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Mirtazapine 30mg - feeling worse?

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owen87
owen87

I'm new to this website, it' been interesting reading some of he varied reaction to Mirtazapine so I thought id give my experience with it.

I was prescribed 15mg to start with for about 3-weeks for anxiety. Was helping me sleep like a baby and found it hard to get up in the morning. Apart from sleeping, It only helped me that way. 

I was upped to 30mg about three and half weeks ago and its knocks me for six in the mornings. Weeks before last I could see a good change happening and could feel myself get better as the day went on. This week has been a complete nightmare, I have even had a week off sick from the doctor. I've had - Anxiety, no appetite, tired all the time, light-headed and can' deal with stressful situations. I know that last Saturday I forgot to take my 30mg tablet after I ended up having a few too many pints down the pub, but since that saturday I have been so ill with bad nerves. I don't think I want to touch alcohol again.

Since been on Mirt my appetite hasnt really got better at all, in fact worse I think. I sometimes feel my blood sugars drop during the day which in itself to me is quite frightening. I'm not sure if that's a sign of the medication or perhaps because I havent been eating, Im not sure. But I do try to force myself to eat.

Yesterday, I went to pick up my repeat prescription and was getting extremely panicky in the car that I had to drive back home and go to bed. Im so glad I have time off work to chill out. 

I'm starting a new job with the hospital in two weeks and Im hoping to get myself better by then. Im not sure if I should keep taking my 30mg and hope for the best Im not sure. 

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  • betsy0603
    betsy0603 owen87

    Posted

    Hi Owen, 

    You are suffering a lot of side effects from mirt. These are caused by an imbalance of neuroreceptors due to the action of the drug. The drug blocks receptors causing a rise of neurotransmitters in the gap between nerves, an un-natural situation for the nervous system, causing symptoms.  If you push through, your nervous system will push back and make modifications to try to bring about homeostasis, at which point the side effects will hopefully subside.  The problem with that is that if you feel the med still isn't helping you, those adaptations make coming back off difficult, with withdrawal symptoms due to imbalance in reverse, because the modifications are there not as well-opposed as the drug is dropped.  That is what makes Mirt one of the most difficult to get off of, though this happens with all psych drugs.  So, before you commit yourself to that, maybe do more looking around to see on this forum what peoples' experiences are.

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    • elainec33
      elainec33 betsy0603

      Posted

      Thanks for the info Betsy.  I was the same, because I had an awful reaction to Cipromil years ago, they started me on 7.5mg mirt and then after a couple of weeks increased it to 15mg which was okay and I got my appetite back and was sleeping better.  After four weeks they told me to increase to 30mg.  After a week or so I didnt feel right, I told the psych but got fobbed off with some old rubbish.  That is the one problem I have with these psych people, they are so single minded, they never take into account a physical illness could make one anxious, it's always anxiety and the mind to them.  Anyway, a couple of weeks ago I did half but didnt feel great so did alternate days 30mg and then 15mg and for the last week I have been doing just 15mg and I feel better.  I do get a bit of anxiousness and slight nausea but then I am on large doses of Vitamin D with suspected parathyroid adenoma.  I never realised they were one of the most difficult drugs to come off.  Xanax was bad enough, in fact all benzos which I dont want to go down that route but I always keep a few by me for "emergencies".  I hope you feel better soon Owen.  I am sure you are getting anxious about the new job which is not helping you.
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    • betsy0603
      betsy0603 elainec33

      Posted

      Though the pill increments make it hard, elainec33, it is really best to do a steady dose each day rather than alternate; that is probably why you are feeling better, now that you are getting the same amount every day.  More one day and less the next keeps the nervous system thoroughly confused as to whether it should upregulate or not!  So for the future, best to break your pills down to get smaller doses on a steady basis.  You can use a pill cutter and eye-ball it, or get an inexpensive jeweler's milligram scale (eBay or Amazon) to weigh bits, or do a liquid titration and use an oral syringe to measure the dose.

      I'm sending you a PM with a link for tips on tapering citalopram.

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  • lorraine52317
    lorraine52317 owen87

    Posted

    Hi Owen

    I wonder if the dose is to high for you. I tried 30 and only lasted a week as was feeling rough. Dropped down to 15 over a couple of weeks and felt better again. It maybe that mirt isn't the right AD for you. It has many positive attributes but has some negative ones too! I'm now also on venlafaxine and it's the first thing that has made me feel truly better after a year of depression and trying 4 different ADs before finding one that works.

    I would have a chat with your gp and ask him/her to review your meds.

    Really wish you better Owen ♥

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  • Calmer
    Calmer owen87

    Posted

    Great advice there, as always from Betsy.

    Owen, for your interest, I know you mentioned that you missed a dose around about the time you had a few drinks too many - you should take a look here, another person in the forum had the same thing.  It took me a while, but I realised that having a sensitised nervous system, and drinking alcohol, just makes our nervous systems much worse, sadly !  

    the link:  https://patient.info/forums/discuss/hangover-anxiety-since-stopping-mirtazapine-515261

    Try really hard to eat, not eating will make your nervous system and that high alert agitated anxiety even more lousy - some folk suffering this way talk of making protein shakes with added banana, porridge flakes, whatever you can to calm the system.  

    Hope you soon feel better Owen.

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  • elainec33
    elainec33 owen87

    Posted

    Has anyone ever noticed a slight buzzing feeling in the feet whilst taking this medication, sort of like standing on a slight vibrating plate.  Just curious, not sure if it is due to a back injury or the pills.
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    • Calmer
      Calmer elainec33

      Posted

      Brain zaps ??  Yes I think they're quite common, usually more so when increasing or especially when decreasing the dose. They can startle you sometimes can't they?
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