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.
I had been on a low dose, 7.5 for about 6 years. I was sick of the tiredness and weakness. This is the 4th time I’ve tried to get off of it, the last three times failed. I slowly cut the dose over about 3 months and have been totally off for about 2 months.
The first couple of weeks were fine, except tiredness and muscle pain, but at about 2 or 3 weeks my anxiety symptoms started to return, kind of low grade but enough to degrade my sleep. And with any minor setback that life has, it gets overwhelming.
I’ve found some great Mindful meditation videos on YouTube that help so much. (Look for Mindful Movement). Also Melatonin at night does help. I hope these symptoms diminish soon, I don’t think I can take months more of enduring it.
I was only taking 15mg for a little over a week because I found the side effects too bad. I’ve been off it for about 5 days now and am struggling with headaches, sweating, sickness and tremors.
I was wondering if anyone had any experience of coming off them after such a short time and whether the withdrawal was likely to last as long as if I’d been taking them long term. Thanks.
Thanks to all of you who shared your experience here. I’m just on day 3 without mirtazapine. I can’t sleep and I feel like I’m trembling (but I’m not). I’ve stopped other anti-depressants and alprazolam could turkey before, but it seems mirtazapine is worse than all of them.
I just feel depressed with or without meds anyway, so I’m tired. I’m also already fat and it was a pain to move from morbid obese to just fat, now within two years of this medication I’m almost obese again – which obviously doesn’t contribute to any improvement in my mood.
I have been on Mirtazapine for nearly four years, 15 mg. Since I have had no depression symptoms for a couple of years I recently have initiated an attempt at tapering by alternating a 15 mg dose with a 7.5 mg dose on alternate days.
After three weeks of this, the only effect I am noticing is some stomach discomfort, especially in the evening, with lots of extreme gas and bloating. Has anyone else experienced this?
Hi John, you may have fewer withdrawal symptoms if you not alternate the dose. Take the 15 for a month, then reduce to 11.25 for a month, then 7.5 for a month, etc. That gives you the ability to adapt to the lower doses more easily. I know everyones experience is different, but that seem to be the general recommendation. (Also what I did). I wish you success!!
Been 11 days since I had any mirtazapine. Went from 7.5 mg to zero. Last three days have been challenging. Nausea was so bad two days ago that I vomited my lunch. Nausea went from just hitting me for an hour or two at lunch to almost all day long for the past two days.
I got some OTC nausea stuff and this has helped. I slept probably 6 hours this morning and early afternoon on top of 7 hours the night before. I am feeling much better tonight.
I ate a complete meal and am hoping that withdrawal will ease as the days go forward. This is a really strong drug and really no one should be prescribed it. Other antidepressants don’t seem to give this degree of withdrawal.
I’ve tapered from 11mg in early June to 7.5 mg by June 20. I stopped taking Mirtaz completely about 5 days ago. I gained about 20 lbs since starting the 11mg in January. I’m hoping the pounds will come off without too much work. I’ve had some “hot flashes”, weakness, fainting feeling over the last few days but I’m hoping I’ve made it through the worst.
I’m now up to 9 days off mirtazapine. I felt a lot of nausea and fatigue today. The nausea was so bad that I threw up my lunch. I’m not completely sure that withdrawal caused this as it could have been the seafood. I’m committed to never touching this stuff again. It has been quite the challenge to go off of. When did most folks withdrawal symptoms go away?
Hi, I’ve been on Metra 15mg for around 6 months. Gained over 18 lbs. I’m 69 and 5 ft 2 so this has impacted my daily life because I can’t move around as quick as I should to keep healthy. I started to reduce the dosage by cutting 1/4 off of each nightly tablet, then 1/3 off. No problems but did feel as if the fog was lifting from taking full tablets.
After 2 weeks cutting tablets in half, I’m now on 1/4 tablet nightly and have been for 1 week to date. I plan to continue for another week when I run out and hope for the best. This makes the whole process 1 month. I must say that after reading your comments, I’m a bit unsettled about what might happen after I stop or even later.
I’ve been on antidepressants for most of my life after a complete breakdown and had the maximum shock treatment in my early 20s, but I’m beginning to think some side effects are impairing me more that doing good. I appreciate all your help and comments. I wish I’d found this site before I embarked on reduction.
I thank you all. I will keep you informed on my progress.
I’ve come off 30mg of mirtazapine in under a month with no withdrawal issues.
After a long history of ‘depression’ I started researching and reading many books regarding the truth about depression and antidepressants and have been taking all the essential amino acids (precursors to serotonin, dopamine, GABA etc), gluten free diet and turmeric supplements (depression is a symptom of a bodily imbalance and often due to inflammation), probiotics, Ashwagandha, Maca root, inositol etc.
Feel like I’m finally firing on all cylinders, sleep better than ever and am no longer adding to the profit margins of Big Pharma :)
Hi Hannah, did you start taking the supplements while you were still on Mirtazapine, or did you wait until after your last dose of Mirtazapine? I am very interested in trying Tryptophan or 5-HTP but I am scared of serotonin syndrome (which you can apparently get if you take too many drugs at once). Hope to hear from you.
Hi I was put on 15 mgs but felt dopey. Switched to 7.5 but I have noticed feelings like I have a UTI but I don’t. I went cold turkey off the 7.5 about a week ago. The nausea in the morning is terrible. Still feeling very tired.
My psych has kept me on this for sleep but I have not enjoyed the side effects. I cross tapered off escitalopram 20mgs which I took for years over a month while increasing sertraline which I am at 150mgs. It is really difficult to find the right dose of meds.
I am also breastfeeding my almost 9 month old which limits our choices. I am hoping overall to see if anyone else had constant urge to urinate without relief. Thanks.
Was on the highest dosage of 45mg for years. Physiatrist advised me to just stop taking them “cold turkey.” 6 weeks in no depression, however, severe headaches, sickness, stomach cramps, no sleep and when I do sleep – crazy dreams.
Please has anyone else been this bad for this long? I don’t know how much more I can take of this. Appreciate anyone’s advice. ?
Emma it was real rough for me at first. I felt like I had been up for days even though I’d been sleeping ok. Very zombified and feeling this autumn-like, wintery-type gloom. But a month later I’m much better. You will survive as well.
Anybody had trouble with dry mouth and sore tongue/gums/throat when off the drug? I seem to have this right now and I am 3 months off mirtazapine. Also my jaws ache and the pain seems to stretch to the sinuses as well – have dry eyes and sneeze a lot.
I started taking Mirtazapine in Jan 2018 for anxiety! I only took about 5mg & started feeling better on a small amount but my doctor keep telling me to take more, take more! So I did & eventually got to 15mg! I started feeling very nauseous & was constantly tired!
I then after a few weeks I decided to reduce them! Have only made it down to 13mg & I have had CHRONIC withdrawals with just a small reduction! This drug is hell! If i’d known it was this bad coming off them,I would never have taken it!
Honestly I don’t know how the hell I’m going to get off them if I feel this bad! Utterly horrible antidepressants! I feel worse now than what I ever did before I went on them!
I’ve never had experienced such severe nausea before like when I started tapering off this drug.
So grateful to all of you for sharing your experiences. I’ve been on 15mg Mirtazapine for 10 months but I’ve noticed it just stopped working around 2 weeks ago. So I’ve decided it’s time to give it up.
I’m also on 10mg Brintellix which I will definitely continue as the last time I quit that my depression came back with a vengeance. I’m wondering if anyone else has been on this drug combination? Does the additional AD ease or exacerbate Mirtazapine withdrawal? Thanks again for sharing all your stories!
I started taking Mirtazapine in January to supplement 40 mg of citalopram I have taken for years. I was feeling defeated at work (stress with my job) and it pushed me into a depressive spell around November. The mirtazapine worked fairly fast to push me back up but now I want to come off it.
I tried back in March but the nausea was so great that I went back to the roughly 11.25 milligrams I was taking. I gained a lot of weight and feel vegetative/flat on the Mirtazapine and am ready to come off it. I think it’s going to take a slow taper as going down to 7.5 milligrams for four nights has left me with nausea and feeling off.
I took a 15 mg tablet last night and will go back to 7.5 tonight. By the way, did anyone experience increased sinusitis or fluid in the ear while on this?
Hi Charles, I suffer with recurring sinusitis and fluid in the ears whilst on it and during withdrawal. I have read that it messes with your histamine and noticed certain foods seemed to affect me.
I have been taking remeron for a long time roughly 7-8 years. I quit cold turkey 7 weeks ago. The first week I slept a lot was tired had no energy. The second and third week, I had some anxiety issues – nothing that caused many problems. Fourth week – a lot of nausea to the point I threw up due to intensified nausea.
Fifth week – had been using Benadryl and had some left over Tylenol 3 (used for muscle aches) to sleep were no longer working. So by week six I began experiencing very bad insomnia. To the point I took a 15 mg tab and crushed in into 4 pieces and took one piece. It helped me sleep.
But I didn’t want to go against – I wanted free from this medication. It had made a mess of my life. So now I’m dealing with insomnia. The beautiful thing is I feel better emotionally. I am slowly feeling more alert.
If only I could get some sleep it would be a walk in the park coming off this medication. I know it’s going to take time. I have read blogs that the light at the end of the tunnel is usually between 3-9 months. I have to face my fears!
Nancy, I was on 7.5 and dropped to 3.75 for about a week. The psych prescribed it “off script” for sleep. I felt great on 3.75. Too great actually. I quit cold turkey about three months ago.
I still have bouts of morning depression, head aches, tinnitus, itchiness, and stomach issues. The only thing that helps me is vigorous exercise. This is a terrible drug that should not be on the market.
I am dealing with horrible insomnia at the moment too. I am around 4-5 weeks since I stopped taking them (was taking them for around 9 months, first 15mg for few months then increased to 30mg for 6 months or so). I feel so tired because of not being able to sleep. I have mood swings too and bad anxiety spells at times, so you are not alone.
Hello. After being on mirtazapine for just over a year, titrating up to 45 mg and then back down to 30mg, I did a fairly rapid taper down from 30mg to 15mg to 0, probably over a period of just two weeks. I felt absolutely no symptoms whatsoever, until about two weeks later where for some reason I just couldn’t sleep, and this kicked off pre-existing kind of paranoid or psychotic-like symptoms, which I am certain was because of insomnia rather than Mirtazapine withdrawal.
For this reason alone I re-started the mirtazapine at 15mg. This was about 8 months ago. I have now been on mirtazapine for probably a bit over a year and a half, and I started tapering down more gradually, dropping from 15mg to 11.25mg to 7.5mg to 3.75mg to about 2mg; I can’t be precise as I’m cutting 15mg pills.
My experience of tapering this time has given me far more in-depth insight into the effects of Mirtazapine at different doses. Firstly, sleep has generally improved the lower I’ve gone while fatigue and exhaustion in the morning has increased. I am quite sure that this is not because of withdrawal symptoms but because Mirtazapine is increasingly sedating at lower doses.
And contrary to what doctors think, not to mention the pharmaceutical companies that produce Mirtazapine, for this 40 year old man with a small stature at least, I am discovering that the most effective dose for night-time sedation is certainly less than 11.25mg. Many people seem to think that fatigue is a withdrawal symptom, but in my experience it arises from the sedation at lower doses and this exhausting tends to last most of the day because Mirtazapine has a very long half-life and therefore plasma levels are reasonably stable over the day.
If you are experiencing unbearable exhaustion and fatigue, like I was at 7.5 mg, I would suggest that the thing to do is not go back up but actually cut further down because for me at 3.25mg the fatigue was less, and at about 2mg the fatigue is barely there at all (this morning, as it was only last night I dropped this low).
Regarding appetite, I am finding that my appetite has started to noticeably diminish under 7.5 mg, but we are all different, in size, age and many other variables for example I go to the gym every day and exercise might play a role. I am also on other medications which may impact my experience of withdrawal.
Doctors and psychiatrists do not have the insight into Mirtazapine and it’s withdrawal that we do as people who have gone through it. My mental health CPN said that on 15mg or less is basically just placebo effects. This is hogwash of course. Psychiatrists only have a theoretical understanding as well; they have rarely if ever experienced the medication or withdrawal from it, so unfortunately it is only the anecdotal reports of others that can how fast to try and figure out the nature of our own withdrawal experience.
I say unfortunately because everybody is different so one person’s experience won’t match and others. Also people who why comments on forums and things like this are likely to be those who have either just started or just started thinking about withdrawing, or don’t use who have had a tougher time withdrawing, obviously, because otherwise they probably wouldn’t be researching for answers to withdrawal related queries.
As such, the comments on forums and other threads such as this one may be the cause of anxiety or discourage men because they have a tendency to reflect the worst of withdrawal experiences from Mirtazapine rather than the normal experience. Perhaps most people have minimal if any withdrawal symptoms except probably insomnia, which may or may not be persistent, and which may or may not reflect and underlying propensity towards the condition.
For me I had insomnia for many years before taking mirtazapine and it would surprise me that the insomnia didn’t return with a Vengeance the moment I stopped last time. My first bout of insomnia pain 2 weeks after my last dose, and reading many experiences of Mirtazapine withdrawal, it seems clear that for many certain withdrawal symptoms have a delayed onset of about 2 or 3 weeks.
If only there were serious high quality research papers on mirtazapine withdrawal using short and long tapering protocols. It is not yet clear to me whether a short taper over a period of say 2 weeks to a month is better or worse than a more gradual taper which may just draw out the process make it ultimately more uncomfortable.
Some doctors recommend a more rapid taper and I have tried both, and the rapid taper was painless. Yet at the same time it is hard to fault the logic of them or gradual taper which theoretically gives the body more time to adjust to increasingly lower plasma levels of this unpleasant and often troublesome drug.
Hi, I have been trying to wean of remeron for the past 6 months. Had been taking it for 10 years without issues other than the weight gain. In recent months I have been getting warnings from my GP about my blood sugar and cholesterol elevations.
I felt that this was related to my weight gain of about 40 lbs over the years taking it, so I decided to try to address it. My dose was 30 mg at night. The only way to reduce dose was to break each of the tablets into 4 doses. My decrease schedule was 30, 22.5, 15, 11.25, 7.5, 3.75, and lastly 1.87.
Each decrease was over 3 weeks. This was uneventful until I stopped the 1.87 mg. About one week later I developed dizziness, nausea, diarrhea and headache. I find it interesting that I developed all physical symptoms rather than emotional ones!! This fact is helping me to keep my resolve to stop them for good.
I do not take any other medications, so I cannot treat these symptoms other than to resume the remeron at 1.87mg and try to wean that dose slower. I have decided to try every 2nd day then 3rd etc. I am hoping this diminishes the symptoms.
I have been reading bogs for some time, but I related to your comments closer than any others I have read. I am doing this without consultation with psych since my next appointment is still 2 months away. I felt the need to convey this to someone who may understand the process. I am still optimistic that I will have success.
I’m like Patty. It’s been about four weeks. I feel nauseous all the time and get frequent headaches. The itching drives me nuts, the only way I can get it to calm down is to take a cool shower, I stay in the shower for as long as I can.
I often getting up in the middle of the night because I want to tear my skin off. I have been on this medication for many years and it was causing serious problems.
I ended up in hospital with pneumonia where they couldn’t rouse me from a sleep for a couple of days because the mirtazapine had reached saturation point in my body preventing me from being able to fight off the infection.
Horrible medication, especially when it didn’t really help my depression much. I am just on Effexor now. I’ll be a happy puppy when these withdrawal symptoms are cleared up.
I was on the max dose for several years and lower doses before that. I went overseas to meet my sister whom I hadn’t seen in years. Whilst there, decided on a whim to kick the meds cold-turkey. Felt nothing, had a wonderful holiday catching up with my sis; drank, laughed and cried a lot.
Lots of emotional turbulence saying goodbye and coming back home nearly a week ago. Now 24 days off the 45mg. Side effects: rampant diarrhea, but that could have been Asian diet and lots of street food. Severe sweats: Jeez, it was Thailand at the start of the rainy season; hot and humid.
Mind racing when I go to bed: Also attributable to emotional turbulence as I face some fairly tough issues that i would have to be dead not to feel. Occasional mild panic ditto.
Occasional feelings of inadequacy; hmmm, the pills or no pills, I admit to times of grappling with that and can reason my way past it. So far, so good…now if I can just get these stupid gremlins off my bed; they irritate the crap out of my leprechauns…
How is it going with cold turkey?
I was on 45 mg for only 10 months. I knew I needed to get off this crazy medication. About a month into taking this medicine I developed muscular issues with my jaw which prevented me from fully opening my mouth.
I also developed spasms of my jaw muscles which caused night time and even day time tongue biting. To top it all off, I got phantom itching of the arms, torso, and scalp. I have been completely off it for eight months but these symptoms are still present.
Anybody have similar experiences? How long does it take for this nightmare of side effects to completely go away? My thanks to everyone for sharing and listening. Be well.
HELP! I titrated off Mirtazapine too fast. I had’t felt a impact from it (on for 2 yrs,) and I wanted to decrease the number of scripts I was on. Sorry, too wordy, lol. I got off the 30mgs by skipping a night for about 3 nights. On my silly rationalization that I didn’t notice significant leveling of my anxiety.
Well – today is about 3 or 4 weeks without them. Last week I noted that I was having a significant increase of of BAD anxiety. Today is the worse day so far. My issues (lol) have been constant severe anxiety attacks that last all day, skin is crawling, can’t sit still – have to be moving all the time, no appetite, almost a dissociated sense of self.
There are more but I don’t want to blather on & on, lol. How long will this go on? I even, for 2 secs., of restart taking them – defeats my whole purpose. Any words of wisdom will be greatly appreciated. I tried to read all the comments but got way overwhelmed. Thanks so much, Patty
Hello Patty, It’s not clear how you tapered… Did you skip doses still being on 30 mg? And then quit completely? That is a very high dose!
I think you should reinstate as quickly as possible on the dose you were on – or slightly less and do a slow taper of no more than 2-5% – 2-4 weeks or until you feel stable. I jumped when I was on approx. 1 mg and suffered horrendously for almost 6 weeks (I now have my first window).
Be safe, Magdalena
Magdalena, When you say you “suffered horribly” for 6 weeks can you be more specific? I too am getting ready to jump off at 1 mg. Thank you, Beth
My wife was on mirtazapine for 10 years 15mg a day, she withdrew using liquid by 3.5 mg / week over 5 weeks all went well with very mild withdrawal until 4 weeks after taking her final dose. At 4 weeks of not taking mirtazapine she has been struck with severe fatigue, nausea, headaches and extreme dizziness / vertigo.
She has now been stuck in bed for two weeks as she is unable to stand / walk unaided. Has anyone else suffered with the dizziness like this? As our Dr says he has never seen a case like it and I am worried it is something undiagnosed. Any comments appreciated.
I suffered such severe vertigo that I couldn’t even ride in cars with someone else driving. I initially took Remeron as both an antidepressant and to get off of benzodiazepine but eventually ended up taking both.
One day I had a nagging feeling I might die in my sleep as my nightmares indicated, and I quit Xanax, Methadone and Remeron cold turkey all at once. I grew psychotic, not surprisingly, and am now on much lower doses but need to lose the weight I gained from the Remeron.
I plan to cut them in half and taper slowly but fear going through that massive brain trauma again (paranoia, racing thoughts, night terrors, dry heaving, etc.)
Perhaps starting something like Effexor will lessen the withdrawal. Remeron (IMO) has high potential for abuse due to calming, sleepy feeling one craves with chemical imbalance.
How is she now? Still fatigued?
I am still tapering but for 3-4 hours a day I feel like I just got off the teacup ride at Disneyland. I have to work so I just hang onto anything I can but if it gets ANY worse I won’t be able to work. And since I’m not completely off, I assume it’s going to get worse.
But yes, this is “normal” and it’s doubtful anything else is to blame. Some suffer more than others… will be keeping you in my thoughts. Please continue to post with updates. Beth
14 months after quitting and I still have symptoms. Post acute withdrawal symptoms… extreme insomnia, low libido, itching, bad appetite. My life is ruined.
Patrick, Please give an update now that some time has passed. Are you doing any better?
I was on Remeron for 10 years, and for the first 4 was on 90mg! (Doctor had to get special permission from the medical board or something). I tapered very very slowly, mostly starting at 60mg. I had no problems coming off any of the tapers (60 – 45 – 30 – 15, for a few months each and then 7.5 for only 2 weeks).
It’s been 6 days since I’ve taken none. The only things I’m experiencing so far, and these are the first withdrawal symptoms throughout all the tapers, are a lessened appetite (which I’m happy about!) and today my skin is very itchy. How amazing!!!
UPDATE: It’s now been 11 days since being off mirtazapine. I ended up taking the week off work because suddenly I was getting zero sleep, was having hot a cold flashes, crazy itching and allergies and no appetite and a tiny bit of nausea.
Sleeping with a fan has helped the night time hot flashes for sure. I still don’t have much of an appetite but am working away at it. Some morning anxiety, but my afternoons have been getting better and better and I feel I can see the light.
Time will tell. I got a bit of sleep last night, so am very very grateful for that! My PTSD, panic and depression haven’t remotely made an entrance so I’m very thrilled and optimistic about this!
I’m grateful I tapered for 10 months, though I didn’t taper as low as many people on here have… I hope you all are holding strong!
Ms. Me, Are you still doing ok? It sounded like you were getting thru pretty well… Any more symptoms?
I have been on 30mg of Mirtazapine for depression about a year. I decided to taper down but wish I had read this first. I cut from 30mg to 15mg 6 days ago. Today I was in a meeting and had a blackout that lasted about 10 minutes.
I wonder if it was caused by cutting this drug in half? I feel fine now (2 hrs. later). I will slow down on tapering. I may go to the doctor tomorrow.
Has someone successfully conquered withdrawal symptoms? I would like to know if it can be done. I’m struggling and its 3 weeks since I took my last dose. I took 7.5 mg of remeron for 4 months and had to stop because it really stopped working for me and I did not want to increase dosage.
I sleep on average 3 hours per night (struggle sleep) and still just feel like a zombie. There have been some instances in a day when I feel normal, so this gives me hope.
My therapist just wants to throw more meds at me when I tell him about symptoms. Next week I will start this neurofeedback (brain mapping) and hopefully this works.
Hi Marco, I have exactly the same issue with sleep, 3 hours of struggle sleep a night, and my doctor also wanted to increase my dose from 15mg up to 45mg. It scared the hell out of me. I felt terrible on this drug, so I stopped taking it.
Everyday I tell myself there is hope, I will beat it. But I can’t help but think that maybe once you have taken it that maybe you have screwed up your nervous system for life! I hope not!
I have gotten off this drug successfully! I can most definitely be done. I slowly cut down to 7.5mg. Once there, I began taking it only when I felt withdrawal symptoms kick in. The chills were always the first symptom for me.
So, what ended up happening is I’d take it one night, and then skip the next. Usually I’d feel chills that next day, so I’d take 7.5mg the following night to sleep. Eventually, I was able to take it every other night with no withdrawal symptoms.
I just kept spacing out my doses as far as I could. Once I was taking it every 3-4 days, the withdrawal symptoms were so mild, that taking Benadryl helped me sleep on rough nights and I was able to never take Mirtazapine again.
I wish you the best. It’s very possible to kick this nasty addiction!
Thank you Thomas, this gives me hope. I have taken 7.5 mg of Remeron for over 10 years for sleep and trying to get off it. I have been off it for 5 weeks now and experiencing insomnia issues for sure as well as other symptoms.
I keep wondering how long this is going to last. It’s disheartening and seems to be taking a long time. Tough to stay off it when not sleeping well. I will try the benadryl. Hoping I get over this soon.
Was wondering how you are doing Thomas as far as sleeping? Has it gotten better? I am going try and get off this drug I am just worried about sleeping – that is why the doctor put me on it in the first place, but I want to get off of it now.
Hello Everyone. Thank you for all your comments it helps me to put my withdrawal symptoms into perspective. I was on 15 mg of mirtazapine for two and a half years. I’m so grateful for it, I needed it and I don’t regret going on it at all. I knew to taper off it once I was ready.
I tried a year ago but couldn’t the anxiety was to much. This year I lowered the dose and no anxiety so I was ready. I continued to slowly lower the dose over two months and then started taking it every other day and then every three days. Then I forgot all about it and stopped taking it… 1 week later headaches, nausea, tired some days fatigued other days.
Not sleeping some days and feeling like I never get enough sleep even if I do sleep. My feet sweat and I have weird itchiness and I’m so so irritable! No depression or anxiety though which is amazing to me after everything I went through that put me on this drug to begin with. This I can handle even if it gets worse.
I’m three weeks now and the nausea is the worst symptom so I think I will try an anti-nausea drug to help me with that. It’s constant and seemingly no end to it. However from what people have said it typically goes away eventually. I’m sorry for everyone having a really hard time with their withdrawals and wish you all the best.
Hello everyone fighting with withdrawals. I have during a couple of years taken a very small dose ca. 1,5 mg. Have been trying to reduce, and finally quit but it seems to be impossible.
Now I am trying again and this time I have developed excruciating joint pain, in hands, fingers, shoulders, elbows. My doctor doesn’t believe me this small dose can have any impact on my health, so I have nobody to help me and reassurance.
I have noticed that every time I reduce the dose new symptoms are coming, every time there is something new. The joint pain is so strong it’s debilitating, and I am of course very afraid that it’s some sickness and not withdrawal. Sorry for the long comment.
Hi. I’m very sorry to hear about your struggling and hope you’re feeling better by now. I have been on mirtazapine 15mg for 7 years and decided to quit cold turkey 11 weeks ago. It was hell – still is. I’m very healthy – never get sick except the odd colds here and there during the winter, but always been healthy thank god.
I’ve never felt this ill in my entire life and for so long. First week was ok. Second – that’s when the W/D kicked in. Nausea, drowsiness, morning vomiting and morning diarrhea, cold sweats, joint pain, fatigue, blurry vision, severe stomach pain, severed decreased appetite, unable to swallow solid food, severe insomnia (and when I say severe, I mean I was only sleeping for a hour straight without nytol).
These W/D are ruining my life as I’m isolated and don’t have the strength to even do simple daily task like cleaning the house or doing groceries. couldn’t even touch my stomach. I think I’m anemic now as well as I still can’t eat and just live on smoothies. However today I had a small portion of pasta which makes me so grateful.
Prayers are what gets me through. I never suffered from depression, but I was having a hard time sleeping and eating due to stress. Still think they shouldn’t have prescribed this to me. I even had an endoscopy done last week and it said gastritis as my stomach was inflamed. So I know what everyone who’s suffering is going through, as I’m on the same boot. I’ve tried literally everything that’s out there.
I even tried L Arginine 500mg and L Tryptophan 1000mg before bed, didn’t work at all. It just made more anxious. Omega 3 should help according to doctors. Yesterday I was so ill and desperate to go back on it, then something stopped and said “you’ve come this far don’t go through this again.” I just want my life back.
I’m a young woman who has her whole life ahead of her. Researching individual symptoms just makes me more paranoid so I stopped doing that. I’d really like to hear from you to see how you’re feeling even though it’s been a couple of weeks since you posted this. I wish us all a quick recovery. ? Nadine
Hello Nadine. Sorry you are going through all these WS of remeron… I was prescribed remeron before 6 years and it helped me to gain weight (I was so skinny). I’m 35 now and I have decided to quit taking it. Last October I went from 15 mg which is my dose to 7.5 mg last week I tapped to 6 mg for a week then decided to go cold turkey.
I went through anxiety last month with hot flashes but I could manage. Today is my third day off Mirt. Last two nights weren’t perfect. I got up after 5 hours and I prepared myself for all the symptoms. I really can’t stand taking this medicine – I need to go back to life.
I use a lot of supplements (vit D, omega 3, zinc, magnesium, vit C, multi) and I use some herbs to ease anxiety and stress (Ashwagandha is really helpful). Also use chamomile to help me sleep at night with magnesium gel. I exercise every other day (weight lifting and rebounding).
I drink a lot of water and think it’s a matter of time hopefully to go back to normal situation. Wish you good luck and you may consider taking supplements like magnesium. It helps a lot with insomnia as well as nausea and stomach issues. Thanks ?
Hi Omar. Thanks for your the tips, I really appreciate it. I’m glad you’re not suffering as much as I am, don’t even wish this my worst enemy. I’ve started taking vitamins last week, no improvement as yet. I take iron, vitamin d, b12, b3, b6, Magnesium, omega 3 for vegans, vitamin C and chewable probiotics and an enzyme supplement.
Still struggling to eat properly, but that has been always a problem for me, however not as much as now. I can deal with the anxiety, but the nausea is killing me. I’ve literally tried everything even some herbs and spices like cloves, and so on. Kefir is supposed to help, but it only makes things worse.
I will continue using those vitamins and probiotics. I don’t want to complain as this is just a trial for me to deal with, but it’s literally draining me. I really hope your symptoms don’t worsen as the first 1 and half is bearable and majority of people get it few weeks later. I don’t want to scare you, but keep up with what you’re doing and am sure you’ll be fine.
Exercise is definitely the best thing to get this devil drug out of your system for once and all. I will remember you in my prayers, please do the same for me. If you have any questions at all, please feel free to reply. Good luck, and wish u a quick recover. Nadine
Hi I’m now two weeks off today and the withdrawals have been horrific. Today my body aches so much, but what for me is the most frightening, are the tremors and heart palpitations. I do walk my dog every day briskly for one mile which is hard as I’m very exhausted.
I’m so looking forward to these symptoms to subside as I miss my life all I’m doing is dealing with sleepless nights heart palpitations sweats and more. I managed to taper from 30mg to 4mg in four months then I stopped 2 weeks ago. I really hope I’m not one of the unlucky ones that has withdrawals for years.
How are you now Nadine? I’m at 7 weeks off and so bloody exhausted & tired all day – everyday.
Hi there. I am 2 weeks from reducing Mirtazapine from 15mg to 13mg and I can’t believe how awful I feel! Honestly this drug should be banned! I have NEVER in my whole life felt so terrible than what I do right now! I can’t believe that just reducing it by such a small amount can make me so sick!
It’s a joke! I feel your pain cuz I’m going thru it too! I’m so tempted to go back to my original 15mg but I honestly don’t think I could bare going thru this hell again (and I’ve still got the rest of the tablet to withdraw from!!! ???) Apparently it comes right eventually! Hang in there! X
Hello Nadine, How are you doing? Hopefully everything is settled down and got better. It’s been a while since your last comment.
Hi Magdalena, very sorry to hear bout your withdrawal symptoms. I went down 4 or 5 months ago from 60mg Mirtazapine to 30mg. My main concern was muscle spasms, joint aches, and pains like yourself.
So you can indeed get joint pain while reducing Mirtazapine. I hope your symptoms very soon taper off for you. Take care and best wishes. Tazza
Hello Tazza, How are you today? Are you still tapering? Since I reached zero (5 weeks ago) my symptoms are hellish. More and more coming every day. The joint pain is better but muscle pain is not, it feels like an inflammation and they are very stiff.
Also, did you have diarrhea and increased anxiety? I can now not go outside my house, get anxiety attacks, stiff muscles, dizzy and ringing in ears. Most muscle pain is now in my shoulder blades and back. Hope you are feeling better.
I have the same joint pain. Also nausea, headaches, fatigue, legs hurt. It’s no fun but it will get better. Hang in there.
I was put on Mirtazapine in mid August 2017-stopped taking it cold turkey about 3 weeks ago. The last week of January (2018) I realized that something was wrong. I realized that my dose of 45 Mirtazapine (started at 15) was poisoning me. One of the worst problems is dry mouth so severe that I have worn down a front tooth.
It still persists today. I am also very irritable and suffer terrible dizziness. I am currently or since I stopped experienced EVERY side effect/withdrawal symptom out there. Terrible drug!!! I believe that intense warnings should be explained before people are given this drug.
Not only the obvious problems but the potential liver damage that it can/does cause. It is not easy but I am NOT going back to it at any dose. Good luck to all of us who have realized that stopping is the only solution.
I’ve not been paying attention to my meds and ACCIDENTALLY been taking 60mg of Mirtazapine for about 2 months, up from 27.5 I read this instructions and looked at the bottle tonight!! Also on Klonopin and Ambien as well as Melatonin. Missed 30mg of Mirt last night. going for 45mg tonight and for 1 week then back down to 30mg where I’m “supposed” to be. Then 15mg. Wish me luck!
I stopped Mirtazapine 40 mgs 10 days ago cold turkey!! I also stopped Celexa & Valium at the same time. I feel fine except for the intense sweats!! I am so much happier & have been doing a lot of reading on Spirituality & meditation. My so called therapist wanted to put me in the hospital for detox!!
I told her to pound salt!! My husband is very supportive and helping me while making sure I continue to detox. I was in therapy for 10 years!! I know it is good for some people, but I also feel it is a business where so called professionals and drug companies make money off of peoples pain and suffering!!
I have looked into my soul and I KNOW I can beat this thing!! I have lost all respect for the psychiatric profession!!! I KNOW each day I am getting better and this to shall pass!! I will NEVER take another psychiatric drug again so help me god!!
I have lost 6 pounds already without even trying. That was part of my depression!! Search your souls and do what is right for you, but don’t TRUST the Psychiatric Field blindly!! Remember you are just a number and they are making money off of you!!!
Kathy, you and I are on the same wavelength. After my doctor decided to only work one day a week and not tell any of her patients and not give another physician permission to refill medications (she only does it the one day she’s working now), and after letting her know I would be in another state for a month and her telling me she would transfer my prescriptions, yet refusing to do so when the time had come, thereby making me cut my vacation short, it was like my intuition finally kicked in.
I am tired of having psychiatric labels put on me and taking this medicine – remeron, lamictal, and klonopin – which I have thought for quite some time is actually making me worse. Every time I would talk about getting off them, my doctor would get mad and then throw a line out like “The more times you have an episode of depression, the more likely it won’t go away and you’ll have it for life.” Really?!!
So I’m in the process of quitting. I could go into a whole lot more detail about why she put me on these meds, the dosages she put me on, which according to everything I’ve read in the MEDICAL literature is a no-no, but I won’t. All I’ll say is anxiety and situational depression. I think the psychiatry world has gone crazy with labels and medications, and I’m tired of being one of their victims.
Because she wouldn’t transfer my lamictal, I had to stop abruptly. 150 mgs for 2 years. No problem. She had me up to 60 mg of remeron at one point, and I gained 50 pounds and went down myself. She got angry. Oh, well. I’ve been on 15 mg for 2 years now, remeron itself for 4. I have dropped to 7.5 mg for almost a week now.
I have been on klonopin for 12 years. Ridiculous, as all the medical literature says not to keep someone on it for more than 6 months. Within 3 weeks, I am taking 1.5 mgs a day, down from 3. I will taper until I’m off. I know withdrawal symptoms can be harsh, but think of all the harsh chemicals that are in these medications and what they’re doing to your body.
I also have researched thoroughly, and I’m taking L-Theanine, Turmeric, a food-based multivitamin, and omega 3. I’m eating foods filled with omega 3. I’m exercising daily, no matter how tired I am. I found an excellent app for guided meditation, and it’s amazing. I also have been in and out of therapy since I started having panic attacks 12 years ago.
I have learned more on my own and have wasted thousands and thousands of dollars on these so-called professionals. I am thinking more clearly already and, amazingly, am calmer. I knew the medications were making me worse. I have the shakes a few times a day, and hot flashes and sweating just started yesterday. No big deal.
I would rather go through this and be chemically and psychiatrist free than be poisoned slowly by this out of control medical field. I had anxiety even on the meds, so what’s the difference, other than now and In the future, I will be toxin free and healthy!
All of you who decide to stay on this medication or get on another one to “help” with withdrawals, please rethink this. You are stronger than you think, and your mind is a whole lot stronger than what your doctors have told you. You can do this! Breathe!!!!!
Agreed! I quit Xanax, Methadone and Remeron cold turkey because I got the feeling I was not going to wake up one day. Because I grew paranoid, I was locked in a psychiatric hospital against my will where they gave shots if you did not take the medication they gave you.
It was dehumanizing and completely useless and makes me never want to seek help for mental health. I am back on 22.5 mg a day of Remeron but plan to taper so I don’t die from obesity!
I’ve gained nearly 100 lbs since I started Remeron and lost 36 when I quit taking it without even trying. Good to know I’m not alone.
Kathy, So good to read that you are doing well. How much mirtazapine were you taking and how did the doctor taper you down off it?
Hi Kathy, I am so excited to see someone else who has leaned into their faith and meditation to help with coming off of this medication. My GP doesn’t think I will cope without it but I hate what it is doing to my body. How are you going now?
Because of life-long pain management, a 15mg daily dosage of Mirtazapine has been taken for about 5 years to help with the distress caused by that pain. Even after having taken it that long, I experienced no discernible side effects with a 2-week withdrawal routine of 7.5mg for 1-week, then 3.25mg for the final week.
That may be unique to me, as I also discontinued Norco 7.75mg, pain management narcotic, taken for 14 years, without any adverse reaction at the same time and duration as the the Mirtazapine. With the exception of elevated pain levels, I feel much better, and life is now worth living again. Discontinuing these medications should have been done years ago.
So pleased to hear that you feel better. Take care :)
Following up on my last comment from Feb. 3, 2016 – I am a 17-year veteran of mirtazapine and am happy to say that about 1.5 years after starting to go off the drug, I’m pretty much free of it. At this point, I keep a prescription for 7.5 mg on hand, but take just a trace a night that is less than a gram, if that. I probably go through 2 7.5 mg pills in a month, probably less.
I am holding on to it as a mental crutch. I have no problems sleeping and the allergy like symptoms disappeared a long time ago. I am posting to give others hope that it is possible to wean off the drug over time. I don’t regret taking the drug because it helped me during my time of need. However, I wish that my physician had pointed out risks and what can happen to one’s brain over time.
My elderly mother has some dementia so of course, I am concerned about my own memory as I age. There are some articles that note a potential link between anti-depressants and memory loss, but no doctor has ever mentioned this to me. My plan is to go off completely gradually over the next year or so.
I started some hormone replacement therapy a year ago, if you’re a midlife female struggling to sleep at night and have other annoying change of life symptoms, HRT may be a temporary solution to help during the transition. That said, I was able to come off the drug slowly even without the HRT – my tip is to go slow and give it time. In terms of weight, I am down about 3-5 pounds but I also exercise more consistently.
I became more used to the appetite-stimulating side effects of the drug after about 5 years or so on the drug, and was even at a lighter weight at one point when I was on 15 mg daily. So, if you’re struggling with weight gain, over time, your body will become more used to it and you can manage your weight effectively, without struggle. When I first went on the drug, I was ravenous and gained a good 20 pounds or so.
Hi David, For those of us on medications a longer time, there is potential for the healing process to continue longer. I’ve heard of people still recovering after 6 or 7 years. I hesitate to say that, because it might be discouraging to some that are earlier on in the process. And not everyone will take that long, even if they’ve been on a medication for awhile. There are a lot of factors, probably many we don’t yet understand.
I go through periods where it feels like nothing is changing. Yet if I look back for 6 months or a year, I can more easily observe differences. I do my best to face each symptom that’s there, and try not to give into the fears of never getting better. At times, I’ll seek out acupuncture. It’s been very good for symptom relief, even if it’s not changing the time period that healing is taking. I wish I could find something that would help change the underlying problems that lead to histamine intolerance, but there are few practitioners who have even heard of it.
I know this process can be very discouraging at times for all of us. Certain symptoms are more debilitating than others. I have my moments too, of wondering if I things will ever be normal again. Eating a very limited diet is very limiting in the rest of my life too. I can very rarely eat anything out, which means being unable to travel or even share a meal with someone. I do my best to focus on how much better most other aspects are. And maybe because I am so blasted stubborn, I simply will not let doctors or pharmaceuticals win this. I am beyond determined to find whatever healing is possible.
If you are looking for something very inspirational, you might google “beyond meds”. The woman who writes this was on a huge cocktail of drugs for a good share of her life. She has done amazing work to find healing. I stumbled on her site early on in WD. It helped give me hope that I could heal too.
Just reading all these comments as I’m about a month through 50% reduction. I was on 60mg for about 7 years. I noticed the maximum dose is 45mg? Could my dosage cause me any long-term issues? Came across this thread as I’m a year into my first job back after being ill. My sleep is all over the place and feel teary, plus have issues with moods and concentration. Don’t really want to go back on a higher dose but don’t want to get worse again. Any suggestions? -Tia
Tia, What you are most likely reacting to is the amount that you have reduced in a short period. Given the dose you were on and the length of time, 50% is probably way too much. The recommendation is to reduce by 10% of the current dose about every 4-6 weeks. Some people are able to go more quickly, but some also have to do much less than that. Did you make that cut all at once? So, you are currently at 30 mg? You could try reinstating a small amount and see how you do.
Like perhaps going up to 37.5 and waiting awhile at that, to see how things go. If you are trying to work, it’s doubly important to go slowly. It might seem discouraging to think it will take years to get off it, but you’re getting a small taste of what it can be like to go too fast. If you google, “tips for tapering remeron”, you will find some information on a site that tell you more about the process. Good luck.
Thanks for checking in David. I was thinking of you and wondering how you were doing. I can understand the despair over those last symptoms ever changing. I have my own version and I am further away from the drug than you are (2 & 1/2 years for me). However, the fact that all the other symptoms have resolved for you in a relatively short time (I know it probably feels like forever) is a good sign.
You were on Remeron for awhile and at the higher dose. You might not believe this, but you’re doing far better than people I know of who have gone CT. Plus, you had a couple of on again/off again tries. Some aspects of healing seem to take a longer time than others.
As I remember, you were doing a lot of good things in terms of self-care. I encourage you to keep plugging away and if you can, remain open to not knowing how things might continue to unfold in your healing. I’ve heard of people who are still healing for a long time after they quit the drug. Judy
Judy, thanks for the reply. I would be lying if I said that not afraid of how this will turn out. Right now, I am spending a lot of time in bed with a heating pad. Also, nausea and vertigo come and go.
I try to go walking every day, and eat nutritious foods. But the abdominal spasms seem to rob me of my energy, the ability to think clearly, and any hope for future healing. I will try to follow your advice.
I feel sorry for my wife, who has retired and now has this to deal with. Thank you again for your response. I thought that the fact that I am not healed after 14 months pretty much means that I am not going to. A little hope means a lot. Take care and continue to get better, David
Hello! Just checking in. History – 8+ years on Remeron at 45 mgs. Had to get off due to side effects. First try was taper given by doctor, that had me off the drug in 4 weeks. Three days later the WD symptoms started and continued to get worse. My GI doc put me back on a lower dose, 7.5 mg, which was still 37.5 less than I had been on.
I went off it again cold turkey, and suffered for 10 months before going back on 3.75. Heart rhythm side effects caused me to once more get off the stuff. That was December 14th 2015, cold turkey again. About 3 days later, withdrawal starts again. It has now been about 14 months, and most of the symptoms have resolved.
I am left with anxiety and severe colon spasms. I see no relief in sight from these and am depressed at thinking of a life ruined by Remeron. Whatever you do, taper the stuff as long as you have to. It may not make a difference anyway, but at least be as kind to yourself as you can be. Godspeed & Healing to you all! David
’04 I started this drug at 15 then to 45 and as high as 60mg. I went down to 30mg after going to another doctor. I got depressed again and was put back on 45mg. Well I felt horrible and just plain crappy. After years now, 12 now to be exact, I went cold turkey.
Done with this rollercoaster. Side effects of withdrawal are horrible. Sweats, itching, moodiness and brain fog. I’m at 2 weeks now. I’ve got flu-like symptoms also. I flushed them all. I only wish at this point to be on a mild dose of my clonazepam for anxiety. That too I’m cutting back.
Currently 4mgs a day to 3 now. My doctor won’t be happy but I want to be me again. The antidepressant rollercoaster I’ve been on for years now. I’ve tried em all. Just want to be me again.
Weaning off Remeron and the side effects: I weaned very slowly off Remeron, as I read many stories about how difficult the effects can be. I decreased by 3.75 mg each month, which made for an easier time. If I decreased by more than that, I was anxious.
It took me about 5 months, but well worth taking it slow and I highly recommend others wean off by 10% decrease of the dosage you are on or no more than 3.75mg. Next, for withdrawal symptoms, I had a little nervousness, irritability, difficulty sleeping and headaches, but it didn’t last long and wasn’t that bad. THE WORST PART IS THIS ITCHING I HAVE OF MY ENTIRE BODY, WORSE AT NIGHT!!
It started about 2 weeks after I stopped the Remeron completely. I had no idea it could be a common side effect of withdrawals until I looked it up on this site! Benadryl, creams nothing is helping me yet. I just called my doctor to see what I can do about this, as I can’t sleep due to insomnia and itching from head to toe every single night and it says this itching could last up to 3 months after stopping the med.
I would never recommend Remeron to anyone due to all this! Plus I craved carbs like crazy and gained 40 lbs on it. As soon as I stopped it, the weight is falling off me, and no more crazy cravings! If anyone has any help for this itching or has experienced it, please let me know!!!
I feel like I am going crazy! I have weaned off many anti-depressants in my life and never ever had this awful side effect of itching like you have poison ivy from head to toe! Benadryl doesn’t work because it’s the nerve endings that are causing the itching, not an allergy! HELP!!
Marie, If you read some of the posts above, you’ll see that some of us have been helped by following a low histamine diet. Remeron works as an antihistamine, so coming off it results in a rebound effect. Your body may be too sensitized at the beginning for any supplements. It took awhile before I was able to tolerate those, but everyone is different. Eventually, vitamin C and quercetin helped in reducing the histamine – along with the diet. Good luck to you. Judy
My neurologist replaced Celexa with Remeron at 7.5 mg per night. Night 1 brought a feeling of tumbling over with very vivid, wired dreams and inability to get up in the morning. My eyes felt as if I was spinning all the following day.
I spoke to her on day 3, asking for a change of medication, but she told me to keep at it and by day 4 or 5 I would settle in. This did not happen so on day 6 I cut the pill in quarter, taking a quarter for two nights and taking the pill earlier. No change in feelings so on night 7 I cut the quarter in half so I took one eighth for two nights.
Last night I decided not to take any medication at all. I woke once and went back to sleep to more vivid dreaming. Today my feelings of instability and wooziness continue.
I forgot to say that I awaken to pretty severe front of head pain ever dice taking remeron. I’m drinking lots of water and hoping that this will flush my system. For me this medication has too many side effects as I live alone in a two story townhouse, and must drive.
Hi J.Shepard, I have the symptoms (vivid dreams) same like you. I have been off Remeron for 3.5 months. Now I’m not taking any other medications. Hopefully the normal sleep will return to us.
I’m glad you’ve seen some improvement in your sleep Karamjit and that some of the other symptoms have lessened too. I really hope that things continue to get better for you on all fronts, especially with sleep. I worry that it’s disheartening to hear that someone is still struggling 2 1/2 years out, but then forget that I’m doing better than some at this time frame.
I know my situation was complicated by some other factors, including the death of my partner a year before I started tapering. The combination of grief and withdrawal was almost too much to manage sometimes. However, I know I’m coming out the other side of both of these things.
I’ve been working this past year and though it’s only part-time, it’s a sign that I’m better than I was before. And since my job will end sometime this year, I am looking at trainings and other options for work. I’m 62, but not yet ready to retire. With everything I’ve been through, I feel I still have something left to contribute. I hope the suffering will somehow be of help to others, as it has been in my current work.
Not feeling well and having limited energy has had one huge benefit. It’s made me become much clearer on what really matters. I’ve let go of some friendships that weren’t working and am much more careful of what I commit to. I’ve become an expert on taking care of myself. I’m committed to daily meditation practice, exercise, and eating as healthy as possible.
I’m very careful about what I take in–from food to supplements, and even to what I’m willing to watch on TV. Everything we do has an impact, only this is much more apparent during withdrawal. Wishes for health and healing for everyone who finds themselves here.
I am really thankful to you Judy, you came back again and again on this website to post your health update and gave a lot of people hope that it can get better. You don’t know how much it really means for the people who are in the middle of this withdrawal hell. The only way to know that it can get better is from the people who really went through this hell and came on the other side but very few people come back to tell their recovery stories and that’s very sad.
I am really happy for you that many of your earlier symptoms are gone completely and that at least gives you some quality of life and the hope for a better life in the future. I am sure that you will heal further because a lot of people who are recovered fully were still in bad shape in your timeframe. People who recovered fully came back after 4 to 5 years to post their success stories.
So there is a hope for further improvement. I am also thankful that you asked about my health. Judy, I have had a lot of symptoms after I quit the remeron and a lot of them are disappeared but my sleep is still not very good but there is definitely some improvement especially after I tried antihistamine diet, so many thanks to you.
I used to get 4 hours of broken sleep with occasional nights of zero sleep and now I get 6 hours of broken sleep with occasional nights of zero sleep. I hope I can see further improvement by the end of this year. May this year also bring you more good health and happiness.
Karamjit, I really appreciate your reply and support. Sometimes, I forget how far I’ve come–how sick I was at the beginning. I have to keep reminding myself of the many symptoms that are much less or gone. Just in a bit of a low point right now, mostly due to the ongoing fatigue. I’m tired of being tired! There are moments when I wonder if there’s something else going on.
How are things with you? How’s your recovering coming along? I hope by now you’re able to get some decent rest. That alone can make a big difference to some of the other symptoms and just the general ability to cope with whatever is there.
Hi Judy, thank you so much for giving an update about your health. It gives us hope that recovery is possible after having a brain injury from these antidepressant drugs. I know you are left with 3 to 4 more symptoms and I highly believe they will also go with time. These are some of your stubborn symptoms that just need more time to heal. I know someone who was 95 percent healed by the end of fourth year, so don’t be discouraged. Just hang in there and keep up with taking good care of yourself.
Dear Karamjit, I have broken sleep (with lots of dreams) since coming off Mirtazapine 3 months ago. I was only on it for 2 months… just want to know will it go away? I’m worry it will last forever :( Thanks and wish you all the best.
Hi Everyone, It’s been awhile since I posted an update, so thought I’d do that. It’s been almost 2 & 1/2 years since I took my last Remeron pill. A lot of the early symptoms I had have been mostly resolved–headache, dizziness, nausea, digestive issues, anxiety, irritability, mood swings, insomnia, itching. I was on Remeron for almost 10 years, and took 14 months to come off them–too fast, which I learned too late.
What I’m still left with–fatigue, chills, and muscle tension/pain–these are all more significant during the winter. Recently had full blood work done, including thyroid, vitamin D and b 12 and the usual standard tests. Everything was normal, which I guess means these are still withdrawal symptoms. And of course, there’s still the issue with histamine foods.
I’m starting to think I might be living with that part for the rest of my life, as there are really few signs of improvement on that count. My energy is typically much better during the summer months, but wasn’t as good this past summer. Not sure why, except I had a shoulder injury and wasn’t able to bike ride for a period of time–which is one of the most helpful things I can do.
For anyone reading this, who hasn’t yet stopped taking it or stopped recently. I highly recommend heeding the 10% and taking the time you need to in order to get off this safely, with fewer side effects. If you just jumped off recently, you can still reinstate at a lower dose and go more slowly. I wish I could go back and do things differently. While I am doing reasonably okay, withdrawal still affects my life on a daily basis.
I stopped Remeron (15mg) two days ago after only 7 days. Now having constant fatigue, lightheadedness, and nausea. It comes in waves and is so bad I should not drive. I was on Zoloft for 45 days, then Celexa for 30, low dosage on both, but with side affects and weight loss. So my Doctor switched me to Remeron for weight gain and help with sleep.
I was tired all the time and felt confused. I am not sure if it is just the Remeron or quitting all Serotonin inhibitors cold turkey that is causing my current problems. My doctor ask me to switch back to Celexa today. I am not taking any of these serotonin inhibitors again, for me the cure is worse than the problem.
The only things that are helping at the moment is Yoga and Meditation. I cannot imagine being on Remeron for years and what happens when you stop. I only have 106 days of using any anti-anxiety meds and learned they are not for me. I feel like a guinea pig that is just being used to collect data on these meds.
When I called today to complain about the problems, I was told I could see a psychiatrist (read more meds) or go to the emergency room. Lovely. Peace and Blessings to all who struggle with these Medications and this chemical-oriented Medical system.
Hi everyone, I’m 8 months off mirtazapine and am still not 100%, though I am much better than I was a few months ago. I started mirtazapine in November 2015 to help with the insomnia. While it did address this problem, I ended up much worse off than I had been before I started the drug. For starters, I was insatiable!
I would eat and eat and eat and never feel satisfied and we’re not talking salads here – I would eat 5 chocolate bars in a sitting or 4 large cinnamon buns without even thinking. I craved carbs and sugar like crazy and put on 30 lbs in about two months. I’m only 5’3 and typically weigh around 125, so this was a huge jump for me and the most I’ve ever weighed in my life.
With no end in sight to the weight gain, I decided to come off of it. I was only ever on 15mg, so I thought it would be easy to taper off relatively quickly. I cut out 1/8th every two weeks until I finished completely at the end of March. The first two weeks I felt relatively okay, but had flu-like symptoms.
I thought maybe that would be the worst of it, but I ended up with unrelenting digestive issues ranging from diarrhea to constipation (within days of each other) and constant nausea. I was consistently nauseous from April until June and lost a lot of the weight I had gained simply because I was too ill to eat much. I have now lost a total of 33 lbs, so a little more than I had put on.
I wish I could say my troubles ended there, but unfortunately that isn’t the case. Because of my unpredictable gastrointestinal situation, I rarely wanted to leave the house and I stopped doing a lot of the things I enjoyed, which ultimately led to crippling anxiety! I’ve dealt with depression most of my adult life, but this was something totally foreign to me. It got to the point where I would be feeling fine, but as soon as I knew I had to go somewhere, I would immediately feel nauseous and panicky.
At first I attributed this to lingering withdrawal symptoms, but soon connected the dots and realized it was now anxiety manifesting in a physical way. I had been so nervous during the months I was sick that I conditioned myself to believe that leaving the house wasn’t safe because maybe I would feel ill and wouldn’t be able to escape from wherever I happened to be. It peaked on a trip overseas in September.
I am a nervous flyer to begin with, so I asked my doctor from something to ease my nerves on the long flight and she gave me Ativan. I ended up taking it regularly throughout our trip because I was so anxious being in an unfamiliar place. Realizing Ativan would be a band-aid to problem that required more attention, I started going to counseling at the end of October to address the anxiety.
While I’m not quite where I want to be yet, it has helped me immensely. Long story short, taking mirtazapine was one of the worst decisions I’ve ever made. It hurt far more than it helped and I feel very resentful towards my doctor for giving me such a powerful drug for a problem that didn’t warrant it. I am just starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but suffice to say 2016 was a tough year.
I have also been on Wellbutrin for 4 years and am looking at coming off of it, but am understandably hesitant – coming off of mirtazapine after 4 months wreaked havoc on my mind and body, so I can’t imagine what withdrawal will be life after 4 years. Anyway, happy to answer any questions anyone has!
Hi Jen, Just to say I’m over 3 months off Mirtazapine (not on anything else) and I know what you mean about the debilitating effects of the drug. I was only on 15mg for 7 months and like you my anxiety rocketed while being on it. While I’d had certain social issues before, I became unable to venture more than say up to half a mile away from my car or home.
This was NEVER like me. I too still have digestion issues, though not as bad as I was. My anxiety has always revolved around a nervy stomach and IBS, but reading your post I wonder if the Mirtazapine is still playing up.
Of course the doctors would vehemently deny that. I also had a bout of poor sleep, but I’m back to normal with that now. My weight never did go up, but I understand what you mean about insatiable appetite when I was weaning off, down to 7.5mg. So I quit from there, quite quickly.
I’m glad you’re better now. I couldn’t go abroad, by the way, well done doing that! All the best coming off Wellbutrin.
Now almost 4 months off Mirtazapine after being on Mirta 5 years. Feeling very anxious and having panic attacks. Losing more weight and diarrhea continues. Feeling lot of fear of some serious illness. Next week going to endoscopy to solve diarrhea. If all of this pain is because of withdrawal symptoms, I feel so angry. So many people suffering because of this kind of medicine.
Hi everyone being together with this horrible withdrawal problem. I’ve used Mirt five years. Started tapering two years ago. Now off nearly three months. First month with a few bad panic attacks, anxiety, insomnia, daily worse migraine, itching in shoulders, bad leg cramps, diarrhea.
Now after three months still anxiety mostly because of physical problems as very bad diarrhea. I’ve lost weight ca 4 kilograms and being now in the same weight than I had before I started Mirt, which is one of the positive effects. The other one is, that I sleep ca 7-8 hours and wake up lively. With Mirt I slept ca 10-11 hours and barely got myself out of bed. My worse problem is now diarrhea. Anyone else with same problem here?
Hi everyone. Ten months off mirtazapine, and although at nine months I thought I was getting better, I have had a really rough couple of weeks – anxiety is quite bad and not helped by all the other withdrawal effects. Still having bad body aches and pains, mild nausea at times, and quite often feel “spacey” – hard to explain, not quite dizziness but sort of a feeling of imbalance.
I still experience muscle weakness and extreme tiredness, not helped at all by insomnia. I know this is just another “wave” which we all seem to experience, and I know overall I am improving, but it’s jolly hard when these symptoms are persisting. I am still refusing to see my doctor again regarding my symptoms, because in effect he ruined my life by putting me on this rotten drug in the first place, and will not admit that withdrawal symptoms even exist.
I would love to change doctors, but in my area it is practically impossible to get into a good doctor as most are not taking new patients. I tell myself every day that I am strong and will get through this. I try to stay positive and busy, but sometimes I feel more like crawling into a corner and staying there. With this year almost over, let’s hope we all have a better year in 2017, and have a safe and happy holiday season.
I’m 5 days in to coming off 7.5mg and I’m struggling. I was on 45mg for about 5 years dropped down to 30mg for a year 15 mg for 6 months then 7.5 mg every other night for a month now nothing. I have all those listed symptoms.
The worst one is the rage and depersonalization today I feel like I have PMT x 100 and my brain feels like it’s turning itself inside out. Main reason for coming off is the 5 stone weight gain. I’m fed up with being fat. I’m going to white knuckle this detox after doing a methadone detox 2 years ago nothing will be as bad as that.
I just Read these posts and want to let you all know I stopped this awful mirtazapine cold turkey at 45mg. My Doctor said it will be ok to just stop and start another medication. Wish I had read up on it and done more homework about this medication mirtazapine before taking it and before suddenly stopping it. When I took this medication I got very nervous and shaky where I couldn’t walk at all.
I was so upset so I went to my doctor… he said mirtazapine isn’t working and put me up a dose. I tried and the shakes and nervous got worse. Anyway, wanted to get off this medication to get my life back with out the nervousness and shakiness so went back to the doctor and he said to just stop and start another medication.
I stopped with thinking it was ok but didn’t start other medication for a week later as I thought mirtazapine was still in my system. A few days after stopping this medication I felt alright and the nervous and shakiness went away thank goodness but 6 to 7 days after I felt very weird inside my body. I have now got internal shaking that no one can see I can just feel.
It is horrible. I am also upset a lot, moody, got a dry mouth, sleep isn’t good, feel hot and cold a lot and get very sore feet. I am very worried about all of this and hope I can recover from this soon. taking mirtazapine was the worst mistake of my life!