transitioning from paroxetine to Mirtazapine - please share any encouraging experiences

Hi! I’ve been on Mirtazapine for the past 3/4 months I think. I have depression (quite severe due to suicide attempts a few years back and continued suicidal thoughts) with some anxiety and insomnia. My insomnia wasn’t *severe* but it was getting to the point where I couldn’t get up and sit through my class, I wasn’t able to pay any attention I was just so tired. When I went on Mirtazapine 15mg, I immediately started sleeping more. There were still days when I couldn’t, but these have completely disappeared at this point. Maybe a week or two into it, I haven’t felt anything special and happy, but I definitely felt better and like I could actually do something for a change because I wasn’t so tired all the time. I had more energy and could get myself to do things I wasn’t able to do anymore such as studying or even making myself something to eat (which also led to weight loss). After a month and a half I started noticing I was more motivated to do things and go see my friends, hang out with people again and go do my shopping! It was the best feeling to be able to do all these things again The only negative I noticed is the excessive weight gain, but for me the positives outweigh it, I just try to be conscious of what I eat and how much I eat in a day and I haven’t gained more weight so far (I lost about 10 pounds though after I noticed the weight gain, so it is possible to lose weight on it). It really works for me!

Mirtazapine will help you with sleep and depression. It’s fast acting and you take it at night. I came off it for 4 months but I went back on 7.5 mg because insomnia came back. I think the switch is a good call. Good luck

Hi.  I'm discontinuing mirtazapine as of tonight.  I don't want to cloud your perception, but I hate this drug.  Some people probably respond better to it than myself.  I had bad side effects, even at very low dose.  Restless legs, restless arms, hand tremors, nausea, brain zaps, feeling like you just want to stay in bed all day and being totally unmotivated to do anything.  I'm not a doctor, but I would stick to 7.5 mg to start and see how you do.  The next day after taking it you will likely feel out of it and very sleepy. This will pass soon, but possibly you will still be lethargic, just not as much as you will be after taking your first dose.  Lower doses, i.e., 15 mg and below, are more sedating.  Higher doses, i.e., above 15 mg are more activating and used more extensively for depression.  Lower doses are for anxiety and many use it to treat insomnia.  I took the drug for one month and I'm done.  I just can't function on mirtazapine.  The drug is quite potent; even a small speck after you cut it up will likely have an effect.  Listen to your body and decide if it is right for you.  Just understand that you may turn into an irritable, antisocial, agoraphobic hermit that stays in bed all day - not kidding.  Also, some people claim this drug causes them to be jittery.  I definitely experienced the jitters, pretty much every day.  To me it seems like akathisia, but it's a little different - imagine drinking too much coffee and feeling like you just can't relax.  This drug is paradox in so many ways.  I took it as I was having difficulty sleeping and my appetite was suppressed.  It resolved both of those issues, but the side effects are a major drawback and not willing to wait it out to see if they go away.  I'll figure out another way to eat and sleep.  Hope this helps, but just one opinion among many.