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Bad dreams while using mirtazapine

Posted , 44 users are following.

Noddy
Noddy

Hi

I've been taking mirtazapine for a little over a week now and I am sleeping much better except that I have awful dreams. I used to take citalopram and had some weird dreams when I was taking them but it seems to be much worse since I changed to mirtazapine.

I wake up feeling terrible because the dreams have been so weird or frightening and it takes me a while to settle down again.

It's such a shame because before I started taking them I had difficulty sleeping, now that has improved but I'm nervous about falling asleep incase I have another horrible dream.

Does anyone else get horrible dreams while taking mirtazapine?

2 likes, 85 replies

85 Replies

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  • Guest
    Guest Noddy

    Posted

    I had been on 45mg mirtazapine six years,worked very well for severe depression with agitation and anxiety .(but took several months).would have been 100% prepared to stay on this for life ( even put up with the over two stone much unneeded weight gain) as mentally have been 100% for that long.Then around 2 years ago awful vivid bizarre dreams,and nightmares began.decided can't carry on with these.so titrate do slowly from May to Dec from 45mg to15mg (with every withdrawel under the sun).

    unfortunatley I have quite bad spinal stenosis,and two ruptured spinal disks,that have now caused permanent nerve damage,and the lower I have gone on this drug,the more severe my pain has become,and mobility much more reduced (than usual reduction I ilve with daily).went back up to 30mg 9 days ago,and pain levels back to usual levels,not great,but bit more manageable.

    also it does seem you have to be off this drug totally before nightmares go (and off it a while I believe)

    I will be making appointment with my GP after new year,to try and discuss a way forward,as I know there are other drugs that treat depression and nerve pain.

    goog luck.

  • padraig93615
    padraig93615 Noddy

    Posted

    Recently started on Mirtazapine. Being having bad dreams since starting but last night was another level. Was so real, frightening and disturbing that here I am, 4 hours later, still shaking and upset by how vivid and real it was. Is there an alternative drug as it otherwise has been helpful.
  • richard63964
    richard63964 Noddy

    Edited

    Been on Mirt here in the UK for about a week.

    My appetite is raging and I’ve already put weight on. Someone please tell me this doesn’t last.

    But it’s the dreams that are incredible.

    If I could actually explain or jot down any of these dreams to be turned into a horror or sci fi movie, they would be Oscar winners every time.  There’s lots of death, pain and torture in them. I can actually wake up from a dream and then continue with it when asleep again.

  • martin79120
    martin79120 Noddy

    Posted

    I've been taking Mirtazapine for three years and have learned to live with my 'other life' in the nightmares. Every dream happens in the same city, a composite of every town I've ever visited or seen, I suppose. There's something distinctive about it, a bit like the other world in 'Stranger Things' on Netflix. The mood is usually anxious ( what else? ) and sometimes they get violent and scary. My psychiatrist is unmoved.

  • One23
    One23 Noddy

    Posted

    btw..he is on 10mg mirtazapine. again he needs it to sleep..double edged sword .the dreams get more intense. what to do?

  • Yaralee98362
    Yaralee98362 Noddy

    Posted

    i used to have weird dreams and twice had vivid dreams, and almost everyone on mirt have either weird dreams , vivid dreams and awful dreams because guess what? is one of its many evil side effects

  • howard25030
    howard25030 Noddy

    Edited

    Hi noddy, just been reading a few comments about mirtazapine, and every one has the same side effects,

    ive been on mirtazapine for 4 months now and I have terrible vivid dreams, when I get up on a morning I feel like ive done 12 rounds with Tyson fury, takes me 2 to 3 hours to pull myself together,. I was on citalopram for 2 years and never had dreams like I do now, it's got to the stage now where I hardly sleep because I'm scared to go to sleep, tomorrow I'm booking a new appointment with the GP.

    just cant go on any longer.

    I'm so bad tempered and kicking off with ppl who are close to me. hope you have better luck with them than me.

    • One23
      One23 howard25030

      Posted

      hi Howard

      sounds like my son omg. He's scared too to go to sleep too. He will get a lot of intrusive thoughts in the evening and get very very anxious.

      Let me know how it went at GP. I don't know why mirtazapine is given when in itself it causes so much grief. I know my son needs it to sleep but like you he will wake up so foggy, bad mood and tired.

      I don't know if you have intrusive thoughts and dissociation, I don't even know if the doctors know what to do.

      I hope you get the right help.

    • howard25030
      howard25030 One23

      Edited

      Hi one23, thanks for your reply, I do get intrusive thoughts, some really bad ones, been to GP and he basically told me to stick with it, it will calm down, so no better off for my visit. I did ask if I would be better going back to the citalopram, now I don't really know what to do, I'm no wiser, hope your son gets through this, I don't know if age has anything to do with it, but thanks and good luck.

    • rossalyn91697
      rossalyn91697 One23

      Edited

      ivw come off them because the intrustive thourghts was so bad and the nightmares,

    • howard25030
      howard25030 rossalyn91697

      Posted

      Hi rossalyn, after the GP told me the other day, to stick with them, I decided I'm going to try and get off them, I haven't had one since my visit with the GP ,don't feel too bad today but hopefully it'll stop the bad dreams and intrusive thoughts.

    • One23
      One23 rossalyn91697

      Posted

      hi rosssalyn

      Did you have intrusive thoughts before mirtazapine? how are you now? what do you take for sleep instead?

  • rossalyn91697
    rossalyn91697 Noddy

    Posted

    yes i had bad dreams so servere is one of the reasons ive come off them x

  • barbara79178
    barbara79178 Noddy

    Edited

    OH MY GOSH YES! Just started this drug a couple of weeks ago. Horrible vivid dreams/nightmares EVERY night since.

    Hope they diminish with time

  • anon45947
    anon45947 Noddy

    Edited

    Yes I have also experienced similar. Couldn't get to sleep last night but when I did, had a dream that had me awakening by sitting up and pushing an imaginary cat off my bed, next I woke knowing what had been happening was a dream (but no longer remember what that was)but too scared to move (literally a hand or a foot or anything). I am 10 days into starting mirtazapine, and had noticed more dreams but last night was constant and very disconcerting.

    I have a bit of an alcohol issue, and interestingly 2 days without drinking has brought on the worst of this. Have had other nights with out drinking, cant say if they are the nights I dream more or not, could be coincidence, could be linked. I note they recommend not/ moderating drinking when on this drug, and that should be remembered.

    Another night like last night and I will back to the doctor....

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