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Does mirtazapine work slowly or like a 'light switch going on'?

Posted , 6 users are following.

andy78339
andy78339

Hi,

The most anxious time for me is trialing new meds as they take time and in my case the first 2 weeks of mirt. have been full of very high anxiety, suicidal ideation and general illness. I hang on to the fact that this is part of the process and eventually the mood lifts but am I deluded,maybe this medication won't be the answer. I take it with some other meds including a dipixol injection and worry if there are any interactions as well. The crisis team have said it can take up to 6 weeks but I don;t understand this and why it takes so long to change the chemicals unlike other drugs which work fairly quickly. 

Any thoughts

0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • dee70426
    dee70426 andy78339

    Posted

    Hi Andy I'm exactly the same in trying new mess but my experience with these wasn't good and I've stopped taking them after 3 weeks they made me so tired that I was struggling to function through the day I felt numb and not with it and in 3 weeks I've put on half stone

  • jason15970
    jason15970 andy78339

    Posted

    Hi Andy hope your doing well, for me, 15mg Mirt worked best, 30 and 45mg not so much!
    • jason15970
      jason15970

      Posted

      I should have stated, I was on 30mg for 4 months then moved to 45mg, then GP felt 15mg might actually benefit me.
  • Psyched_Out_Kim
    Psyched_Out_Kim andy78339

    Posted

    I don't know anything about that medication, but it sounds like the others in that it makes thing worse for a while.

    The medication doesn't just change the chemicals in your body, it also changes the receptors, and you brain has to learn a new way to function. I kinda compare the way these meds work to the way my thyroid medication works. The first pill didn't instantly fix my thyroid, or even necessarily help it. It took having to take that pill daily, and waiting 3 months to see if it was effective. The blood test showed it was helping, but not enough so the dose had to be adjusted.

    If something didn't happen overnight, it can't be fixed overnight. Sad but true. Hang in there.

  • valerie01412
    valerie01412 andy78339

    Posted

    I'm thinking of starting mirtazapine as my doc said it is good for anxiety which is one of my biggest problems.  I have also got to cut down on diazapam as I take too many and apparently it works against the Mirt.  I shall be taking it alongside Paroxatine which so far hasn't helped at all, every day is such a struggle. I wish you the best of luck with them I know just where you're at!!!  xx

    • jason15970
      jason15970 valerie01412

      Posted

      Hi Valerie, I hope you are well! I hope it works for you, for me, it did take some time for the 15mg ones to take effect, I think with myself that worrying every day about whether the higher dosages were working or not did not help my depression!
  • linda61597
    linda61597 andy78339

    Posted

    I have been on xanax for 3yrs and now i have become tolarant to it.

    My dr just prescribed mirtazapine 15mg to take at bedtime because it makes you tired. She also said to continue the xanax during the day. I am afraid to start the mirtazapine because I don't know the side effects. 

  • andy78339
    andy78339

    Posted

    i didnt know it reacted badly with benzos like valium im also on lorezpram for anxiety but they dont seem to work as well on mirt. im wondering how long before the mirt bites and lifts my mood
    • valerie01412
      valerie01412 andy78339

      Posted

      I wouldn't expect too much from the Mirt for at least 5-6 weeks.  I wonder sometimes how I manage it through the day. sad

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