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Alternative toMirtazapine which helps sleep

Posted , 10 users are following.

evergreen
evergreen

I have an appointment with the doctor next week to discuss possibly changing to a different AD. I love mirtazapine in every way but for the weight gain. I need to lose a stone and am dieting. I have lost 2 lbs in a week, but if I can't sustain it, I need to change drugs. Last time I tried to come off mirtazapine I suffered terrible nausea and insomnia (I tend to sleep badly in any case but mirtazapine has really helped). Can anyone suggest a different AD that really helps with sleep but does not cause weightgain? I don't get on with SSRIs. Thanks

1 like, 38 replies

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  • rosemary44014
    rosemary44014 evergreen

    Posted

    Oh. Noo I couldn't go cold Turkey.. No way, 

    but since I'm on the lowest dose, of Mirt, how do you I taper it off, 

    I can't get an app with my GP until 26th Jan..

    so I've asked for a repeat prescription until I can discuss it with him, and it's One of the 

    GP s I do not get on with.. cry

    His last remarks to me, were, ' I can't do any more for you' 

    would I be ok just taking one 15 mg every other night you think ...

    thanks .. Appreciate all the inputs .. 

     

    • norma72045
      norma72045 rosemary44014

      Posted

      No, Rosemary don't do one every other night, if you've only been on 15mg for two weeks,I would Google CITA and you could either phone them or email them and they get back to you quite quickly.  There the people for the best advice on Mirtazapine .take care
    • clarkio
      clarkio rosemary44014

      Posted

      Like Norma says Google CITA.  Some people advocate missing doses but perosnally I'm not keen on that approach due to Mirtazapines short half life (roughly 24 - 40 hours depending on indivdual) as I think it leads to big fluctuations in the amount of the drug in yourt system.

      IMHO I would try just lowering the dose gradually.  You've only been on it for 2 weeks which isn't really very long at all so you could try dropping to 3/4 or even a half of a tablet for a week or so and see how you go.  I stopped Mirt myself by taking this approach from 45mg to nothing gradually.

      I do know people who have taken 15mg for a similar period to you and just stopped and been fine.  However everyone is different so that's why CITA will be able to offer you rounded advice.

      But if I were you I wouldn't worry about it too much you've only been on it a very short time

    • pixie22
      pixie22 rosemary44014

      Posted

      My psych said I should reduce from 30mg to 15mg mirtazapine & he recommended alternate days of 30 and 15 to start with. But I'm going slower, down to 15 one day a week, then 2 days a week & so on. My first drop to 15 will be Friday - I'll let you know what happens.
    • Noahsnanny
      Noahsnanny rosemary44014

      Posted

      Hi Rosemary,

      I think Tony's advice is sound.

      I think your doctors attitude is disgusting, may I suggest you make an appointment with another in your practice? If you're anything like me, we don't like 'bothering' our doctor, we tend to soldier on as long as possible before making an appointment, afraid we'll be seen as malingerers or drug addicts, but, maybe that's just me.

      I'm looking for the same answers as you, I take 30mg of Mirtazapine to help with sleep issues (I struggle to fall asleep and to stay asleep) and to 'lighten my mood', as my doctor puts it. I started with 15mg, two years ago this month...and gained two stone over a matter of months, this coincided with my GP lowering my dosage of levothyroxine, so Mirtazapine wasn't the only culprit. However, that was rectified only months later, but I'm really struggling to lose the weight, I've applied all my tried and tested methods, to no avail. It was something my son's friend said that made me look into the weight gain issue. He was switched from Mirtazapine to Trasadone, if that's the right spelling, because of his sudden weight gain, he's 24yrs old and hadn't made any lifestyle changes. He says the Trasadone has the opposite effect on him, his appetite has all but gone, but he has seen a change in the way he feels...sadly, not for the better.

      So, I'm torn...I'm reluctant to mess about with my meds, if they're doing the job they were prescribed for, but my weight is making me not want to go out. I will though, look into lowering my dosage, someone in an earlier post said a lower dosage is actually more effective?

      Good luck with everything, keep us posted x

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