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Withdrawal?? 4 wks of Mirtazapine - now switching to Vortioxetine (Trintellix)

Posted , 14 users are following.

Mermaid3011
Mermaid3011

Hi everyone,

I need your experiences with switching from Mirt to another Antidepressant/Antipsychotic please.

I have been taking Mirtazapine 15 mg at night for 4 weeks. Because of the weight gain issue I have asked for a replacement and after seeing a specialist yesterday I will be starting Vortioxetine (Trintellix) this week.

The two medications are very similar in chemical structure, medical effect etc. and I am wondering if I have to wean off Mirtazapine or if I can just switch from one to the other.

According to the product description the withdrawal symptoms of Trintellix seem to be the same as those of Mirtazapine:

"Stopping this medication suddenly may lead to side effects such as dizziness, abnormal dreams, numbness or tingling sensations, agitation, anxiety, nausea, vomiting, sweating, or other symptoms."

That's why I am thinking that a switch should have no major side effects since both drugs are of the same "family".

Vortioxetine (Trintellix) is a fairly new drug that has just been approved last year here in Canada for distribution, so I don't expect anyone to have experience with exactly this combination, but maybe you have been switched to Lithium or some other AD/AP.

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  • kathy56977
    kathy56977 Mermaid3011

    Posted

    This is something you need to discuss with your doctor or someone who actually understands these drugs. No way can we advise you to stop one and start another.

    I wish you luck....confused

    • Mermaid3011
      Mermaid3011 kathy56977

      Posted

      Yes Kathy, I know. The problem is, that my pdoc doesnt have experience with this new drug and I actually find this forum much more helpful than my doc. smile

      Especially when it comes to side effects and experiences when adding, stopping, switching etc.

      My doc may know the chemical side of those two medications, but he has no idea what it means to actually take them.

    • kathy56977
      kathy56977 Mermaid3011

      Posted

      Then you really need to find someone who has the answers for you before you make the switch. You don't want to experience those side effects if you don't have to.
    • Mermaid3011
      Mermaid3011 kathy56977

      Posted

      Well.... not many can. Because this drug has just come out in December 2014. There are medical studies of course before its release. But they don't study the effects on such specific cases.

      I suppose I'll be the guinea pig. smile

      Once a new drug is released patients and of course doctors can actually report observed side effects and interactions online. The system is called MedEffect Canada.

    • Mermaid3011
      Mermaid3011 suzie78191

      Posted

      No, I am also on 450 Wellbutrin, 200 Sertraline, 2mg Clonazepam

      that's why I am only starting with 5mg Trintellix instead of 10mg, which complies with the drug and dosage information.

      Since Wellbutrin and Sertraline have effects on Serotonin, my doc cut those to 300mg and 100mg respectively.

    • Mermaid3011
      Mermaid3011 kathy56977

      Posted

      Oh wow!!! Thank you so much Kathy! That gives me peace of mind! And yes - I'll see what my doc recommends of course. But it sounds as if the switch from 15mg Mirt wont be as bad as the reports I've read on here!

      Thank you!!!!!

  • suzie78191
    suzie78191 Mermaid3011

    Posted

    hi mermaid,

    i guess you are in canada too?  i don't know the anser to your question i'm afrai.  were you put on mirtzapine for sleep?  initially i was but then it wasincreased fro it's antidepressant effect .. and it has been difficult.  i would definitely ask the dr. if u can.  i guess we get more ansers from this website sometimes than we do from the drs

    • Mermaid3011
      Mermaid3011 suzie78191

      Posted

      Yes I am! You are too? I am in Toronto.

      And yup... I find the best answers here in the forum and by researching on my own. My dr is nice but it's obvious that psychiatrists know more about the chemical components of a drug than about the "real life experience". smile

    • suzie78191
      suzie78191 Mermaid3011

      Posted

      i actually went down to camh (emergncy) just so i could see a psychiatrist.  mind you it's still trial and error .  but i am going to do a test that is supposed to help determine dosages and medication, as🎒i have been having a really hard time.  i have to sleep with a sleeping pill ... and the mirtz at 30mg was giving me anxiety, so doc said to reduce .. then i wasextra sad.. so i am back on 30.
    • Mermaid3011
      Mermaid3011 suzie78191

      Posted

      Good for you! CAMH is the place to go! Trial and Error... tell me about it... I've been going through different meds for 5 months now. I hope this one will be "the one".... smile
    • Mermaid3011
      Mermaid3011 suzie78191

      Posted

      If you dont try, you wont know if it works. And once you found an AD that works for you you will feel LIGHTYEARS better!

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