Mirtazapine (Remeron) withdrawal
Here is what the FDA-approved label for Mirtazapine (Remeron) actually says about stopping it — not a secondhand summary. The single most important point applies to every drug on this list: don’t stop abruptly on your own.
What the label says about stopping Mirtazapine
The label describes a Discontinuation Syndrome. It reports adverse reactions on stopping mirtazapine, particularly when abrupt, including dizziness, abnormal dreams, sensory disturbances (paresthesia and electric-shock sensations), agitation, anxiety, fatigue, confusion, headache, tremor, nausea, vomiting, and sweating. The label directs that a prescriber gradually reduce the dose rather than stop abruptly, and Dosage and Administration repeats that the dosage should be tapered down when discontinuing. (Note: the drug's boxed warning is about suicidal thoughts and behaviors, not withdrawal, so this discontinuation guidance is not itself a boxed warning.)
Why the taper matters
After your body adapts to a drug taken regularly, removing it too fast forces an abrupt readjustment — that is what withdrawal (also called discontinuation) is. A prescriber-managed taper steps the dose down gradually so the adjustment is gentle, and it can be slowed if a step is hard. This is why the fix is never to “push through” a cold-turkey stop, and never to piece a schedule together from a forum. Talk to the prescriber who manages your dose before you change anything.
And alcohol with Mirtazapine?
The label addresses alcohol directly and says to avoid it. In its drug-interactions table ("Benzodiazepines and Alcohol"), it states that drinking alcohol while taking mirtazapine increases the impairment of cognitive and motor skills produced by mirtazapine alone, and it instructs patients to avoid concomitant use. Clinical Pharmacology confirms this: in study subjects, alcohol had minimal effect on mirtazapine plasma levels, but the cognitive and motor impairment from mirtazapine was additive with that from alcohol. The Patient Counseling section likewise advises patients to avoid drinking alcohol during treatment. This is an additive CNS/psychomotor-impairment warning, not a disulfiram-like reaction.
Frequently asked questions
Can I stop Mirtazapine suddenly?
Not on your own. Mirtazapine's FDA label describes a discontinuation or withdrawal issue (summarized above), and stopping abruptly after regular use can bring it on. The safe route is a gradual, prescriber-managed taper — a cold-turkey stop decided alone is exactly what the label warns against.
How long does Mirtazapine withdrawal last?
There is no single answer and the FDA label does not set a fixed timeline. In general it depends on the drug's half-life, your dose, and how long you took it — and a slow, prescriber-guided taper is what shortens and softens it. Ask the prescriber who manages your dose to map a schedule to your situation.
How do you safely taper off Mirtazapine?
Tapering means lowering the dose in steps over weeks so your body adjusts, under the prescriber who knows your history. If a step is too hard, the schedule can be slowed — that flexibility is the point. Do not design a taper yourself from an internet schedule, and do not use alcohol or other sedatives to cope with symptoms.
If you are having a medical emergency — or thoughts of harming yourself while stopping a medication — call 911, or call or text 988 (the US Suicide & Crisis Lifeline).
Source
More guides for Mirtazapine
Other drugs: Alprazolam · Baclofen · Bupropion · Citalopram · Clonazepam · Clonidine · Cyclobenzaprine · Diazepam · Duloxetine · Escitalopram · Fluoxetine · Gabapentin · Hydrocodone · Lamotrigine · all drugs.
The description of stopping this drug is transcribed from its FDA-approved label; the taper guidance is general and true of these medicines as a class. This is reference information, not medical advice, and not a taper schedule — do not start, stop, or change a dose based on it. Any change should be planned with your prescriber.