15 MG MIRTAZAPINE PLUS 150 VENLAFAXINE

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I went to see a Psychatrist yesterday and she has prescribed 15 mg mirtazapine and 150 mg Venlafaxine.  I have been on both these drugs before - Venlafaxine for 10 years but it stopped working and 15 mg Mirtazapine which only worked for 2 months.

I was disappointed with this and said but both of these didn't work.   She said that that was singly but they are good in combination with each other.

Has anyone else had this combination and if so did it work?

Many thanks.

Pat

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  • Posted

    Hi sorry just come across this post! I have a 7 week old son and have been going through a terrible time with depression and anxiety since his birth unable to bond properly etc! I have been on Mirtazapine 30mg for just over two weeks now and yesterday I was prescribed Venlafaxine 75mg to take along side the Mirt! I really hope this starts working for me because I am so miserable feel like a totally different person since having the baby! I am unable to enjoy being a mother and the way I feel is stopping me from loving and enjoying my son! The pregnancy was planned and I couldn't wait to meet him so it is so horrible that I am now feeling like this! I really hope this combination works for me and i can start to get my life back on track! X
    • Posted

      Hiya, I know things an old thread but wondered if this combo worked for you? I have been on mirtazapine 45mg for 10 weeks and feeling so depressed and anxious. Gp has reduced me to 15 mg mirtazapine and I have an appointment on Tues with the mental healthily doc re adding venlafaxine as gp would only prescribe separately and I am hoping to get both prescribed together. I need my happy life back now!! Xx
    • Posted

      Dear Charlotte

      I really feel for you.  I think I am bad but someone young and with a new baby really puts mine into perspective.  Have you got someone to  help till you start feeling well again?  I'm sure you will get well again Charlotte I have always found Venlafaxine a very good AD.  I have been on it for 14 years it's only now it's stopped working.

      Do let me know how you get on.

      xx

    • Posted

      Hi i really want to know if venlafaxine stops the weight gain that mirtazapine causes, no on has mentioned weight gain here so im hoping it cancels it out? 
    • Posted

      I'm afraid it doesn't but you can stick to a low fat and sugar free diet with the occasional treat now and then you'd be surprised at how much rubbish we eat I put on weight at first but have lost it again on the SlimmingWorld diet.

  • Posted

    Hiya, I know things an old thread but wondered if this combo worked for you? I have been on mirtazapine 45mg for 10 weeks and feeling so depressed and anxious. Gp has reduced me to 15 mg mirtazapine and I have an appointment on Tues with the mental healthily doc re adding venlafaxine as gp would only prescribe separately and I am hoping to get both prescribed together. I need my happy life back now!! Xx
    • Posted

      Hi Joanne

      I was on Venlafaxine 75mg for 11 years and never ever had any side effects.  From time to time, usually about a year or so, I  would come of them.  I would cut down on them and I have never had any trouble with withdrawing.  After a while the depression would raise its ugly head again and so I woud go back on them.

      As I said I was on it for 11 years but two years ago they just stopped working.  My GP tried me on several different ADs but to no avail.  Then last November she prescrbed Mirtazapine 15 mg. They worked more or less immediately.  However, they to stopped after 3 months.  My doctor then upped the Mirt to 30 then 45 mg but no luck.  She then  said I should go back on Ven.and put me up to 225 which was horrendous.

      I then asked if I could go to our local hospital and see a psychiatrist as they are supposed to know more about the drugs.  Anyway long story short the Psychiatrist prescribed 15 mg Mrt. and 150 mg Venlafaxine.  I said  but they both stopped working and she said sometimes they don't do so well singly but they make a good combination.  I walked out feeling it was a waste of time but to my joy they started working in three days.  I have also got a couple of friends who are on Ven with great success.  One friend was actually in hospital for weeks as she was so bad.  She has just been taken off her second drug and just on 150 mg of Ven.I was on Venlafaxine 75mg for 11 years and never ever had any side effects.  From time to time, usually about a year or so, I  would come of them.  I would cut down on them and I have never had any trouble with withdrawing.  After a while the depression would raise its ugly head again and so I woud go back on them.

      As I said I was on it for 11 years but two years ago they just stopped working.  My GP tried me on several different ADs but to no avail.  Then last November she prescrbed Mirtazapine 15 mg. They worked more or less immediately.  However, they to stopped after 3 months.  My doctor then upped the Mirt to 30 then 45 mg but no luck.  She then  said I should go back on Ven.and put me up to 225 which was horrendous.

      I then asked if I could go to our local hospital and see a psychiatrist as they are supposed to know more about the drugs.  Anyway long story short the Psychiatrist prescribed 15 mg Mrt. and 150 mg Venlafaxine.  I said  but they both stopped working and she said sometimes they don't do so well singly but they make a good combination.  I walked out feeling it was a waste of time but to my joy they started working in three days.  .I was on Venlafaxine 75mg for 11 years and never ever had any side effects.  From time to time, usually about a year or so, I  would come of them.  I would cut down on them and I have never had any trouble with withdrawing.  After a while the depression would raise its ugly head again and so I woud go back on them.

      As I said I was on it for 11 years but two years ago they just stopped working.  My GP tried me on several different ADs but to no avail.  Then last November she prescrbed Mirtazapine 15 mg. They worked more or less immediately.  However, they to stopped after 3 months.  My doctor then upped the Mirt to 30 then 45 mg but no luck.  She then  said I should go back on Ven.and put me up to 225 which was horrendous.

      I then asked if I could go to our local hospital and see a psychiatrist as they are supposed to know more about the drugs.  Anyway long story short the Psychiatrist prescribed 15 mg Mrt. and 150 mg Venlafaxine.  I said  but they both stopped working and she said sometimes they don't do so well singly but they make a good combination.  I walked out feeling it was a waste of time but to my joy they started working in three days. 

      I have had a couple of hiccoughs but I now know how to handle these ie not laying in bed all day and just getting on with life and I find this works.  By the way I am 73 and I think you are a good bit younger so I am sure you will have success with the combination.

      Good luck.

      Pat. 

    • Posted

      Hi Patricia,

      Thank you so much for your reassuring reply. I had an tel appt with the pdoc as he can't see me til 10th Sept and I said I need help before then. He has basically reduced mirtazapine to 30mg and added 75mg venlafaxine. Started this yesterday and feeling spaced out totally but not quite as anxious although I have had diazepam earlier. Hoping this combo (not with diazepam unless really needed) will give me my happy self back!! It's been nearly 3 mths and I miss me and being a happy Mummy. I have had a lot go on since start of the year. Relationship breakup with father of my kids (was right decision), moving house and job and getting used to being a single mum. I'm normally so strong and together but this is probably a delayed reaction to everything that's happened. So California rocket fuel do your thing please!!

    • Posted

      Hi Joanne

      If you read my original post you will see that I found the two drugs together worked great but only for a year in my case.  I never got on with Mirt by itself.  I know what you mean about getting your happy life back again I feel the same.

    • Posted

      Hi Joanne, I know this was two years ago but wondering how you're doing now? Nikki

  • Posted

    hi..

    how r u friends?

    i was extremely and  severely depressed for last 10 years and tried all the available antidepressants in the market.

    15 days back,I started taking the combination of venlafaxine 150 mg,mirtazapine 30 mg and escitalopram 10 mg per day. i have got miraculous results by this unapproved self formulated combo.I am as enthusiastic content and happy as i used to be 10 years back...but am an addict of nicotine.so when i use nicotine i feel mild symptoms of serotonin syndrome many times a day. but i neither can leave nicotine nor this formula that i cud compose having lived for 10 years in hell. please tell me as to what you people think.

    thanks,

    all the best!!!

    • Posted

      Hi Ajashu

      It's a relief to hear someone else has had depression for a long time though I have been depressed for 14 years off and on.  Though the ven worked for 11 years.

      Since I wrote the above posting taking 15 mm Mirt and 155 mm Ven they only lasted a year.  Since then I have been getting steadily worse.  The only thing that keeps me going is feeling back to normal in the evenings.  I am seeing the Psych. next week but last time I saw her she said that I had had everying and any drug she could prescribe could give me a stroke!! So now I don't know what she will do when I see her.

      I'm glad to see you are feeling a lot better.  I really worry as all they do is to keep upping the meds till you can't take them.  I don't know what causes my depression as I have no problems in my life.  No  money worries, a lovely husband of 54 years and three lovely grandchildren.

  • Posted

    Hi,

    I realise this is an old thread, but I wonder how people are getting on on this combo?

    I've been on venlafaxine for 12 years - was on 150mg for 6 years, then 225mg after a stressful life event. I was fine (the odd blips, but only small and manageable and I think most of us get them) ... Then out of the blue last July my depression came back bad and I couldn't pull myself out of it. I told my GP in October and he readily admitted he didn't know what to do tablet-wise and referred me to a psychiatrist. I had to wait until mid November for the appointment, but the psychiatrist was lovely.

    She wanted to add Mirtazapine but as I'm very sensitive to medication, she said do it very slowly, which I did - 1/4 of a 15mg tablet every couple of weeks (I seemed to get a good response to each increase which then wore off, but I was getting better overall I felt. On 12th January this year I got up to the full 15mg and I had 5 really good weeks. After 3 weeks, I saw the psychiatrist who discharged me, but said I was still on a low dose of the mirtazapine and that could be increased if needed, up to a max of 45mg, and she would write to my GP stating that. She said if I had 7days feeling bad I had to look towards upping the medication. Anyway, I thought it was cracked to be honest as I felt so much better.

    After the 5 good weeks however, I had a really bad spell - I have M.E. too, and had got over tired so thought it was probably prompted by that. It went after 5-7 days & I felt better again. Then 2 weeks after that (and 2 weeks ago) I had another bad spell, so I spoke to my GP & he said slowly increase to 30mg. I went up by another 1/4 of a tablet, then had 10 days ok, but could feel it creeping in again Monday, so I increased to half an additional tablet (so 15mg + 7.5mg total). That was Monday just gone and I still feel really bad.

    Do people think I will only get full therapeutic effect at the 30mg and I should panic at this stage it's now working now?

    I feel so worried - the psychiatrist was really reassuring, but as I'm now discharged I don't think I can still speak to her. My GP doesn't seem to understand depression and the tablets in the same way.

    Sorry for the long post sad

    • Posted

      Hi Cats Whiskers

      I see a Psychiatrist and they are the only ones that can combine drugs.  Mine always says to make another appointment if I have any problems.  I have answered two of the posts so I won't do it again as I am sure you will read them.  Good luck

    • Posted

      Hi Patricia

      I have just come across your thread and know it's an old one but wondered how you are doing?

      I was on mirtazapine 45mg 4 years ago after post natal depression and anxiety.

      This worked great for a year. I then decided to try contraceptive pills which I think sent my hormones out of whack and I had to add venlafaxine 37.5mg. This with the mirt worked great for 2 years.

      Last December I had to increase my dose of venlafaxine and I have had to increase every 2 months since then! It is always 10 days before my period is due. I am now on day 7 of venlafaxine increase up to 225mg and still on mirt 45mg.

      The doctor wants me to try another contraceptive pill which I am reluctant to do as I don't think I can go any higher on my AD's if I have a bad reaction!

      I am terrified about what is going to happen with my med's and am waiting to see a pshyc.

      I seem to feel better as the day go's on but am waking up at 4am in a panic about everything.

      Did you manage to get off the combo or was something added?

      I am so scared right now xx

    • Posted

      Hi Cats Whiskers, I know this is an old post but I'm wondering how you're doing now? I have ME too and have been trying different meds for severe anxiety and depression x

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