Misc Mirtazapine withdrawal? Or all in my head.....

[Opiatehell85]

Hi,

so so past week I've been feeling really anxious, like butterflies in stomach type feeling like something bad is gonna happen. Can't put my finger on what it is, but I'm for no reason stressed.

ive been on mirtazapine 30mg for two years, for depression and anxiety. I ran out last week and realised last night I'd forgotten to collect it from pharmacy. So not took any for a full week. Will this anxiety be because of that? I don't feel myself either, slight withdrawal type symptoms that I'd get from weak opiates. I was just wondering if anyone had any experience with mirtazapine withdrawal.

im gonna collect it later, but I'm quite shocked that by missing a week, it's made me feel this bad.

 

[chase_in_56ace]

All in your head. Mirtazepine is a very weak anxiolytic. You shouldn't have any withdrawal from stopping aside from some rebound insomnia...

 

[Zerwas]

^Are you sure about that? How do you come to such a conclusion? I mean 2 years is a long time and lots of people experience similar symptoms when abruptly stopping ADs.

For example:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC181176/

Toward the end of her stay, she ran out of mirtazapine and within 48 hours began to notice anxiety, restlessness, irritability, nausea, vomiting, and insomnia

So I'd say it is very likely that this is not all just in OPs head.

 

[kleinerkiffer]

Yes, even mirtazapine can cause discontinuation symptoms
From wiki:

People with discontinuation syndrome have been on an antidepressant for at least four weeks and have recently stopped taking the medication, whether abruptly, after a fast taper, or each time the medication is reduced on a slow taper.[1] Commonly reported symptoms include flu-like symptoms (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, sweating), sleep disturbances (insomnia, nightmares, constant sleepiness). Sensory and movement disturbances have also been reported, including imbalance, tremors, vertigo, dizziness, and electric-shock-like experiences in the brain, often described by sufferers as "brain zaps". Mood disturbances such as dysphoria, anxiety, or agitation are also reported, as are cognitive disturbances such as confusion and hyperarousal.

In cases associated with sudden discontinuation of MAO inhibitors, acute psychosis has been observed.Over fifty symptoms have been reported.

Most cases of discontinuation syndrome last between one and four weeks, are relatively mild, and resolve on their own;

 

[Opiatehell85]

Hey guys, thanks for replies. I really don't think it was in my head, I felt awful for days, got my tabs from pharmacy yesterday, took one and BAM felt better. Wasn't nowhere as bad as withdrawal from the likes of opiates etc, but uncomfortable all the same, I got some really bad rebound anxiety too.

 

[kleinerkiffer]

Hey guys, thanks for replies. I really don't think it was in my head, I felt awful for days, got my tabs from pharmacy yesterday, took one and BAM felt better. Wasn't nowhere as bad as withdrawal from the likes of opiates etc, but uncomfortable all the same, I got some really bad rebound anxiety too.

It's not just all in your head.
If you want to quit it some day do a taper.
Antidepressant discontinuation symptoms can be really nasty

Hope you feel good today

 

[chase_in_56ace]

Sorry for saying it was all in your head. I was wrong

 

[Opiatehell85]

It's not just all in your head.
If you want to quit it some day do a taper.
Antidepressant discontinuation symptoms can be really nasty

Hope you feel good today

Aww yes thanks I'm feeling back to normal, I only missed it for a week as I've not long got outta hospital so couldn't get the pharmacy to pick it up, I'm surprised at how shitty I did feel from not taking it.
I do wanna come off it eventually but still don't feel 100% depression wise, maybe when I've finally finished buprenorphine taper in a few months. I'll need it the most then.

 

[Opiatehell85]

Sorry for saying it was all in your head. I was wrong

haha it's fine don't worry, I did think it was at first but a few hours after taking it again, I felt normal. Atleast I know not to miss it now

 

[strity1994]

I only took MIRTAZAPIN for half a month and it was hell to get off of CT. The withdrawals was one of the worst experiences of my life. The thing is, you won't feel the true wd symptoms at least after being off it for several days..... Then it will kick your ass, each week the wds just got worse in intensity....holy shit, I shudder just thinking about it... And that was only for 2 weeks that I took at 15mg.

I wish you luck if you ever plan to get off it. I got out while it was still early.

 

[SS373dOH]

Yes, even mirtazapine can cause discontinuation symptoms
From wiki:People with discontinuation syndrome have been on an antidepressant for at least four weeks and have recently stopped taking the medication, whether abruptly, after a fast taper, or each time the medication is reduced on a slow taper.[1] Commonly reported symptoms include flu-like symptoms (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, sweating), sleep disturbances (insomnia, nightmares, constant sleepiness). Sensory and movement disturbances have also been reported, including imbalance, tremors, vertigo, dizziness, and electric-shock-like experiences in the brain, often described by sufferers as "brain zaps". Mood disturbances such as dysphoria, anxiety, or agitation are also reported, as are cognitive disturbances such as confusion and hyperarousal.

In cases associated with sudden discontinuation of MAO inhibitors, acute psychosis has been observed.Over fifty symptoms have been reported.

Most cases of discontinuation syndrome last between one and four weeks, are relatively mild, and resolve on their own;

This.
Although DS isn't lethal, users can still endure unpleasant symptoms, and axniety is one of them. Although in most cases these symptoms are short lived.
Glad to hear you're doing better now OH85!


- Hopeless Soul

 

[Snake_Eyes]

I only took MIRTAZAPIN for half a month and it was hell to get off of CT. The withdrawals was one of the worst experiences of my life. The thing is, you won't feel the true wd symptoms at least after being off it for several days..... Then it will kick your ass, each week the wds just got worse in intensity....holy shit, I shudder just thinking about it... And that was only for 2 weeks that I took at 15mg.

I wish you luck if you ever plan to get off it. I got out while it was still early.

I'm sorry you had that reaction coming off it, I've read of others having had similar experiences. This isn't my experience coming off mirtazapine. I was on 30mg for 1 year and when I decided to come off of it I tapered from 30mg to 0mg in a week and didn't have any noticeable w/d symptoms other than a little anxiety.

 

[Opiatehell85]

I only took MIRTAZAPIN for half a month and it was hell to get off of CT. The withdrawals was one of the worst experiences of my life. The thing is, you won't feel the true wd symptoms at least after being off it for several days..... Then it will kick your ass, each week the wds just got worse in intensity....holy shit, I shudder just thinking about it... And that was only for 2 weeks that I took at 15mg.

I wish you luck if you ever plan to get off it. I got out while it was still early.

Sorry ive not been online for a while, yes it wasn't nice at all, didn't kick in until about day 3. I made it to day 7 and had to go get a new script as I couldn't cope. So strange I didn't think I'd have any issues, the anxiety was a killer.

 

[Opiatehell85]

This.
Although DS isn't lethal, users can still endure unpleasant symptoms, and axniety is one of them. Although in most cases these symptoms are short lived.
Glad to hear you're doing better now OH85!


- Hopeless Soul

ahh Thankyou! Yes I'm fine now I've picked up my prescription, atleast now I know not to run short again.

 

[Opiatehell85]

I'm sorry you had that reaction coming off it, I've read of others having had similar experiences. This isn't my experience coming off mirtazapine. I was on 30mg for 1 year and when I decided to come off of it I tapered from 30mg to 0mg in a week and didn't have any noticeable w/d symptoms other than a little anxiety.

Hi, yes I think when I'm ready to come off it I'll have to do a taper, I've been on 30mg for a year, was on 45mg the year before but I couldn't sleep. So they reduced it again for me. I sleep much better now. Such an odd drug, but it has helped me a lot so I'm thankful.

 

[Picnic_Johnson]

I go nuts when I don't have it, and at this point don't really sleep better with it, but certainly can NOT sleep and also have horrid withdrawals from Remeron upon discontinuation. It's a suck drug.

 

[ErgicMergic]

Mirtazapine is a beast of a drug, I would follow a taper plan tapering 10% a week at the most.

It's soluble in water at 1.1mg/mL, so dissolve a 30mg tablet with 240mL of water to easily taper via volumetric dosing.

 

[TheSacredTree]

Yes, very much yes. I took it for a year once as well and whenever I'd accidentally miss a dose by the second night just before taking the next one was the worst feeling ever. The withdrawals were exactly as you described with just some sort of unexplainable feeling of something being off. Like fast heart rates and anxiety but without actually feeling anxious about anything. Just plain terrible. Took me like 3 weeks for it to end too when I finally wanted off.

But hey, it could be worse. Least you didn't take the celexa your doctor probably offered as well.