Mirtazapine withdrawal

[Anxiousman67]

hi been on mirtazapine 15 mg for 7 weeks not feeling any better, I have decided to come off it but read lots of horror withdrawal stories. How is it best to come off it ? Taper or just stop as its only been 7 weeks. Any advice guys

[Madlegs1]

The lower and shorter the dose, the less will be the withdrawals.

I'd be inclined to go for cold turkey-- but if it becomes intolerable, you can always go back and take the scenic route!

No loss of face incurred, and experience gained.😜😎

You will be contributing to our knowledge of what's achievable.

Cheers.

[Anxiousman67 in reply to Madlegs1]

Thanks for reply, I'm just really worried as my anxiety is still high but I'm sleeping better on mirt. Think insomnia is a symptom of stopping mirt. Not sleeping increases anxiety so bit discouraged. Think i will drop to 7.5 mg for a week then just stop.

[Madlegs1 in reply to Anxiousman67]

Don't be too hard on yourself.

Take it slowly if it's going to be a hassle.

[Anxiousman67 in reply to Madlegs1]

Just wish someone had experience of coming off after only 7 weeks to see if the symptoms are as extreme as some of the reviews I've read

[kenster1 in reply to Anxiousman67]

hi been on 45mg for years currently quartering my dose its been ok so far better than the doctors recommendations only had a few bumps with sleep and anxiety but its been worth it cutting down and hopefully stopping.you will be ok I should think being on a low dose and only being on them 7 weeks.

[Anxiousman67 in reply to kenster1]

Thanks for reply even on 15 mg my anxiety is sky high. Just need to push myself into just not taking them. Hopefully symptoms won't be too bad. Oh and good luck on your journey.

[Yvonner1]

Doctors usually prescribe mirtazapine for sleep or going through divorce, depressed, etc I was on it but quit after 2 months. I got weak and couldn’t stand without holding on to something. I felt real dizzy. I was on 20 mg. Awful stuff...

[Anxiousman67 in reply to Yvonner1]

Sorry to hear you had it bad. Did u just stop suddenly ? How long did your symptoms last ?

[Tinker2015]

I currently take this medication been on it years though two years ago Gp lowered it but two weeks later put it back up. Heart rate went too high felt very anxious. Been on it since 2013 for second time. I too read that it’s hard to come off it. I would half the dose for a week you should be too bad might take a month to get out of your system. At my age not going to come off it now 70

[Anxiousman67 in reply to Tinker2015]

Hi thanks for reply yeah think i will half it to 7.5mg for a week then stop. Its the sleep deprivation that makes it so bad I feel if I dont sleep I'm very anxious.

[Tinker2015 in reply to Anxiousman67]

It took a week nearly for reduction withdrawal to start

[Anxiousman67 in reply to Tinker2015]

Yeah I'm thinking if I reduce for a week then the side effects of that kick in i then stop completely it will be exhausting, wish I never started this drug.

[Tinker2015 in reply to Anxiousman67]

You only took for for 7 weeks hopefully you will be ok. It’s strange this medication mainly has no side effects only weight gain usually but a devil to come off it. I started on this 2010 came off 2 years later went cold turkey I got through it I didn’t like the one doctor gave me as an alternative so went back on them. Lol

[Anxiousman67 in reply to Tinker2015]

2 years then come off cold turkey wow, how did u find it ? What dose where u on? And how long your withdrawal symptoms last? Sorry for all the questions its just I really need as much information as possible, especially from someone who kicked it.

[Tinker2015 in reply to Anxiousman67]

A long story but back in 2012 had to see doctor my nerves and anxiety kicked in. So she gave me a course of diazepam. Then she asked if I wanted to try another antidepressant and I agreed. Doctor said to keep taking diazepam while I withdraw. By now my body had got used to the diazepam. So I stopped them cold turkey well it was a mistake coming off them was worse than mirtazapine. I felt horrible very panicky shivering very very anxious insomnia really bad. I was contending with two drugs leaving my body I nearly caved in went back to see doc and she tapered me of the diazepam it was that that made me worse I think. If I was you drink plenty of chamomile tea. You can get relaxing drops jan de Vries from health shop they helped me then and now when I need to use them. Good luck you will be ok you will come through it if I can do it you can

[Anxiousman67 in reply to Tinker2015]

Sorry to hear u had a hard time of it. Thanks for words of encouragement. I have some 2mg diazepam I could use when it gets unbearable

[Breathless1943]

Like Tinker I’ve been on this medication for years,I started at 45mg. I had it for pain and depression. I’ve struggled to get down to 15mg,which I’ve been on for about 2 yrs,I don’t seem to be able to reduce it any more,my pain gets more severe,but my GP said it’s not helping the pain,the reason the pain becomes worse is due to addicted to it now. But I’m not trying now,I’m the same to old to suffer anymore.

I think it’s the worse drug on the market,and I’ve been on a lot,without withdrawals problems. I take Temazapam for sleep,and as long as you only take it when needed,I think it’s brilliant. I’ve also been taking it for about 20 yrs,but use it properly.

I know of a lot of people who have had problems with Mirtazapine,but I think like any drug,it affects people in different ways.

My advise would be take it very slow,withdrawing.

[Anxiousman67]

Yeah was thinking of gradually reducing but as I only get prescribed 15mg its hard to reduce the tablet by 10 or 20 per cent or whatever. Spoke with doctor he said just stop taking it u will be fine. Easy to prescribe but no help in stopping it

[saj01]

Hi, Sorry to hear you're having problems sleeping with anxiety. For some people mirtazapine can help sleep so probably not the best one for you. It usually takes around 6 weeks to feel the benefits, so all you can do is try to come off it. It certainly didn't do anything for me, except made me lethargic with a dull headache and gave me the 'munchies'... looked it up and found it was originally designed as an appetite stimulant! So no wonder everyone puts on weight!. I just stopped taking it...

Probably wasn't the best move, but my gp wouldn't let me have the one I'd had years previously as it was a tricyclic called imipramine, which they don't like to prescribe very often now. But it was that worked for me.

So, reluctantly I tried various ssri's, but they actually caused anxiety, which I didn't have in the beginning..... I was climbing the walls!

Mine was more low mood, brain fog & feeling mentally numb. Eventually, after many months I found out it was hormonal, together with lack of sleep!

Apart from medication, are you getting any support from a mental health team?

Depending on your situation, sometimes self help can do a lot to reduce and relieve anxiety.

There's an article on Nhs website which is quite informative which you might like to try.

nhs.uk/conditions/generalis...

The kinds of food we eat, drink and lifestyle really can have an impact on our mental wellbeing, so perhaps some changes there with some daily exercise , together with mindfulness and breathing techniques can help to quiten the mind, change your thought processes and reduce those anxieties.

Hope that helps. Take care.

[Konagirl60 in reply to saj01]

You ARE so right about how foods affect the gut biome which is full of nerves. It’s our second brain.

I find a lean and green diet with no white flour/ wheat flour bread, cakes, donuts, pasta helps significantly. Medicines deplete us of many minerals and vitamins. I make sandwiches as lettuce wraps and eat chickpea flour pasta.

[saj01 in reply to Konagirl60]

Hi , I can imagine how much strain the mental health sytem is under right now.....so I'm not surprised at the waiting list. I see you are now agrophobic, I can understand how easily it is to become like that. For you, it's a safer world. One which needs to be tackled when you feel more confident within yourself. As you are living within the confinds of your own home but are feeling very anxious nevertheless. Apart from the diet and exercise programmes you set yourself, I do think relaxation techniques can benefit you.

You may wish to put pen to paper...( no one else will see it) being honest with yourself, asking what/why prevents you from venturing out. What do you think might happen?

I'd head it up ... something like 'I've been like this for XX months/ years , since ??????

only you know the answer. If you are able bodied, again, write down, what's preventing you from going outside.? What are your fears, your expectations.. What are your thoughts. Write all these things down ... then on a scale of 1 to 10, ask yourself, how likely are any of these things are likely to happen?

Sometimes our thoughts make our world. Let me give you an example.

People may say I'm daft because I don't like going out at night..I've always been frightened of the dark!!!!even as a child, more so as I've gotten older. .but during the winter when it gets dark early and I may need to go to the shops, I make myself go out but choose a well lit route instead, avoiding alleyways/shortcuts etc. Do I feel comfortable whilst doing that..., actually no, I don't, and I often ask myself, what do I think is going to happen??? It's irrational, I live a fairly safe area.. no-one has ever been mugged, or assaulted walking along the alleyway near my home, so what are the chances it's going to happen to me.. pretty zilch! Yet I still go the long way round?

We build these irrational fears up in our minds, so much so, they dictate our every day life. The only people to suffer is ourselves.

You're really not alone, sometimes we need a sounding board. Without that, these negative thoughts fill our minds and get exagerated until such point they become irrational and rule our lives. That's not unusual, a lot of people do that.

It sounds like you've hit an impasse, the only person to change things is you. Making those first steps are the hardest. You can do it. It will take time, perserverance and more importantly, a will to change things for the better. The choice is yours.

We will be here, we will listen, encourage and support you. Believe in yourself, you deserve a better tomorrow.. Have faith .. you can do it.. xx

[Anxiousman67 in reply to saj01]

Thanks for your reply anxiety is horrid there's nothing physically keeping me from leaving the confines of my home just my own thoughts keeping me inside these 4 walls. I've always had bad anxiety but never felt anxious at home, it was always my safe zone then few months back my anxiety was present 24/7 even at home. Became an emotional wreck, lots of phone calls to doctor who put me on mirtazapine with a weeks supply of diazepam. I hate taking any medication even simple paracetamol or the like, anyhow started taking it helped me sleep initially however seems to have stopped me sleeping great now. Was referred to crisis team was given pregablin which I took for 3 days however as I had read some horror stories I stopped it. Im now anxious about taking mirtazapine but also anxious not to take it. Wish there was miracle cure for anxiety im just so drained.

[Anxiousman67]

Thanks for reply im under a mental health crisis team, had a few phone calls with nurse. Told I will eventually get talking therapy but the waiting list is horrendous. Just so frustrated had anxiety for years but now total agoraphobic. Amazing how we think can have such control over us, trying to stay positive but its really tough.

[Konagirl60]

Hi there. I really feel for you. I’ve weaned off many meds in the past ten years and what really helped is

1. eating a healthy lean and green diet ( no white/ wheat flour breads, donuts, cakes, pasta )....I make lettuce wraps and I use chickpea pasta )

2. keeping hydrated drinking water or herbal teas all day until after dinner ( chamomile is calming )

3. using Pascoflaire ( Passion flower tablets ) which is an herbal anti-anxiety/ analgesic supplement

4. tapering gradually ( I take it you can only cut your 15mg pill in half? ) If you could taper from 15mg to 10mg and then 5mg you might have less withdrawal symptoms.

5. Could you speak to a minister or a sympathetic person? You need emotional support.

[Anxiousman67 in reply to Konagirl60]

Thanks for reply I will try n take your advice as much as possible tho I am a terrible eater, only eat quick easy processed foods or take aways. Luckily I have a very good support unit. Medication taking and stopping makes me so anxious.

[Konagirl60 in reply to Anxiousman67]

Try to catch your breath, keep calm and carry on. Keep us posted. We care.

[Anxiousman67]

Thanks so much means a lot, shows people still do genuinely care for each other. I will keep everyone posted on my journey to be free of mirtazapine.

[Anxiousman67]

Update on my journey to be free of mirtazapine I have taken the easy option n halved my dose to 7.5 mg will see how it goes

[saj01]

Good morning... I see you've had some very encouraging replies, especially regarding food etc. Those takeaways/ processed foods are probably not doing you much good. I can appreciate you don't feel much like cooking but diet really does have an impact on our health, so do try to make the effort. Try leaving out anything with caffeine/ sugar and have a camomile tea as your last drink of the day. If you can't sleep, then read a book.. and switch off the phone. As they say, our thoughts make our world. and that's so very true.

Take care

[Anxiousman67 in reply to saj01]

Yeah im sure diet is very important but as u said its hard to motivate yourself to cook a good meal when you ain't feeling great, as regards reading books i have been reading lots of books on panic attacks and anxiety which make great sense to me i:e realising its only the fight or flight response and nothing to fear and its actually or response to that initial fight flight response that keeps us in that heightened anxiety state which In turn means more adrenaline being realised more anxiety and so on and so on, however when your in a constant heightened state its very hard to relax and just accept the symptoms. Sometimes feel like will be like this forever which is pretty depressing need to learn to be more optimistic I guess, anyway take care.

[Euro202021]

I see it's been sometime since you started to come off the mirtazapine. How did it go? I'm in a similar position now.

[Anxiousman67 in reply to Euro202021]

Hi not great to be honest ended up in hospital, please be careful coming off. I just decided to stop which was bad idea, please speak to your doctor and come off gradually good luck

[Euro202021 in reply to Anxiousman67]

I'm sorry to hear that. I hope you're in a better place now.

[Anxiousman67 in reply to Euro202021]

Hi thanks for reply, yeah doing much better now. They put me on venlafaxine which seems to be more suitable for me. What strength u on and how long u been on it ?

[Euro202021 in reply to Anxiousman67]

I'm on 15mg and have been on it since March. The doctor wants to double the strength to address the zombie state I find myself in but I don't like the weightgain I've already experienced and a couple of other issues. I find I function in a zombiestate for work but that's it. I originally went on for anxiety and now I'm tired and miserable.

[Anxiousman67 in reply to Euro202021]

I was on 15mg aswell and my anxiety was still really bad so I decided to come off against doctors advice they wanted me to go up to 30mg. With hindsight I should have just listened to their advice, since starting venlafaxine I've had to adjust my dosage a number of times to get it right. My advice would be to talk to your doctor giving your concerns and asking what other options are available to you, if you do decide to come off mirtazapine please do so gradually. Good luck if you have any questions I am here.