Has anybody had a bad reaction to MIRTAZAPINE. The doc gave them to hubby yesterday as he said they would help get his appetite back and to start putting weight back on. He woke up at 8.30 today like a zombie. I have read the leaflet in the box but it doesn’t say anything to help me. Have rung doctors surgery but have to wait until after surgery to receive a call back. I have been told that doc cannot speak to me as there is no authority on screen. I go to every appointment with him. He is freezing cold and our house is so hot I am having difficulty breathing. On Saturday we were up A and E because his eyes ballooned up and he couldn’t see, they said it was a nut allergy, just because he had been eating nuts that day. It is getting so overwhelming I feel unable to cope at the moment.
Reaction to Mirtazapine: Has anybody... - British Heart Fou...
Reaction to Mirtazapine
Hi there, they are an anti depressant, no wonder he feels like a zombie. It will also block anti histamine production, this may be the cause of the swelling. Personally I would throw them in the bin and see your GP again
Skid112, thank you for your reply. We were told they were an antidepressant but also used for people with poor appetites to get them to eat. Hubby has lost so much weight following HA in Oct 2016 and cannot put weight on. I phoned surgery at 10 this morning and was told doctor would ring back after morning surgery. Mmmmmm, after 2 now. Do doctors receptionists go to charm school?
Must be a general training ground for them I think!
Please don't fall into the trap of thinking all GP receptionists are the same, many of them do a great job whilst implementing the GPs instructions.
Patients who are unhappy with their practice policies need to speak to their GP not blame the receptionist.
I was on this drug as an antidepressant for nearly 3 years and the zombified demeanour is unfortunately very typical. Many users report that they feel foggy and detached for the duration, but after the first 4-6 months it does lessen somewhat and many find they can then function more normally, though my experience was that I was never quite right on it. It will very likely help his appetite and get him to gain weight though: by the 3 month mark I was so constantly hungry I could easily devour a loaf of bread a day on top of big meals, and the weight-gain was the main reason I eventually came off it. It was making me even more depressed than I had been to start with.
Personally, there are other non-psychiatric medications that can be used to stimulate appetite and promote weight-gain. I don’t know your husband’s history or situation, but drugs like Megace are used in many chronic conditions to promote weight gain. Given the spectrum of side effects with Mirtazapine and SNRIs in general, I’d be going back to the gp and saying the unintended, unnecessary effects are unbearable.
My 9 yo has cf, and for many with the condition weight gain is a significant, serious struggle that can result in needing feeding tubes and overnight feeds. As a result, she has a medically-sanctioned, very high fat diet so that even when her appetite is ridiculously poor she still gets a lot of calories - when I cook, I use butter and cream liberally in her food, lots of cheese on top of dishes. You can add a knob of butter to most things. This clearly isn’t ideal for someone with a heart condition (myself included), but there are heart-healthier fats that you could consider including more liberally and it’s worth thinking thoroughly about how and what he’s eating. Grazing throughout the day often works for many far better than set meals, and some of the cancer charities have factsheets on poor appetite and weight gain and practical steps you can take at home to help that apply regardless of the underlying illness. Have you seen a dietician? They can be absolutely invaluable. Another thing that can help people with all sorts of health conditions gain weight is utilising milk-based supplement drinks like fortini/fortisip/scandishake, sometimes 3 or 4 a day, as they’re energy dense in relatively low quantity (usually 200kcal in volumes of 120-200ml depending on the brand), but these usually need to be prescribed either by dietetics or a doctor. If nutrient intake is also a concern, there are supplements that include a good proportion of vitamins, protein and minerals.
Hope your husband turns a corner soon.
Charlie G. Thank you. Hubby was admitted to hospital this morning as he is still like a zombie. He only took one tablet on Tuesday night, GP said on phone last night that he has had a rare reaction to drug. At present his sodium levels are very low. Waiting for consultant.
Sorry to hear that, but glad he’s being looked after. I have a very strong personal belief that psych meds shouldn’t be used when there’s no underlying psychiatric problem. Even when you actually need these kind of drugs, in my own experience the side effects are generally extensive and frequently one of the reasons why people often end up non-compliant with treatment and stop taking them. There’s almost always either a non-psych alternative or other medication free approaches that can be tried first, but often psych meds are cheaper than some of the alternatives and commonly seen as a ‘quicker fix’.
Sincerely hope your husband feels better soon, and that my prior ramble was of some use. As he’s in hospital, it might be worth asking staff for a dietetic review whilst he’s an inpatient: it would get him seen much quicker than a referral from the gp. Make sure you look after yourself too though - caring for a loved one is a hard slog, particularly when nothing seems to be going to plan.
Thank you Charlie G. I am really thankful for the A & E doctor and then the consultant. It is about the 7th time he has been in hospital this year but nobody has gone as far as these two. Will try and look after myself but it is an horrendous journey to the hospital by public transport. Cannot really afford taxis and don’t like to ask for lifts even from family. Thank you once again.
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