Dreams worse coming off mirtazapine

Hi Colin,

I have been taking Mirt for about 7months now and have vivid dreams every night without fail, some of them strange some of them more coherent of reality. I don't really regard the dreams as an issue as they dont wake me or seem to disturb my sleep. I personally can't vouch for the tingling sensations you describe, i have had occasional light headedness though that washes over after a few seconds.

I found that regular excercise really helps with my mood. If your working from home then you have the benefit of being able to take regular jogs and walks. i really can't recommend it enough. Have you also consider other group activities that you could partake in during the day?

I hope your situation improves soon and if your unsure about any symptoms you may be having, contact your GP...

Thanks for the speedy reply He Man, I try to get some excersise I walk for about 20 mins at lunch, do Yoga once a week and swim for an hour once a week I have also got a Wii fit that I use most evenings, but the summer cant come to soon so I can get out on my allotment in the evening, initially when I was first ill I used my work to escape from my anxiety, the harder I worked the less time my mind had to wander, now I am finding it hard to change the routine, the job is sitting in front of a computer all day using Access and Excel and I have tight schedules especially at the beginning of each month so it is hard to fit in more breaks.

Likewise Colin, i always find work a good distraction and keeping busy was a must. I also have a Wii, aren't they addictive!!?

By the way, i forgot to mention that with Mirtazapine the lower the dose the greater the sedative effect, this may explain the notable change in dreams you've experienced since lowering your dosage.

Hi He Man, I agree this may be due to the reduced dose, I find the dreams wake me and I have difficulty getting back to a decent sleep state I tend to be in that half awake half asleep state, also I am quite edgy in the mornings and wonder if this is the cause, last night i reduced down to half a 15mg tablet and had a realy disturbed night.

Yep the Wii is very adictive and helps when I cant get out, we have about six inches of snow at the moment here in Peterborough.

Are the mirts dealing with your problems, I find I have spells when I feel almost like my old self, (proir to this i was very relaxed and care free) but the majority of the time I have this uneasy feeling not anxiety but on the edge.

Hey ColinB, and everyone else

I just thought I'd pipe up because I've been getting cramps /aching tingling feelings in my forearms (not as severe as pins and needles, but it just makes me stretch and fidget), and a bit in my legs. I've been on Mirt for a few months now and don't remember getting those feelings before, so maybe it is normal?

I know what you mean though about being anxious for weird things in your body, the tingling is normally in my left arm and I was worrying that it was a heart attack!! (I'm 21 - pretty dumb eh?)

Oh also, it might be just me, but I find the vivid dreams aren't as bad when I set an alarm and wake up earlier in the morning... It might be worth trying this out if the dreams are bothering anyone...

Hi Colin,

Yes the mirt has really worked wonders for my mood, particularly at the 30mg dose. I'm now on 7.5mg for another week and i'll then stop the meds. I am experiencing some quite profound withdrawl symptoms, i've been becoming very edgy and have had unusual fits of anger and frustration. My GP did warn me about this and has instructed me to just see it through. I do fear returning back to the dark days i experienced prior to Mirt, but am determined to fight them without the meds. I will be travelling later this year so i'm hoping a change of scenery and the experience will help keep my mind off things.

We've had lots of snow the past week in Worcestershire too, so i haven't been playing football and doing the usual amount of excercise i do, which hasn't helped the tapering of the mirt.

How does mirt compare with the other meds you've tried? Have you experienced a change in your diet?

Hope you've had a good weekend.

Hi Colin,

Know exactly what you mean mate I have been on Mirtazapine 30mg for 18 months to treat depression and in my case as my depression was eating away at my motivation and I started to see cracks in my life, I couldn't sleep either and so the side effect helps me drop off to sleep. Lucid dreaming began around the 6 month mark for me, however, I still feel nervous and verging on the edge...sometimes I would panic at work, then I would panic at home worrying about guess what? panic at work, panic at play!. I also have a Wii fit to exercise and it helps my mood, but I actually found studying Chess a superb diversion to tax my overactive imagination. Great when my missus is having early night and I am in overdrive. I hope things get better for us all...Peace + Light

John

(Age 31)

[quote:1a882b9dbf=\"ColinB\"]I have been on Mirtazapine for so long I have forgotten when I started taking it, (I have found my memory is worse and don’t know if this is due to the medication), I quickly built up to 45mg at first but have reduced down to 30mg for the last five months, and now for the last ten days I have reduced to 15, the weird dreams seem to be worse and I get them most morning, I am also experiencing tingling in my hands and lower arms plus bad spells of cramp, [b:1a882b9dbf]does anyone know if this is normal[/b:1a882b9dbf], I want to get off of Mirt completely as although my sleep has been good apart from the dreams I am still feeling tense and on edge, not quite anxious but on the verge, when I started these I was very anxious all of the time and constantly scanning my body and surroundings for even the smallest indication that something was going wrong, I have had therapy and all of them have advised a change of job as I am better in company, currently I work from home, the wife leaves for work at 7:30 and returns about 18:30 and I spend all day alone I go for walk lunch times but don’t see anyone, I am unable to change my job as being 60 there are not that many openings paying a decent wage, sorry to write such an essay but it helps just to write it down, any suggestions on how I can lift my mood would be greatly appreciated for example has anyone tried St Johns Wart with any success or any other remedy, I have been reluctant to mix anything with Mirt but when I eventually get off them I am open to any suggestion, I have tried Lustral, Dothapine and Amitriptyline prior to the Mirt and none of these suited me.[/quote:1a882b9dbf]

[quote:f0fb2914a1=\"invisiblefriend\"]Hey ColinB, and everyone else

I just thought I'd pipe up because I've been getting cramps /aching tingling feelings in my forearms (not as severe as pins and needles, but it just makes me stretch and fidget), and a bit in my legs. I've been on Mirt for a few months now and don't remember getting those feelings before, so maybe it is normal?

I know what you mean though about being anxious for weird things in your body, the tingling is normally in my left arm and I was worrying that it was a heart attack!! (I'm 21 - pretty dumb eh?)

Oh also, it might be just me, but I find the vivid dreams aren't as bad when I set an alarm and wake up earlier in the morning... It might be worth trying this out if the dreams are bothering anyone...[/quote:f0fb2914a1]

I too have had these feelings. It is an odd feeling and quite worrying, but they last 10 minutes maximum.

I know what you mean about being so young and worrying that it is a heart attack - when I was 18 I had a spontaneous pneumothorax in my left side. A collapsed lung really does feel like a heart attack!