Remeron Withdrawal & Detox

Remeron withdrawal isn’t a topic that has seen significant research, in part because it appears to be fairly rare. However, it can still occur and cause unpleasant side effects, such as anxiety, sleep problems, and nausea. 

It’s important to talk with a doctor about wanting to stop taking Remeron rather than just stopping on your own. The usual recommendation is to taper your doses, which can significantly reduce your withdrawal risk and make withdrawal less severe if it occurs.

What Is Remeron Withdrawal?

Remeron is a brand name for the drug mirtazapine, an antidepressant. Withdrawal from mirtazapine appears to be rare although possible, though it’s not known exactly how common it is at this time. 

Broadly, withdrawal is a collection of unpleasant symptoms that occur when a person suddenly stops taking a drug or significantly reduces their intake of a drug after developing physical dependence on that substance. 

Physical dependence is often confused with addiction. Many people addicted to a drug are also physically dependent on it, but it should be noted that physical dependence does not mean a person will compulsively engage in drug use, only that they will experience unpleasant side effects if they try to reduce their current rate of drug use too quickly.

Withdrawal can occur even if a person only ever used a drug as prescribed, but it is generally more likely when a person engages in drug misuse or abuse.

What Causes Withdrawal From Remeron?

The exact cause of Remeron withdrawal isn’t well understood. It’s been suggested that “a state of serotonin dysregulation may play a role”, which essentially means withdrawal may be the result of one of the key reward systems in the brain becoming temporarily chaotic if a person suddenly stops taking a drug meant to regulate mood after a period of taking it regularly. 

It’s also been suggested that other neurotransmitters may be involved, such as norepinephrine, dopamine, and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Cholinergic rebound occurs after an abrupt discontinuation of a drug that blocks certain receptors and causes a variety of unpleasant symptoms, and this may also contribute to the drug’s potential for withdrawal.

What Are the Common Symptoms of Remeron Withdrawal?

Since Remeron withdrawal is rare, there aren’t common symptoms, but these symptoms are possible:

• Anxiety
• Restlessness
• Irritability
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Insomnia

Factors That Determine the Intensity of Withdrawal Symptoms

The length of time a person has used Remeron and the amount taken can affect the severity of withdrawal symptoms, although it is again important to note that withdrawal from this drug has many unknowns. Generally, longer use and higher dosages of a drug that causes dependence lead to more intense and prolonged withdrawal. This is because the body and brain can develop a dependency on the medication over time.

Abruptly stopping Remeron after long-term use might result in a more severe withdrawal experience than gradually reducing the dosage. Gradual tapering allows the body and brain time to adjust to the decreasing drug levels, minimizing the shock to the system that can cause more substantial symptoms. This is why tapering is usually recommended when you want to stop taking antidepressants like Remeron.

Additional factors, such as age, gender, and overall health, can also influence the intensity of withdrawal symptoms. It’s important to consult a healthcare professional when considering stopping or reducing use of Remeron to ensure a safe and comfortable withdrawal process.

How Long Does Withdrawal Last?

In general, antidepressant withdrawal lasts a couple weeks, but the exact timeline can vary greatly between people. Your doctor will likely recommend a tapering approach to stopping use, and this can take several weeks to months as you gradually reduce your daily dose.

Remeron Withdrawal Timeline

There isn’t a set timeline on what to expect from Remeron withdrawal. The topic isn’t well researched. Using some general information about antidepressant withdrawal, it will typically take a few days to start if it occurs at all.

After it begins, it will typically worsen, although not necessarily linearly, meaning it won’t necessarily get steadily worse. There may be some jumps up in the severity of symptoms and then likely a leveling off. 

It can take weeks or months for the depression or anxiety an antidepressant was suppressing to return to unmedicated levels. It is often hard for people to tell if anxiety or depression they start to feel is because their symptoms are returning (due to being unmedicated) or because of withdrawal.

Detoxing From Remeron

If you want to stop taking Remeron or any other antidepressant, don’t do this without medical supervision. Talk with a doctor about the best way to stop, both to reduce your risk of serious withdrawal symptoms and to make sure that the symptoms that were controlled with your medication continue to be properly treated.

Again, a tapering schedule is generally recommended to stop use of antidepressants. This helps your body slowly adjust to a lack of the drug over a longer period and can significantly lessen or completely eliminate withdrawal symptoms once you fully stop taking it. Your doctor can design a tapering schedule that makes the most sense for your situation.