a much slower taper next time.
How are you feeling now and based on your experince when was the peak of the withdrawal nigtmare?
Calmer georg85519
Posted
I think you've done really well to get down to 3.75 after your trials ! As everyone should know, you can't just jump off this stuff - we have to keep passing on the message to new folk on this forum.
I am still on Mirt' and plan to wd later in the autumn, when the light mornings have gone as I totally dread insomnia, and for me the light morning wake me.
The best advice I have read is to stay on the 3.75 for a few months (for people like you and I who have been on it for a considerable time), and from taking 3.75 every night, drop one every week (say a Tuesday) i.e. take for 6 nights for a month, then if you feel steady drop the Mirt for 2 nights (spread out say Tues & Fri) and do that for a month - continue this for the duration and if at any time you get too many wd symptoms go back a stage and stay with it until you are steady again.
Hope this may help a little.
Best wishes to you, wishing you well.
georg85519 Calmer
Posted
thanks for the good advice. I am planning to stay on 3.75mg during summer and then start again in fall super slow tapering. Let's hoipe for the best
susansasha scott10262
Posted
sheila65847 susansasha
Posted
May I suggest taking magnesium, available from all pharmacies and health food shops, also getting some sunlight each day if poss. In particular, may I suggest you Google 4-7-8 breathing technique? I was the biggest sceptic on earth but IT WORKS!!!! For sleep or general relaxation. It truly does. Good luck. Let me know what you think
jeanette05609 scott10262
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peter86299 scott10262
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I note that your reduction from 15mg was from Nov-Mar- presumably over 20 weeks and then in April you remained @2mg for 1 further month and then reduced further over the next 7 weeks
Can I please ask you when you 1st reduced the 15mg in period Nov-Mar how you in fact tapered down in that 20 WEEK PERIOD
STARTING WITH THE 1ST REDUCTION-WHAT DID YOU REDUCE TO FROM 15MG AND HOW LONG DID YOU REMAIN AT THE 1ST REDUCTION BEFORE STARTING THE 2ND REDUCTION
WHAT WERE ALL YOUR REDUCTIONS IN THAT 20 WEEK PERIOD AND HOW MANY WEEKS DID YOU REMAIN ON EACH REDUCTION BEFORE STARTING THE NEXT REDUCTION-i HAVE JUST REDUCED FROM 15MG TO NOW 13.1MG WHICH 1/2+1/4+1/8 TAB -REDUCTION=12.5% AND HAVE BEEN ON THIS FOR AROUND 25D AND PROPOSE TO THEN DROP TO 11,25% WHICH 1/2 TAB+1/4 TAB
HOW DID YOU REDUCE IN EACH WEEK
Would greatly appreciate any feed back from you on this
take care and wishing you well
rgds=Peter+++.
C1706 peter86299
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C1706 scott10262
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C1706
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