Switching from fluoxetine to mirtazapine – Have been tak...
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Switching from fluoxetine to mirtazapine – Have been taking prescribed antidepressants for about 6 years. First venlafaxine, then citalopram, then fluoxetine. For me, all of these were effective – especially fluoxetine – but all had more or less undesirable side-effects. After about 2 years on fluoxetine, these included: excessive sweating (eventually almost constant); breathlessness on exertion (increasingly); fatigue and drowsiness; and sexual dysfunction. Having come off antidepressants at various times, I know that I don’t cope well without them so I asked GP about an alternative to SSRIs – hence mirtazapine. Over past 2 weeks been weaning off fluoxetine and onto mirtazapine. Effects obviously arise from both those events and thus far only taking a half-dose (15 mg) of mirtazapine (30mg as of tomorrow). However:
:D Sweating has stopped - hooray!
Breathlessness the same
Even more fatigued and sleepy than before
:yikes: Vivid dreams (consistently)
:? Have been putting on weight anyway – apprehensive
:ill: Irritable and aggressive (when awake)
Low mood
:headhurts: ‘Churning’ thoughts returning
:wink: Sexual dysfunction – chance to find out would be a fine thing!
A lot of this is withdrawal from the fluoxetine. There is also a tendency to ascribe everything to depression and/or antidepressants, whereas there are always other things going on as well. Going to see how the mirtazapine pans out after a few weeks, then reassess.
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Guest
Posted
Next I was given venlafaxine 75mg, no lapse in the depression so dosage increased over time to max 300mg within 8mnths, still depressed. The side-effects were horrendous, suicidal thoughts constantly,(I have planned so many ways), mood swings, constipation where laxatives dont even work, vivid nightmares (often watching my children die so I'm scared to sleep), maybe getting about 15 hours a week avg.,lightning bolts shooting through my head when I doze, night sweats, fatigue, paranoia, amnesia and the sex disappeared overnight, to the point of total fridgidity.
Boyfriend dumped me 2wks ago after 7yrs, prob frustrated, so I paniced and went cold turkey out of sheer desperation and feelings of guilt. No medication now, side-effects ebbing, the last one gone :magic: but suicidal thoughts, depression and tearfulness still there.
Seen psyc today and prescribed mirtazapine 15mg(no leaflet included so checked online), told of drowziness but not weight gain, as a previous size 22 and now size 8-10, if I put on a lb I go into panic. I have an eating disorder and I'm alcoholic(under control but dont intend to go dry)I really dont think this drug is for me.
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Guest
Posted
Have been taking 15mg mirtazipine for just iver a week now and feel a significant improvement! Not as anxious or tearful! Sleeping SOO much better - though drowsy in the mornings. Fantastic dreams - takes a while to discern betwen dreams and reality when waking! Have suffered with very jumpy legs but as I fall asleep quickly I think it bothers my partner more than me!
I have had to take time off work just now to try to deal with the fatigue and drowsiness but this is far better than just sitting in a black hole as I was before!
Would love to hear more positive comments from people who have taken mirtazapine?
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Guest
Posted
Mirtazapine is great. I wish there was a version which did not cause so much increase in appetite. Now Im going from Sertraline to Fluoxetine again as Sertraline is way too weak for me.
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jupes
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Ricky.
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jupes
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Pooh_bear
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Pooh_bear
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kinegad
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Thanks
BJ
judith_15553 Guest
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