Antidepressant withdrawal symptoms

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I took citolopram for 15 years with no issues apart from being a bit desensitised. 6 months ago I changed to Mirtazapine as I was suffering so badly with insomnia (15mg) within a month I started getting very severe leg pain and restless legs so after 3 months the doctor advised I slowly tapered off them. I don’t want to return to citolopram and I’ll be honest, i went cold turkey and stopped Mirtazapine altogether . Cue 3 months later and I have constant nausea, acid indigestion, horrendous insomnia and feel generally rubbish. I’ve read about antidepressant withdrawal syndrome (many GPs don’t believe in it) and wondered if this is what I’ve got or if it’s just my anxiety kicking back in. I can’t carry on like this, but really wanted to try a life without antidepressants. Anyone had any similar issues after stopping their medication?

Have the symptoms only just started even though you stopped the AD three months ago? I’d be surprised if it is withdrawal symptoms if so.

My daughter has been going through this - different AD, but awful awful mood for months and really bad acid indigestion, nothing seems to help it. She tapered very slowly and carefully too, but it seems the recovery will be slow

(Adult daughter)

No, they started within a week or so of stopping mirtazopine. Initially it was dizziness and headaches, but has now changed to nausea and acid indigestion and horrendous insomnia.

Poor love. I really feel for her. Part of me wants to try and wait it out in the hope the symptoms go, but I work full time in a stressful role and also have a family. I don’t have time to carry on feeling this awful.

Been going through this for 6 months. Symptoms started after I’d stopped even though I tapered slowly. Gp has no idea how bad it is. Anxiety comes in surges also weird symptoms including acid reflux pins and needles in throat insomnia emotional distancing. It’s hell but if you look an a website called surviving antidepressants it explains it all. There are links to various scientific articles. Recovery is not a straight forward trajectory it’s more of a rollercoaster with peaks and troughs. It can take 12months or more.In 2023 an article was published in a GP journal advising drs not to prescribe antidepressants for minor issues and to explain how difficult it is to withdraw. Some people end up thinking they are bipolar or other mental illnesses as the symptoms of withdrawal are different and worse than the reason you went on them in the first place. Good luck to anyone on this journey. stay strong, weather the storm do not restart antidepressants ( I tried this it was hell) we will get to the other side of this .

I’m sorry you are going through that, it sounds horrendous. I’m tapering off citalopram at the moment. My psychiatrist wants me to start Duloxetine but I’m determined to get off ADs all together.
The medical profession seem very reluctant to admit the extent and severity of AD withdrawal symptoms.

https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mental-health/treatments-and-wellbeing/stopping-antidepressants

You’ve probably already seen this?