Mirtazapine withdrawal timeline - help!
Posted , 76 users are following.
Hi, just wondering if anyone can give me some guidance of what to expect during withdrawal from Mirtazapine.
I have been taking 15 mg for about 8 months then tapered to 7.5 for a month and 3.75 for another month. I stopped taking it completely 3 weeks ago. Mirtazapine has helped me with sleep and anxiety to some extent but the weight gain (17 pounds) is more than I was willing to put up with.
I had no withdrawal symptoms during tapering or for the first 10 days after stopping. Since then my sleep has been getting gradually worse and right now can barely sleep at all without sleeping pill. I'm also feeling very tearful and having lots of negative thoughts. My appetite has reduced slightly although haven't lost any weight yet (unfortunately)
So questions for anyone has been through it... When did your withdrawal symptoms 'peak' and then start to get better? How quickly did your ability to sleep come back? And how long did it take you to lose weight gained?
I appreciate that everyone has a different experience, but it would be helpful just to have some idea of what's to come! Starting to feel a bit desperate especially with the insomnia. Thanks
2 likes, 213 replies
colette57512 helenj289
Posted
hi everyone! Been on 30mg mirta for 10 months . Started reducing to 15mg about 2 weeks ago and for last couple of days have terrible anxiety. Should i stick it out or go back up a little ? How long till this stops. Almost thinking about taking lorazepam but dont want to go back down that road again as it took me ages to get off. ANY ADVICE?
sarah24378 colette57512
Posted
you have dropped too fast
joanne00689 colette57512
Posted
Hi there!
Dropping from 30mg to 15mg is a massive jump and will no doubt cause nasty side effects. This drug takes some very careful handling as it changes the way our brains function.
My advice would be to go back to square one. Give yourself plenty of time - I'm talking months - and discuss with your doctor that you want to come off, but ever so slowly.
I was on 15mg for 18 months or so. I began to cut my pills in half but only started having one half on one night in seven days, so a Saturday night for instance. I did this for a couple of weeks, then introduced it on a Tuesday night too. I did that for a few weeks until I introduced another half pill night and so on, until I was taking 7.5mg each night.
I used the same process again, until I was taking a quarter tablet each night (took ages to get to that stage).
Once I was at a quarter, I began to jump off one night a week and so on...
It took me from January 2019 until August 2019 but I did it and haven't looked back.
When I was comfortably at half dose, I slept better!
You are on twice the dose I started at, so take it slow. It's not a race, but it's important you do it slowly and safely. Feel free to suggest this method to your doctor and good luck!! xx
colette57512 helenj289
Posted
hi!
thanks for the quick replies! My main problem is the anxiety - is it a result of tapering off or has it come back out of the blue? I feel that going back up to 30mg is a step backwards after being on 15mg for 2 weeks now. If i go back up, will the anxiety disappear. Really dont know what's for the best but feeling very worked up. HELP!!!
gillian62018 colette57512
Posted
Hi Colette - it is 100% down to the tapering . Myself and many others have been through the same experience. I attempted to taper too quickly at first (I'd only been on it for a few weeks so thought no problem) and gave myself horrific anxiety and insomnia. Palpitations, racing heart, fluttery feeling in my chest etc. Classic anxiety. I had to reinstate in the end and accept the taper off will be much slower, as many others also do. I've now been tapering at 10% every 3 weeks (10% every 4 weeks is the recommended) and so far I've managed to avoid any major WD that I couldn't handle. WD often doesn't kick in until the 10 day mark due to the half life of the drug, so the timing you're experiencing this anxiety fits perfectly. It's horrific, but be reassured that it is just a chemical reaction to your brain not having the same quantity of the drug that it's used to. You have two choices - either ride it out, or reinstate. If you choose to ride it out, know that the WD you're experiencing will pass, but there is no rule book as to how long it will take. My own experience is that it only lasts a few days or 10 days at max, but it depends on how big the drop and the individual. If you can't ride it out (it is truly awful) and decide to reinstate, you could reinstate at 22.5mg for example, so you've still taken a step forwards. Try not to be disheartened - many, many people find they need to accept a slower taper of this drug. Once you've restabilised you can try out a bigger drop of say 20% and see how you get on with that but you need to give it 2 weeks minimum after each drop before you can figure out if you're experiencing any WD, because of the half life. Good luck lovely xxx
gillian62018
Posted
Side rant: I honestly cannot believe doctors can be so uneductaed about the withdrawal from Mirt. The amount of people who suffer like this is so vast and it is so bad (much worse than SSRIs in my experience and seemingly that of others), it's hard to believe they get away with throwing the drug at people but not even accepting that coming off of it is a problem
joanne00689 gillian62018
Posted
I absolutely agree with you. I truly believe that if a GP had to take this then come off, it would be very different...!
Whome gillian62018
Posted
hi, i've been on this not long either, 7 weeks, 4 weeks at 15mg. i can't stand it. doctor told me to quit. taking xanax as needed. ambien to sleep. drank another cup of water after i went to bathroom
any one with similar case, please help! thanks!!!
colette57512 helenj289
Posted
thanks again for your replies. It is so helpful knowing others are or have been in a similar place. I will try remaining on 15mg for another couple of days and if I find it too difficult, I'll reinstate to 22,5mg and taper off from there. Let you know how I get on. Cxx
colette57512 helenj289
Posted
HI! quick update. Think Im going up to 22'5 tonight as still have terrible anxiety which is greatly affecting my appetite. I am one of the ones who did not really gain much weight and as soon as I STOP eating properly, my weight just drops. I will see if that helps anxiety and appetite or if I need to go back to 30mg and start the whole tapering process again!! Let you all know how I get on. As usual, advice or comments or thoughts are all greatly appreciated. Cxx
gillian62018 colette57512
Posted
Sounds like a wise move. You'll have still managed to go from 30 to 22.5! When it happened to me it still took me a few days to stabilise once I reinstated (no more than 3 or 4) and you might feel some of the start up side effects again for a couple of days but it won't last long. Once you've stabilised you can think about how you might like to approach it next time, more slowly. I've found it very much to be a case of trial and error, and I'm still learning. Good luck! xxx
angela78519 helenj289
Posted
hi been reading all your stories, can anyone help me. I seem to be in a dark place, due to accident I have a problem with heavy right arm, nerve damage which had meant I've been housebound for a good 8 months. I'm currently taking 30mg of mirt but need to taper it down as its causing stomach spasms and tightness in chest. I'm constantly afraid of my own shadow, I've had to cancel choipractor appointment due to pain, I need the dentist urgently I'm so so afraid because of weight of my arm I can't walk far. is it these tablets causing this. I think drs fed up with me and think it's all in my head. my fear and pain is real. I've no confidence, how do I get off these tablets safely. I need choipractor so I can get my life back
Whome helenj289
Posted
i'm on day 11 of quiting it. i was on for 7 weeks. doc told me to quit. i shouldn't even to start with it. some where said need a few weeks to a moth to be better.
joanne00689 Whome
Posted
Hi, even if you're quitting after 7 weeks, the drug will be in your system. If you come off too quickly you could have some nasty withdrawal symptoms.
Come off gently and very slowly, gradually cutting down your dose (I did it by cutting the pills in half).
Just have half a tablet once or twice a week then introduce half a tablet more often, then do the same process but cut (if you can) the dose in half again. It will benefit you in the long term x
colette57512 helenj289
Posted
hi everyone! Back up to 30mg as was having terrible w/d symptoms, mainly anxiety. Been back up since Saturday and no signs of improvement, still really anxious. Is this normal? Before going down to 15mg, I was on 30mg and was fine. Will this improve? I do not want to start back on lorezepam but feel so bad. Opinions or advice welcome.
gillian62018 colette57512
Posted
Colette I was the same... once you've given yourself bad withdrawal from tapering too quickly it can take a while for your body to restabilise. It will happen though. Trouble is every day of withdrawal feels like a lifetime. I would say if you're not starting to feel any better in 3 or 4 days time then maybe a new strategy is needed (something temporary to help you over the blip maybe) but it really will improve now you're back up, if you can give your nervous system time to adjust from all the changes xxxxxx
colette57512 gillian62018
Posted
hi! been back up at 30mg for 3 weeks now after going down to 15mg on docs advice. Was great for 10 days then w/d hit so went back up to original dose. i dont seem to be stabilising and have acute anxiety. Dont know what to do now. Advice really necessary. Should i take a tranquilliser or will it stabilize? Why is it taking so long to do so? what to do? what do you suggest as something temporary?