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Been On Mirtazapine For 6 Weeks - Not Sure How Much Good It's Doing

Posted , 7 users are following.

robert47886
robert47886

Hi,

I've been on 15mg of Mirtazpine for six weeks now for anxiety with depression after a recent diagnosis. I'm still very new to all of this. I think I can honestly say that my more traditional anxiety symptoms have definitely improved ie palpitations, nervousness, nausea and being jumpy.

With that said, the total number of symptoms that I was experiencing before being diagnosed was vast - I never knew that anxiety can mean having so many different symptoms at different times. I still get some of these symptoms but cannot tell whether it's just some minor ongoing side effects from the Mirtazapine or the symptoms themselves that the medication isn't tackling eg momentary dizziness, sudden 'warm adrenal' feeling shooting up the legs, uneasy sensations and feeling low.

I think I'm on the right road generally with recovery as I also have a regime of various self-help measures such as regular exercise, daily meditation, drinking plenty of water and am starting some CBT later this week. I just thought by now my overall mood would be lifted and the remaining anxiety symptoms would be improved but the Mirtazapine just doesn't seemed to have tackled this. Or is 6 weeks still too soon?

My doctor put me up to 30mg only last week but after the second day I was starting to feel quite ill and nauseous. This worsened after a couple more days and I really felt that i wasn't able to tolerate this higher dose so I went back to 15mg and am now feeling normal again.

I know we're all different and these meds affect us all differently but how long should I give Mirtazapine before I can say that it's done all it's going to do?

And does anyone else experience ongoing side-effects from Mirtazapine even though they've been taking it for a while?

Your thoughts are greatly appreciated!

Many thanks.

 

0 likes, 14 replies

14 Replies

  • karin65289
    karin65289 robert47886

    Posted

    Hi Robert,

    I think that six weeks is just the beginning of your symptom reduction. I would give it longer and contact the doctor at any time to adjust your dose. If 30MG  is too much, can you take half that amount and give it time to work? i wish you well.

    • robert47886
      robert47886 karin65289

      Posted

      Thanks Karin - yeah I'm just so keen to tackle this problem that I find myself becoming a little impatient and too over-analysing about stuff.

      Really need to keep busy and not dwell on it so much but it's hard not to sometimes.

  • deb44437
    deb44437 robert47886

    Posted

    Hi robert.. I have been on 30mg of Mirt for 6 months.. at first, it was working so well for me.. unfortunately its not a cure all med but it did dampen off the unpleasant symptoms of anxiety & depression that would throw me into hellish moodswings.. Past 3 weeks now, I questioned if the Mirtazapine had stopped working for me, the dark old lows returning, weight loss, unable to sleep etc.,  Posted a question about Mirt & received some fab, overwhelming responses in regards to Mirt.. Seen my psych doc yesterday.. was taken off quetiapine & now only taking mirt along with sodium valporate.. (not so sure if she has made a wise choice by taking me off quetiapine)  Doc/patient relationship is important so it looks like Im on the search to find a Doc whom I can feel confident in..  If you are in doubt robert, perhaps it would be a good idea for you to make a visit to your GP?  Some meds do take time to work unfortunately.. Was told it has a lot to do with the chemicals in the brain?.. I really hope that you can soon feel much better rob.. 
    • robert47886
      robert47886 deb44437

      Posted

      Thanks deb - my GP is good but sometimes lacking in the reassurance department which sometimes can make a big difference. He did say that the reason ADs take so long to work is because the brain's natural chemistry is very resistant to artificial change. On the plus side I'm sleeping well and my problem hasn't stopped me from doing the things I enjoy although I've had some issues at times. I know I don't suffer from this as bad as a lot of people and I try to remember that. Hope you find your way to better days too deb.
    • deb44437
      deb44437 robert47886

      Posted

      THANKS rob.. your 'ups & downs' are equally important as everyone else.. I really do hope your meds will kick soon.. Will keep tabs on your improvement my friend.. Your message bought on a huge smile through a dose of kindness in your reply.. stay strong lol xx
  • susan32309
    susan32309 robert47886

    Posted

    Hi Robert - I've been on Mirtazapine for 6 months now, first on 15 then upped to 30 - it's hard to say whether it's working or not as I still get very low days but on balance Ithink it probably is.  I wish you well in your journey, you're tackling it on so many fronts with the meditation, cbt etc.   I still get the side effects even after 6 months - my main one is hunger and craving for carbs which I hoped would ease up but never has - I've gained weight which I didn't really want to do!  I also still get those hot moments - good luck on your journey, I hope all goes well for you.
    • robert47886
      robert47886 susan32309

      Posted

      Thanks susan - I too have gained a little weight since starting Mirtazapine but am fairly active so it hasn't been too bad. I've never been too great with any medication and that's probably why I starting feeling ill when my dose was increased to 30mg. I think I'll stay on 15mg for a couple more months and see how I go - I'm not expecting miracles but any relief from this is helpful! Wishing you well.
    • susan32309
      susan32309 robert47886

      Posted

      Hi Robert - something to remember, though I may be teaching my grandmother to suck eggs here - if you decide to reduce then please taper very slowly, there's a thread on here describing how to do it - I tried to reduce the doseage once by simply cutting the 30 mg to 15 mg - big mistake - I thought that as it increases in those increments then it would follow you could reduce it at the same rate.   I had awful symptoms - it was only when I started a thread on here that I realised just how slowly you need to taper it!   
  • Calmer
    Calmer robert47886

    Posted

    Hi Robert,

    So many people complain that going to 30mg worsens their symptoms.  Remember the lower doses are more sedating, 15mg.  The higher doses 30 & 45mg are more often prescribed for depression, having said that, some improve greatly with 15mg me included.  

    What started first Robert, the anxiety or depression?  Or maybe even insomnia?  

    Wishing you well. 

    • robert47886
      robert47886 Calmer

      Posted

      Hi Calmer,

      My anxiety was triggered by an illness - I had a virus last year for about 4 months and it left me with all kinds of anxiety symptoms which eventually lead to depression. Before I started on Mirtazapine I wasn't sleeping well at all which always added fuel to the fire.

      I'm not as bad as I was and it helped just to get a firm diagnosis because for a while I was convinced I had something far more sinister.

      Sometimes I still think I do - the brain likes to play tricks on us!

    • Calmer
      Calmer robert47886

      Posted

      Hi Robert

      You know some people would love to know what caused their depression in the first place, because then folk think they can work on it.  So it springs to mind, that if you have health worries causing anxiety that maybe you could use CBT to help that?  I know it sounds simple; has your virus cleared away now?

      Yes definately insomnia can lead to anxiety which can trigger depression ... 

    • robert47886
      robert47886 Calmer

      Posted

      Hi Calmer

      Funnily enough I start my CBT course tomorrow - really looking forward to it. Yes, the virus is long gone, my illness started in Feb last year. Because I kept relapsing everytime I thought I was improving, it made me worry endlessly of how long the illness would carry on for and I would become paranoid during my recovery that if I started to not feel right that it was the illness returning. Day after day I was experiencing some horrible symptoms as well as forgetting what it was like to feel well. It lasted for so long that it made me worry that it would never get better. Since then I most definitely have had health anxiety due to this and it triggered my clinical anxiety thereafter.

      I really hope CBT can help me with this.

  • stoke.girl
    stoke.girl robert47886

    Posted

    Hi Rob

    Everybody reacts differently to medication.  When I started on Mirtazapine and came off Venlafxine I felt really not myself but now I have settled on it at the dose of 45mg I am feeling alot better than before I was taking it.  the fact that you are strting CBT is a major positive step and although it wont always be easy it definitely works but again everybodys experiences are different 

    Here is a link to another site with a lot of reviews of Mirtazapine and it clearly displays that everybody reacts differently http://www.drugs.com/comments/mirtazapine/for-anxiety.html

    I wish you all the best for the future and remember that things can only get better even if it doesnt feel that way in this present moment.

    I have also found that Mindfulness is really effective in the management of anxiety in addition to many other benefits and with practice it can have a large positive impact on your daily life

    Take care 

    • robert47886
      robert47886 stoke.girl

      Posted

      Thanks so much stoke.girl. I was definately too eager jumping to 30mg so soon and feeling ill. I'm gonna give it a couple more months on 15mg and hopefully, along with all the other self-help measures, I'll be in a better place.

      Yep, I'm loving the meditation - it really is starting to make a difference.

      Glad you're living better days - take care.

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