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Mirtazapine just starting 15mg dose

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helen95904
helen95904

background - have been depressed for 15 plays years and have tried numerous medication.  Escitalopram was the latest which seemed to help with the depression but my insomnia was worse than ever.  I was only sleeping around 3 hours per night, which counteracted the benefits of not feeling depressed.  

My dr has prescribed mirtazapine which I started last night.  I took it at around 8pm and I've only just gotten up 10:40am). My husband took the day off work today so I could start them but normally I need to be up for 6:30 ready for school run.  I feel awful, even my mouth is numb.  I must have slept, although I remember tossing and turning a lot, and I had weird, vivid dreams (not nightmares). The GP gave me these tablets for insomnia as they help both but I feel like @@@.

on escitalopram even zoliclone at the highest dose didn't help.  What do I do?  I'm going to have to go back to bed as I feel so spaced out.  I'm going to try and phone the GP but I've got to get past the gestapo receptionist so I might not be successful.  Does it get better or should I cut my losses and nit take any more?

0 likes, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • ann55375
    ann55375 helen95904

    Posted

    Mirtazapine is a strange drug, ive had it for a while.  It will take a few days to start to work, it will definitely help you sleep.  Whether it will help depression is very different for everyone.  My dr tried to get the dose up buti couldnt manage it.  People who get to 45mg do seem to feel much better.  I am thinking of trying escitalopram, apart from sleep did it help you?
    • helen95904
      helen95904 ann55375

      Posted

      Yes, the escitalopram worked wonders for my mood, it was lack of sleep in my case that affected me.  I've never felt so strange as I do now, I'm back in bed waiting for the GP to call.  I don't think I can't cope with this feeling, I'm going to ask if I can go back onto escitalopram as I'd rather have insomnia than feel like this.  The escitalopram is the best drug I've tried in terms of he,ping my depression (and I've tried lots)

  • mike06407
    mike06407 helen95904

    Posted

    Hi Helen ive been on 15mg for 3 weeks, the first 2 days are really bad feeling like a zombie for most of the day.

    After 5 days I was waking upfeeling fairly normal again. I too had the weird vivid dreams for a week before they settled down. At 3 weeks im feeling far less depressed and the morning grogginess has totally disappeared. Oh im also sleeping very well now

    • helen95904
      helen95904 mike06407

      Posted

      well done for continuing, I don't think I can.  One day and I'm a wreck, not mood wise as I'm too drugged up to care.  Insomnia is awful but I think I'd rather not sleep for days than feel like this

  • mike06407
    mike06407 helen95904

    Posted

    Hi Helen the super drugged up feeling only lasts 2 days, I was prescribed this 2 years ago and took 1 tablet then quit, I didn't realize how much better it gets, hope you start feeling better soon

  • helen95904
    helen95904

    Posted

    I've just had a call back from a GP.  He agrees to stop taking and I have to speak to my GP next week (as they all have different attitudes to mental health?) and she's nit at work today.  I feel weak as I've failed to last a day but this drug has just knocked me for six, the thought of another day feeling like this doesn't bear thinking about

  • mike06407
    mike06407 helen95904

    Posted

    I found Prozac to be the best out of the ssri antidepressants until I developed insomnia, I tried doxepin for 5 months but it did not help my depression, it also makes you feel really out of it for a few days. I don't think the GPs really know what they are doing when prescribing antidepressants. Oh I forgot to mention I took 7.5 mg of mirtazapine for the first 5 days then upped to 15mg and I tolerated the first few days much better that the time before at 15mg.

    You could try trazadone?

    • helen95904
      helen95904 mike06407

      Posted

      He hasn't suggested half the dos, just to stop taking and speak to my GP. I will ask her about starting a lower dose and about the other drug.  Thanks so much 

  • emma19900
    emma19900 helen95904

    Posted

    I started taking mirtazipine around 2.5 years ago (stopped for about 6 months during this time - worst mistake ever). 

    I was started on the 15mg and I would fall asleep within 30 minutes of taking it and I felt so groggy the next day. This feeling lasted a few weeks and then I seemed to get more used to it and could function properly again in the mornings. I had horrible hunger on the 15mg and 30mg dose. I would be constantly hungry.

    I was upped to the 45mg because I was still feeling very anxious and I feel amazing. Still have a bad day here or there but as does everyone.

    I stopped taking it for a period of 6 months (tapered off under supervision of dr) because I wanted to do it on my own and I'd put on roughly 12kgs from it - but I quickly fell back into my anxiety.

    Apparently the higher dose has less side effects and is better to treat anxiety than the lower dose.

    • sarah24378
      sarah24378 emma19900

      Posted

      Hi

      I am planning to taper off 45mg soon. Also on venlaflaxine.

      Can i ask what dose did you taper off and how fast ? Did you anxiety come back during the taper or once you were off ? I too have gained weight and really want to get off it but am very nervous. I don t think it is really helping me but the ven is.

    • emma19900
      emma19900 sarah24378

      Posted

      I tapered straight from 45 to 30 to 15 and then nothing. I wasn't interested in having a smaller dose than that. I had been on the 45 for 18 months and tapered down by the guidance of my doc. I took the 30mg for a month and then I took the 15mg for 2 weeks and then stopped entirely.

      I was very nervous about stopping as well because I didn't want to suffer the extent of the anxiety I felt before originally starting.

      That being said, after stopping I did experience heart palpitations and general light headedness much the same as I would during an anxiety episode. This side effect though only lasted about 4 days before my body got used to it. My anxiety did come back slowly over a period of 6 months and I did start taking mirt again. I now can't imagine not taking it. I also didn't get any of the weight gain the second time around as my doc quickly started me on 15mg for 2 weeks and then I got bumped up up 45mg straight away because we knew that's the dose I needed. 

      After stopping taking it, my weight came off very quickly without trying but a part of that was because my anxiety came back with a vengeance.

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