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Withdraw Mirtazapine strange symptoms

Posted , 3 users are following.

YCL172
YCL172

About one year ago I went to another country for studying, at that time I was totally new to live in another country. I felt anxious in doing everything, taking courses, talking with foreigners etc., It was like I cannot see the future of this "boring life". From that time I had long-term insomnia, usually as waking up too early at 5-6am and unable to go back to sleep again. After prescribed many kinds of anti-anxiaties and sleeping pills the doctor suggested me to take anti-depreesion.

I have to say it helps a lot! I took 7mg Mirtazapine in the first two weeks and increased to 15mg for three months. During this period I also learn many self-aid techniques from books like meditation and making schedule for sleeping. These do work but just the speed is quiet slow. About one month later my situation gradually became normal, still wake up once at night but can sleep again. I do enjoy the feeling of "I can sleep for ten more minutes" lol.

Three months later I started to decrease the dose. First 7mg again for one and a half month, then 3.5mg for another one and a half month. And on 7th this month I had my last 3.5mg pill. Everything was fine in the coming two days. But three days ago after taking a red-eye flight I start to feel stomach upset with flu-like symptoms (very tired and a little bit dizzy). I though it was just I didn't have enough rest but anyway I found myself having irritability and insomnia. I checked this site and finally realized they are withdrawal symptoms.

However, the most strange thing is my symptoms are not stable. In the first day I was really tired and had flatulence, they were better in yesterday, but not the insomnia. Today the uncomfortable feeling in stomach improved a little as well as dizziness, and I accidentally fall into sleep for an hour during lunch break. But NEW symptom is while I am going to sleep  I have a small panic in my heart, although it disappears in minutes.

So now I would like to inquire someone for help. Does someone have similar symptoms? My dose seems very small and I showed no significant disorder during two decreasing dose, why I still feel sick when completely stopping it? For now only stomach upset and insomnia (hard to sleep and wake up relatively early) are the most annoying symptoms, so what I can do to get through this period? Should I go see the doctor again and ask her to prescribe extra Mirtazapine. I found this time Zolpidem doesn't work, perhaps I should try ant-ihistamine?

0 likes, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • ru58350
    ru58350 YCL172

    Posted

    Hi YCL, I was on 15mg for about 3 months almost and only stopped recently, 10 days ago. 

    I did have side effects but not really the ones that you describe initially at least. I had these weird dreams and drowsiness in the mornings but they seemed to settle down. Then about a month into the medication I started waking up every morning around 3/4 am and just couldn't sleep and occasionally had bouts of frequent urination too which I thought was odd. Those symptoms have settled but I'm still having the choppy sleeping patterns where I'll wake up at odd time of night but I usually fall back to sleep right away. 

    Even so it's frustrating and I'll never go on this damn medication again. 

    • YCL172
      YCL172 ru58350

      Posted

      Hi ru, thanks for replying. I am glad to see you also had a similar small dose for treatment. May I know how you stop the medication? Directly stop taking 15mg without graduate decrease?

      I did feel my body hot and itching when sleeping at the first three days, however I turn on the humidifier and do 30 minutes meditation this morning and now instead of feeling hot I start to feel cold lol. Cold is normal due to low temperature.

  • Zara136
    Zara136 YCL172

    Posted

    Hi ycl172

    its definitely the withdrawls of mirtazapine , it's up to you if you go back on them ( will your doc give you more )

    im off them heading to 15wks and suffered all the above symptoms 

    if they helped you maybe you could go back on them a taper down more slower..

    i was taking of 15 mg overnight...

    i used mirtazapine for 16months but they didn't help me at all just caused me anixety..

    if you read about the site some people taper right down for over a year with theses meds and still get withdrawls other a few people seem to be able to stop them with out any problem...

    i know one thing il never touch mirtazapine again , it's been hell on them and even worse getting off them

    good luck with what you decide to do 

    kaz

    • YCL172
      YCL172 Zara136

      Posted

      hi kuz, thank you for your reply. Obviously I don't prefer to get back to it cuz my situation was stable during two decreasing dose of mirt. These symptoms are nothing compared to before taking mirt :D. The only thing I worry about is I don't know whether these withdraws will get worse through time or just better everyday. If I can confirm that they won't get worse then I think there is no need to see dr again cuz current symptoms are somewhat tolerable.

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