Mirtazapine Withdrawal - Severe Bowel Symptoms
Sep 21, 2015
I'm a 22 year old female. I've been underweight most of my life, I mention to my doctor 9 months ago asking if there was any type of appetite increasers I could take. For some reason he prescribes me Mirtazapine, even though I'm already on an anti anxiety (Paxil) for 4 years. I wasn't even aware until much later that Mirt was an antidepressant.
So it helps me gain weight, and amazingly the only other side effect is about once weekly constipation. I'd gained the weight I wanted and last week I asked to be taken off of it. Last weekend I had went through a three day bout on antibiotics on a UTI, so while feeling awful already I thought it must be a good time to withdraw from Mirt. The doctor gave me permission.
So I had lately been having my 15 mgs into 7.5s, preparing to quit. I quit cold turkey on Monday. Ever since then, I have been overwhelmingly constipated or having diarrhea, getting chills that raise my temperature up to 99.4, and immense amount of gas.
I have a doctor's appointment in two days but until then I am at a loss for what to do. I feel miserable. I first tried everything, Pepto Bismol, Gas-X, Antacids, Alkaseltzers, and Miralax once or twice. I found that that was all making things worse, and tried to focus on guzzling water and eating better, with a fiber bar every day despite the fact that my appetite is zilch now.
Now I don't even know if you could say I'm constipated - I'm having bms every day, but they are painful, small, dark, tarry and often slivers, and still a huge amount of gas. But if I go two days without laxative, I start to feel clogged up. I posted this elsewhere and a woman suggested the only lax I should be trying is drinking two tablespoons of mineral oil before bed with lots of water. That seemed to help the one time, but I just don't want to get Lazy Bowel Syndrome and overuse laxatives of any kind.
I've been reading this forum and I am at a loss - It's been exactly one week since I quit, how much longer will this take? What can I do?
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I broke my wrist on 1st Feb and my body went into severe shock. I felt very ill and couldn't sleep. My doctor gave me Mirtazapine to "calm things down". I took two 15mg tablets a day for 7 days and had horrible reactions including 'burning' and painful legs. I just stopped taking them 18 days ago but ever since I have what I imagine must be withdrawal symptoms. I feel so ill and feel desperate for some reassurance that things will pass. I can't sleep,feel nauseous,my chest hurts and I feel breathless. The symptoms seem to be getting worse.
I am so shocked that I have such a severe reaction after only taking the tablets for a week. Can anyone out there tell me if this is normal?
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This is day 17 of tapering from 45 g to 30g alternate nights 22.5g and odd nights skipping it. So far i've had no withdrawal symptoms. I know it's early days and have to be careful, I just wanted to share my experience so far and perhaps give a glimmer of hope to anyone out there! Also my stagnant weight has finally shifted. Coincidence?
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I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism 2 months ago. since then my thyroid levels have stabilised and are just slightly on the low end of normal. The specialist I was seeing put me on a med called mirtazapine to help with my sleep and appetite. He told me to only have 1/8 to 1/4 of a 15 mg tablet, so I started off with 1/8 of a tablet for 3 weeks every night which work good, anyway went up to 1/4 of a tablet for a week or so, was way to tired the next day so came back Down to 1/8 of a tablet for about a week or 2. I started what I can only describe as inner trembling and rushes of energy in chest arm and neck area, these rushes would happen over and over again from about 3 am till morning. It's a really horrible feeling accompanied with crawling tingling skin which makes me squirm. I was assuming it was the mirtazapine so I stopped it at 1.85 mg. it's now been six days since I stopped and this is still happening. Has anyone else had this as a side effect/withdrawal symptom. I don't think it agreed with me. Other medication I am on are propranolol 10 mg three times a day and 5mg carbimazole.
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My psychiatrist has just agreed that I can try reducing my antidepressant medication. I'm on 225mg venlafaxine and 30 mg mirtazapine, and he's suggested I gradually reduce the mirtazapine first, and see what happens He's warned me that i might notice less sedation, so sleep less well. Are there any other withdrawal symptoms I should know about? Anyone else tried it?
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I have read several sources on protracted withdrawal symptoms. All that I have found in the extended symptoms were psychiatric in nature. As anyone who follows this subject knows, mirtazapine has more than it's share of physical pains as well. Anyone know anything about protracted withdrawals that are physical symptoms, such as headaches, back spasms, stomach cramps, etc,? God have mercy on anyone who's life has been negatively touched by this "medicine".
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I would like to ask anyone who has withdrawn from Mirtazapine to explain what sort of symptoms you have experienced with withdrawal.
I have reduced from 15 mg to 12.5mg 4 weeks ago and have had a constant trembling/ shaking feeling predominantly in the mornings with an underlying anxious feeling, nausea, gastric upset, sweating, aching lower limbs and pressure in my head. Can anyone relate to any similar effects please?
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I was bumped up to 30mg from 15mg as I got myself in a total mess with the doses and coming off my citalopram. Bad care and support from docs. Had all sorts of symptoms mainly dizzy and wiped out, which I thought was normal. I wasn't sleeping and my anxiety was worse than before I started taking anything. I wanted to come back down to 15 mg so had a chat with the doctor and said what I was doing. I took 22.5mg one day and 30mg the next, for 2 weeks and was tapering like that. After 2 weeks I thought I'll split them further and take 26.25mg every day instead of different doses every other day, as I thought that was better. But after 2 and half weeks the withdrawal symptoms hit me like a truck. Properly wiped out, painful shoulders and back, dizzy, anxious, clenching my hands and teeth, shaking, feeling hyper, and when I'm not super tired I can feel very angry. On the odd day I feel like I'm losing my mind. Utterly horrible. Plus my appetite is all over the place and I felt sick a few times. I've been off work for over a week now and going in when I can.
It's been 4 weeks since I dropped the dose to alternate days and 2 weeks since I went on 26.25mg. My shoulder and back pain isn't as bad, and I feel I'm better than I have been but I can feel fine one day and then have to phone in sick the next. It's actually making me more depressed with the symptoms I have.
My question is, can someone reassure me that this will eventually stabilise? I'm worried I'm not back to normal yet and when I've changed dose before it usually takes about 4 weeks. It can be rocky but usually fine for work and can cope.
I woke this morning with palpitations, so still in bed hoping to get into work later today. I contemplated going back up to 30mg but that would probably be a step backwards considering I was only on 30 for a month. I'm glad my friend and my family have helped me to stay on the same dose as any change is really sensitive to me.
I'm really struggling atm and worried about my work. Will I stabilise over the next week or so?
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Wednesday makes 5 weeks since my last 7.5 Remeron. I am still having cramps and intestinal churning with trapped gas & bloating. Also, the Mirtazapine must have played a part in my blood pressure/heart rate, as I am having, since stopping the pills, trouble stabilizing my BP/HR on the same medicine/dose that I was using prior to stopping. I have been on the heart medicine for at least 8 years. The sleep is improving, and the Phenergan is helping with the nausea. Anyone else having GI issues this long? I have IBS, but this is beyond that.
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I have been taking fluoxetine on and off for roughly 3 years. I was put on them following the death of my premature baby, I had turned to alcohol as a coping mechanism for 4 years when I finally admitted defeat and tried antidepressants..
However, My doctor and I came to the conclusion about 4 months ago that the fluoxetine was not working, we noticed the pattern that a week before my period I was still becoming suicidal, anxious, withdrawn and emotionally unstable (longer periods without alcohol have enabled me recognise my symptoms better).
We decided I needed to be treated for the anxiety and I was prescribed 150mg of pregabalin at night and beta blockers as and when needed for the anxiety..
A month ago my doc recommended that I reduce from 20mg of fluoxetine daily to one every other day, however, I stupidly just stopped them!
Since this I stopped sleeping, became severely anxious and withdrawn, began having panic attacks, been snappy, angry, had headaches, felt like i've had flu, extreme lows etc.
Bcus of this I stopped the pregabalin as well as I thought these symptoms were bcus of them, as it was the only thing id been taking and it had been 4 weeks since stopping the fluoxetine so I thought that the fluoxetine couldn't be causing any problems, as it would be out of my system and the symptoms did not start immediately after stopping the fluoxetine.
So, last Sunday I was extremely suicidal, depressed etc, a friend took me to the doc on Monday who prescribed me mirtazapine 15mg for the first 5 nights (to help me sleep) then 30 mg a night thereafter.
last night after my second dose I slept for 16 hours!! I awoke today feeling shaky, tired, clumsy, weak, blurred vision, spaced out etc so I called my doc who has advised me to stop the mirtazapine as I was having a bad reaction and restart the fluoxetine as I may be having withdrawals!!
I feel like im back to square one (back on the fluoxetine) which doesn't even work!! I dont know who I am anymore, whether im withdrawing, actually anxious or goodness knows what. I don't want to be on any meds anymore bcuz I dont like the side affects but I also can't continue like this....
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Yesterday it was my 6th night on 7.5mg of Mirtazapine (instead of 15 mg). Moreover I could not take my dose on Saturday since my wife was celebrating her birthday so I had a few bottles of beer and did not want to combine it with med. What I experience so far is maybe slightly worse sleeping (really slightly worse). In this thread I would like to post my progress of withdrawal since I know many of people here go or would like to go through it as well and such threads would be very helpful for me.
My questions now:
1) did anybody experience really heavy back pain + shoulder pain + weakness in arms and palms (fingers) - all the time while on Mirtazapine?
2) did anybody experience huge volume of stool every day - all the time while on Mirtazapine?
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I am having significant fatigue, going into my 8th week since the last pill. I also have seasonal allergies and the pollen is bad right now. I am just wondering if fatigue (weak legs) has been a problem with others in this process. I haven't done much walking since this has been going on, as it has literally kicked my butt! Allergies make me feel bad in general, but this year is far worse than it ever has been, and I am wondering if the withdrawals are contributing.
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Having read some of the experiences others have had withdrawing from Mirtazapine I thought I would post my own. I hope it may be of use to others. I recently was re-prescribed Mirtazapine,after three years of not taking it. I took one 15mg tablet, felt like I'd been hit over the head with a riot shield and fell out of bed with severe restless legs syndrome. I decided there and then "there is no way I am going through all this again", and stopped it right there.
Previously, I had been prescribed Mirtazapine for severe anxiety and depression. This medication caused restless leg syndrome, and caused me to put on 3 stones in weight. Despite being previously a fit and active person. I became lethargic, and fatigued easily, needing to rest after evey 20 minutes of moderate activity, not to mention the dreadful hangovers I would have all morning. I persisted in taking it for nearly 5 years because I looked forward to the sedative effect it has. I even looked forward to it at night, despite the dreadful side effects, because I felt it helped me escape the world into sleep. Personally I think Mirtazapine is addictive and I was addicted.
I eventually decided enough was enough and decided to get my life back.
My GP was of little use when it came to advice for tapered withdrawal, though damn quick to prescribe the stuff in the first place. I determined an action plan of my own. I was aware of the unpleasant withdrawal symptoms of suddenly stopping, as I had previously, on occasion, run out of money and couldn't afford my prescription. Dizziness, extreme anxiety, nausea, insomnia, sweating and flu like muscle and headaches are all in store for any one who stops this medication abruptly. I tapered Mirtazapine over approximately 3 months by, cutting up 30mg tablets. 1st week I took 3/4rs of a tablet, then 1/2 plus an 1/8th second week, then 1/2 plus 1/16th for the 3rd week and so on. Eventually I was taking 1/16th of 30 mg (or less) per night for the last 2 weeks after which I felt no withdrawal symptoms upon cessation. The doses are approximate as cutting these tablets is accurately is difficult.
All of this took a lot of focus and bloody-minded determination. I find it surprising that the manufacturers don't provide decreasing doses for people wishing to stop taking their product without discomfort. At the moment I have decided to cope with life without Mirtazapine, or any other chemical horror. It can be very difficult at times, but vastly better than being a Drs. corporate guinea pig/junkie. I would say though, that for people who are severely depressed, Mirtazapine or other medications could be helpful if used for the short term, but please be aware of the very real side effects and problems with these substances. Ask yourself very carefully if you think you need this, despite what your Dr. may say. These drugs should be a last resort, not first port of call. They most certainly are no magic cure, and have serious "side effects" that should not be underestimated.
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AFTER BEING ON MIRTAZAPINE FOR MANY YEARS i went cold turkey about 4 weeks ago,I honestly haven't had any withdrawal symptoms,the only slight problem is awakening earlier in the morning,I have als lost nearly a stone in weight which I am really happy with and really feel a lot better within myself both physically and mentally I kept asking my G P IF i could maybe stop them and he was the one who kept putting me off that is why I went cold turkey
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Ok so I am now off the mirtazapine after being on it in total just over 8 weeks..... When should I expect withdrawal to kick in and when will it peak before it starts to get better?
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Could anybody tell me who has been through withdrawal when nervousness and being jumpy is normal for withdrawal......i've felt like this since tapering and stopping mirtazapine. I wished id never started it. It never helped just made matters worse!
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Is there a protocol for titrating off Mirtazapine? I used the Ashton Manual when I was coming off a benzodiazepine (Clonazepam - 15 years) a few years ago and it was very helpful in making slow, steady cuts.
I Can't seem to locate a chart or site for reducing Mirtazapine. I am on 45 mg. (for one month), have been on 30 for several years. My goal is to get down to 15 mg - I don't want to taper too fast, having been through that with. Already feeling some negative side effects after dropping my Mirtz. dose on alternate nights (30 mg one / 45 mg the next).
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If anyone could share some of their experiences and perhaps advise on when this nightmare is going to end I'd really appreciate it.
I’m 34, otherwise healthy, started Mirtazapine (in some sense against my instincts) about two years ago due to severe anxiety (no depression at all) and panic attacks. My Doctor prescribed Mirtazapine 30mg, to be tapered upwards from 7.5mg.
I remember the first few days I felt a weird sensation when swallowing (simply felt like uncoordinated swallowing, where the food/drink seemed to be going at the wrong velocity towards its target). However, after a while and increasing dosage this symptom vanished more or less.
Fast forward about a year and a half forward, and (apart from helping my IBS by making me numb) - the drug was totally useless anxiety-wise. I was still feeling very bad. True, I had not gotten many panic attacks, but I found that they were just transposed with a very generalized anxiety which I believe (self-diagnosed) had almost become a phobia: I became afraid of trying new things altogether from fear of having e.g., an allergic reaction (never had any of those ever in my life and never feared them before either). I had quit sports because I could not stand the sensations involving an increase in heart rate or blood flow. Done all of the tests and all is fine with my heart and everything else for that matter. It’s all in the head but the head controls your body and your mind.
The Mirtazapine just made me numb; I could feel less love to my fiancée (now wife!) and cared less about the world in general. Realizing that I had just become more anxious (if less panicky) the Doc upped the dosage to 45mg. What a disaster. More than a month afterwards I was just getting more and more anxious on a daily basis.
Eventually, AMA, I decided that going on Mirtazapine was the biggest mistake of my life. I started tapering, very VERY slowly. I think I went from 45 to 15mg with relative ease, taking more than two weeks at a time to decrease the dosage by 3-4mg at a time. Each time, I would feel great for 2 days, then start developing quite severe cramps and feel lousy for another week or so, then I’d get slightly better. Knowing that I am really ultrasensitive to any change in physiological parameters I tapered from 15mg to 3.75mg in a turtle’s pace: 3.75mg at a time, with more than a month (and even two sometimes) between each taper. I have a PhD in Chemistry so I know what I’m doing. Again, every time, after 2-3 victorious days where I’d feel like I’ve conquered mount Everest, I’d then feel lousy for 4-8 days; but then things would seem to be a bit better. Weirdly, at the lower doses of 7.5mg and 3.75mg I started again experiencing swallowing difficulties; I started choking on water and became very mindful of my swallowing dyscoordination. Still I felt altogether quite alright – and I believed that the remainder would be similar.
How wrong was I. I have come off it completely exactly two weeks ago. Again 2-3 days where I felt fine, then a few more days with cramps. Then, good old panic hit, with terrible anxiety that just keeps getting worse and worse. I feel terrible weakness, zero energy, I have withered due to loss of appetite (since when I eat my stomach just cramps a few hours later; actually not so bad since I had put on some weight during my time on Mirtazapine). I feel completely overwhelmed by the symptoms: every time there is something new. I feel weird tingling sensations and I have strange feelings of pressure in my stomach. I get dizzy a lot and then just feel weak. My muscles are sore without any reason. I was certain that these issues would resolve in a few days; Mirtazapine’s half-life is quite long and I know that receptors can take 2-3 weeks to get re-modulated (actually that’s why they always say that the beneficial effects of Mirtazapine will take around 2-3 weeks to become effective when you go on it). But I did not expect this gradual and horrible worsening of symptoms over the last 14 days. I have had to start treatment with Benzo’s (as needed, I try to avoid them but sometimes there’s just no way around it) and they seem to help in some instances, whereas in others they only seem to do a moderate/poor job at managing the symptoms. For the first time in my life yesterday I suffered from ED. Never happened to me before and despite a very supporting and loving wife, I felt that was yet another crushing blow. The weird thing is that all these things are not getting me depressed – just really anxious.
I can only hope that things will start to get better. I have no idea when these things would begin to get back on track. Doctors seem to be quite oblivious to my suffering, not really believing that withdrawal could be so powerful yet not finding ANYTHING else wrong. The situation is really frustrating.
One thing is clear to me: I’m never, EVER going back on this horrendous drug. It was a huge mistake beginning with it, and for all of you who need these kind of drugs: ask your GP or Psychiatrist what are the withdrawal difficulties expected for the medication. I know I sure wish I had asked it.
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Just wondered if anyone had experienced delayed WD after tapering off an antidepressant, especially mirtazapine? I don't mean a few days, but feeling great for a few weeks and then suffering WD symptoms. I stopped mirt just over 6 weeks ago after a very slow taper and felt great for the first four weeks. Then a couple of weeks ago, I completely lost my appetite and have dropped lots of weight. No nausea, just having to force every morsel of food down me except for sweets which I can tolerate. I also have severe fatigue and restless legs. I do have stage 3 kidney disease and am awaiting the results of blood tests the doctor got done for me yesterday. All symptoms are indicative of a worsening kidney disease, but they are also WD symptoms. I personally can't believe WD could start suddenly on week five after stopping a drug, but just wondered if anyone else had experienced it?
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I have been taking 15mg of mirtazapine for 6 months for sleep problems and anxiety.
It has helped me sleep and feel more relaxed. But have struggled with word retrieval and foggy head. I decided to come off it and have been on 7.5 mg for 4 weeks, I have been doing ok but the last three days have had problems sleep waking after 3 hours and my anxiety feels like it coming back! Is this just withdrawal or am I going back my old ways?
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I started withdrawing from Mirtazapine back in Jan of this year, from 7.5mg. I got the liquid version and tapered down by 0.5ml (.75mg) initially every week, but had to stop that and start by dropping a day a week as I got withdrawals etc. I have been doing very well and was able to drop back to dropping it over 4-5 weeks. I got down to 0.1.5ml and the withdrawals kicked in, nausea, anxiety, sleep problems, cramps, etc etc. I stayed where I was for a few weeks but as things didn't really improve I continued to drop down to 0.1ml. During this time I have had some ok days and some awful days. Yesterday and today have been awful, dreadful low mood, very tired, anxiety and horrid nausea again.
My question is, initially I was going to go down to 0.5ml then taper off that to nothing, but the thought of another 3 months before being off it completely terrifies me. I am thinking about starting to taper off 1 night a week, over the next 7 weeks at the 0.1ml, but wonder if the withdrawals will be worse than ever!
id appreciate some advice. I have done the taper so ridiculously slowly, that I am now just fed up with the whole thing, and want to get back to normal again.
i was initially put on it as in Feb last year I had the flu, and was left with anxiety, my GP then prescribed Propranolol which gave me insomnia, and so it went on from there! The Mirt only made me sleep in the first week on being on it. I started it in June 2013, so been on it just over a year and have been withdrawing from it since Jan this year.
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