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Remeron withdrawal hell!!!

Posted , 21 users are following.

potap75
potap75

I was put on Remeron (mirtazapine) by an Egyptian doctor when I worked in Saudi Arabia a year and a half ago and suffered from GERD. He told me that it would remove the nausea and help me sleep. That it did. What I didn't realize though was how difficult it would be to quit it. I'm at my wits end so please anyone who successfully went off let me know and share your experience, I really need it.

I had a surgery for GERD, but retained some hypersensitivity and pain problems despite that. I was seen by some of the most brilliant surgeons in the US and they did all tests and concluded that my surgery was a success and I'm suffering from a functional problem now.

I already tried to discontinue Remeron 4 or 5 times. I even tried to taper it over a month or two, but when I go off of it completely within 7-8 days I get the same picture: terrible abdominal pains, heartburn, cramps, some diarrhea, hunger pains, excruciating upper back aches that strangely come and go suddenly, exhausting nausea, no sleep for days, tremors, sweating profusely many times a day, general fatigue, fever like condition, shakiness, dizziness,headaches and goosebumps, electric waves over my back and head, feeling of doom, complete desperation. I have never felt all of these symptoms at once before. In fact I have never felt some of them at all ever before.

Back in April the psychiatrist told me to take it every other day for 2 weeks and then just quit it. I tried that, and after 3 weeks of terrible suffering I gave in and went back on it again. I called and talked to the RNs and they just didn't seem to believe that it could be withdrawal.

As soon as I take 7.5 mg for a day or two, all the symptoms are gone, almost completely! It's amazing. It's the only medication I've been taking since I quit all acid meds in April, 2011.

My GI Doctor told me to stop Remeron and start taking Nortriptyline for dyspepsia. I wish I could!!!! I tried again and it's been 3 weeks now and I'm absolutely dying. Nortriptyline is helping a little to take the edge off the pain and nausea and insomnia, but the suffering is still too much. It's mostly physical, mostly abdominal symptoms although I get a fair share of the other symptoms listed as well.

I even have a feeling that I don't have any underlying gastric pathology and this all is related to withdrawals. Otherwise how could it clear with the first dose or two of Remeron? A while ago when I was tapering I felt very well on 7.5 mg every 3 days but when I stopped completely - after a week all the symptoms came back with a vengeance.

Desperately,

Roman

3 likes, 34 replies

34 Replies

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  • deanne_71200
    deanne_71200 potap75

    Posted

    I’ve been on 60mg an evening of mirtazapine, but only for about 2 1/2 months. 

    I had been on it for 5 years (on 45mg), but at the end of 2017, I stopped cold turkey. Didn’t know not to. Omg. I thought I was dying. Mentally I was ok (for a little while), but the gastrointestinal pain was next level. I already have a buprenorphine patch and take oxycodone (chronic pain from car accident injuries), but NOTHING would dull the pain. 

    After about a month, it stopped. But about 3 months later I started to crash and burn and the doctor said I had to go back on it. But after nearly 3 months, starting at 30mg, then being increased to 45mg and ending up at 60mg, I’ve put on more weight than I can accept. So I decided to go off them again.

    Only this time I have been cutting the pills and tapering off. I did a week on 45mg (down from the 60mg), a week on 30mg, a week on 15mg and am currently taking 7.5mg a night. 

    Omg. The pain. It’s back with a vengeance, which just makes me hate this drug even more! But after reading everyone else’s experiences I am TERRIFIED what happens when I drop to nothing from here. I can’t handle the pain getting worse. 

    This suuuuuuucks. When will it end?

    • ann55375
      ann55375 deanne_71200

      Posted

      This is such an old thread, not many people out there to respond i think.

      i am slowly titrating down and the advice is to take it slow, even below 1mg, yes 1mg, get liquid and go .9, .8 etc.  There are still withdrawals.  

      All i can say is i am at 1.5mg and dr refused me liquid due to cost.  Iam having the nausea, anxiety etc. 

      I still dont know what will it be like when i come off completely.

    • deborah29818
      deborah29818 ann55375

      Posted

      I have just come from ER. I ended up there because of intense dizziness and headache. They did a cat scan and put me on dillauded and something for nasaeu. I came home - it is now 5 hours later and I have terrible terrible headache. 

      I am taking 7.5 mg of remeron. I feel I should go back to ER - what would you do?

    • ann55375
      ann55375 deborah29818

      Posted

      Hard to tell but it could be the withdrawal of remeron as you should look these symptoms up, they are not good.
  • nicole_2016
    nicole_2016 potap75

    Edited

    Hello All

    I am writing this post to give hope to anyone stopping remeron. I had been on remeron since 2010. I started taking if for insomnia and anxiety. Doctor told me my insomnia was causing my anxiety. So I took 30 mg for about four years and then anxiety was getting bad. Took 45 mg for a year then went back to 30 mg until this year. I started to notice a change in my moods. I get angry over the littlest thing. I wake up feeling overwhelmed and down. I never felt like this. When I tell you`I know how depressed people feel when suicidial I wake up crying feeling life was not worth living. I decided t was the remeron. So i quit cold turkey. 

    It was not easy. I had a tough time. I didn't want to go anywhere. I had insomnia very bad. I couldn't eat and i felt extremely anxious. It was hell. During the withdrawal process I almost went back to taking the drug again due to the insomnia. Then I found peractin and it helped me t fall asleep. Along with melatonin. I am going into five months free of remeron. I want to tell anyone that you can beat remeron if you really want to quit. Just face your fears and know that you'll be free from this drug

    • pauline23944
      pauline23944 nicole_2016

      Posted

      Hi Nicole

      I’m going through withdrawal after three years on this drug.its been the worst experience imaginable-the anxiety and panic attacks escalated during the whole time I was on the drug but after two previous attempts I’m now making progress and will not give in to this drug,I’m

      Now on 11mg and each time I drop I get migraines with aura and shake like you would not believe.However I’ve had three good days in a row which convinced me that the drug messed with the neuro transmitters in my brain-I’m in this for the long haul and will get there eventually.

      I spent 50 years well only to have Mirtazapine mess up my life.I couldn’t go anywhere lost my confidence and concentration.I feel liberated and do I enjoy the good days now-nothing will deter me -next drop in two weeks !!

      Pauline

    • dan86
      dan86 nicole_2016

      Posted

      did you get a buzzing in your ears when withdrawing? thats what im experiencing now. congrats on your journey! im 7 weeks off but tempted to go back to it. just don't feel myself

  • soccer_dude
    soccer_dude potap75

    Posted

    Hi,

    I was taking 7.5mg of Remeron for about 1 year breaks inbetween but the last 2-3 months I was taking it fairly regularly and then took 3.75mg for two weeks then stopped.

    Now I'm dealing with severe flu like symptoms mostly nausea. Seems worse after eating (is that normal?) I don't feel like I have to vomit but just feels like that feeling when you have the flu pre-throwing up. And whenever I feel ill like this is triggers feelings of hopelessness/despair etc....but when it lifts, I feel decent and hopeful for a bit.

    Sometimes drinking water will make the nausea worse.

    Anyone find anything that helps with the nausea? I've tried ginger, cbd, and nox vomica (homeopathic) with little help.

    Waiting to hear back from my doctor about going back on at a lower dose like 2mg and stay on that a while then 1mg......

    SOCCER

  • basten
    basten potap75

    Posted

    help

    • dan86
      dan86 basten

      Posted

      hows your recovering going basten?

    • basten
      basten dan86

      Posted

      well i tapered zopiclone first (on for 2 half years) things got bad. was still on mirt and 1 x benz. i tapered mirtaz as uk gp gave me liquid after 2 years on it. i would wake then and now 6 months off, one nasal passage blocked, very slimey mouth, cough when drink eat , nose runs, sneeze after food or loads spit constant swallowing..i get it the taste of food now after eating p.m. still on benz 6 years . ears hiss digesting as sugars drop and pain all in back all through to bottom burning legs. (i thibk im tolerant to benz as some in tolerancw report burninf legs. ) im fed up and in pain eating everything now. i do have gastritis still had years but nothing pain wise like this burning on esting everything. im 6 months off it but fed up with this slimey mouth. i thought its histamine now . so reading re hist foods. i didnt need this on top of everything else going on 9 months since of zop. i fed up with it. drive me nuts. i now have been told stomach all inflamed . G.I said poss gastroparesis!!! had ct scan bowels full loads gas, also said your bowels could be slowing stomach too. waiting a ges study . but ive had backed up slow bowels years but laxs always sorted, since needed 2014 loads meds. off the zop ( which is equiv to 5 mg diaz) id be in more pain eating, that's when ears started hissing digesting. as sugars dropped. agony and bp went up given another bp med. then id eat any carbs or a biscuit pots and be wide awake high (, usually burning all through) watching tv till 12, 1 or 2. take mirt and clon get some sleep but wake weak arms legs couldnt lift . or now off both wake same feel crap , feed cat, weak again, doze on off and no energy till midday late. or ill wake and suddenly cant lay still arms legs everywhere , kicking up down, turning back forth, head rolling crazy, hands all over face, itching pulling hair, hyper s, it stops and I'm puffed out. try sleep then off it starts again. i cant think straight sometimes, writing is a scribble, eyes gritty cant focus too well. i had it woke suddenly at 2.30 abd it went on till 3 30 so i got up, pacing, back bed at 4. ages head jerks arms but dozed off. woke like drugged up eyes roll in head ans cant get up till 11 gone. still high. i get irritable. have woken with a fear attack...oh no oh no thing. i think poss diabetic now as mirtaz made me crave crazy and 3 stone weight. now 9 half but can barely eat. if it hadnt been for the cravings , and now off mirt all this slimey nose tasting yesterdays dinner etc i I woukdnt have stopped it cos im 73 and with poss diabetis high cholesterol (since mirt) something will get me. i get bouts of trying do something and suddenly so tired, but cant sleep have to lay down. interesting the uk Guts.org charity on gastroparesis says some may be given Mirtaz!! ive been on just benz and zop at night all for sleep but never this fullness slime etc. the feeling full startex 3 months after mirt added. if i try cut benz the pain eating is sooo bad all in back. then even with zop and mirt each benz cut hyper s going to bed and legs everywhere 2 hrs. then depresssx and agrophobic no washing dressing. im getting worse. dont know whats going on. more laxs plus prucalipride just gas and diarrhoa. my bowels are worse but when on benz they got bad before but off they worked. (then i had 2 years of horrendous pain eating bms all diff symptoms ( why the hell i took benz again ill never know...all for sleep. i have no idea whats going on albeit benzo , hist , gastroparesis bowels. ive come off meds before but these best everything. never been on benzo 6 years and tapering means more pain again on top of what ive got, PGAD rls prob panics aka shakes more depression worse agrophobic mood swings and the added very bad insomnia. for 6 years or more ive had meds for sleep it will be bad . i am terrified as ive o.d with horrendous pain after noone medical had answer and im sure tapering benz will be icing on the cake..my guess its a prob now too. i still have all this each day. i only get 4 or 5 or less hrs sleep now better than none but i never know how im gonna wake up!! i even pray not too ans wake often just sobbing. help!!! gp just shrugs. im tired, flat, emotionless confused .

  • poppy66693
    poppy66693 potap75

    Posted

    Hi, i was put on low dose mirtazipine 15mg for BPD and sleep problems i never had any problems coming off it the first time but had only taken it four weeks, i have now been on 45mg for six months and whenever i cant get to the pharmacy for my weekly dose i find after three days i start getting severe acid reflux,nausea, ive been off it 6 days now and i cant sleep despite feeling tired, every thing i eat is causing acid reflux and nausea even plain food, im getting migraines ,then as soon as im back on it i start to sleep a little better i do feel like my body craves it , i feel after reading this post i dont want to be stuck in this cycle , but im very scared to try and come off it because without it im like a paranoid ill insomniac

  • harrisonhirdy
    harrisonhirdy potap75

    Posted

    i was on mirtazapine for one month,i was put on them along side my venlaxfine there for it was called Californian rocket fuel,,great right!!!wrong within 4 weeks i have gained 12 pounds in weight,started on 7,5mg prescribed for insomnia then i took it down to 3,5mg but the leg cramps,terrible swollen stomach,heartburn,and headaches and another 4 pounds in weight ive decided to cold turkey straight off, second day now and already my eating has changed,i really dont care about the withdrawal symptoms i would rather take it then look in the mirror crying,so if you want to gain a stone a month you should use,but if like me your weight concise stay well away from these pills

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