Remeron (Mirtazapine) is a tetracyclic antidepressant (TeCA) drug that works primarily by raising levels of norepinephrine and serotonin in the brain. It is generally used to treat major depressive disorder, but is also sometimes prescribed as an anxiolytic (anti-anxiety), antiemetic, hypnotic, and appetite stimulant medication. Off label uses for Remeron include: social anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, PTSD, insomnia, and to increase appetite in those who are underweight or have eating disorders.
In regards to effectiveness as an antidepressant, a major meta-analysis study from 2009 found Remeron more effective than all SSRI’s, SNRI’s, and Bupropion (Wellbutrin). Despite the fact that its efficacy was considered superior to all other second-generation antidepressant medications, the degree to which it was superior was not statistically significant compared to Lexapro, Paxil, and Effexor. Other off-label uses for Remeron include: helping curb symptoms of drug withdrawal, treating the negative symptoms of schizophrenia, reducing Parkinson’s disease psychosis, and to treat anorexia in cats.
Although Remeron can work very well for pulling someone out of a deep depression, others find its side effects to be intolerable. Perhaps the most difficult side effect to cope with is the significant increase in appetite and cravings for carbohydrates (i.e. junk food). The major increase in appetite tends to result in significant antidepressant-induced weight gain among certain individuals.
Others who take this drug find it makes them feel too sleepy and/or it eventually “poops out” and stops working. If you have given this medication a shot, but no longer want to be on it, read below so that you have a general idea of what to expect during the withdrawal process.
Factors that influence Remeron withdrawal
When coming off of any antidepressant, there are going to be various factors that influence both the severity and duration of withdrawal symptoms. These factors include things like: the time span over which you took Remeron, your dosage, how quickly you tapered when discontinuing, as well as your individual physiology.
1. Time Span
Over how long did you take Remeron? In general, those who took it for an extended period of time may take longer to readjust to functioning without the drug. When you take an antidepressant every day for years, your body and brain become reliant on it for functioning. Those who took Remeron for shorter periods of time will likely have less severe withdrawal symptoms and shorter durations of withdrawal than long-term users.
2. Dosage (15 mg to 45 mg)
Most people start taking Remeron at a dose of 15 mg per day before going to sleep. Although there isn’t a relationship between dosage increase and effectiveness for treating major depression, some patients may benefit from increased dosages. A psychiatrist may have some people titrate up to a maximum dosage of 45 mg per day.
It is thought that individuals taking the minimum dose of 15 mg should have an easier time withdrawing than those taking higher doses (e.g. up to 45 mg). If you are on a higher dosage, you will likely need to conduct a gradual taper in order to minimize withdrawal symptoms.
3. Cold Turkey vs. Tapering
Quitting any antidepressant “cold turkey,” including Remeron is thought to yield more severe withdrawal symptoms than if you conduct a gradual taper. By tapering, you allow your body and brain to gradually adjust to changes in dosage. For long-term users, it is recommended to taper at a rate of 10% of your current dose per month. Therefore if you were at 45 mg, you would taper down to 40.5 mg to start, then after another month drop to 36.45.
When tapering you don’t have to necessarily be exact with your tapers, but if you round the dosage down, you may notice more severe withdrawal effects than you planned on. As you can see, a taper rate of 10% may take some individuals an extended period of time to successfully reach 0 mg. The whole idea is to taper slowly so that you don’t shock your nervous system by quitting cold turkey – which can result in severe discontinuation effects.
If you feel as though you can handle a quicker withdrawal rate than 10% per month, that’s your decision. Everyone will react differently to withdrawal and some people may not be as sensitive to the discontinuation effects as others.
4. Individual Physiology
Much of the withdrawal symptoms are based on individual circumstances. Since everyone is unique, each person tends to recover at a different rate and symptoms are subject to variation. One person may engage in mild exercise, eat healthy, get plenty of sleep, and stay hydrated which could facilitate a quicker recovery than someone who doesn’t exercise, get proper sleep, and dwells on their withdrawal symptoms.
During the withdrawal process it is important to avoid comparing your recovery to that of other people as each person usually recovers at a different rate. Additionally it should be noted that some individuals transition to a new antidepressant and/or are taking other drugs and may not experience as much of a withdrawal as a result of other medications.
Remeron Withdrawal Symptoms: List of Possibilities
Below are a list of symptoms that have been reported during discontinuation from Remeron. Keep in mind that you may not experience all of the symptoms listed below during your withdrawal. The withdrawal process is highly individualized in regards to what symptoms you will experience, their severity, as well as how long they last before you recover.
- Anxiety: Upon discontinuation, many people have reported major spikes in anxiety. The anxiety that you experience during withdrawal is likely linked to changes in the neurotransmission of serotonin and norepinephrine as a result of taking this drug. Many individuals report feeling anxious for an extended period of time after their last dose. Just know that the anxiety will eventually diminish as your brain reverts back to drug-free functioning.
- Appetite decrease: As was mentioned, this is a drug that can significantly boost your appetite. When you stop taking it, your appetite will likely return to what it was prior to taking this drug. It is this natural decrease in appetite that will lead you to lose most of the weight that you gained in relatively short order.
- Concentration problems: Many people report feeling spaced out and/or foggy thinking when initially quitting this medication. You may have trouble focusing on work-related tasks and/or schoolwork when coming off of this medication. As time passes, your concentration should come full circle and return to normal.
- Confusion: Some individuals become confused as to what they are experiencing during withdrawal. This confusion is generally a result of poor combination and cognitive function. The confusion and fog should eventually pass, but it may take some time.
- Crying spells: It is common to feel increasing depression when you withdraw from this medication. The increases in depression and other mood swings can lead to crying spells. During these spells many people feel completely hopeless about their situation. The reality is that they will eventually recover and these will subside.
- Depersonalization: This symptom involves feeling unlike your normal self, almost as if you have become a zombie and/or are panicking because you think you’ll never feel how you did prior to taking this drug. It can be very uncomfortable to feel depersonalized, but it’s generally a result of chemical changes that will change over time.
- Depression: Most people experience increases in depression when they withdraw from an antidepressant. In fact, the depression a person experiences in withdrawal is sometimes more severe than it was prior to their first dose of Remeron. This is due to the fact that when you withdraw from an antidepressant, a new chemical imbalance is created because your brain is now trying to function soberly after being fed a drug for weeks, months, or years. This new imbalance should correct itself, but it will require some time.
- Diarrhea: It is possible to experience diarrhea as a symptom when coming off of this drug. In order to minimize this particular symptom, a slow taper is recommended. Additionally consider taking some over-the-counter Imodium if it gets out of control.
- Dizziness: This is one of the most common symptoms that people experience during withdrawals. You may feel varying degrees of dizziness for weeks, or in some cases, months on end. The dizziness tends to be more extreme during the first few weeks of withdrawal. It can manifest as vertigo too in more extreme cases.
- Fatigue: It is common to feel lethargic and excessive tiredness when coming off of an antidepressant. The fatigue is usually due to the brain still not having fully rebounded back to normal after your last dose. The fatigue can last for quite some time, but your energy should return over time.
- Flu-like symptoms: Reports of flu-like symptoms and/or allergies upon discontinuation are fairly common. These symptoms tend to be intensified with “cold turkey” withdrawals and can be minimized if withdrawal is conducted gradually.
- Headaches: Having headaches is very common when a person first quits this medication. These headaches may last weeks, but affect some individuals for months after their last dose. Although these can be a nuisance, they usually subside once a person’s level of arousal and anxiety drops.
- Heart palpitations: Do you have sensations that your heart is pounding extra loudly or racing? These sensations are known as palpitations and are somewhat common during withdrawal. These can exacerbate anxiety and vice-versa so if you experience them, it is better to accept them as merely being a symptom rather than something to panic about.
- Hypomania: This is considered a lower-grade form of mania (i.e. mood elevation) exhibited by individuals with Type-2 Bipolar disorder. There have been cases of hypomania reported during withdrawals from Remeron.
- Insomnia: After quitting this drug, a lot of people struggle with falling asleep at night. A thing many people have found helpful is to take melatonin prior to bedtime. Additionally consider engaging in some sort of relaxation exercise such as deep breathing or meditation to mitigate insomnia.
- Irritability: When a person goes through withdrawal, they become highly sensitive and are prone to mood swings. A very common mood for a person to experience is that of irritability or the feeling that everything is a nuisance or bother. The person doesn’t want to feel this way, but due to their brain activity and neurotransmitter levels during withdrawal, it is an inevitable experience.
- Itching: One of the most common symptoms associated with Remeron withdrawal is that of itchiness. Many people report feeling very itchy and cannot contain the sensations to scratch their skin. This itchiness may be uncomfortable and persist for some time, but it will eventually go away as your nervous system adapts.
- Mania: During withdrawal from Remeron, individuals with bipolar disorder have been reported to experiencing a manic switch. In other words, if you have bipolar disorder, the withdrawal could make you transition to a state of mania. Although this will not occur in everyone with bipolar disorder, it is something to monitor during withdrawal.
- Mood swings: It is very common to experience changes in mood during withdrawal. Some days you may feel really depressed and angry, others you may feel hopeful and see the light at the end of the tunnel. Many people go through ups, downs, and changes in mood during the withdrawal process.
- Nausea: In some cases the nausea from withdrawal can become severe. If it becomes severe, the nausea can actually lead a person to vomit. To prevent severe nausea, make sure you follow a gradual tapering protocol. Some nausea upon discontinuation may be inevitable, but you will minimize it by slowly weaning.
- Panic attacks: During withdrawal from a potent drug that affects serotonin levels, it is possible to experience panic attacks. When you discontinue this medication, the levels of serotonin in your brain may be lower than average. This may lead you to feel increasingly anxious and make you prone to panic attacks. If you find yourself panicking, just know that these attacks will eventually go away as your neurotransmitters adjust.
- Racing thoughts: You may notice that your thoughts race when you initially come off of this medication. These racing thoughts are hypothesized to be what could potentially lead to mania or hypomania among susceptible individuals. In any regard, the racing thoughts can also be linked to anxiety, drops in serotonin, and heightened nervous system activity during withdrawal.
- Sleep changes: For many individuals, Remeron tends to improve their sleep. When coming off of the drug, you may notice that the quality of your sleep is reduced. You may have difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or getting an adequate amount of sleep each night. Your sleep patterns may fluctuate during withdrawal, but they will eventually stabilize.
- Suicidal thoughts: Many people who take this drug for depression may experience a resurgence of depression and suicidal thinking when they quit taking it. In some cases, the suicidal thoughts a person experiences during discontinuation could be significantly worse than prior to taking the drug. When withdrawing, your neurotransmission will often be imbalanced as a result of the drug you had been taking and discontinued. This imbalance is what can make people feel suicidal until their brain readjusts to normal functioning.
- Sweats: A very common withdrawal symptom from antidepressant medications is that of sweating. You may wake up during the middle of the night soaked in heavy night sweats and/or notice that you are sweating intensely throughout the day. This is one way your nervous system is readjusting itself and is part of the detoxification process.
- Tiredness: Although many people report heightened anxiety and difficulty sleeping when they withdraw from Remeron, others report feeling very tired. Additionally even individuals who have difficulty sleeping may notice lower than average energy levels throughout the day.
- Tremors: In various cases, people tend to notice that they are having “shakes” or tremors. This is a more common symptom in the acute stages of withdrawal. You will stop shaking once your body readjusts without the drug.
- Vomiting: Some individuals actually get pretty sick when they quit taking Remeron. If you quit cold turkey, your chances of vomiting increase because you have suddenly quit from a dose that your nervous system was used to getting. In order to decrease your chances of experiencing this symptom, take the time to gradually withdraw.
- Weight loss: Since most people tend to have increases in appetite and/or cravings for food when they are on this drug, they tend to gain weight. When the drug is stopped, most people have no difficulties losing the weight that they put on while taking the drug.
Remeron Withdrawal Duration: How long does it last?
Most people have reported withdrawal symptoms lasting a few weeks before the majority cleared up. However this doesn’t mean that everyone is going to feel back to their normal selves within one month of their last dose. How quickly you recover from withdrawal symptoms and adjust back to normal functioning will likely be influenced by individual circumstances including: your sensitivity to withdrawals, how quickly you tapered, and whether you are taking other drugs.
As a general rule of thumb that I recommend is to wait three full months (90 days) to reevaluate symptoms. Three months is a lengthy period of time and will give your body and brain some time to transition back to sober functioning. It may take some time before your nervous system and neurotransmitter levels revert back to how they were prior to your first dose of Remeron. Keep in mind that some people have reported experiencing symptoms over 6 months after their last pill – these are obviously the more extreme cases, but show how debilitating the withdrawals can be for some people.
After the acute symptoms have passed during the first couple weeks of withdrawal, take the time to make sure that you are engaging in healthy activities as this may help repair your nervous system. Getting some light exercise, eating healthy foods, staying productive, socializing, resting, and learning some relaxation techniques can go a long way towards speeding up recovery. What you are experiencing may be very uncomfortable and may push your mental limits, but maintain faith that you will eventually recover and you eventually will.
If you have successfully withdrawn from Remeron and/or are going through withdrawals, feel free to share your experience in the comments section below. Sharing your experience may really help another person who is dealing with the same thing.
Judy, I know that you jumped, as I did, at 3.75. How long before any relief? I am 47 days out, and still having abdominal symptoms, dizziness, nausea, fatigue, and generally feel sick. I hope that you are doing well! This is my third attempt, and due to heart related side effects, will be my last. I thought a dose this low wouldn’t be this bad. I only took it for 2 months, but went to 2 mg for a week, then off. Take Care, David
Hi David, It was about 4 months when things started getting better physically. As I’ve said before, the first big improvement came from lowering histamine in my diet. Have you looked at that? It made a huge difference in sleep, and that impacted a lot of other symptoms. The dizziness and headaches went away completely from diet change.
It’s likely that your nervous system was still sensitive due to your other tapering attempts. It takes awhile for it to recover. I’d recommend doing any kind of relaxation that appeals to you…for me, that was also a very important factor. We often need to do a lot to calm the nervous system, which in time, lowers the symptoms.
I am doing well for the most part. After 18 months, my back and rib pain is mostly gone. Am in a bit of a low ebb energy-wise, but think that’s due to adjusting to being back at work, along with grief. Hang in there and take care of yourself. It does get better in time.
Hi David just thought I’d answer though Judy has had longer off the drug. I’ve been off the drug for 21 weeks with similar side effects as you since, not to bad with the dizziness though, about a month ago I had to have antibiotics for tooth extraction / wisdom tooth problems and got worse with fatigue since then. I think they wrecked my already-suffering stomach bacteria.
Last week I went to see a private nutritionist who found a irregular heart beat, not panicking I’m adamant it’s from the drug and my doctor didn’t disagree with me so I’m going to see how it goes over time as it comes and goes. What I have noticed since coming off the drug is my body is up and down with blood sugar [blood tests within the doctors limits but not the more strict nutritionist for thyroid etc] am going down the route of trying to repair my adrenals after the appointment with the nutritionist.
I do think this was my original problem [burn out] and should never have been prescribed the mirtazapine route. I’ve been off any alcohol and caffeine free for months so last week I’ve cut the sugar out too. My diet changes seem to be helping my stomach issues. I’m getting energy from more natural foods with vitamin and magnesium supplements. Just a thought, but strong adrenals make our hormones balanced, chemicals to the brain, etc.
Maybe worth a search on CFS and a bit of homework on mirtazapine regarding its affect on insulin etc. Hope I’m not telling you what you already know and hope it helps.
Hi, I have been on remeron 7.5 mg for 2 months and now trying to taper down. It did not work for me. My biggest problem is the brain zap. Even I taper of 10% still getting terrible brain zap. I’m at 2.7 mg now and can’t wait to stop completely. I’m doing ok with a nausea and sleep so far, but the brain zap is terrible. Taking omega 3, magnesium, calcium, B12 – but nothing is helping. Anybody have any good suggestion? Thanks. God bless all of us.
Hi Eva, How often are you tapering by 10%? You might need to stop for a bit and let your nervous system settle. Did you have the zaps when you went on it, or when you started to taper? It’s an important distinction, because if they started immediately, it’s a bad reaction to the drug itself.
There are a couple of potential problems with your supplements too. What kind of omega 3 are you taking? Some people react to fish oil, because of the issues with histamine and remeron. I was able to take krill oil for awhile, then started reacting to it. I now take phytoplankton oil, which comes from algae and I’ve had no problems with that.
Calcium can also be problematic–it might be better to let that go for now and stick with magnesium. Some people find B12 too stimulating, as well as the other B vitamins. Also, the other things in supplements can prove a difficulty at times..such as gelatin capsules, fillers, etc. When the nervous system is very sensitive, anything can produce a reaction.
I had a brain zap when I went on remeron, but was not as bad as now when I’m coming off. Right now I’m at 1.8 mg and still getting brain zaps. So tired of being sick.
I’ve been on Mirtazapine for almost 4 months. I started on 15mg to help with Zyban (Bupropion) withdrawals. I gradually increased my dose to 45mg, but then felt emotionally numb & indifferent. I am tapering off very slowly. Currently no side effects, except for mild insecurity/anxiety for a couple of days after each reduction, until I stabilize again.
I went from 45mg to 30mg & stayed on 30mg for 4 weeks.
I then reduced to 22.5mg (using a pill cutter to halve a 45mg tab).
I was on 22.5mg for 3 weeks.
I then alternated daily between 22.5mg / 15mg for 1 week.
I am now back down to 15mg and am planning to use my pill cutter again to halve the dose. This week I have missed a few doses, and have noticed a little dizziness & anxiety. I plan to alternate 15mg / 7.5mg every second day for the next 3 weeks. From there I plan to stay on 7.5mg for a few weeks, if no bad symptoms I will alternate 7.5mg / 0mg for a few weeks before ceasing. I’m slowing down my taper after reading the comments on this page!
Hi Jen, Slowing down your taper is wise! However, alternating days of taking and not taking the drug can be a huge mistake. It’s like you’re doing cold turkey every other day and this can be highly destabilizing to the nervous system. The thing is, no one knows if they will be one of the lucky ones who has few problems coming off the drug or not.
Better safe than sorry. For some people, withdrawal effects don’t show up for weeks or even months. The best recommendations are to reduce by 10% of your current dosage about once a month. If you are getting symptoms, you’re likely going too fast. Consider buying yourself a scale and weighing your dosages, so they are accurate and the same each day.
If you google, “tips for tapering Remeron”..some good resources will come up. Hope it goes well for you.
I cut my dosage of Mirtazapine from 60mg to 45mg the Tuesday before Thanksgiving and started itching at night shortly afterwards. My doctors do not believe the itching is due to withdrawal from Mirtazapine, but I’ve been trying everything else I can to get rid of it. I had Orkin check for mites, I covered my mattress and pillow with mite covers, I’ve been washing my bedding in hot water and with hypoallergenic detergent and fabric softener.
I bought a HEPA air filter for my bedroom. I have been on several medications from my doctor and over the counter to try to stop the itching, etc., etc. But the itching just won’t go away. I went back up to 60mg to see the itching would stop, but no success so far. I have an appointment with an allergist next Thursday. Any comments or suggestions would be more than helpful. My doctors have not been much help so far.
Hi Dan, Itching is the drug, common effect on withdrawal as stated at the top of the forum. Try to reduce slower, I found that reduction can hit you 4 weeks later, reduce a small amount and stay on it for a month and see if side effects subside, Doctors seem to think its out of your system a short time but my personal view is it changes your brain chemistry just like it says on the tin.
Truth is I don’t think mine needed changing [and that’s not just mood and sleep], how long that lasts I’m afraid I’m still yet to find out and I’ve not taken any for 20+ weeks, itching went away fairly quickly after a few weeks for me but still have plenty of other withdrawal symptoms, nausea, fatigue and still haven’t slept properly in 7 months. The slower you reduce the better, but we are all different.
I took it for a total of 10 months including tapering off on a dose of 15mg with my maximum dose 30mg for two months last march and have not taken any other psychotic drug before. Hope it helps and good luck.
The itching started on the 4th-5th day after quitting. That was 3 weeks ago and still itching. Now is not as bad though. Best wishes.
Judy, when you say that you had palpitations that went on for months, are you saying rapid heart beats, or irregular / extra heart beats. I had a stress echocardiogram yesterday, and it turned out OK. I am 1 month and 8 days off the mirt, and still having sleep issues, epigastric / stomach cramps and abdominal spasms. Also still don’t have much energy.
I was surprised that I was able to get my heart rate to 135 on the treadmill, which was my target range. My appetite isn’t good, partially because of the abdominal pain. Nausea hasn’t been too bad this time, as last time I was in the bathroom a lot trying to vomit, but oddly never did. I hope that you are doing well, you and everyone else posting here or anywhere else. Take Care, David
Hi David, I was never tested, so don’t know if my heartbeat was irregular. I did have sudden rapid heartbeat, for no reason I could identify. That’s good that your stress test was okay. I had gut pain as well. It was one of my most lingering symptoms, even with eating a lower histamine diet. It was acupuncture that finally seemed to relieve that. I’ve had almost 6 months now with very few digestive issues… as long as I’m careful with diet.
The sleep issues are probably the most common problem with coming off Remeron and other antidepressants. It does get better in time, but it’s a pain when you’re in it. It makes everything else seem so much worse. If you can, try to rest, even if you aren’t sleeping. I used a lot of meditation or imagery CDs… but there’s plenty of good stuff for free on the internet too.
For some of us, it’s a very long haul getting off these meds and being well again. Some folks are lucky and don’t suffer like this. I’m finally working again, feel my brain function is good, and am mostly better physically. I have good energy, sleep well, and my mood is miles better than it ever was when I was on Remeron. I’m still dealing with back and rib pain that is nerve related, as well as the food issues.
Those are my 2 primary issues still remaining from withdrawal. Most everything else has resolved for me. I hope you and anyone else coming off antidepressants are able to find the healing you deserve. Judy
Thank you, Judy, for the response. We have a lot in common and it is comforting talking to you. I had the rib thing the second try. There is a website that gives details about stress / anxiety related rib pain. I would post the link, but since I haven’t seen other links on here, it may not be allowed. Today makes 6 weeks since going off at 3.75, and the gut / digestive / regularity problems are still the most prominent symptom.
As you said, it seems to be the longest one for me. Most of the stress or anxiety that I have comes from lost sleep / rest, and the palpitations & abdominal issues. Since I have tried twice and failed, this has me a little nervous, due to the fact that it was giving me heart rhythm problems, and going back is no longer an option, so this time it has to work. Please send prayers where they go, and positive thoughts my way.
God bless you, and everyone who is in this process. David
Hi David, Definitely sending good thoughts and wishes your way. Hopefully, 3rd time is a charm for you. I’m glad it helps to connect. Getting off these drugs can be a very lonely journey at times. It’s interesting you had the back and rib pain. My chiropractor believes it is an inflammation of the nerves that pass between the ribs.
The pain is referred to my back. Mostly, it comes on during exertion..but is sometimes there when standing too. I’ve never noticed an association with anxiety..except when the pain is so severe, it literally takes my breath away. Then I’d get anxious. Very slowly, it’s getting better. It took about 4 months for the sleep issues to get better for me.
That part is incredibly trying, and does seem to impact nearly everything else too. Have you tried making any changes in your diet? Or using any of the recommended supplements? Both of those things made a big difference for me with the digestive issues.
Hi Judy, I was interested in your comment about rib and back pain as I have had this too. It’s good to know someone else is experiencing similar symptoms. Sometimes, I guess because I suffer from anxiety anyway, it’s easy to imagine there is something seriously wrong, but just knowing what others go through helps enormously. I’ve been off mirt for 4 months now and still suffering all manner of symptoms – I hope there’s a light at the end of this very long tunnel as I’m determined not to go back on this dreadful drug.
It took me about 1 mo to taper off remeron. The main withdrawal symptoms are trouble sleeping, and anxiety for me. I cut my tablets about halfway every 3 weeks. I’m hoping to lose the 20 lbs I gained while on remeron.
Hi, I stopped 15mg after 3 month supply 48 hours ago. How long can I expect WD to last? I feel awful. No sleep, headache, flu symptoms, upset stomach, pains and lightheaded fogginess? I was prescribed it for depression, but it never really helped. Please tell me they won’t last long.
I had been on Remeron for 12 weeks. First 10 with 15 mgs, and 2 with 30 mgs. I think it helped me to recover the perspective of things and be back on my feet again. I stopped ‘cold turkey’ 3 days ago and so far I am feeling ok. I hope it won’t be necessary to take the drug again, ever.
Hi I came off mirtazapine 45mg about 2 weeks ago… Since then I’ve had racing thoughts, paranoia, and pain in my right breast. I wanted to stop taking it and go cold turkey as I put on 2 stone while on it. Has anyone else had these side effects?
Fraser, going cold turkey off 45 mg, the maximum dose, is a big step. There is no telling what symptoms you will have, or for how long. How long were you on the 45? I wish you Godspeed in your withdrawal. Since no two people experience the same symptoms, I feel there is no other advice / predictions that I can help you with. Take care of yourself.
Hello! I am on my third attempt, at the order of my cardiologist, to keep off this horrible chemical. I am having frequent palpitations and GI cramps this time. I am 27 days since my last 3.75 mg. Anyone had the palpitations in withdrawals? If so, how often and for how long? It is causing me considerable anxiety, which I feel is only making the palps worse. And, stressing over the heart issue I am sure isn’t helping the GI cramps / spasms. Any response is appreciated. Thanks.
Hi David, Yes, I also had palpitations after stopping the drug. They went on for months. They gradually went away. I did a lot of relaxation practices (qi gong and meditation) to help calm my nervous system. A lot of us seem to experience increased cortisol–the fight/flight chemicals after getting off Remeron. Some people would say that jumping off at 3.75 is a huge leap. The recommendation is decreasing each time by 10% of your current dose.
There’s getting off this drug, and then, getting off it safely. I also jumped off at the same dose as this. I am now 17 months drug-free. Though I’m doing miles better, I’m still having some symptoms. If I had it to do over, and had known what I know now, I’d have gone much slower in that last part of tapering. I might have avoided a lot of the nasty symptoms through this time.
Judy, thanks for your reply. Did you have GI symptoms? My WD symptoms are palps, abdominal cramps, irregular bathroom habits, waking at 4-5 in the morning, headaches, anxiety, stress, depression and fatigue. And, these come and go. This is the third time I have tried this. I had been on 45 mg for 8 years when I started trying to get off the mirt.
I have been trying for almost 2 years, and was on the 3.75 for 2 months, reduced to 2 mgs for a week, and then at the direction of my cardiologist, had to get off altogether because of side effects that were effecting my heart. Plus the benefits had pooped out. Take Care, David
Judy, also, how did it effect your appetite? And did you have significant weight loss?
Hi David, Yes, I had significant GI symptoms..and the other ones you describe. One of the first things that helped me was reducing the amount of histamine in my diet. I also added Vitamin C and Quercetin supplements. Remeron acts as an antihistamine, so it’s thought that coming off it causes a rebound effect of the body producing more histamine.
I’ve had acupuncture, which helped enormously with the GI stuff. I was on the drug about the same amount of time as you, but I was only on 45 mg. for about a year and a half. I tapered over 14 months and have now been off completely for 17 months. I had decreased appetite at first, partly because of nausea… but my interest in food was definitely less too.
For me, that was a good thing. I gained 70 pounds over the time I was on it. I’ve now lost 53 of those pounds, due to a lot of exercise and careful diet. I’m still not able to eat foods high in histamine and also have some other food sensitivities. It’s the most lingering symptom I have.
Hi David, I’ve had palpitations and weird chest sensations, along with a host of other withdrawal symptoms, since stopping Mirt 4 months ago. I don’t know how many times I’ve been to hospital emergency thinking I’m having a heart attack. It’s really scary and just adds to the anxiety. I am just taking life one day at a time and telling myself it will get better. Good luck, hopefully we’ll both feel better soon.
Hi all, I have just been reading people’s experiences coming off mirtazapine. I have been on 30gm for just over 3 months now, I feel like crap as I have gone from 62kg to 70kg my husband doesn’t find me attractive at the moment. I have been complaining to my GP about my weight gain but he won’t take any notice of me.
I have been off work for 6 months nearly and due back in a couple of weeks. I want to come off these pills and lose this weight and get my life back and feel. I have been going to the gym 3 times a week to try and keep in shape. It’s not my husbands fault I suppose… could be the medication he is on also. He had heart attack earlier in the year so is on lots of medication, plus we both gave up smoking.
Then I seemed to have a melt down. I want to come off these pills but am scared, can I come off even if GP advises not to, I long to get back into my clothes. I squeeze into my clothes as I just can’t face clothes shopping. I’m scared about stopping and then needing sick time away from work again, what to do?
Hi Alison, this is my experience and I read some forums where people stop taking the drug and have no side effects. I put on 10kg with mirtazapine which amongst a lot of other reasons helped me to decide to get off them, my weight had been the same for 25 years. I’ve gym trained for 35 years and have been one of those lucky people who could eat anything and not put weight on.
I think David’s post is correct about timing and you being scared to come off them is not a good start. For me when getting off the drug, I am seeing a private therapist, I had resigned from my job after 4months sick, and am pretty lucky to have been able to reduce outside pressures. So not knowing your illness or situation could only advise to take reduction slowly, maybe go back to work stable and try reducing when you’ve settled in.
Reducing 30-15mg wasn’t to bad for me but I struggled on the lower doses, you know your own body and use that as a marker. I reduced my dose from 15 down to 3mg over months. I’d chip a corner off a tablet and stay on that for 3-4 weeks then chip a bit more for the next 3-4 weeks, made the mistake of feeling good the first month and got a kick in the backside 4 weeks later so go steady.
You may get to a point where your weight stabilizes and you can cope with the dose but I always seemed to be 4-5 kg heavier than I wanted to be, I had made several diet changes including eating wholemeal bread instead of white which I found helped my weight. I’m now off them, will never take another and about where I use to be weight wise. Have a read of my previous post and Joanna Moncrieff, YouTube, etc. helped make up my mind and may help you come to terms with your GP advise or not, hope this is of help and good luck.
Hi Alison, I was also 3 months on Mirt (up to 30 mgs), and stopped taking it 3 days ago. So far no side effects. Best wishes.
Hi all. I don’t want to sound like I’m putting this medication down but I’m only speaking from my personal experiences. When first diagnosed with clinical depression and anxiety my GP prescribed me Lexapro 10mg to take one every morning and also diazepam 2mg twice a day. After all the lexapro didn’t work so well for me. My GP had changed my medication to avanza.
I was taking 15mg every night for about 11 days. I had seen my GP 5 days ago explaining to him the symptoms I was having. 3rd day taking it was the start of hell for me. Every night I would dream of such bad things and I would wake up cause my heart was racing like crazy. This is no exaggeration I put on 7 kilos in 11 days. Please bear in mind not everyone will put on weight whilst taking this medication.
I was also becoming more angry and everyone I know is getting on my nerves. I feel like I have lost myself. My GP told me to take it for another week. So that night I took it, worst heart racing experience I have ever had, my heart was racing that fast it woke me up I was out of breath!!! I honestly thought I was having a heart attack. So after that night have not taken it since which has been 5 nights now.
Although I am still having bad dreams and my heart is racing like mad. I went to another GP today he told me not to take them any more and I will be doing an ECG tomorrow. Has anyone experienced the crazy heart racing?? I hope whoever is starting or taking this medication will not experience what I have.
Hello, I have been on 15mg of mirtazapine for a little over 2 months now. I started them due to some anxiety and insomnia. I want to note that I am not depressed, or do not have an anxiety disorder. My anxiety was caused by my insomnia. Since going on, my sleep improved wonders. Now, its been 2 months and I have decided to taper off.
Only problem is now I am experiencing recurring insomnia. I went down to 7.5mg for 3 days and was fine, but now tonight is the 3rd night in a row where I have barely slept/not slept at all. Please give any advice or indications as to how long this will last! Any tips on how to cope in the meantime would be appreciated. Thank you!!!
Hi Alyssa, in my experience you will need to taper slower. If you have been on 15mg for 2 months they will have made an impact on you. I broke tablets up, say a 15 mg in half plus say a quarter to make 10mg, did this for a few weeks and reduced again but my sleep pattern was the first thing they hit.
Halving the dose from 15mg to 7.5mg is a big step and I found below 7.5mg to 3mg the hardest.I’m 16 weeks off them now and my sleep is not as good as before taking the drug. I sleep some nights for 7hrs then some nights I’m looking at the ceiling after 3hrs, I was on them a total of 8 months. I didn’t have a sleep problem before taking the drug but have gained one since taking it.
I was given the drug for a breakdown/burn out so circumstances are different and the drug effects people differently and progress can be slow but don’t give up. Also I try to keep most stimulants out of my diet, caffeine free coffee/tea/energy drinks etc. Good Luck and hopes this helps, Chris
Hi everybody. I been on mirtazapine (7.5mg) only for 2 months for for chronic nausea and no appetite an insomnia. It was working for 1 month… but I gain some weight and was sleeping very well. Then I felt I was getting more brain zaps and my mood started to change. Decided to stop and went down 3.75mg for 1 week and 2 mg for other week and I stopped. I had all the symptoms what you’re saying here for about 8 days and I had to go back on it.
Was not able to sleep or eat at all. Now I’m on it again only 3.75 mg and this time I will do it slower. The brain zap is the worst. It’s coming every afternoon. So scared to stop this, but I have to. I’m scared it’s doing some damage to my brain. I’m very happy to find this website and wish everybody well and fast recovery from this drug.
I have been off a 45 mg dose for approx 2 months. I tapered down to 30 for 1 month then 30 every second day for 1 month then stopped altogether as I said approx 2 months ago. The lack of sleep and itchiness were the biggest issues. The itchiness stopped after approx 2 weeks. My sleep is also improving heaps. I have also lost weight.
I am also trying to stay more active to combat any negative feelings which does help. I was on antidepressants for approx 5 years with last 2 on this stuff. They did help and I would assess as good and bad. I am looking forward and not back. I just read a lot of comments regarding how hard it has been and I truly feel for these people. I think timing is everything.
My life is as stable as it can be so this is why I chose now. I tried once before when life was very stressful and that was a big mistake. It can be done and you will be fine. Also be bold and talk to family and friends about how you are feeling. It does make it easier sharing the problem. I wish you all every success.
Hi, I was taking mirtazapine for 8 months after a couple of months on citalopram prescribed by my doctor for a breakdown, citalopram made me lose weight and poor sleep so hence the change. The swap over to mirtazapine was terrible for about 3 weeks, but after the usual backward and forward to my doctor, I eventually ended up on 30mg of mirtazapine. At this time I slept well and mostly all day as well, was becoming less the person I use to be, slow thinking cabbage-head with muscle spikes, restless legs, sore feet and agitated, flu-like symptoms, my dose was then returned to 15mg.
By accident my pharmacy gave me the orally dispersible tablets which actually reduced the restless side effect so I asked for these each time I re prescribed. Eventually in May this year I’d had enough of been depersonalized, social paranoia. Temper was like a tickling time bomb and little care for my life and anyone else and 20 pounds heavier. This forum helped me reduce my dose, a little too fast at first… as I suffered panic attacks so I leveled my dose and reduced again maybe 3 weeks later.
I still have side effects 16 weeks after my last dose, 5-6 weeks off I had suicide ideation. I have seen a private therapist for 6 months and have a very supportive family around me. I have researched the Chemical Myth and would recommend reading Joanna Moncrieff’s books on it, forget the half life times and the doctor saying it’s out of your system in whatever time. The drug alters your mental state which takes as long as it takes to return back to normal, unfortunately this makes you feel like your going back where you started. Needless to say I won’t be recommending it.
I’ve had a really great experience with mirtazapine. I’ve been on it for three years. I only gained 15 kg but my weight was only 50kg when I started. It’s helped me sleep and reduced the noise in my head long enough for me to learn new techniques to deal with life. I tapered to half for one year and now I’ve been off it for about three days. I’ve not experienced any adverse effects. I’m so pleased with where I’m at.
It’s been just a few days past the six month mark of being taken off 45mg Mirtazapine. I am wondering if I will ever feel like I did before this drug? My nerves are not good at all and an emotional rollercoaster. I will never take this drug again and it has made my life hell since coming off it. My life has been in and out of hospitals and doctor appointments, since cold turkey off this drug, and I haven’t been able to work since then.
I am frustrated and sick of being sick…blessings to all who are going through withdrawals and the hell it causes. The buzzing I still get in my head and dizziness is overwhelming, and I have become a recluse, because being around noise, or any loud levels of laughter, etc. makes me cringe and feel like am losing control. I just want ME back. Take care.
Hi everyone, I have been trying to leave remeron for almost 1 year. Still didn’t leave it. I am going between 7.5-3.75 mg. Every time I succeed to sleep one night with 3.75mg, the other night I can not sleep and the alarm always rings at 6 AM in the morning that I have to go to job…my career has finished because of this medicine. Can anyone advise any herbal or other additive to get rid of these withdrawal symptoms?
Hi Miray, The best thing you can do is buy a scale and weigh your medication. Reduce by 10% of your current dose (not of the dose you started at). The lower you get, the more careful you need to be with reductions. 50% is way too much. If you google, “tips for tapering Remeron”, you’ll find some other resources.
It also helps to gather a lot of tools for dealing with insomnia..things like meditation, homeopathy, relaxation practices like tai chi, chi gong, or yoga. Many supplements are often a problem as the nervous system is more sensitized…some people find epsom salts baths helpful, or taking magnesium, or a low dose of melatonin. But the reality is, there will be some degree of sleeplessness during withdrawal.
Careful and slow tapering can help minimize it though. You can focus on resting, even if you can’t sleep. There are lots of resources on the web for meditation or practices mentioned above. I’ve done a lot of qi gong and have not suffered in ways many people have with symptoms. It literally saved my life. Check out Lee Holden…he has a couple of free videos posted on youtube.
It’s hard on the nervous system going back and forth between doses like that. It might be best to wait awhile, for things to stabilize, before weighing and reducing more gradually. Best of luck.
I am so glad I found this site as I thought I was loosing my mind. I have taken 15mg of the drug above for 8 years. Over the last 6 months I have reduced that to half 7.5mg. Then half every other night gradually trying to get off them. However I have had three panic attacks and I couldn’t understand why until I read this information. I also have a flu-like cold at the minute.
I have started a new course of antidepressants today and have been taking rescue remedy to calm down. I only hope I feel normal soon but I am so glad to know I’m not the only one who feels like this when they are withdrawing. Thanks for the advice.
Well, saw the new doctor (shrink) yesterday. Liked her. She says the symptoms I am experiencing are anxiety and not withdrawal. I finally have to agree. When I withdraw mirtazapine the anxiety kicks in and that stuff can mess up your whole body top to bottom.
This doctor has me on 7.5 mg which I have no problem with and wants me to increase by small increases up to 15 mg by Feb. (2 months). I am going to do my best to do this. If I can get back to where I was before I started “being my own doctor and taking mirtazapine the way I wanted” I will more that likely stay on the lower 15 mg dosage indefinitely. If it works and I can get a clear head and some weight back, I won’t mess with it again.
I got down to 84# and look awful. Have stopped losing and about 86 lbs now. It took a year to lose that much so I expect it to take awhile to come back. Just want my clear head not dizzy anymore. The dizzy is hard to deal with. Also, this doctor said a person my age (78) should not be taking ativan. I suppose for fear of falling. My GP is so young and inexperienced I don’t feel confident.
Wish I could find a more experienced doctor but I live 20 miles from everywhere. :( Glad you are feeling better David. Not sure that I will be back into this site. Just want to think positive thoughts and try to feel better and get on with my life. The best to all of you… Jan
I am in my 8th week of tapering off of Remron/Mirtazapine after taking for several years @ 45mg a day. I was having all the side effects with trips to the emergency room feeling like I was dying. ER doctors could never find anything wrong. Anyone wanting to get off of this antidepressant should try The Road Back protocol. It it truly helpful…lessens withdrawal symptoms so one can function and sleep at night. Hope this helps someone…
I can relate to that first week on Mirt being such a relief as I was steeped in a very deep and dark depression for up to 4 months and not responding to other meds. I was primarily put on it to help ignite some appetite and now that I’m at 15 mg the effects are already wearing off but I cannot increase it. After being on Mirt for 2 & 1/2 weeks on the 15 mg dose I started having Hypnagogic Hallucinations, I’ve never experienced this before and it became a routine thing in the early morning hours.
So all that to say, we split the dose in half 7.5 mg at bedtime (which doesn’t help aid in sleep at all anymore) and 7.5 mg in the am. I’m now experiencing what I believe to be interdose withdrawals. The last few nights have been sleepless and I’m experiencing terrible diarrhea and vomiting where I’m close to passing out. If I’m not in a lying position I would. I hope this doesn’t go on for long. It’s been brutal and all I’ve done is split the dose. Can’t even imagine later when it’s time to discontinue altogether.
I think I have the record for the length of time on Mirtazapine – 17 years! The drug helped me enormously in many ways, but I’m now ready to come off of it. I had been on 7.5 mg for the past 5 years (2010 to 2015), and when I cut back from 15 mg in 2010, I had no issues. I cut back to 3.75 mg in September 2015 and did not notice anything – a bit lighter sleep but adjusted quickly. I thought hey, this is not bad!
So, I then cut back to 0 in October 2015, and started noticing sneezing and a runny nose. I did not make the connection to Mirtazapine, I thought it was allergies. Then, by late October, I started getting debilitating headaches – sometimes on one side of my head, sometimes the back of my head so that I have to use two pillows at night to sleep. It’s an ache that neither Ibuprofen or acetaminophen can kick.
I thought it was hormone related – again, I did not make any connection to Mirtazapine. During this time, I had a hard time sleeping throughout the night – that is the biggest reason I would not give up mirtazapine in recent years. When I went off of the drug, I would wake up several times during the night, maybe stay awake for an hour, fall back asleep. So, I maybe got 5-6 hours of sleep per night, sometimes more but it did not seem like the quality of my sleep was good.
Anyway, after suffering through headaches and generally just not feeling good on most days for over a month, I went back on to 3.75 mg on Nov. 7. Part of the impetus was because on Nov 6, I took a 4-hour certification exam for my profession, and although I passed, the headaches bothered me during the exam to the extent that I was worried that I might have to take a break, lose time and potentially not finish and then flunk the exam. Miraculously, by the next day in the afternoon, it’s like my head cleared and I felt normal again.
Definitely by 2 days later, I was pretty much back to normal while on the 3.75 mg dosage. I thought it was because I was sleeping better and the pressure of the exam was over, I did not attribute it to the drug. So, I decided to go off the drug again on Nov 14. I did OK for about 3 to 4 days but then, the headaches and flu like symptoms kicked in. This time, I had no particular pressure to point the finger at and even had a day off. I had a hard time finishing out the day at work 4 days after going to 0 and had to lay down.
I could not eat any dinner and thought I was going to be ill. I went back on to 3.75 mg 2 days ago, and again, feel pretty normal and really appreciate the better quality sleep. So, my plan now is to stay on the 3.75 mg for some time – maybe a number of months or a year, and sort of play with cutting it back a little every now and again and see how I feel. I do think that being on the drug for almost 2 decades must have done something to my brain chemistry such that even a small dose makes a difference and I need to taper off to 0 very carefully.
I am so glad to read the above article on withdrawals from Remeron. I want to get the word out how hard it is to get off this drug. I am into my 3rd month of being off of Remeron. I am still suffering from certain withdrawal symptoms. The worst is the continuing nausea every morning. I have yet to throw up once, but it is worse I think to feel the nausea and NOT throw up.
The only solution I have gotten for this so far is when I get the nausea feeling after waking up I immediately take a dissolving pill called Ondansetron ODT 8mg. Any Dr. can prescribe these dissolving pills to you for your nausea. Pepto doesn’t work that is for sure so don’t even waste your money getting it. I have Medicare so the cost is minimal,but for anyone that doesn’t have health insurance it costs about $30 for 30.
The brand name for it is Zofran. CVS is expensive so try another pharmacy. Hopefully this helps anyone with this constant everyday nausea feeling. I also have problems with schizophrenia at bedtime. Also once I get up in the morning I can’t go back an lay down because of the drainage problem these withdrawals have caused. The never ending cough and drainage is unimaginable. I pray for quick recovery to get my life back to normal.
David, I am back on it too. Just got too sick and down to 84#. They put me at 7.5 mg right off the bat and I felt better after a week 15 mg, but that proved to make me nauseous. Going to new doc on Dec 2 will see what comes of that. I do know now that all of my problems are anxiety that the mirtazapine was taking care of. Wishing now I had never gone off it. Just opened a can of worms and now having a heck of a time getting back to where I was. I have only gained a couple of lbs but although stomach is hungry my mouth doesn’t want to eat. What the heck is that? Will see how my appointment goes. Wish me luck.
Was on Mirtazapine 15mg for two years and the decided that it was doing me no good. Simply dropped them and have slept better ever since. Withdrawal effects; never felt better!
I’m glad I found this page. I’ve been on this drug just over 2 weeks but want to quit. I was told weight gain could be a side effect but didn’t realise how bad. I am hungry all the time. ALL the time. I’ve gained almost 4 kg in this time and I didn’t realize it was designed to stimulate you to eat! I wasn’t underweight or anything…now I feel fat and hungry.
I’m also tired all the time but not just in my head. I have no energy. I know I should give it 4 weeks to ‘kick’ in but I hate feeling this way. I constantly think about food… then I feel bloated and fat. My clothes are getting tight! I’m going to take a half tablet for a few days to go off it. Tired of feeling numb and fuzzy in the head as well.
Rain, I took it for 8 months (the withdrawal hell). I wasn’t getting better, still losing weight. I had said that I would never take another mirt. After several emergency room trips, abdominal & brain CT scans, blood work, including thyroid levels (I take synthroid for underactive thyroid), chest x-rays, all coming back negative. My GI doctor at UNC hospital and I had a long talk, and she suggested that I go back on 7.5 mg, and sent a prescription for a bottle.
I decided to try 1/2 (3.75) to start with, and so far it has made all the difference in the world. Within 24 hours I felt like a new man in every respect, and that was after 8 months off of it in hell. I don’t like the fact that I am taking the drug again, although it is only 3.75, but like my doctor said, my quality of life was non-existent only getting worse. That was a week ago, and I have gained over 10 pounds of my weight back.
If you have a high heart rate and thyroid trouble, those need to be addressed. This is my situation as of the last 8 days, before that I felt like hell, had no appetite, and no energy. The 3.7 mgs had an almost unbelievable effect in my situation. I may have to go to the 7.5 at some point, but the plan is to get off the 3.75 if I can. That was the second attempt for me. I hope that this has been helpful. I would definitely get that thyroid situation taken care of.
I know a lady friend who got parathyroid tumor and had to have surgery while coming off mirtazapine. You can contact her on Facebook, and I will give you her contact name if you e-mail me at dlbx2[AT]outlook.com Godspeed with your progress. David
I have been on Remeron 30mg for a year and a half. After trying about 4 different anti-depressants for my depression, anxiety & ocd, I really found remeron has been the most successful. The side effects during treatment were outweighed by my stable mood, but I did experience increased fatigue (sleep for about 12hrs a night), occasional fogginess/slowness and a weight gain of 25lbs. I tried to taper off about 4 months ago but found the panic attacks and incessant crying too much to handle.
I have now been off Remeron cold turkey for 3weeks. (I had food poisoning and was unable to take it for 2 days… then decided the withdrawal symptoms of remeron were similar to food poisoning and that now was the perfect time to try again). I came across this site today because my main search symptom was itchiness. I have been incessantly itchy all over (mostly legs) & I am pleased to read that it is just a another withdrawal symptom.
I have been very fatigued & my sleep patterns have altered terribly. It now takes me about an hour to fall asleep (on the drug, less than a minute) I wake up about 4 times during the night startled from vivid and bizarre dreams. I have been trying imagery rehearsal therapy for my sleep issues, meditate daily and practice CBT to calm the oncoming panic attacks (only 2 in the last 3 weeks). I am very much trying to stay controlled and relax.
I have had one outburst of extreme anger (for no apparent reason), at which point I put myself to bed for a couple of hours to recollect. I know it takes a lot of courage to decide to come off a drug you feel so dependent on and it is very scary to trust in yourself that you can manage your sober mind. It is a challenging drug to come off of, but hang in there- you know you’ve made it through worse ☺. (Thank you for this site!)
My update. I took my last mirt 5 months ago. I thought all was going well until 4 weeks ago when drastic weight loss kicked in. The more I ate, the more I seemed to lose. My heart rate was going nuts and that was bringing back the old anxiety. I had a pain in my neck and found a lump. After scanning and blood tests, nodules were discovered on my thyroid. I have had routine thyroid testing my whole life and never had a problem until coming off the mirtazpine.
I don’t know if mirtazpine did this to me or coming off mirt did it or it’s just an unwanted coincidence. I am wondering now if others like David who have lost huge amounts of weight have had their thyroid tested. My doctors first reaction was to put me back on mirt to bring my heart rate down blaming this on anxiety. I said “no way am I taking that again”. David if you read this, I would be interested to know your thoughts.
Hi all, Thank god I found this site. It has turned out to be my guide the last couple of weeks. Information about quitting antidepressants is so minimal! 8 months ago I had a burnout due to personal reasons (house sold with loss, health issues, etc). After having a very bad experience with strange hallucinations caused by citalopram, I tried mirt as a kind of last resort.
What a mistake. All my anxiety problems intensed again hallucinations and strange new phobias started to develop. But the docs said keep going these meds take time to work! So I decided to quit and face my problems myself without antidepressants. I used 15 mg for 4.5 months them tapering it for 4 weeks. 1 week at 11.25, 2 weeks 7.5 and 1 week 3.75.
Now I am at day 22 without mirt, but still its a hard struggle especially the anxiety wow anxiety 24/7. First 2 weeks were living hell. This week things are getting better but still not good enough. Any of you had similar experiences? I am hoping to see some light at the end of the tunnel the coming days. R
Update about my situation. It has now been a month (33 days) since my last 3.5 mg. Finally I am noticing that the anxiety is starting to lift, also I am noticing that some of my phobias (knives, driving) are clearing out. I am using magnesium and fish oil supplements as well. Alas for me I seem to have developed a kind of OCD during my treatment with mirt. Now I have to cope with that…
I have been on 45 mg for three years. I have been going for EMDR therapy and after 20 sessions – three months ago – I felt I had dealt with a childhood trauma which was causing the severe depression. In April I stopped taking Diazepam and then a beta blocker – all successfully! They were both causing side effects. Effects that only developed this year.
A month ago I started tapering off the Mirtazapine as I started with a new side effect! I believe my body was saying – it didn’t need the chemicals anymore. I also believe my body is producing the necessary chemicals naturally. As it should be. So far no withdrawal symptoms. None! I’m now down to 15 mg and the stinging mouth – the side effect is abating! Thank goodness.
This is my experience and in no way do I think others will be like me. All I would say is that at the time I needed the medication to prop me up so I could do the therapy. And now I don’t need it. I wish you all well. And I am sooo glad I feel joy and peace in my life now. 50 years is a long time heading for a breakdown. But three years on I feel repaired.
MIRTAZAPINE WITHDRAWAL SUCCESS STORY! Hi Everyone, There are a lot of negative posts on here and not enough success stories so I thought I’d post one to give everyone who is going through the withdrawal process some much needed hope! I was on Mirtazapine for over 4 years after being diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder and psychosymptomatic back pain. I was ready to come off after completing 1.5 years of therapy. I was on 30mg at the time so my Dr tapered me off really slowly over 5 months.
I hide no side effects so thought I had successfully weaned off but then 2 days after taking my last dose I all of a sudden lost the ability to sleep and had a huge spike in anxiety. The Dr gave me Ativan to help me sleep and this worked but only for a few days then the effect wore off. My Dr then wanted to put me on stronger drugs but I found out I was pregnant so went back onto 3.5mg of Mirtazapine per day. My sleep went back normal within about 24 hours.
I finished breastfeeding my son in May 2015 and after my body had re-adjusted itself decided to give coming off the drug another go. I weaned off over a month in September and took my last dose of Mirtazapine (3.5mg) on October 2nd. Just like last time the insomnia hit me about 48 hours after my last dose. I struggled on for 2 weeks by alternating between Nytol (which helped me get some sleep) and Melatonin (which didn’t do that much). I also had lots of other side effects such as headaches, nausea, dizziness, feeling spaced out all the time, crying spells, panic attacks, high levels of anxiety (a constant feeling of dread) and depression.
After two weeks I was total wreck and was tempted to go back on Mirtazapine to make it all stop but my husband had hidden my pills to avoid me caving in. I went to see my Dr and she gave me Ativan – I was to 1 or 2 tables of 0.5mg per night as needed. 1 pill did nothing for me so I went straight to 2 and was knocked out into blissful sleep for about a week. Mr Dr then told me she was going to give me just one more prescription so to start weaning myself off Ativan to avoid a new addiction.
I tried and went back to not sleeping at all. By the end of week 3 I hit rock bottom. I had success with therapy before so decided to find a Psychologist to help me through it. Just 2 days later I had a session and the guy gave me some very valuable information about sleep and how to handle insomnia. He basically convinced me to stop taking any kind of sedative (including Nytol and Melatonin) and switching over to completely natural sleep aids such as chamomile, valerian, hops, etc…
He also gave me 2 sleep tracks to listen to at bedtime in order to fully relax my body and help my brain switch off. I won’t lie, the first two nights were pretty horrific – I got very little sleep and constantly felt extremely anxious and depressed but I decided to stick with it. I tried to focus my mind on what the Psychologist had told me – that your body and brain are perfectly capable of living on very sleep and nothing bad was going to happen because of it. I also tried to stop caring about whether or not I was going to sleep (which was very hard!) and instead tried to look forward to just resting in bed even if I didn’t go to sleep properly.
I also tried to just breathe through the anxiety attacks and night and not let them rattle me when they happened. I took 3 capsules of Jamieson’s Relax and Sleep herbal tablets at bedtime and also had a cup of Sleepy tea 1 hour before retiring. I then listened to the sleep tracks once I was settled into bed with the lights out. My anxiety spiked on the 3rd day and I felt absolutely awful but then something strange happened – that night I managed to go to sleep within 1 hour of going to bed and had a 4-hour stretch of sleep!
I felt elated when I woke up and all of a sudden there was light at the end of the tunnel that I might actually get through this. The next night I managed to sleep a total of 5.5 hours and on night 3 my body slept for 8 hours (not all in 1 go, I did wake up a couple of times to use the toilet but managed to go back to sleep almost right away without any difficulty). My anxiety has calmed right down too although it’s not completely gone.
Tomorrow is my 1-month anniversary since I took my last Mirtazapine tablet and it’s now been 3 days since my body started sleeping on its own again and I still can’t quite believe that it looks like I might have come out on the other end although I still expect that I might have a few more bad nights here and there and to be honest I’m OK with that because I now know that my body is perfectly capable of sleeping on its own and will eventually do so again.
I’m going to continue seeing my therapist for a few more sessions until I’m confident that the withdrawal process is truly over and to learn a few more techniques for coping with anxiety now that I am no longer on tablets that regulate my mood. I also want to come off the herbal sleep aids once I’ve had some decent rest because I want to be able to sleep entirely on my own even though I suspect the herbal supplements aren’t doing all that much at this point.
I think one of the key factors for getting through this is that I have lowered my expectations on sleep. I used to get knocked out for 8 hours or more on the Mirtazapine so used to think that this was normal. I’m learning now that it’s OK to not have a great nights sleep all the time and that it’s totally OK if you have periods of not sleeping that much because your body will get the rest it needs (it’s an automatic survival instinct) and nothing bad will happen if you do have insomnia for a while.
You just have to stay calm and ride it out instead of trying to fight it with sleeping pills or getting angry/upset/worried about it as that just makes the problem worse. Good luck to everyone coming off Mirtazapine. You can do this, just stick with it and don’t be afraid to get help (don’t suffer through this on your own!). Don’t get sucked into taking other brain altering or sedating drugs to help relieve symptoms because that will only prolong the process and risk you getting addicted to something else.
You will get through it eventually once your body and brain have learnt to cope on their own again. Most importantly don’t compare your recovery process to that of anyone else because everyone is different so you might need a little longer to go back to normal and this is totally ok. It WILL eventually get better! :)
Quick update – it’s been 6 weeks since I took my last mirtazapine and last night was my first night without taking any natural sleep aids. It wasn’t an amazing nights sleep (about 5.5 hours) but it’s taken me 4.5 years to get to the point that I can sleep on my own again so I’m elated and I know it’s only going to get better from here. I slept really well on just 1 valerian tablet the week before so have been officially released by my psychologist because he doesn’t think I need therapy anymore.
It’s all a little scary but I’ve made it through to the other end and am feeling ok. I occasionally feel a bit anxious or depressed but I know it will pass so don’t worry about it anymore. The turning point for me was believing that I could sleep on my own and when I accepted the fact that I would have some bad nights sleep and stopped fighting the anxiety.
I also changed my outlook on everything so instead of feeling victimised by the withdrawal symptoms I got angry at them and refused to let them stop me from living my life. I hope I managed to give some hope to anyone whose considering coming off this medication or is suffering from withdrawal. Stick with it and get help – you can do this!
Julia, I don’t know if you’re paying attention anymore, but thank you very much for your story! I was put on Remeron for postpartum anxiety/depression/insomnia, and I had a pretty decent taper up until I went off completely a few days ago and as of right now, haven’t slept in over 30 hours. I appreciate seeing that you went off, and then back on, but were able to come off.
I don’t think I’m going to make it this time (mom of a 6 month old going back to work at the end of this week–I need at least *some* sleep), so this gives me hope that if I wait my hormones out, go natural, and taper even more slowly, I might be okay.
After 8 months of literally suffering from withdrawals, and losing over 30 pounds, my GI doctor, whom I have had for over 10 years, suggested that I needed to try a low dose of Remeron to get some relief. She said to try 7.5 mg, and sent them. My wife and I decided to break the first one in half and see how it effected me. 3.75 mg, took with 1 mg Ativan, which I have been taking for over 8 years for IBS, and I got 10 hours sleep, no side effects, and woke well rested. Last night, same dose, 12 hours sleep, no side effects, and woke well rested.
I had declared that I would never take another one, but my health was declining due to withdrawals, and it had already been 8 months, and showed no signs of letting up. I plan to eventually get off them again, but it won’t be cold turkey like last time, even if I have to scrape it off little by little. I am now taking 3.75, 1/12 of what I took for 8 years, 45mg. I just thought I’d pass this along. Good luck to you all. Jan, how are you these days?
I was on Mirtazapine for approximately 4 months (including the taper) at 7.5 milligrams. Although this drug helped the anxiety, it never provided the sleep benefit that most users experience (only slept for 2-3 hours/night with insomnia the remainder of the night.) My psychiatrist wanted me to continue on it but I felt that I would never sleep any better if I did so. Even with the relatively low dosage and limited time on the drug, I carefully tapered very, very slowly and kept exact notes about progress, symptoms, etc.
Even so, it was not easy. I tend to be very sensitive to medications and can only imagine what long-term users are experiencing. My natural sleep is coming back slowly. I do remember questioning my physician about how difficult it would be to get off of this drug (before taking it) and being told that it was not a problem. At one point, he had suggested that I just stop taking the drug (without a taper); but, fortunately, I had seen this discussion and did not.
Thank you.
Have been on Mirtazapine up to 4 my over the last 2 years. Dropped to 30 mg about 2 months ago. Last week was accidently given Abilify 30 mg which I took to five days before releasing there was an error. Had painful muscles, changes in vision, slurred speech, diarrhea, stomach cramps with some nausea. Insomnia and increase in anxiety. Stopped the Abilify Wednesday and recommenced Mirtazapine at 30 mg. What can I expect? I also take Flecainide 200 mg daily for PAF.
Please don’t take Mirtazapine. It has ungodly withdrawals. I have been off of it for over 3 months and some of the withdrawal symptoms haven’t even changed. Dizziness, nausea, schizophrenia, anxiety, mood changes, etc. It is a bad drug and thank God I am off it now despite the symptoms I am experiencing.
My daughter started on this medication (15mg) in conjunction with Effexor the beginning of the month. She has had increased appetite and weight gain, headaches (migraine variety), dry mouth, palpitations, dizziness, and “my brain doesn’t feel right” since 2nd/3rd day on the med. After having a resting heart rate of 104 during school (sitting in a classroom taking notes) we (as her parents) took her off the medication. Her doctor that prescribed the medicine still has not called me back (called 3 1/2 days ago) so I discontinued it myself. I am hoping her withdrawal symptoms are not too bad and resolve quickly.
I did not taper off as I developed severe conjunctivitis and am on drops for reducing eye pressure and did not know if Mirtazepine could have been a contributor. I have to say that I have experienced severe nausea in the mornings and feel very anxious. Additionally there is a noticeable decrease in my appetite and am unable to stay asleep.
Lucy, how long were you on the Mirtazapine, and what dose were you taking? Good luck on your recovery. David
I began taking mirtazapine a year after returning from two and a half years in Iraq with chronic PTSD. I’ve taken it for for 8 years. I Cannot say that the drug is evil as within 30 days of taking the drug my life began to return and I began to heal. It has helped me to return to life and to function and be there for my kids. I still deal with PTSD but coping skills and a working full time have lessened the impact.
The one thing about this drug is the weight gain every year for 8 years my weight has increased by about 6 pounds and this has made a problem with high blood pressure. I am a very active man and work out regularly but food tastes better and you eat more when your on this drug. I stopped taking the drug when I hit 245 pounds with 6 foot 2 it’s a problem. I simply stopped taking it one day. The withdrawal effects were unknown to me.
I felt a little uncomfortable for a couple of days. But that’s not whats happened sleep is rough I wake up after 4 hours sleep I’m nervous, I had a 2 week itching that was tough. I had many head aches and have been sick to my stomach excessive sweating and tremors. My appetite is lower than when I was on mirtazapine as a matter of fact I have no craving for foods. It’s been a tough go of it but I am pulling through there are days like last Friday where I was not really functioning.
Suggestions for the itching: I took Benadryl and used body lotion after bathing worked great. I don’t watch TV at night and dim the lights early and then sleep in darkness. I found exercise for the tremors hopefully they will go away completely soon. I’ve been of the med for 43 days. Not been easy but do able. If you have PTSD and need to get your life back I would still recommend taking this drug. The withdrawal is a b*tch but when PTSD has a hold of your life it’s worse.
Life, thank you for suggestions for controlling the withdrawal symptoms. This is very helpful. I was wondering what I can do to help control them. I was put on this drug 8 days ago in relation to my PTSD and anxiety/panic attacks. It hasn’t seemed to help, but then I’m not that far into the course of medication.
After reading all these posts, I’m considering getting off it before my brain gets too used to it. But then I need to weigh up whether or not I want the PTDS symptoms either. Did you have nightmares relating to your PTSD? and did the medication help stop them? are the ‘coping skills’ you speak of something you feel like sharing? I’m seeing a psych weekly as well, but am after any info I can get. Thanks in advance.
Rain, thank you for writing. I feel encouraged. I am off since Aug. 1 and still feel awful. Dizzy head, fatigue, tired eyes. I’ve had stomach cramping but found that the mint version of gasx helps a lot with that. Last night I could feel the anxiety edging in on me like when I wound up going to the ER. I took an Ativan at bedtime and slept for 7 hours.
Have some screwy dreams but at least sleep. Today have felt crummy most of the day. I’ve made an appointment to get some counseling. Hoping they can give me some positive suggestions for coping with withdrawal. David, I check the website 2-3 times a day to see if you’ve written. If we can stand firm and not slide back in with the devil (mirt) we will make it.
I know I will not under any circumstances take it again. Either I will come out of this clean or it will kill me. As many of us have said it feels at times that is what it is doing, killing us. We just have to be there for each other and we will get through this. Thank you again Rain. Please keep us up to date on your recovery. It is so encouraging. Jan
Jan, I wish you well. I am still having symptoms at over 7 months. Anxiety, nausea, fatigue, weak at times, abdominal cramps / spasms, epigastric pain and cramps along the bottom of my ribs where they meet my abdomen. I am depressed, feelings of doom, no hope, trying hard to maintain my weight, I have lost 30 pounds. I went cold turkey, and have paid dearly for it.
Every day is a struggle to keep from giving up. Also headaches and a general feeling of being sick. I have a good day every now and again, but right now just making it a day at a time. I sent you a reply before, but for some reason it wasn’t posted. Maybe it was too short. No matter, I wish you a full recovery, and the rest of us as well. David
Jan looking back on all this, the hardest part for me was the fear of stopping the mirtazpine. I was so scared of the withdrawal but kept telling myself that my symptoms were a normal response to my body trying to adjust without the mirt. I have been free now for over 3 months and I still have problems with sleep. I found that taking sleeping pills, natural remedies or a hormone prescribed by my doctor called melatonin made my mood crash and I felt depressed.
Now that I feel free of the mirtazpine, I am taking half a dose of restavit (doxy succinate) and I am getting a few good hours sleep a night. The body shakes, nausea and bad dreams have stopped. I’m no longer edgy and my highs and lows have levelled out. You and others here who have finally stopped taking mirtazpine have jumped over a major hurdle. We all depended on this drug to help us get through our lives but it gets to a point it stops helping and begins to do damage to our bodies.
Keep reminding yourself that what you are feeling is a natural response to coming off a drug that has been in your system controlling your brain and nervous system for a very long time, so yes you are going to feel it leaving your body. You are doing it! Keep going! Be proud of your strength and courage! I wish you and David and everyone here better days. Try to get out and walk, look for positives and keep us up to date with your progress.
In 3 days, it will have been 7 months since I took my last 7.5 mg mirtazapine. Anyone following my posts knows that I went off cold turkey, which was an awful mistake. I am still having withdrawal symptoms. Anxiety, digestive problems, abdominal / epigastric cramps and spasms that feel like they are just under my rib cage. They are painful at times and interrupt my sleep, so sleep problems are on the list as well.
I am still losing weight, over 30 pounds so far, and appetite reduced. I feel that I may be slowly improving, and was doing better but had an episode of protracted withdrawal, and lost ground with my progress. There has been times when I almost went back on the mirt, and times when I thought that I was going to die. I am very serious about this. I am sharing this because I want others to know that these symptoms can last a very long time. I have been to the Emergency Room a number of times, thinking something serious was going on.
After blood tests, CTs of the abdomen (twice) and brain, the doctors say that everything looks normal and they can’t understand the symptoms. Don’t expect your doctor to know anything about mirt withdrawal, as none of them do. I wish you all the best in your healing progress. Initially, I had every symptom of withdrawals, but now what is left are the ones that I have listed. -David
I successfully weaned myself off mirtazpine and it has been 3 months since my last dose. I finally feel completely free of the side effects. It wasn’t easy but very worth it to persevere. I had been on 30mg for 6 years. I had severe anxiety and depression caused from a misdiagnosis from a young doctor that totally freaked me out. I also had started going through menopause which in itself created anxiety.
Mirtazpine saved me. I couldn’t get off the sofa, eat or stop crying. With mirtazpine my life returned to normal however I was never able to feel any real highs or very happy moments. To start my reduction I went from 30mg to 27mg for one week, then down to 20mg for a few days, down to 15mg. At 15mg I felt my worst. Withdrawal was awful with not being able to sleep for longer than an hour and when I did sleep there were nightmares.
I had sweats, nausea, headache, body shakes, brain zaps.I was edgy and scared but at the same time I tried to keep positive and reminded myself this is withdrawal and not illness. I thought if I felt this bad on 15mg I may as well drop to 7mg as I figured I couldn’t feel any worse. At 7mg I felt better than I did with the stronger dose so after 2 days I dropped to 3mg. 2 days after that I went cold turkey and for 8 weeks I rode a bit of a roller coaster but I was so proud of myself for sticking with it.
I had weeks of over the top happiness which has now balanced out to highs and lows. If you have managed to go 12 months without the symptoms that put you on mirtazpine in the first place, then that is the time to consider coming off. The important part of the whole process is understanding that it is the right time to come off. You have to be totally committed to it and not panic with the withdrawal effects. It isn’t easy but it won’t kill you either. I knew my time for mirtazpine had come to an end.
It wasn’t helping me anymore and I felt strong enough to tackle my problems without the drug. My cholesterol was rising and I was having stomach issues and bleeding under the skin on my arms. I was also experiencing restless legs constantly. Since coming off mirtazpine the restless legs and bleeding has ceased. I haven’t had my cholesterol checked yet. I hope this helps anyone with their weaning off. Good luck and be positive. Life is good.
Rain, It is so nice to hear of happy and positive thoughts! Thank you.
Thank you both for responding. It is comforting to know there are people that understand your plight. I went to an ER follow up with my doctor on Thursday. She asked me if I would consider Paxil. My response was absolutely not I didnt want any more of that “crap”. I had to grin because when I read my chart online that is just how she wrote it. Guess I will have to be a bit more careful with my language. I told her I wanted my body clean.
I have taken fluerazepam for years (seldom only on no sleep nights). My gp asked me if the ER doc knew I had that because that and Ativan could have been a real problem if taken together. Good grief. All my records are there on their darned computer. Fortunately I didnt take it. I am very cautious about mixing stuff. I discovered too that if I take fluerazepam the next day i feel really great, but watch out the next day. I am thinking (wondering) if those drugs give you a shot of serotonin and so you feel better but then when it is gone bam you are back in the soup again.
David I think you are in worse shape than I am. I can still move around and function most days. Not great but at least moving. I live in an apartment now and have started walking up and down the halls for exercise in the evening. My balance is not good so I just push my little granny cart in front of me. Works great. While I am out there and out of my familiar surroundings it kind of gives me a different mindset.
I live in Minnesota so we are gearing up for winter by mid November. Argh. That in itself is depressing. Keeps a person more housebound and none of us need that when we feel so lousy. My prayers and thoughts are with all of you going through this. As you said David we are in the same boat. We will come out of this sooner or later if we just keep at it. Thank you again for taking the time to write. It helps me more than any doctor ever could. -Jan
Jan, I pray that we will both make it to the end of the road. I am still with weight loss, 166 today, down from 204, fatigue, weakness, and bad abdominal symptoms. I even feel like where my abdomen meets my ribs has spasms. Right now pain and appetite are issues. I hope that things improve for you. I am so tired of being sick. I guess 8 years at 45 mgs is hard to shake. Take Care, David
Hi Everyone, I too am experiencing horrible withdraws from Mirtazapine. I was on this drug for over a year now and was up to 30 mg. I am a wreck! I have to force myself out of bed, go to the shower and immediately start throwing up. I come out, lay down and then try to drink a protein shake. I have all the symptoms you are describing. Headaches started last night. Everyone is saying to get back on the medicine and I keep saying, “No way!”
My partner at work thinks I’ve have always been this way (which I know differently). I had a doctor say I am borderline personality disorder on my last visit and I’m tired of all these diagnoses. My head is clearer than it’s ever been, just my body is going crazy. I too am thankful for all of your comments! I know now I am not alone and that it is not “me” but this drug. I hope we can all get relief and come back later to let everyone know how we are.
Prayers and best wishes to you all. Hang in there and get out as much as you can. I know it’s hard but it will help you.
Well, I guess I learned this stuff can come back with a vengeance. Either that or I have some kind of bug. Last Monday night I was so nauseated and sick I called my kids to take me to the hospital at 9 at night. ER doctor diagnosed me with stress/anxiety. Ya think? Of course, considering how I have been feeling and worrying about my weight and all of this.
They gave me fluids as I was dehydrated, checked my blood (low sodium) and gave me Ativan for anxiety. I panicked at that because I have never heard of Ativan and thought oh no, here I go again. Another drug to be addicted to. I’ve been off mirtazapine since Aug. 1 and was sailing along quite well. Have any of you had any experience with Ativan? What is your opinion of it? I don’t want to have to withdraw from something else. When telling ER doc about mirtazapine her response was typical of what we all hear.
“She’d never heard of anyone having severe problems” and that I should quit reading this stuff on the internet. If it weren’t for all of you I would be in a worse mental state than I am. I am wondering what planet these doctors practice on. How could their knowledge on this and our real life experience be so far apart? I have had eye issues for many years but the past two weeks have been terrible. Double vision making most days impossible to drive.
I think I scared the dickens out of my daughter and son. They both drove me to the hospital and were quite sympathetic which is not normal for either of them. I guess they could see how sick I really felt. So, I am back struggling again. 90 lbs and no appetite. Scares the dickens out of me. Still, I will not under any conditions go back on that poison just to have to start over again. David, are you doing any better?
Jan, I am in the same boat that you are in. I mean it, the same boat. About a month ago I felt much better, then all of a sudden “Bam”, it seemed like someone hit the reset button. I feel as bad right now as I did early on in the process. It is call protracted recurrent withdrawals, when the very thing that happened to you happens during, or right at the end of withdrawal from any drug or alcohol.
I am very sorry to hear of your misfortune, and wish you a prompt recovery. I have all the same symptoms that you have, and some more besides. I just had a prayer for you. Again, I am so sorry that this has happened to you. You know, I still say sometimes it doesn’t make any difference how long you taper, when you finally stop, you get slammed.
I wish that I knew something to say or do to help you, but prayers, and knowing that someone else cares, and shares your grief, anxiety, pain and suffering is all that I can offer. For a few weeks, about the only time I get out of bed is to shower, bathroom, and eat, although I still have no appetite. I am just too weak and fatigued. Take Care, David
Jan, Sorry to hear about the more recent issues…doctors are living in some other reality unfortunately. I never once said a single thing to the family doc I had, because I knew he would only say I was depressed and pull out the prescription pad. I’d encourage you to be very careful with Ativan, especially because you are still experiencing withdrawal symptoms (nausea and vision changes seem to be fairly common with those of us who have WD).
Ativan can be addictive and quite hard to come off too. Personally, I’ve steered clear of almost any kind of drug since coming off Remeron…as I’m overly sensitive to almost everything. My post about low histamine wasn’t put on the site. If you google the topic, you’ll find some information about foods that are high and low histamine content. Changing diet made a very big difference for me in terms of reducing symptoms.
I am just over a year off the drug and am doing reasonably well. Most symptoms are minimal or non-existent. I ended up seeing an acupuncturist for my digestion and found great relief through that. I still have occasional nights of poor sleep, or bouts of increased heart rate, but for the most part, am doing miles better than I ever was on the drug. Hang in there…things get better in time.
Remeron seems to be a very nasty sleeping pill to taper. I began my taper of 15 mg. of mirtazapine ago by starting at 10.75 for 2 weeks, 7.5 for the next 2 weeks. My plan was to proceed to 3.25 mg in the fifth week; but I found the withdrawal side effects too significant as most of you are finding: anxiety, frequent urination, fatigue, slight confusion.
So I completed the 5th week at 7.5mg and have decided to stay on at 7.5 for perhaps another month. I tried melatonin for sleep with my taper and found it useless in giving me a sleep. I have tapered off Zoplicone in 6 weeks, but tapering off mirtazapine is a very lonely and uncomfortable experience. Please advise as to my titration rate, and dangers.
A note of encouragement. I have been totally off mirtazapine since Aug. 1. I can definetly see that I am improving as time goes on. I was put on Mirt. in 2003 and decided to get off of it in 2011. I tried just stopping and was violently ill and wound up going back on it. So, realized I would have to wean slowly. I have been doing this. VERY slowly. Taking crumbs and shavings at the very end in July.
Even going this way I still was uncomfortable for most of Aug. and sleep was a problem. I say uncomfortable because compared to what happened to me the first time it was nothing. Now I am more than a month out and beginning to feel I am coming around. As David said though each person is different and it is important to let your body determine how you go about this weaning off. Just don’t rush yourself. The past two nights I have slept well. I woke up only once each night but went right back to sleep. I have been going to bed a bit earlier than usual (10:30 instead of 11:30) and will still go to sleep right away.
All in all I can’t complain about symptoms. The itching has stopped and stomach is starting to feel more normal. No diarreha or constipation. Think my gut is beginning to work on its own. I am also starting to get a bit of appetite back. Not every day but try to force myself to eat realizing I need it and not the trash can. I think my weight may be stablizing. 91.5 this morning so a tiny bit better. Just wanted to write and encourage all of you that are deep in this. Keep working on it and be kind to yourself.
I was taking 30mg of Remeron daily for a year. 11 days ago my doctor and I decided I should come off of it, and he told me to just stop taking it. No taper. He also instructed me to stop taking my 10mg of Abilify. It’s been 11 days since I stopped both meds, and yesterday was the first bad day of physical withdrawal. I am also noticing a sharp change in my mental state, but that could also be influenced by the fact that I feel bad physically.
I feel strange – that is the best way I can describe it. I feel as though I haven’t slept in days, even though I’ve been getting 6-8 hours of sleep every night. The symptoms I am feeling are similar to how I feel when sleep deprived. It’s as if I’m about to come down with the flu. The general consensus of people I’ve talked to about this sudden change in medication is that my doctor absolutely should not have instructed me to just stop these medications.
Now that I have stopped them, however, I’d rather just get this withdrawal process over with. Should I expect my symptoms to get worse before they get better? How long should I expect to feel bad? Any bit of information anyone has for me would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
Mary, you are right about abruptly stopping the mirtazapine. I stopped abruptly after almost 8 years at 45 mgs. Get as much sleep as you can, regardless of how you feel. While you sleep, your body can use that energy to get back to a “sober” medicine free state. I am at over 6 months, and still having withdrawals. Does that mean that you will go that long?
No, it could be less or more. As far as withdrawals, mirtazapine is one of the worse. There are a number of symptoms, and they can come and go. Mine have been mostly GI pain and spasms, weakness, fatigue, nausea, weight loss, loss of appetite, and of course elevated anxiety. Read these posts, you will get an idea of what to expect.
No two people have the same experience, some that I have read about have gone over a year, while others are short and not too bad. I wish you the latter, but don’t be expecting either, just do your best to accept whatever comes your way. I have been sick from this since Feb 27th, and still have miserable days. I have learned to expect this to end whenever it ends.
It has gotten bad enough to have me considering going back on the mirtazapine, but then I remember what I wanted off of it, and fought of the temptation. I wish you luck, and a quick withdrawal. Don’t compare your experience to others, as it will only make matters worse and possibly frighten you that something else is wrong, although that could happen. I guess you see why this is so hard to go through. Take Care!
I started at 110 and this morning weighed 90. It doesnt help matters that I am not taking in enough calories to keep a bird alive. Tried to eat a salad with a chicken breast on top today. Ate about 2/3 of it and such a stomach ache. Just sat with a heating pad on my stomach until I felt better. Of course I have no appetite now and it is almost dinner time. I tried to count my calories one day and it added to about 1500. In order to gain I have to take in about 3000 a day.
Stomach just wont allow that though. Picked up some more Boost today. Will try some of that later. I am having problems with milk too and Boost says it is lactose free. Will see how that goes. Hope we can both weather through this and gain some weight. I think my weight started to decline about January but has gone faster since I cut back and finally off completely. It will be one month tomorrow since last bit of mirtazapine.
I have almost made it a month with no mirtazapine. BUT… still even with my slow withdrawal after 10 days I started feeling crummy. Chills, nausea, trouble sleeping. My doctor prescribed Zophran for the nausea but feel that trying to eat a bite of banana or oatmeal is almost as good. Talked with a pharmacist about this and he said because I was on it so long 2003-20015 it would probably take me longer.
He also said to my surprise that they are prescribing this for people with sleeping problems more than an antidepressant now. Poor people. They will sleep but at what expense. This board is what keeps me going though. I look at this frail old body and it scares me. If it weren’t for all of you with the same symptoms I would be scared to death I had cancer. My doctor wanted me to see a gastro but I know they would put me through a lot of horrid tests and find nothing. I had something similar 20 years ago (also caused by another med).
They did all their tests, found nothing so decided to do an exploratory operation. They just about killed me. Wound up in the hospital for 3 weeks. I did finally come out of it but it was rough. Know now not to have those tests that I just have to tough it out. I am so concerned about this weight though. 90.5 lbs and I am 78 so not very strong. Last time I got down to 89 lbs.
Found that oatmeal and banana set well in the stomach although I am not fond of either. Thank you for answering David. My thoughts and prayers are with you (all of you on this board) that we will all come through this and feel good again. I should say that since starting this milk is a problem for me. Bad stomach cramps. I love milk but now buy almond milk. –Judy you were talking about histamine. Could you give some suggestions on what you should and shouldn’t eat? I am not sure what foods have histamine.
Jan, what was your weight before going off the Mirtazapine? I am at 6 months, have lost over 30 lbs., and am still losing it. I weighed 168 this morning, and weighed 204 when this started.