Mirtazapine withdrawal timeline - help!

Hi Robert. Thanks for your reply it's so good to know I am not alone! I'm glad you are starting to feel a bit better, it is very frustrating especially with the sleep because it's hard to feel better mentally when you're exhausted. Hopefully that will improve for both of us soon!

In retrospect, I wish I had also gone down the route of skipping doses, as this might have made this a bit easier. Wondering if I tapered too quickly, I was just sick of dieting and going to the gym 3 times a week and still putting on weight! Although I'm not overweight, it's demotivating not to be able to fit into my clothes Hoping to lose some before my holiday in 2 months.

Glad you managed to make it to Glastonbury, really good achievement considering! Please keep me updated on your progress, would be nice to hear how you're getting along

Hi helen:  No you are NOT alone.   Luckily, I read a lot and check here and other forums about withdrawal from Mirt before I started.  Soooo I started weaning by nightly alternating 30 mgs and 15 mgs.  Not too bad.  Next I would take a 30 mg and then 15 mg for two nights and so on until I got down to 15 mgs. at night.  I've been on the 15 mgs. for two weeks and now I'm beginning to feel withdrawal effects.  I'm sleeping OK maybe too much but my anxiety is over the top.  I'm jumpy and irritable.  I've lost my appetite and have low energy.  My ability to focus and concentrate is off and I think I'm seeing things that are not there (like something moving on the floor out of the corner of my eyes).  I almost went back to 30 mgs but I want off this med.  I'm going to stay at 15 mgs for another couple weeks and then try alternating down to 7.5 mgs.  It may take me several months or longer to completely wean off this med.  I know one thing for sure tapering too quickly, is gonna play havoc with your system.  Go slow and good luck.

Hi frazzled

Yes it is so difficult isn't it! Sounds like we are in the same boat, it is good to hear from people going through a similar thing I never took as much as 30 so you've made a lot of progress dropping a whole 15 mg. I think I underestimated the effect it was having on me and how reliant id become on it for sleep. I think what the previous poster said about skipping a dose every other day and so on might be the key to avoiding the withdrawal, wish id done that! Good luck wishing you the best

Hi Helen:  Wish me luck because starting Monday, I'm going to try dropping from 15 mgs. to 7.5.  Might end up taking 10 mgs but I'll see how it goes.  Right now (after a month at 15 mgs.,) I'm feeling sleepy almost as much as I was on the 30 mgs so I don't know what's going on).  How are you doing?

Hi Drew

Thanks for your reply Glad to hear youre feeling better with the citalopram! No I havent started taking another AD yet, I think I probably should do Im just worried about the start up side effects in combination with the withdrawal from the Mirtazapine so i've been a bit scared to! Will probably give it another few weeks. Thats good to hear your sleep has started to improve a bit, how long did that take roughly?

Hi Helen, My sleeping has improved after 2-3 weeks. Still not going longer than 4 hours before waking up but managing to get off for another couple of hours after that. I don't work so Sleep issue not critical. 

Hi Helen I have been on both Citalopram 40 mgs and Mirtazapine 30 mgs. I have reduced the Scotsman to 20mgs with some mild withdrawal effects. I started reducing the Mirtazapine by 7.5mg in October but stopped at this in December as I was feeling low. Advised to wait until spring and more light. Have got to 7.5mg by going very slowly. Did experience some vomiting and itchy skin. Been on 7.5mg for 2weeks feeling very irritable. I know this will improve. I want to stop taking it before October. I think it's important to remember it's withdrawal and not necessarily a return of the depression. Good luck with your journey Helen. It will get better than this.

Hi Calmer

Thanks for your reply it's given me some hope that I will start to feel more normal soon! Yes i am starting to wonder if I tapered too quickly, I think i became so frustrated with the weight gain that I wanted it out of my system asap. Not the best idea! I think I might try an antihistamine tonight instead of sleeping pill because I really don't want to get reluant on them. Thanks again for your help, glad to know that things should settle soon

Hi Calmer, I posted on here last year when I was prescribed mirtazapine

for problems with nerve pain in my hands and feet. I wanted your opinion

on withdrawal as I don't feel that this medication is of benefit now. I do not

take any other meds and wondered if the 10% reduction would still be best

In my case. Also I wondered if you have had any experience with tinnitus

when taking this med? 

Regards, Woodie

Hi Woodie,

Welcome back; do you still have the pain in your hands & feet?  

I can only offer the 10% rule for tapering because it is the only method I tried.  Also I have heard of so many people suffering doing a faster taper.  Maybe if you start with 15 and hold for 3-4 weeks and see how you feel personally, you will know if your body can tolerate that 10%, some do 5% (me too).  

Yes Tinnitus is common whilst taking Mirt, I had that, still do slightly but don't notice it so much now.

Hope this helps a little & wishing you well  

Hello again, thanks for replying so quickly. Yes, I still get some pain in my

feet but to a much lesser degree in my hands. After tests including a nerve

conduction study the results came back 'unremarkable' and therefore

inconclusive for small fibre neuropathy. I had quite a big gynaecological op

in March and wanted to wait till feeling nearly back to normal before embarking on withdrawal from the Mirt. I am finding that with more

exercise now (walking) I am coping with the burning feeling more and

if possible want to stop taking this type of medication. As mentioned

before normal analgesics have little effect on this type of pain😩

Just hoping the slight head "" 'zinging' "will disappear, never noticed it before!!

Best wishes....

Hi Woodie

Good idea to wait until you have recovered some way after a big op like that, a lot of stress after major surgery ... we women m=need a "wife" to look after us and the house after something so disabling !!    

What dose of Mirt are you taking now?

Best wishes for the recovery x

Hello. I'm taking 15mg. The dr who put me on to Mirt upped me to 30mg

after a few weeks but I felt 'no extra benefit' and also started getting hair loss

(my partner thought I was imagining it) so I reduced the dose back to 15mg.

The nerve pain is so debilitating - I spoke too soon on my previous post -

perhaps the heat over the last few days has exacerbated things😫

I've now been on Mirt for twelve months and it's difficult to know where

to go from here as I couldn't cope with the side effects of other meds. At

least I mostly get a good nights sleep.... 

These probs seem to have come on since retirement (last 18 months) or

was I too busy to notice😲x

Hello and excuse me for jumping in here, but I wondered if the mirtazapine is causing the nerve pain because I have that as well. It's in my mouth and feet. Is this caused by the mirtazapine? 

Also, I'm trying to get off this, so wondering how I can do the slow withdrawal ? 

Thank you 

But does seem like burning mouth. Mostly my tongue ! 

I am taking 2 multivitamins & Minerals

1 vitamin B Complex

4-6 PPMP ( potassium & magnesium)

Per day

I had 3 bad days, now fine.

Chemicals destroy needed vits & Minerals in the body, it's lack of these that cause long term problems. Go to a health food store, give your body what it needs to repair itself.👍

If you would like to join a FaceBook mirtazapine withdrawal support group, please private message me.

We can help you.

I have sent you a private message.

really need reassurance and support and would like to join this groupl.

I went off Mirtazapine cold turkey. 8 weeks ago had total nausea for 4 weeks lost a stone. Then anxiety started. At 5 and a half weeks off Mirtazapine I decided to reinstate-went on

a quarter tablet for 5 days not any better with anxiety. Then went on half a tablet for 8 days. Last Sunday was very poorly with anxiety decided to go on my original dose of 15mg. Have been on it a week now. Went to work 4 days last week. My mind was taken up every single minute with pricing, stocking and serving customers. At the start of each shift I was very poorly but as the day went on I started to feel better each day. I am very very poor on my days off as my brain is not filled every single minute with something to do- tidy, price or stock up. How long will it take before I can get back to normal. I am off today and tomorrow and very poorly as I am doing things but my brain is not occupied every single minute. Please please help

I didn't see an envelope next to your name .

how are you now ?

yes please can I join the facebook group

hi, can anyone recommend a magnesium supplement to help with withdrawal and insomnia? available in UK. Thank you.

hi just saw this on the forum. Currently coming off mirt 45mg and trying to find info about withdrawal and how others found it! week 3/4 for me. crappy sleep, itchy hands and feet, unsteadiness and poor appetite are a few withdrawals i am experiencing. is there any way i can be added to the support page?

could i possibly join the group please?

hi Paun any updates? i would love to hear if you have recovered now