Mirtazapine is making me sick
Posted , 8 users are following.
Hey guys, I've been prescribed mirtazapine (calixta) at 15mg before sleep,due to my insomnia/depression/anxiety issues. I haven't been on any anxiety meds for a year,before that i was on a different antidepressants. What is troubling me is this weakness in my body,over sedative feeling,feelings of warmth, almost like having a fever all the time. ,my self control is off,apetite is going up (i overeat a lot).. It's like i am a different person and i don't like it. Anxiety is almost gone (on a scale to 10 it's probably 3-4),insomnia is gone but i am sleepy almost whole day and i am struggling not to go to sleep. I get a full almost 9 hour sleep during a night. I gained 4 killos in a week,i am feeling like i am overweight like a lot.. I talked to my doc and she said that i should go for 7.5mg for a couple of days then to get back to a 15mg,but i don't like this effect the drug has on me and i don't want to be like a zombie all the time.. It's like it is too much for me,i don't have that energy i had before taking it,and it's been only a week. I don't know what should i do,i am confused,any help will be welcomed thnx. I am 27yrs male
0 likes, 11 replies
sharon12462 miljan57509
Posted
It will be like that until you get used to it. I found 15mg good..once upto 30mg all the side effects set it. The weight gain seems to be the biggest side effect .. I couldn't stop eating either nothing satisfied me then I realised it was suger I was craving so cut all carbs out & ate jelly sweets only carbs I managed to lose the weight .. you should give it a few more weeks see how you go specially with it sorting your anxiety out.
miljan57509 sharon12462
Posted
Yeah i think this is too much for me.. insomnia gone which is great,but side effects are too strong,like i am having a fever,but i am not.. i crave for everything,before taking this pills i had good diet and diet plan and all,but now its like i am battling with myself all the time to try not to eat much,and i am less active than before.. tnx for advices,ill just try to control myself
once i start eating cant stop. Cheers
sharon12462 miljan57509
Posted
betsy0603 miljan57509
Posted
If you are struggling so much with these side effects, then mirt is not for you and you should get off while the getting is good. The problem with staying on and waiting for the side effects to subside is that by then it will really have its hooks in you and be very difficult to come off without withdrawal. If you are already gaining and having trouble with appetite control, that won't get any easier - it is a feature of the drug that for some is very problematic. Just search this forum and see how many people have gained significant pounds. Sure, some can control it by strict diet control, but is that how you want to live your life?
At one week, you should still be able to come off quickly without too much trouble should you so choose, maybe taking half the dose for a 3-4 days and then stopping.
You suffered emotional upset after a big life event, and using these drugs to deal with those emotions is like using a sledge hammer to kill a flea. Some counseling or even self-help online (just search for CBT self help) can do much to help you through. Mindfulness meditation is also very helpful.
It's a vicious circle using the meds for insomnia because they don't restore natural sleep and the rebound insomnia while trying to come off can be much worse than the original. Best is to try holistic means first :-)
miljan57509 betsy0603
Posted
Thank you. I was seeing a psychologist (cbt,body awerness/psychotherapy) for a year,but i couldn't deal with insomnia and bad circadian rhytm. It was causing me much anxiety + troubles at home,it was too much for me to deal with. I love meditating (at least when i can make myself to sit),i had a good streak going on not so late ago,but i've fallen off lately. I don't know,things were getting pretty damn dark around,and i was desperate to at least make my day/night cycles going for me via meds. But this is too much.
I'll go half of my dose for a 5 days and we will see. Thing is,it's working against insomnia and anxiety pretty damn well (scary) but depression/energy/lifeforce wise it's bad,and i don't like this low energy/sick feeling me.. I'd rather have my hearth poinding than not feeling much at all. Cheers
betsy0603 miljan57509
Posted
karin65289 miljan57509
Posted
Hi,
It sounds like you are having a difficult time with the mritazapine. As you probably know it's an atypical anti depressant with appetite stimulant properties. At 7.5 mg you get the best sleep/sedation - alot of people need to take much higher doses for antidepressant I have been taking Mirtazapine for at least 15 years, it no longer makes me tired during the day, Everyone is different, it may not be the drug of choice for you - you live in your body and are best equiped to decide with the side effects are worth it. Usually the majority of side effect will disappear with time. One problem with the drug is weight gain, as you will see if you continue to visit this site. I looked it up and Mirtazapine may be used for human eating disorders and in vetinarian medicine as an appetite stimulant.
I would suggest that you weight the factors, decide it you want to give it a longer trial, say a few months and talk to your doctor. As you may have seen on this site, Mirtazapine can be difficult to discontinue and have numerous side effects. If you decide to come off - come back into this site and get some support for stopping. You have only been on for short time so you are not likely to have problems stopping the Mirtazapine, however everyone is unique and you know your body better than anyone does.
I wish you well.
miljan57509 karin65289
Posted
Rosieogrady miljan57509
Posted
The ONLYside affect just was weight gain, would rather be tired than fat, since starting to cut back last Monday I've lost 3lbs and no withdrawal symptoms ??
miljan57509 Rosieogrady
Posted
Awesome! How long have you been on mirtazapine? Weight gain is unreal,i couldn't believe when i saw the numbers.
mud93433 miljan57509
Posted
Mirtazapine is different from other anti-anxiety drugs and antidepressants, in that its side effects tend to diminish as you increase the dosage, up to a point. For instance, I was tired and brain-foggy until I got up to 45mg, then I felt so much better, for years.
If you're at 7.5 or 15mg, then mirtazapine's antiistamine qualities take over and you may be tired literally all the time—I sure was. It does get better after a few weeks, but for me it was still unbearable so my doctor increased to 30mg. I felt better and could still sleep. Went up to 45mg and then it was like the clouds parted and I saw sunshine for the first time in ages.
Make sure you mention this to your doctor as many many of them don't seem to know how mirtazapine's side effects are worse at lower dosages. And remember that it takes a week or two for your brain to adjust whenever you increase or decrease your dosage, and during that time you will definitely feel a bit off, but it is temporary. It's a shame that so many people give up on meds because they fear they will feel like that forever.
Good luck and keep us posted!