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Help - Mirtazapine Advice

Posted , 4 users are following.

loujay2
loujay2

Hi there

I've been in Sertraline for quite a few years now and felt they had just stopped working. I was prescribed Mertazpine and told to reduce my Sertraline by half for 2 days and then half again for a day or two then start the Mirtazapine. I did this and had my first 30mg dose last night. This morning I couldn't not wake up properly and have no energy and feel terrible.

I'm now thinking I felt better on the Sertraline. Would it be ok to just go back to them say tomorrow? I can't take Mirtazapine if this is how it makes you feel - I have children and a job. Any advice greatly appreciated.

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • evergreen
    evergreen loujay2

    Posted

    This is absolutely normal for mirtazapine. Rest assured that tomorrow will be slightly better and day three much better. After a couple of weeks you will feel pretty much normal. I just ensured I didn't have to drive until the afternoon for the first couple of weeks. When you wake up after your first dose of mirtazapine, it feels as though you couldn't ever feel normal on it, but you do, surprisingly fast too. A very small percent remain feeling drugged the next day for a much longer time, but as I say, it's a very small percentage.
  • rich98378
    rich98378 loujay2

    Posted

    Hi

    I was in sertraline but it didn't agree with me so I swapped to mirtazapine 30mg no tapering just a straight swap. Like you the first few days I had trouble waking up. However this does pass after 3 or 4 days if you can wait it out

    Rich

  • Calmer
    Calmer loujay2

    Posted

    Yes this is how it is with Mirt' ~ after a few days, when it gets into your system it is much better.  Taking it slightly earlier at night can sometimes help.

    Did youur doctor not want you to do a slow taper off the Sert?  If you get a reaction it will be coming off the Sert so quickly, not sure if you can take both at the same time whilst withdrawing from the Sert ~ might be a good idea to ask your doctor.

    It's a pity doctors don't warn you about the initial reaction from Mirt' so that youu can make plans around work and children, but then again I don't think doctors know, I don't think they know about withdrawal and the fact that it is supposed to be slow either, so do your homework when necessary.

    Best wishes 

    • loujay2
      loujay2 Calmer

      Posted

      Thank you all for your advice. I ended up speaking to the Dr and asking his advice. He advised that I had taken it too late at 10.30 and advised that I take it around 7/8pm. I did this and although felt a little better still felt pretty awful when I had to wake up. Its now midday and Im still feeling like I have no energy and its a struggle to do my work. Im going to give it another couple of days and see how it goes. If Im still the same then I will have to re-think.

      Has anyone come off anti-depressants and felt better? Ive been on them for years and can't remember the last time I wasn't on them. Ive started to wonder what it would be like without having to take anything. x

    • evergreen
      evergreen loujay2

      Posted

      I am now on only 0.3mg of mirtazapine and feel much better than when I was on it and it stopped working. I was on it for four years and it helped me a lot but then pooped out leaving me with insomnia and anxiety/depression. I feel a lot better now, although I still need some benzo for sleep.
    • loujay2
      loujay2 evergreen

      Posted

      I think I would like to try being off all meds. I'm unsure how to go about it. Should I stop the Mirtazapine and then take some sertraline? Or stop everything? Or taper the mirtazapine?
    • evergreen
      evergreen loujay2

      Posted

      Loujay, I think that yoou came off the sertraline far too fast and you are most probably having withdrawal symptoms from that. If you really want to be med free, then you coulld probably just stop the mirt because you've only taken it for a couple of days. However, I would have tapered off the sertraline far more slowly than you did. It may be best to reinstate a small dosage of sertraline and then taper off it. I have never taken sertraline so am not aware of what the withdrawal symptoms are. Have a read of the leaflet and if you think you are suffereing strong WDs, then reinstate and taper. If not, then just stay off them. Good luck!
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