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Mirtazapine side effects

Posted , 4 users are following.

gina1962
gina1962

Hi, my doctor took me off fluoxetine a few months ago and put me on 15mg of mirtazapine as I was having problems sleeping.  They worked brilliantly in the beginning but for the last couple of weeks I have been waking during the night again and I wake up feeling so tired and dopey.  I am really forgetful, feel brain fogged and a bit like I have a hangover even though I haven't been drinking.  I'm not driving as I don't feel safe to drive as I have been making silly mistakes like stopping at green lights and taking wrong turns because I can't concentrate.  Does anyone know why this would happen months after starting the meds?

I'm not sure if the mirtazapine aren't working any longer and whether they need increasing or if my depression has got worse or if it's my perimenopause symptoms.  When my gp first put me on fluoxetine 5 years ago she said it was depression not perimenopause.

I am so confused about all this, my gp is on holiday until next Monday, I really wanted to speak to her about it but I'm not sure I can wait that long feeling like this.

0 likes, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • NickOliver
    NickOliver gina1962

    Posted

    Because one of its side effects is that it has a sedative effect. Without I would sleep 6-7 hurs whereas with it 9+ hours. I have recently come off it - the clincher was that it seemed to be affecting my urinary function. Of course, the effect of sleeping heavily was that I didn't wake up needed to go, whereas with mirt was that when I was waking up I was dying to go.

    Having siad that mirt is not as bad as quetiapine (which I was on with mirt). With quetiapine at night in the morning it was like coming off an anaesthetic. I go to a choir in the morning and I found that I couldn't read the music properly.

  • andrew66395
    andrew66395 gina1962

    Posted

    I honestly feel that sleeping tablets are not the answer for your insomnia. Whatever it is that's stressing you in life needs to be addressed, confrunted and sorted out. Insomnia is not a "disease" that needs treatment. It is uaually a sympton of a deeper malase. Also getting off of hypnotics is never easy.

    Unless you are having bad night sweats I do not think your inability to get a good night's sleep has anything to do with your peri-menopausal state.

  • gina1962
    gina1962

    Posted

    Hi thanks for your replies.  I do have bad night sweats that wake me up, I also wake up because I need the loo.  The problem is that a lot of my symptoms cross-over with perimenopause and my gp is treating the depression as opposed to the peri.  
  • deborah52506
    deborah52506 gina1962

    Posted

    Gina,  Try lowering your dose to half, that works for me much better less tired, sometimes i skip a day too also make sure your taking it at night but not too late take it about 9pm so you can be refreshed by morning.

    Debbie

  • NickOliver
    NickOliver gina1962

    Posted

    I don't think that missing a dose for a day or so will matter - after all these meds work by building up a level. It is true that mirt has this horrible sedative effect but that is not the purpose (although I quite enjoyed the longer very deep sleep - unless I had a morning appointment).

    You do need to discuss with your GP/psych before you change your dose long-term. I would have thought that below a certain dose it is not worth taking the med.

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