MIRTAZIAPINE

[Sixtychick]

I have been put on Mertaziapine for anxiety. Anyone taken this and can tell me how they got on. I took the first one last night. Felt dizzy on getti ng up and lightheaded and a bit unsteady. Hlong did it take before you felt normal again. I am finding it hard to cope with these anxious feelings all because they told me to start to come off my sotalol, which gave me a hypertensive crisis and i had to go to hospital/, then they put me on amlodipine,which made me feel awful.I had to stop that, so I have anxiety from this.

[10gingercats]

I have been taken Mirtazapine for 2 years for anxiety and it helps me a lot. It is also a soporific.I take it before bed and get a better nights sleep than without it.I am on 15mg once a day. with no problems .Others on this forum take it so wait for them to reply.

[Karendeena in reply to 10gingercats]

What other meds are you on as my GP isn't keen on me taking any antidepressants but I need them

[10gingercats in reply to Karendeena]

other meds are pretty low key...Bisoprolol,Apixaban,low dose furosimide and thyroxine .

[Karendeena in reply to 10gingercats]

I think it's the interaction with Sotalol that's the problem

[Sixtychick in reply to 10gingercats]

are you taking an anti coagulant as well

[10gingercats in reply to Sixtychick]

Yes. I take Apixaban and have done for a few years. No problems with that.

[Sixtychick in reply to 10gingercats]

thanks

[Cliff_G]

I've been on it for 5? years, initially 30 mg which zonked me out. Reduced to 15, still a bit zonked. Dropped to half a tablet, 7.5 mg, which I've found enough to just tip the balance on sleep. Trying to come off it has not worked for long. This is all in addition to the usual BP, cholesterol etc meds and warfarin (heart valve).

When I came off the 30 mg after a few days I noticed my mood was not so light - the first understanding I've had of what depression must feel like to some people. But I've stayed on 7.5.

It does increase your heart rate, my normal 60 went to 85 on 30 mg. Which is great for me as my fib and pvcs are vagal, so more active at night at low heart rate. 7.5 doesn't seem to do much on HR.

Hasn't made me dizzy, it shouldn't really do that.

[snak3eyes in reply to Cliff_G]

I took Mertaziapine for a short while because I couldn't maintain sleep. I was able to fall asleep without any problems but I would wake up soon after like just 30 minutes after and couldn't fall back asleep after that.Mertaziapine in low dosage helped me maintain sleep. But I was very sleepy the next day so I stopped taking it.

also it doesn't create dependency like benzodiazepine drugs do.

[wischo in reply to snak3eyes]

Yes it does as all antidepressants have the ability to cause addiction and discomfort on withdrawal. Benzodiazapines are one of the safest anti anxiety medications known though dependency is a known problem. Its the yobs that misuse these drugs for so called kicks that has really caused the death knell for this medication.

[snak3eyes in reply to wischo]

Mirtazapine, an antidepressant commonly used to treat depression and anxiety, is not considered addictive in the traditional sense, as it does not cause cravings or compulsive use like substances such as alcohol or benzodiazepines

[wischo in reply to snak3eyes]

Yes it is and you should only stop Mirtazipine under your GPs supervision. Whats a traditional sense of addiction?. All mood altering drugs are addictive to some degree and Mirtazipine is high on that list.

[breadbutter in reply to wischo]

you are so right about benzos. it is the safest antianxiety meds known and if used properly it is the most effective. I have taken it when needed for over 20 yrs. sometimes I don't use it for weeks and have never been addicted to it in any way. no one needs it every day...you take it when you need it along with cognitive behaviour therapy. so many drs refuse to prescribe it anymore because of the idiots who take it for the wrong reasons.

[Sixtychick in reply to breadbutter]

do you take anti coags as well

[Sixtychick in reply to Cliff_G]

oh dear. My problem is i can’t sleep because of muscle pain in back of neck, and shoulders caused by by being on my ipad too long.It’s causing me anxiety.Volterol has helped me sleep, but can only be used short term. So stuck between a rock and a hard stone

[Sixtychick in reply to Cliff_G]

Are you taking an anti coagulant with it. It can cause problems like bleedin can’t it

[Cliff_G in reply to Sixtychick]

Yes, taking Warfarin. Mirtazapine has no effect on it, neither does Apixaban. See the BNF interactions page: bnf.nice.org.uk/interaction...

[Sixtychick in reply to Cliff_G]

are you taking anti coags as well thought it caused problems

[Karendeena]

Hi, I haven't been on it because my GP said it was considered not suitable for those on Sotalol and Apixaban in fact he wasn't keen on any of the antidepressants. I used to be on citalopram years ago before I was diagnosed and medicated for AF and felt great on that but my EP wanted me off it. Recently one GP prescribed duloxitine but another GP said it increased bleeding risk so I haven't taken it but ai really needs something like you! My brother takes mirtaziapine and he has AF and on apixaban but he is on lots of other meds for Parkinson's so doesn't really know what causes all his side effects but he does say he is 'fatigued' all of the time and has no motivation or energy, he is extremely depressed but mirtaziapine doesn't seem to be helping him

[Sixtychick in reply to Karendeena]

Yes i read it doesn”t go with anti coagulants

[Karendeena in reply to Sixtychick]

Are you queying it with your GP? My doctor tells me the one with the least risk is Duloxitine

[Sixtychick in reply to Karendeena]

He said he wouldn’t give it to me if it wasn’t safe

[Karendeena in reply to Sixtychick]

I asked for Mirtaziapine as my brother takes this and he is on apixaban too. My doctor said it carried an increased risk of bleed (I believe all antidepressants do) but not sure if the problem lay with the Sotalol I need to check this out as I really need something right now too ❤️❤️

[Sixtychick in reply to Karendeena]

no it”s the anti coagulant.I asked the GP about this and he said he wouldn”t put me on it if it wasn’t ok

[Ppiman]

I couldn't cope with the dull headed zombie like drowsiness it caused throughout the day; and it didn't help me sleep at all. It's, at heart, an antihistamine of the variety that causes drowsiness - something like Kalms or Nytol.

A friend takes it and thinks it helps, so it effects people differently. It seems far safer than SSRI drugs.

Steve

[Sixtychick in reply to Ppiman]

I am getting dizzy spells when i look down.That has been happening quite a whil and I’m feeling unbalanced. My husband thinks it cold be my ears

[10gingercats in reply to Sixtychick]

I was diagnosed with a vestibular....in ear problem...when I was unbalanced.Doc/Gp thought it was old age! but it had come on quite siddenly so that was ruled out. A very long wait to see physio. vestibular expert who helped with exercises.You can also access some useful exercies for this problem on You Tube.

[Sixtychick in reply to 10gingercats]

I” going to see if GP will put send me to ana ent specialist

[Ppiman in reply to Sixtychick]

I can get that and put it down to low blood pressure or my arrhythmias. Even watching a child on a roundabout, or spinning around with my grandchild affects me far more than it ever used to.

Steve

[Sixtychick in reply to Ppiman]

It’s not nice

[Sixtychick in reply to Ppiman]

Difficult to know what to do. Thought it caused bleeding if on anti coags

[Ppiman in reply to Sixtychick]

I don't think it does. It's not an old drug, gaining in popularity in the 2000s, I think, after a launch in the mid 1990s. I would try to and see. It's not habit forming or hard to stop.

Steve

[Sixtychick in reply to Ppiman]

Thanks

[Sixtychick in reply to Ppiman]

not nice

[wischo]

Mirtazapine is an old tried and trusted anti anxiety/depressant drug and is considered safe with heart patients. It does help you sleep and maybe a bit much in the beginning but you have to persevere long enough for your body to adjust to it and for it to work properly. It gets excellant ratings on drugs.com for anxiety so I would persevere for a while and see how I got on with it.

[Sixtychick in reply to wischo]

thanks. Can”t it cause bleeding if on anti coags

[wischo in reply to Sixtychick]

Nope.

[Hairem]

Hello from Canada.

I love Mirtazapine but I use half a tablet once every three weeks to reset my sleep. I tried to use a full tablet when I was put on it but I could not handle how groggy I was. My half tablet gives me three nights of good sleep. Strange medication.

[Sixtychick in reply to Hairem]

Think mine is 7.50 gm

[Palpman]

I've been on 45mg for 3 years. In the beginning it made me very sleepy but now seems to do nothing.Many people have no patience with drugs such as Mirtazapine and Flecainide and stop taking them if they have drowsiness or dizziness. This is common and if you stick it out for a few days this will most likely ebb off.

[Sixtychick in reply to Palpman]

Thanks I hope so

[Kimmieblue]

Let us know how you get on with it, my mum was on Mirtazepine for quite a few years and they worked well for her, she was also on coags and many other meds too. Best wishes

K.

[Sixtychick in reply to Kimmieblue]

I read it can cause bleeding if on anti coags, but GP says not to worry about that, he wouldn”t put me on it if it wasn”t safe

[Kimmieblue in reply to Sixtychick]

No you're right he wouldn't put you on it if it wasn't safe. I've heard it's a good medication but we're all different I know. Hope it works for you, Anxiety is awful with health problems as well.

Best wishes

K.