Hi I am in 30mg mirtazapine. Have been on it for 6months. I still feel low the majority of the time and if I don’t set an alarm to wake myself up I can sleep for over 12hrs easily. I have put on so much weight since being on this and my body puffs up. My ankles, hands and face. I have been on different antidepressants but I feel I need to stop this one as it’s adding to my stress and anxiety. Has anyone experienced this as well or should I stick with it. I don’t want to put more weight on. I have increased my exercise and been on a strict diet but not seeing any change. I live in the UK. Changing medication is so stressful in its self. Has anyone come of this medication and not got worse mentally I don’t want to go backwards. Any advice on antidepressants I could ask my doctor to change me to?
Mirtazapine changing medication advice. - Anxiety and Depre...
Mirtazapine changing medication advice.
Good Evening (Your time, I think?) I read with interest your body’s reaction to Mirtazapine. I’ve been on 15mg for a few years & in back of my mind I knew it helped for Depression but it also helped as a sleep aide .which I need. Unfortunately one of the side-effects is weight-gain. It “sounds” like your anxiety is very much of a concern from it but it’s always advised to consult with your doctor before stopping any medication. It’s counter - productive the way you feel now vs why you were prescribed it. Hopefully you contact your Doctor on Monday. Some people don’t understand that the added stress we (“We” meaning you, me and those who suffer from Depresson!) encounter when the medication we take to help us feel better is making us feel “majorly upset” emotionally! There are other night-time medications that can be prescribed for you. I’m surprised you haven’t told your doctor already or he hasn’t picked up on your anxiety because of your medication (s). Please call and tell him . You shouldn’t suffer like this. Please let us know what he says.
Hi thanks for replying. I wouldn’t just come off the medication as I know it has side affects. I have suffered with some bad night sleep but it wasn’t why I was put on this. So as it’s a sleeping tablet it does worry me if I will have problems with sleeping if I come of it. I have put on maybe nearly 2 stone and I have always been a good weight until lately. I think I need to speak to my Doctor but she always tells me that she can’t do nothing as it was the mental team that put me on the medication. It’s never straight forward. I will try and contact my Dr on Monday and see if I can get an appointment.
Hi I was on 45mg mitrazepine until recently and have put on so much weight and my legs and ankles are so swollen that I only have one pair of shoes that I can squeeze into! I have bought a few new items of clothing but they are now becoming tight I feel so awful. I too am in the UK so I phoned the doctor last week asking to be taken off the medication but all he did was reduce the dose to 30mg. It’s so difficult not being able to see my GP face to face. I don’t eat an excessive amount but if I try to go without eating I get really dizzy and shaky. I am finding it almost impossible to drive the car and I have a new five week old grandson who I am afraid of picking up! Does your food taste differently too?
Hi, you need to reduce the dose regularly before coming off a medication so continue to call your doctor every week to say you want to reduce the dose and stop taking it when safe. It's the best way tbh..
Thank you for replying. I appreciate the need to reduce the medication regularly but it wasn’t my GP who prescribed it but the mental health team. I am going to phone again and ask if I can have the dose reduced to 15mg at the end of the week with a view to stopping it altogether. I would like to go back onto my original medication as I had no problems with it but when I mentioned it she didn’t seem too keen. My feet, ankles and legs are similar to an elephant now and I can hardly walk without feeling dizzy.
Hi yes my ankles, legs, knees all are really puffed out also my hands and face. I wish we could see the GP face to face as it would be less stressful. I’m trying so hard to loose weight as well. I can get my ankles to go down then just go for a walk or anything physical and they go straight back to being puffy. Yes shoes are a nightmare I have 1 pair that fits also.
I rang the pharmacist at my surgery on Thursday and told her about the excessive swelling and she said she would have a chat with a GP and ring me back which she did. They have now reduced my medication down to 15mg for three weeks after which I have to ring her back with a view to changing to a new medication hopefully. I have been eating salads for the past week but haven’t noticed much difference! I find my feet are less puffy if I put my shoes on and drive but they just swell up again. I can’t wait to get off the medication it was prescribed by my mental health team I think because I was losing weight and not sleeping. Now they have passed me over to the GP but as you say it would be so much better to see someone in person. I find I can’t even exercise because I feel so dizzy and spaced out and can only drive after I have had something to eat! Have you decided what you are going to do about the medication? Thank you for replying.
I want to come off it but it’s scary as I worry that my mood will then get worse. To get an appointment with my GP you have to phone on the day and it’s a gamble if you get an appointment or not.
As I said my medication was dropped to 15mg and only after a few days my legs, feet and ankles are less swollen! The only pair of shoes I could wear now feel too big probably because they had been stretched. Another thing I have noticed is that my food tastes better. I had more or less stopped drinking tea because of the taste. I haven’t noticed any changes in my mood and I am still sleeping ok. I seem to be going to the toilet more often but maybe it’s my body’s way of getting rid of the excess water. I still get dizzy when I need to eat but I can cope with that with all the other improvements. I don’t know if my experience will help you decide to take the plunge to come off the medication but I hope so. Do you have a pharmacist at your surgery? I rang her instead of the GP. Our surgery is still not doing appointments but over the phone consultations still. Let me know how you get on.
No I don’t have a pharmacist attached. I need to cut back I think. I just want to be able to book a day and time for an appointment. It’s hit an miss if you can get one then you have to not be doing something as you don’t get a time they will phone. It’s so stressful
We have the same system at our surgery ring in the morning and hopefully someone will get back to you sometime the same day. I waited once and didn’t get a call back until 7 p.m.! You are lucky that you have the opportunity of getting an appointment. Did your GP prescribe your medication? Mine was done by my mental health team but they have now passed me over to the surgery. Good luck I hope you get somewhere.
Be persistent, even if she said she didn't put you on it, she can advise who to speak to or how to reduce the dose progressively so you can stop taking it. (that's actually easy, you just have to be monitored for extreme side effects while you do that and touch base with your doctor regularly)
Although I appreciate it's stressful going through all the ups and downs of trying new medication, it's still the best way because only you can tell whether that medication is suitable for you. You are in control of what suits you so you can at least make those choices.
In regards to the side effects you experienced, those are very common with mirtazapine, but at the same time there will be people who swear by it and that it helped them very much. 🤷♀️
That's the nature of medication like that, it doesn't work the same way for everybody, but I hope you find one that is better for you and doesn't affect your body so much.
I have been in touch with the pharmacist at my surgery today and have now got my dose reduced to 15mg as from tonight with a view to coming off it and going onto another medication. I am feeling relieved that hopefully my awful side effects will soon be gone. I have to spend three weeks on 15mg before the next reduction.
yes, keep going! The improvements should come soon too
Thank you I do hope so. I have a new grandson six weeks old and I am even worried about picking him up! Will keep you updated.
After only a few days I have noticed improvements already! My legs, feet and ankles are already not so swollen and my food tastes normal again. My mood hasn’t changed and I am still sleeping ok so all good.
I am so so happy for you, this is great!
I have been in touch with my doctor again who dropped my dose to 15mg and I have been on this for three weeks. I now have been prescribed a different medication so will be starting that tomorrow and then it’s goodbye mitrazepine thank goodness!
That's great news, really glad it worked out for you! I've seen people struggle with certain medications without even noticing at times and I am so happy you are finally able to break away from it. It's hard protesting and getting what you want at times, I feel your pain but it was all for the best in the end. Keep monitoring your side effects and continue to express any concerns when they arise 
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