Started mirtazapine

[Pheebs93]

(Please don't tell me any horror stories of taking mirtazapine as It will trigger m, thank you ❤)

Hello everyone,

I've just started taking 15mg mirtazapine alongside my citalopram 40mg which I have been taken long term.

For the past few months I've suffered from depression and ocd anxiety. It's been getting very tough to handle so my doctor prescribed mirtazapine, I saw the mental health team in A&E who advised me to take it, after I told them I've had it My cupboard a month but been to afraid to take it after a bad experience with another antidepressant a few years back.

I took their advice and I started to taking it last night, it did help me sleep but today I've felt really spaced out and drowsy, is this a side effect that wears off?

Any guidance appreciated please

[kenster1]

hi. pheebs93 been on them for years never had any bad episodes that worried me any side effects in the beginning usually ware off after a few weeks.

[Pheebs93 in reply to kenster1]

Thank you kenster, felt very spaced out and sleepy yesterday, I've just woken up so not sure how I am today yet xx

[azizirmn]

Hi there, I've been on them for months now have the same exact symptoms as you. It's normal to feel like that and usually in my experience it will ware off in about a week. Fingers crossed! You could chat me if you wanted to know more, happy to help 🙂

[Pheebs93 in reply to azizirmn]

Thank you azizirmn, that's so kind of you. I've been deeply depressed since September last year, it's been so difficult, as my ocd has gotten bad again, I am terrified of medication but I also decided I want to try it because I've seen and heard how it makes people feel better, i just pray it works for me xx

[azizirmn in reply to Pheebs93]

I hope you feel better as the time goes by. But just remember if the medication is starting to affect you, go to your doctor and ask discuss with them alternate options. Fingers crossed, you will become better, I'm sure x

[EndUser13]

I take mirtazapine to help me sleep, would it be possible for you to take it at bedtime?

[elaine2447 in reply to EndUser13]

It should only be taken then.

[Pheebs93]

Thank you enduser, yes I have been taking it about 2 hours before bed xx

[Frankie24]

I have taken remeron for over twenty years at first at a dose of 45 mg. And now 15 mg. It worked well as an add on to my antidepressant for my anxiety and depression. Now I just take it for sleep. When I first started taking it I would be very drowsy in the morning but eventually that went away. I believe it to be a good drug with few side effects.

[Dell12345]

Hi Pheebs, I take Mirtazapine, 30mg/day I've found it very good for anxiety.

I found the side effect of feeling lethargic wears off after a week or so. It's definitely one to take at bed time rather than in the morning. X

[Zyxx]

For me, the intense sleepiness lasted one week. The odd thing about mirtazapine is that the higher the dose, the less sleepy get. So, paradoxically, when I went on a higher dosage I could finally function.

It makes sleeping different - you fall asleep like a freight train hits you, and when you wake up you can be disoriented for some minutes. After that, you get up and feel nice and active.

I have no horror stories about mirtazapine but it can influence your weight. You’ll be more hungry, and the doctor will tell you that’s the only possible reason for weight gain. I don’t believe that. You’ll probably want to get pretty disciplined about intermittent fasting (but not calorie restriction per se, which is not a good way to lose weight.)

Good luck.

[elaine2447]

Firstly, don't worry about all the many horror stories of mirtazapine. It changed my life and I was on it for quite some while and regained my appetite as I couldn't face eating. I found that 15mg was quite sufficient for me. I left it off for a year and then due to a bad and unfortunately permanent vax reaction I went back on it again. I had read a study about it and apparently it is a known cortisol suppressant which i make far too much of (I did various cortisol tests, including the saliva test).

I then learned that "less is more" so I started taking just half (7.5mg) at night which helped me sleep. The only downside is that it caused me weight gain and so recently I left it off for about a month. I had lost about 6 pounds by then. Sadly, I had the most horrendous time just over a week ago with my best pal and the only beautiful thing left in my life, my cat. I struggled through nearly a week and I felt so ill and worthless and what is the point that I took a 15mg the other night and I did sleep and I felt my mood had changed slightly yesterday for the better. I don't want to carry on with it but at least I know i have them.

The main thing is they are only to be taken at night.

Regarding the citolapram, that is a different story altogether and some years ago when my mother was in a poor way, I had a GP, who has made so many mistakes, who has cost me dearly both financially and physically, but thankfully retired, gave me that drug, told me to take it at night. I took the first pill around 10.00 p.m. and by 3 a.m. I was going out of my head, I live very close to a river and it was like this dreadful force was telling me to go there and throw myself in. I got to the front door and eventually it wore off. It was the most scary experience.

I was explaining this to a psychiatrist as it worried me and she said you should NEVER have been told to take it at night.

If it were me, I would wean myself off that vile drug and just stick with a small amount of mirtazapine. They tried to get me up to 30mg but it didn't agree.

Another thing, these SSRI's and SNRI's(mirtazapine is the latter) taken long term can cause osteoporosis. I already have it severely with a fractured spine.

I hope you feel better soon.

[Lin1944]

Hi, I take 45mg Mirtazapine plus Venlafaxine and no side effects. Mirtazapine does help me sleep better but the downside is my weight gain. A lot of my clothes don’t fit me and I now buy a bigger size. My mental health is good.

[Kinlay]

I have been on mirtazapine for years. It is the one med I have no intention of ever going off! It pulled me out of a deep depression, and while I need other meds to cope with my GAD, the mirtazapine has kept me from falling all the way back in that hole. It also helps with sleep. The initial fogginess during the day should wear off. I'd give it a month to see how it settles.

[012703060610]

I have been on and off of it for years as well. It has helped me mostly with a more major depressive mode than situational depression. It was certainly taken with other meds a Benzo at the same time. I found out if you cut a very small dose out, it actually makes you sleep better. So eventually, I used it for sleeping. Once I gained weight and once I didn't. I think it's worth a shot!