Mirtzapine

[yellow731]

Hi been prescribed these for a bout of insomnia ,just says take before bed , do i take it when i go up ? 30mins before ? A hour ? They no information about how to take ,dont want to be laying in bed waiting for it to kick in , also are they good ? Will i be on them long are the easy to come off?

[Tos92]

My mum has been on Mirtazapine for a decade or so now. She normally takes it 30 minutes before bed. It seems to kick in for her within an hour at the most. Sometimes it can make her feel drowsy, despite being on it for so long, so please be mindful of this. It has also caused her to gain weight over the years. However, they do help her sleep. A part from this, she has had no other issues with it. It seems that she will be on the medication for the most part of her life now.

You might find the following link helpful.

nhs.uk/medicines/mirtazapin...

All the best.

Tos

[yellow731 in reply to Tos92]

Thanks i read the nhs website but it was just the standard before bed ,what MG is your mum on ? I exercise daily due to heart attack so will burn the fat off

[Tos92 in reply to yellow731]

She is on 15mg.

Good to know you are on an exercise regime.

[yellow731 in reply to Tos92]

Have to be had my warning i just lived of takeaways and crap smoked 30 cigs a day weighed 16st 4 now a healthy 12st 10 in 7months

[Tos92 in reply to yellow731]

That’s amazing. Well done!

Hopefully, the Mirtazapine works so you can get some restful sleep.

[Jalia]

My husband takes his 30 mins before bed.They help!

[yellow731 in reply to Jalia]

Thank you thats good will take mine about 30 mins then just didnt want to take up just before going up then laying there for a hour .

[10gingercats]

Iwas prescribed these for anxiety and insomnia and have taken them for about two years. They work well. I take approx half an hour before I want to sleep. I am on a low dose of 15mg.I do not have any next day after affects.I also take Zopiclone but infrequently as it really knocks me out and occasionally it is important i am fresh as a daisy the next day

[yellow731 in reply to 10gingercats]

Ive had zopiclone i have 2 left , but the GP as gave me these new ones , got myself worked up over changing from night shift to days after 19 years ,yes i just want to get a good sleep wake up next day fresh go on a morning walk ,hit the gym in the afternoon work my 4on 4off just be normal again these last 2 weeks have been a nightmare

[10gingercats in reply to yellow731]

Zopiclone can be addictive which is likely why your GP changed you to something milder. My Gp will only prescribe 7 Zopiclone at any one time !

[yellow731 in reply to 10gingercats]

yes thats all they gave me knocked me out but the night i didnt have it wouldnt sleep at all , just dont want to be on these to long and get my addicted to them

[Winimops]

hi Yellow731.

Mirtazapine is an anti depressant which can help with sleep and can increase your appetite. I often see it prescribed in my line of work. It won’t knock you out on taking the 1st dose it needs to build up in your system. This usually takes 2 weeks. It is always prescribed at night as it can make you feel drowzy after around 45-60 mins after taking it. Have a go and adjust the time you take it so that it works for you.

Melatonin is really good with sleep to but here in Wales it has to be prescribed by a consultant not a GP. Are you still under the care of a Cardiologist? They may be able to start you on it.

[yellow731 in reply to Winimops]

hi wini

The GP didnt explain he just asked me how everything came about and how i was feeling , told him worked a full night shift since my HA got home and then didnt sleep for 3 nights as ive had to give up night shift after 19 years , and my work mates a drop in income just got on top of me and stressed me out ,im not depressed , even on my records he has put diagnosis insomnia , i wondered why ive eaten a bit more than i normally eat today cant be doing with turning into a slob again , hopefully when i get on to dayshift in march i will be back to normal , and just come off then , the GPs are just to quick to throw pills down your throat nowadays .

[yellow731 in reply to yellow731]

oh and no cardiologist discharge me after 3 months

[soppysokes]

most of the drugs names ending zapine seem to cause weight gain unfortunately.

[yellow731 in reply to soppysokes]

Yes just reading about it ,looks like i will be eating more fruit and nuts inbetween meals 😁

[Shabana1974]

I take mine about 30 minutes to 1 hour before but if you are not use to it I would take on your way to bed until you realise at what point it kicks in for you.

My brother first time taking fell asleep in the chair.

And has everyone is different I would take on the way to bed and keep a rough eye on how quick it kicked in.

Best wishes

Shabana

[yellow731 in reply to Shabana1974]

Yes will be trial and error wont it for a while , took on the way up last night with my statin and was laid a fair while will take 30 mins before this time see how i go

[Yumz199725]

I was on this last year and it was amazing for helping me sleep but wasn't good for me physically the amount fluid retention was awful I was 2 stone heavier because of it and my appetite went into overdrive! It affects everyone differently obviously but now I'm on sertraline 50mg and it's so much better for my anxiety.

[Yumz199725]

Forgot to mention it makes you sooo drousy I would take it before bed and I within 15 mins I was asleep which was great for me because my mind is in overdrive while I'm trying to sleep it's a nightmare.

[Identiy]

When required I use 7.5 mg - 1/4 of a 30 mg tablet - and it will give me a good sleep

[yellow731 in reply to Identiy]

Do you chop yours yourself ?

[Identiy in reply to yellow731]

Yes - pill cutter

[yellow731 in reply to Identiy]

And do you only take when you need to ?

[Riverusk]

I take mine 5 mins before getting into bed, it acts quickly

[Silvertail]

You can't stop it cold turkey but must be weaned off it. I have just done it and had to take half a tab for 5 days then half a tab every second day for 5 days. No problems.

[yellow731 in reply to Silvertail]

How long was you on them for ?

[Silvertail in reply to yellow731]

About three years.

[Yellow26]

Hello

I’ve been on it for at least 4years , it’s a long term for myself as I was struggling to sleep after being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, also have AF with no problems whatsoever. It was my diabetic doctor told me to go on them, GP wasn’t sure about it but I was glad I take them ,15 mg I’m on now was on 30 mg but cut down, will probably be on them for years and don’t have any problems taking them,.

Good luck with them .

[wischo]

I was on these for 6 months for anxiety and the 30mg dose made me hyper nervous generally so reduced to 15mg which was good because I slept very well. I found that 7.5mg worked fine for sleep and after about six months just stopped taking them with no side effects at all. Still sleep well and anxiety is all but gone. Hope this helps.

[yellow731 in reply to wischo]

Thats good to hear think i got sleep anxiety because the full night shift wacked my body clock out.

[Paul244]

I used Mirtrazapine and found taking it an hour before bed was best for me, didn’t feel hung over either the next day.

[Sizzlerman]

Hi, I have been on Mirtazapine for anxiety after heart problems. I ended up on 45mg, it did take the edge off and I am in the process of getting off them. I dropped to 30mg, not too bad but now I am on 15mg and I am finding it difficult to get to sleep but hopefully that will pass.

[Kimkat]

Hi, I have just read all of your replies and have to say that I must be really odd. I was given mirtazapine 2 weeks ago to help me sleep. I don’t have a problem getting to sleep but I do have a problem staying asleep. He told me to take them just before bed, so I took it at 10pm, the following morning I woke up at 11.30! My husband left me as he knows how precious a good sleep is for me. The rest of the day I felt as if I had cotton wool in my head and at 3.30 I had to go for a lie down, I slept until 6.30pm and felt so groggy I couldn’t wait to get to bed that night. After 2 days of this I rang my gp and he advised me to half my dose, I am on 15mg so that’s 7.5. To cut a long story short I feel dreadful on them, I can’t seem to function normally, I’m tired all of the time, so I’m definitely coming off them, I’m taking it easy by taking one every other day starting today for the next week. I do react strongly to most meds so it may be that. I didn’t realise that they were antidepressants and my gp didn’t mention that but he did say it would probably increase my appetite, which it does, so that’s another no no. I actually feel depressed in myself and I’m really snappy with everyone, so they’re obviously not for me. Sorry it’s a long post 😐

[yellow731 in reply to Kimkat]

Thats how i felt last 2 days like hungover , and wanting to eat more but just have more fruit and mixed nuts , i didnt know they was anti depressants im not depressed ,i read less is more for sleep so will take 7.5 mg tonight ,ive slept but not deep sleep on them ,last night i woke up 1.30 then 5.30 then alarm went of at 8.00 , your not odd everyone reacts different to meds , ive never touched tablets till HA as had a phobia of them ,will see how lower dose goes

[Kimkat in reply to yellow731]

Same as me, I wasn’t depressed until I started taking these. I’m a bit miffed that the gp didn’t say anything to me if I’m honest. I do sleep more but I can’t say it’s any better quality, I still wake up regularly but I get back to sleep quicker. I’d rather have less sleep but feel with it than like this .

[yellow731 in reply to Kimkat]

Yes it like you cant get motivated isnt it ,i go to the doc with a sleep problem ,got a bit of insomnia due to body clock wacking out of sync , tries to turn me into a zombie and to rely on drugs im back there in 2 weeks i wasnt in right frame on tues due to having no sleep for 3 nights so was desperate not depressed , will throw questions at him .

[Kimkat in reply to yellow731]

I used to do shift work when I was younger, it’s hard and it’s probably one of the reasons that my sleep pattern wasn’t good then but 40 years on, I’m not sure what it can be

[yellow731 in reply to Kimkat]

Its a young persons game i think ,us old ones just turn into zombies, im enjoying day mode now , think thats why the one night shift ruined me , im in my routine and sleep patern was fine

[Lawburd in reply to Kimkat]

Kimkat, I felt exactly the same as you when I took them. Started on 7.5mg and made me depressed and exhausted the next day. I also react to some medications and supplements.

I find a tiny amount (say 1/8th of a tablet) does the trick really well. I sleep like a baby and feel bright and alert the next day plus no extra hunger. You could give it a try.

[yellow731 in reply to Lawburd]

1/8 of a 15 mg tablet ? ive eaten more today went to starbucks earlier with my daughter had a piece of cake dont touch anything like that normally since HA i eat healthy

[Lawburd in reply to yellow731]

Yes 1/8th of a 15mg tablet is enough for me. If I wake, I stir and then go back to sleep very quickly. I’m a hungry person anyway but find I don’t eat more than normal. One packet of Mirtazapine lasts ages for me!

[yellow731 in reply to Lawburd]

That is tiny how you get it that small, less is more for sleeping isnt it

[Kimkat in reply to Lawburd]

1/8 of a 15 mg would be really difficult as they’re so tiny but I have managed to quarter one today, so I’ll see how I get on with that.

[yellow731 in reply to Kimkat]

Well i had 7.5mg last night and i slept same on that as i did 15mg still woke up a couple of times but dont feel so hungover this time

[Kimkat in reply to yellow731]

That’s pretty good, unfortunately 7.5 still made me groggy, however I tried half of that last night and even though my sleep was as it always is, at least I woke up without a heavy head. I think I’m going to come off these though as they obviously affect me badly. I’m not achieving anything by being on them.

[yellow731 in reply to Kimkat]

Will try lower dose tonight ,ive not been as hungry or felt dopey today either, as they say less is more

[gladliz]

Have you considered that changing from night shifts to days after such a long time will affect the sleep patterns your body has become used to. It will take time to adjust itself to the new ones but adjust it will and you may only need the Mirtazapine for few months.

[yellow731 in reply to gladliz]

I have been on day mode since heart attack last july , i did one night shift and its put body out of sync i go on perm days next month

[Identiy]

Yes, now only when need to. It is not addictive.

I took it regularly for several years .

I have a friend who takes 1/8 of a 30 mg tablet and sleeps fine on that.

[yellow731 in reply to Identiy]

Well ive tried 15mg 2nights didnt sleep any better woke up hungover and hungry, tried 7.5mg slept the same as on 15mg but no hungover not as hungry , took about 3.5mg last night slept the same as 15mg woke 3times , no hangover think will skip toniight

[Identiy]

It may not suit you but perhaps you should give it a week or so at 7.5 mg and see if the sleep improves.

[Isobel1]

My GP put me on a low dose of Mirtazapine after I'd had 3 lots of painful major surgery in 3 years , was getting very anxious & couldn't sleep. I take it about an hour before bed time & it works very well.

[yellow731 in reply to Isobel1]

Low dose how low ?

[Isobel1 in reply to yellow731]

15mg. Have been on it for nearly a year, it helps me sleep.