Venlafaxine Mirtazepine combo

Hi Jackie, thank you for your reply, I take all meds at night. Venlafaxine 75XR take 2 tablets and Mirt before bed. I just feel I have no energy now plus constant depression. No interest in anything, nothing makes me happy. Can’t wait to feel normal again..,I will be able to put up with fatigue once my mood lifts so Iwill be able to focus on other activities. X

Hi Ala. My doc told me to take my venlafaxine XR in the morning? I take quetiapine at night. I will be weaning off ven as I was wrongly diagnosed with depression when I'm actually Bipolar 2! The reason the doc told me to take the ven in the morning was to stop it disrupting my sleep. I hope you are getting sleep as it really helps with your recovery.

Yes, definitely take Venlafaxine in the morning, and Mirtazapine at night.

Hi Ala. I had the same problem with Mirt for the insomnia. It works well to start but I suppose your body quickly gets used to it and it's not so effective. I'm not sure if it would be suitable for you, but quetiapine (although classed as an antipsychotic) is sometimes used alongside an antidepressant to boost its effect, help with anxiety and it also aids sleep? I take it an hour or so before bed and get 7hours unbroken sleep every night. My psychiatrist told me it's not addictive like a sleeping tablet or tranquillizer. I think only a psychiatrist can prescribe it. If you're really struggling with sleep and feel the ven isn't tackling your depression as it should, it might be worth asking for a referral to see if you could be prescribed it.

How did you know you were Bipolar? What are they going to switch you to?

Hi Ala. Originally diagnosed with depression as first psychiatrist, several doctors and CPN's all thought that was the case. I told my new psychiatrist exactly what I told everyone else and it was he who told me I was Bipolar 2. With me my sleep was affected first. I only needed 3hrs a night and instead of being tired I got a massive surge of energy. Normal everyday worries didn't bother me and my sister said that I was acting out of character. I started a relationship with someone that in my normal health would never have dreamed of doing. I became very agitated and felt a constant need to be on the move. My walking, thinking and speach became faster too. Then I started with horrible intrusive thoughts and couldnt close my eyes without seeing quite gruesome stuff. I was started on the quetiapine and now I'm slowly returning to my usual self. Have another 2wks with increases in quetiapine to reach a therapeutic dose and then the ven has to be tapered down. 2nd psychiatrist said that I should never have been put on an antidepressant as it made the hypomania worse and increased agitation. I should have been given the quetiapine instead to slow things down. Hope this explains what Bipolar 2 is like. Jackie

At least you get sorted! With me it’s just pure depression and not being able to enjoy anything, just flat, no motivation anything. I hope Ven helps otherwise I don’t know what! Have been depressed for 4 months now. 

HI Alan.

Hopefully the ven will kick in after a week or so. Even a small lift in mood helps as you'll feel your going in the right direction. I know how frustrating it is to wait for improvement. Do you have support from psychiatric nurses? It sometimes good to talk to them when you're waiting for meds to take effect.

No I don’t have any nurses involved this time. 6 years who I had as I was very poorly... this time as well but I went to the doc after being depressed for nearly 2 wks and I am still struggling and not sorted... Was on Mirtazapine for way too long. I hope one day I’ll wake up feeling less depressed... x

Hi Ala. It might be worth you getting a referral to a psychiatrist? They really are the best person to review your meds properly and maybe try a different approach. You could maybe be prescribed the quetiapine so that you can taper off mirt? It would boost the ven but also get you a solid nights sleep too. I find that most doctors know very little about treating depression properly and tailoring meds for each individual case. Getting proper sleep is so important for recovery from depression. Please message anytime. Jackie.

Thanks Jackie, my GP consulted Venlafaxine plus Mirt combo with a psychiatrist and we will see whether it’s gonna work. I hope it does and I won’t have to wait to see a psych. Some nights I sleep better than others but I am not getting upset about it. Once depression improves my sleep will be better too. It wasn’t bad in May when I went to see my doc because I was starting to feel depressed. I got prescribed Sertraline and it was so activating that my brain didn’t want to sleep! Then Mirt because it helps with sleep and I was on it in the past... but it didn’t work Ven is my hope...I wish I didn’t give up with Sertraline as I would have been further in my recovery I think.x

Hi Ala. Keeping my fingers crossed for you that the venlafaxine helps you very soon. With me it definately took about 5 to 6 weeks to get a lift in mood. I think my sleep improved after 4 weeks at 150mg. Hoping yours will do the same. Hope you get some sleep tonight. Jackie.

At first I was sleeping solid without waking up but once my body got used it I started waking up more often. It suppose to help my depression in the first place and better sleep was a bonus. It didn’t really help my depression unfortunately.