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Emsy: Mirtazapine Withdrawal

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  • Author

Thank you so much for your comments @Chippy very much appreciated xxx

3 weeks Paxil around 2002 I think can’t really remember. CT no issues except for a few head zaps.

1 day Citalopram Dec 2017

10/07/25 - Mirtazapine 7.5mg

19/07 - 15mg, 01/08 7.5mg, 15/08 dissolving orodispersible tablets for easier measuring 6mg, 22/08 5mg, 04/09 4mg, 18/09 3mg, 02/10 2.5mg, 16/10 2mg, 30/10 1.5mg, 13/11 1.2mg taper paused due to WD symptoms, had a window 17th March continuous improvement until early June when I went back into a moderate but manageable wave after overdoing things until early July when taking omeprazole for gastritis pushed me into another bad wave. Still waiting to stabilise before proceeding with taper.

Supplements - 100mg magnesium glycinate daily.

Other meds - Omeprazole 20mg a day when gastritis flares - realised after taking this for 8 days end of June ‘26 I was experiencing some WD symptoms again and researched to find PPIs block the liver enzymes used to metabolise a lot of antidepressants artificially raising blood levels. Stopped omeprazole and 2 weeks later back into a bad wave as my body has reacted as if I’ve updosed and then dropped again.

Post menopausal GP has prescribed HRT but have not started as don’t want to confuse my system while tapering.

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  • Chippy
    Chippy

    Sending some love @Emsy you will bounce back from this. All we can do is take it one step at a time and accept if things got better before they will get better again. xxxx

  • Thank you so much dear @Finni you are so often in my thoughts and sending so much love to your beautiful brave heart xxxx And @Chippy the rock to so many of us on here 🙏 thank you for your kind though

  • getofflex
    getofflex

    If you want, you could try a small updose.  You are currently on 1.2 mg, right?  You might try going up to 1.3 or 1.4 mg, and see if that helps. Please realize that reinstatement is not a quick fix.  

The good news is you haven’t been on mirt for years ❣️

It took you around 3-4 months to stabilize last time you were holding, right?

For US members: Please report med to FDA Med Watch

2017 (May) - Ativan .5 mg (3 x Daily) 

2018 (Feb) - Mirtazapine 7.5 mg 

2018 (May) - Ativan to Valium - Switch - Can’t Remember how long it took -tapered to 3 mg of Valium

2024 (May) - Valium Tolerance

2024 (2 Nov) - Completed taper off Valium 

2024 (2 Nov) - Mirtazapine increased to 15 mg

2025 (Feb) - Ativan 0.25 mg (3 x Daily) - Became Paradoxical - Started weaning got to 0.11mg

2025 (Mar) - Ativan 0mg - CT In detox

2025 (April) Started Depakote 1500mg - In detox

2025 (April) - Depakote 500mg (2 x Daily) once home

2025 (Aug) - Completed taper off Depakote

2025 (Aug) - Akathisia surges throughout the day with calming in between

2025 (Sept) - Gabapentin (Micro Dose) - Was calming at first and then became paradoxical so stop

2025 (Oct) - Depakote - RI – (Two days of small dose) Became scared and stopped with WD & aka

2025 (Oct) - Seroquel 50 mg XR – 1 Week - more and more activating and increased aka

2025 (Oct) - Psychiatrist told me to stop it. But I took a few days of a smaller dose of IR then stopped - Not activating

2025 (Nov) - Hydroxyzine 2.5mg - it was paradoxical so stopped

2025 (1 Dec) - Mirtazapine 22.5mg - (2 Days) Was incredibly overstimulating started reducing to previous

2025 (3 Dec) - Mirtazapine 18.75mg

2025 (10 Dec) - Mirtazapine 16.87mg

2025 (22 Dec) - Mirtazapine 15mg

2026 (23Jan) - Mirtazapine 14.7mg

2026 (23 Jan) - Mirtazapine 1mg Panic dose

2026 (24 Jan) - Mirtazapine 15mg

2026 (25 Feb) – Mirtazapine 14.7mg (-2%)

2026 (18 Mar) - propranolol 2.5 mg one time

2026 (21 Mar)- Mirtazapine- 15 mg accidentally in sleepy state

2026 (22 Mar) - Mirtazapine 14.79 mg (more accurate scales) 

2026 (29 April) Mirtazapine 14.7 mg/.1020 g (on suggestion of Horowitz) immediate intense symptoms

2026 (30 April) Mirtazapine 14.79 mg (.1026 g)

2026 (23 May) propranolol 2.5 mg one time

2026 (01 June) Mirtazapine 14.79 mgdose was 5 hours late

2026 (22 July) Mirtazapine 14.76 mg

Intense electric activation, muscle tightness, autonomic surges, terror followed

2026 (23 July) Mirtazapine 14.79 mg return

 

 

  • Author

Hey @Finni yes 4 months but of course at that point I wasn’t kindled xx

3 weeks Paxil around 2002 I think can’t really remember. CT no issues except for a few head zaps.

1 day Citalopram Dec 2017

10/07/25 - Mirtazapine 7.5mg

19/07 - 15mg, 01/08 7.5mg, 15/08 dissolving orodispersible tablets for easier measuring 6mg, 22/08 5mg, 04/09 4mg, 18/09 3mg, 02/10 2.5mg, 16/10 2mg, 30/10 1.5mg, 13/11 1.2mg taper paused due to WD symptoms, had a window 17th March continuous improvement until early June when I went back into a moderate but manageable wave after overdoing things until early July when taking omeprazole for gastritis pushed me into another bad wave. Still waiting to stabilise before proceeding with taper.

Supplements - 100mg magnesium glycinate daily.

Other meds - Omeprazole 20mg a day when gastritis flares - realised after taking this for 8 days end of June ‘26 I was experiencing some WD symptoms again and researched to find PPIs block the liver enzymes used to metabolise a lot of antidepressants artificially raising blood levels. Stopped omeprazole and 2 weeks later back into a bad wave as my body has reacted as if I’ve updosed and then dropped again.

Post menopausal GP has prescribed HRT but have not started as don’t want to confuse my system while tapering.

4 minutes ago, Emsy said:

Hey @Finni yes 4 months but of course at that point I wasn’t kindled xx

I have so much hope for you! I know you can’t see it right now, but this is just a bump in the road. Just hang on 💓

For US members: Please report med to FDA Med Watch

2017 (May) - Ativan .5 mg (3 x Daily) 

2018 (Feb) - Mirtazapine 7.5 mg 

2018 (May) - Ativan to Valium - Switch - Can’t Remember how long it took -tapered to 3 mg of Valium

2024 (May) - Valium Tolerance

2024 (2 Nov) - Completed taper off Valium 

2024 (2 Nov) - Mirtazapine increased to 15 mg

2025 (Feb) - Ativan 0.25 mg (3 x Daily) - Became Paradoxical - Started weaning got to 0.11mg

2025 (Mar) - Ativan 0mg - CT In detox

2025 (April) Started Depakote 1500mg - In detox

2025 (April) - Depakote 500mg (2 x Daily) once home

2025 (Aug) - Completed taper off Depakote

2025 (Aug) - Akathisia surges throughout the day with calming in between

2025 (Sept) - Gabapentin (Micro Dose) - Was calming at first and then became paradoxical so stop

2025 (Oct) - Depakote - RI – (Two days of small dose) Became scared and stopped with WD & aka

2025 (Oct) - Seroquel 50 mg XR – 1 Week - more and more activating and increased aka

2025 (Oct) - Psychiatrist told me to stop it. But I took a few days of a smaller dose of IR then stopped - Not activating

2025 (Nov) - Hydroxyzine 2.5mg - it was paradoxical so stopped

2025 (1 Dec) - Mirtazapine 22.5mg - (2 Days) Was incredibly overstimulating started reducing to previous

2025 (3 Dec) - Mirtazapine 18.75mg

2025 (10 Dec) - Mirtazapine 16.87mg

2025 (22 Dec) - Mirtazapine 15mg

2026 (23Jan) - Mirtazapine 14.7mg

2026 (23 Jan) - Mirtazapine 1mg Panic dose

2026 (24 Jan) - Mirtazapine 15mg

2026 (25 Feb) – Mirtazapine 14.7mg (-2%)

2026 (18 Mar) - propranolol 2.5 mg one time

2026 (21 Mar)- Mirtazapine- 15 mg accidentally in sleepy state

2026 (22 Mar) - Mirtazapine 14.79 mg (more accurate scales) 

2026 (29 April) Mirtazapine 14.7 mg/.1020 g (on suggestion of Horowitz) immediate intense symptoms

2026 (30 April) Mirtazapine 14.79 mg (.1026 g)

2026 (23 May) propranolol 2.5 mg one time

2026 (01 June) Mirtazapine 14.79 mgdose was 5 hours late

2026 (22 July) Mirtazapine 14.76 mg

Intense electric activation, muscle tightness, autonomic surges, terror followed

2026 (23 July) Mirtazapine 14.79 mg return

 

 

  • Author

Oh @Finni bless your heart for taking the time to respond with the intense withdrawal you are going through.

My heart goes out to you but I know that one day you’ll finally start to stabilise yourself and we will all be cheering you on.

It’s so much easier to see it happening for others than for ourselves for some reason ❤️

3 weeks Paxil around 2002 I think can’t really remember. CT no issues except for a few head zaps.

1 day Citalopram Dec 2017

10/07/25 - Mirtazapine 7.5mg

19/07 - 15mg, 01/08 7.5mg, 15/08 dissolving orodispersible tablets for easier measuring 6mg, 22/08 5mg, 04/09 4mg, 18/09 3mg, 02/10 2.5mg, 16/10 2mg, 30/10 1.5mg, 13/11 1.2mg taper paused due to WD symptoms, had a window 17th March continuous improvement until early June when I went back into a moderate but manageable wave after overdoing things until early July when taking omeprazole for gastritis pushed me into another bad wave. Still waiting to stabilise before proceeding with taper.

Supplements - 100mg magnesium glycinate daily.

Other meds - Omeprazole 20mg a day when gastritis flares - realised after taking this for 8 days end of June ‘26 I was experiencing some WD symptoms again and researched to find PPIs block the liver enzymes used to metabolise a lot of antidepressants artificially raising blood levels. Stopped omeprazole and 2 weeks later back into a bad wave as my body has reacted as if I’ve updosed and then dropped again.

Post menopausal GP has prescribed HRT but have not started as don’t want to confuse my system while tapering.

14 minutes ago, Emsy said:

Oh @Finni bless your heart for taking the time to respond with the intense withdrawal you are going through.

My heart goes out to you but I know that one day you’ll finally start to stabilise yourself and we will all be cheering you on.

It’s so much easier to see it happening for others than for ourselves for some reason ❤️

It’s so sad because I think I might have been starting to stabilize. I was shopping online, doing more around the house, laughing, interested in birds again…

Now mirt seems to be so reactive that I’m not sure I can keep holding.

For US members: Please report med to FDA Med Watch

2017 (May) - Ativan .5 mg (3 x Daily) 

2018 (Feb) - Mirtazapine 7.5 mg 

2018 (May) - Ativan to Valium - Switch - Can’t Remember how long it took -tapered to 3 mg of Valium

2024 (May) - Valium Tolerance

2024 (2 Nov) - Completed taper off Valium 

2024 (2 Nov) - Mirtazapine increased to 15 mg

2025 (Feb) - Ativan 0.25 mg (3 x Daily) - Became Paradoxical - Started weaning got to 0.11mg

2025 (Mar) - Ativan 0mg - CT In detox

2025 (April) Started Depakote 1500mg - In detox

2025 (April) - Depakote 500mg (2 x Daily) once home

2025 (Aug) - Completed taper off Depakote

2025 (Aug) - Akathisia surges throughout the day with calming in between

2025 (Sept) - Gabapentin (Micro Dose) - Was calming at first and then became paradoxical so stop

2025 (Oct) - Depakote - RI – (Two days of small dose) Became scared and stopped with WD & aka

2025 (Oct) - Seroquel 50 mg XR – 1 Week - more and more activating and increased aka

2025 (Oct) - Psychiatrist told me to stop it. But I took a few days of a smaller dose of IR then stopped - Not activating

2025 (Nov) - Hydroxyzine 2.5mg - it was paradoxical so stopped

2025 (1 Dec) - Mirtazapine 22.5mg - (2 Days) Was incredibly overstimulating started reducing to previous

2025 (3 Dec) - Mirtazapine 18.75mg

2025 (10 Dec) - Mirtazapine 16.87mg

2025 (22 Dec) - Mirtazapine 15mg

2026 (23Jan) - Mirtazapine 14.7mg

2026 (23 Jan) - Mirtazapine 1mg Panic dose

2026 (24 Jan) - Mirtazapine 15mg

2026 (25 Feb) – Mirtazapine 14.7mg (-2%)

2026 (18 Mar) - propranolol 2.5 mg one time

2026 (21 Mar)- Mirtazapine- 15 mg accidentally in sleepy state

2026 (22 Mar) - Mirtazapine 14.79 mg (more accurate scales) 

2026 (29 April) Mirtazapine 14.7 mg/.1020 g (on suggestion of Horowitz) immediate intense symptoms

2026 (30 April) Mirtazapine 14.79 mg (.1026 g)

2026 (23 May) propranolol 2.5 mg one time

2026 (01 June) Mirtazapine 14.79 mgdose was 5 hours late

2026 (22 July) Mirtazapine 14.76 mg

Intense electric activation, muscle tightness, autonomic surges, terror followed

2026 (23 July) Mirtazapine 14.79 mg return

 

 

  • Author

@Finni your nervous system has had so many ups and downs.

As others have said, I really think if you stop trying to dose your way out it will eventually start to settle again but I know how hard things are for you right now and waiting to stabilise must feel so so hard ❤️

3 weeks Paxil around 2002 I think can’t really remember. CT no issues except for a few head zaps.

1 day Citalopram Dec 2017

10/07/25 - Mirtazapine 7.5mg

19/07 - 15mg, 01/08 7.5mg, 15/08 dissolving orodispersible tablets for easier measuring 6mg, 22/08 5mg, 04/09 4mg, 18/09 3mg, 02/10 2.5mg, 16/10 2mg, 30/10 1.5mg, 13/11 1.2mg taper paused due to WD symptoms, had a window 17th March continuous improvement until early June when I went back into a moderate but manageable wave after overdoing things until early July when taking omeprazole for gastritis pushed me into another bad wave. Still waiting to stabilise before proceeding with taper.

Supplements - 100mg magnesium glycinate daily.

Other meds - Omeprazole 20mg a day when gastritis flares - realised after taking this for 8 days end of June ‘26 I was experiencing some WD symptoms again and researched to find PPIs block the liver enzymes used to metabolise a lot of antidepressants artificially raising blood levels. Stopped omeprazole and 2 weeks later back into a bad wave as my body has reacted as if I’ve updosed and then dropped again.

Post menopausal GP has prescribed HRT but have not started as don’t want to confuse my system while tapering.

Hi @Emsy. I’ve just read through your page and I’m so sorry for what you’re going through😞. I can resonate with your omeprazole interaction because that’s what happened to me last year. When I first went into WD I was taking 20mg omeprazole alongside my lexapro(not knowing of the interaction). I stopped the omeprazole for 5 days prior to to an endoscopy. Of course after 3-4 days I went further into WD then back up to my normal dose once it settled again

Then I switched brands a month lasted which of course threw me off again. What a mess. Anyway I decided to stick with the omeprazole, not for stomach acid suppression but for stability.

Wishing you all the best

Lexapro:

Aug 2023 – Lexapro 5mg

Jan 2024 – Lexapro 20mg

Jun 2024 – Lexapro 17.5mg (Kept tapering down in 2.5mg increments till Aug)

Aug 2024 – Lexapro 2.5mg (Withdrawal hit after stopping 2.5mg)

Oct 2024 – Lexapro 5mg

Jan 2025 – Lexapro 1mg, 1.25mg, 1.5mg, 2mg (Drs orders back reaction)

Feb 2025 – Lexapro 1.5mg 

Sept 2025 – Stabilized

Dec 2025 – Back in WD

 

Omeprazole:

?? June 2024 – 20mg

08 Mar 2025 – Stopped

14 Mar 2025 – 20mg

05 April 2025 – Brand swap

Start Sept - 15mg (2 week taper)

End Sept 2025 - 10mg (By end of Sept)

05 Feb 2026 – Brand swap 

 

Supplements:

Fish Oil - AM High DHA & EPA

Loratadine Am 

Magnesium Glycinate pm 1,000mg

 

 

  • Author

@Johan1233 thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience.

I hadn’t needed omeprazole for 6 months so when I started it again beginning of July I could feel the mirtazapine levels rising in my system as I started to feel dizzy and much more sedated.

It’s really messed me about and honestly if id known about the issue at the beginning of my taper id have probably stayed on it and not come off for 6 months but I didn’t know any better!

Hindsight and all that.

Sorry to read you are in WD.

Are you still holding the Lexapro at 1.5mg?

3 weeks Paxil around 2002 I think can’t really remember. CT no issues except for a few head zaps.

1 day Citalopram Dec 2017

10/07/25 - Mirtazapine 7.5mg

19/07 - 15mg, 01/08 7.5mg, 15/08 dissolving orodispersible tablets for easier measuring 6mg, 22/08 5mg, 04/09 4mg, 18/09 3mg, 02/10 2.5mg, 16/10 2mg, 30/10 1.5mg, 13/11 1.2mg taper paused due to WD symptoms, had a window 17th March continuous improvement until early June when I went back into a moderate but manageable wave after overdoing things until early July when taking omeprazole for gastritis pushed me into another bad wave. Still waiting to stabilise before proceeding with taper.

Supplements - 100mg magnesium glycinate daily.

Other meds - Omeprazole 20mg a day when gastritis flares - realised after taking this for 8 days end of June ‘26 I was experiencing some WD symptoms again and researched to find PPIs block the liver enzymes used to metabolise a lot of antidepressants artificially raising blood levels. Stopped omeprazole and 2 weeks later back into a bad wave as my body has reacted as if I’ve updosed and then dropped again.

Post menopausal GP has prescribed HRT but have not started as don’t want to confuse my system while tapering.

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