Mirtazapine - any experiences?

[OnceMoreIntoTheBleach]

Anyone used mirtazapine? I'm on day 2 now. Day 1 was wiped out, slept all day. I reluctantly took second pill last night and today I am at least awake, but feeling very agitated and bad tempered, and still quite dizzy.

It's meant to be replacing citalopram for severe depression, anxiety and mood swings.

I know it takes a while for these things to start to work (ADs on and off for 20 years) but I'm just looking for some reassurance.

I was off work last week but have to go back on Monday and need to be able to function.

Any experiences you have would be much appreciated.

[SugarNspiceNallThingsNice]

I am on this, day 4 now but I was on it last year too. I have tried lots of other antidepressants but none have worked til these. It is very good for treating anxiety and depression. I don't mind the tiredness at all, I was having trouble sleeping anyway. The only problem I had with them before was a little bit of weight gain. They really help me a lot. They're a godsend. When I first started them I felt a big difference on day 10 as it hit me I had actually woke up not feeling suicidal, that's when I knew they'd started to work.

[Sunnysky2016]

Hi I started this in January and felt the same. However it then sent me through the roof- no sleep etc. I was then weened off and started venlafaxine. Again through the roof and now on Ven and olanzapine. (Just a brief history).
Back to Mitazapine- I did find it took a few days to get used too, so please persevere. However once it started to work, I realised I could get up each day and function- not sleeping all day, and crying when I was awake

[OnceMoreIntoTheBleach]

Thank you both I slept all afternoon again today and woke up cranky, but on the plus side, it does seem to be giving me a warm fuzzy feeling which is nice. Much better than constant tension and stress and panic!

I will keep on it. Aiming to get out for a walk tomorrow to see if a bit of movement will keep the naps at bay.

[AnxiousCarer]

I'm on day 12, taking it before bed and sleeping well, not had any early starts yet appart from this morning but went to bed at 7pm as DH and I both tired, he's on high dose of olazapine so won't expect him to surface any time soon...

Having very vivid, but for the most part not unpleasant dreams, very odd ones though. Generally feeling hugely better, less anxiety, reduced pannic attacks. Urges to self harm are still there but much easier to resist. Also still off work so reduced stress and seeing councellor and CPN so could be a combination of things making me ferl better, but as they were getting steadily worse I'm even with those things think Mirtazapine definately helping.

[SugarNspiceNallThingsNice]

I also had vivid dreams last night. I had an early start today, my kids don't believe in having a lie in at the weekend. That was a couple of hours ago and I still feel so tired.
I still had bad thoughts this morning but I know they will pass as the days go on, I'll try to keep throwing my imaginary blanket over the poisonous parrot! If you have nasty thoughts and haven't heard of it, google it, it can be helpful.
I have my mum to come in today to see us so I'll have an easier day than yesterday. Have a good day all x

[OnceMoreIntoTheBleach]

Morning all, thank you so much for the responses!

I'm on day 3 now, as in taken since Thursday night so this is the third wake up, IYSWIM.

First day was a daze, packed kids off the school and then slept all day. Thank goodness for my DM!

Yesterday was a bit better, managed a bit of housework and a bath before falling asleep at 1pm til 5:30 - thank goodness for DP.

Today I woke at 8:45 and am still awake. Heading out to one shop and then beach walk, and aiming to stay awake all day if at all possible.

Back to work tomorrow so hoping today will reset my clock.

Yy to the vivid dreams! Nothing bad, but very real. I asked DP if we'd had a specific conversation as I thought it was real (it wasn't).

I do feel less anxious/depressed already so fingers crossed it continues.

One thing I have had - restless legs. Anyone else? Took a while to drop off last night because of it.

Hope you all have good days

[Sunnysky2016]

Yes yes yes to vivid dreams and restless legs. I did find that they eased with time thankfully. You are sounding a lot more positive 💐

[SugarNspiceNallThingsNice]

Don't know about restless legs, I get them often anyway so it's hard to tell. I'm finding I have a big appetite today. Enjoy your walk on the beach it'll do you the world of good!

[MidnightBreeze]

I took this for a while, worst antidepressant I've ever taken!

I put on a lot of weight & slept until around 4pm everyday, hardly got dressed....I hated it, couldn't work because I couldn't get out of bed!

Best thing I ever did was coming off them, felt like a black cloud had been lifted once they were out of my system.

Since stopping them, I have passed my driving test, got a job which I've been working for nearly 4 years, lost 4 stone.....& am now pregnant with my first child. I honestly believe had I stayed on them, I'd still be unemployed, not driving & in the same crappy life I was in....simply because I was too tired to change anything.

If however they work for other people then happy days! They just didn't work for me.

FYI, they apparently don't quote me on it, give these in small doses to cats to encourage eating!

[SugarNspiceNallThingsNice]

MidnightBreeze- this is my second time being on them, the weight gain was why I stopped before and I only managed about 4 months off them. I'm going low carb now and going to do some exercise to try and stop the weight gain. You've done amazing without them well done!
I have read somewhere they're also given to anorexics to help them get an appetite to gain some weight which i find a little worrying but I have tried lots of other medication that hasn't worked til this one.

[MidnightBreeze]

That's great!
I'm glad they work for someone! I wouldn't ever expect someone to stop taking things they need just because they didn't work for me.

I just eventually found the tiredness too much to cope with which in turn made me more depressed.

I was supposed to go on another type however I felt great without anything, short lived though, I had to start taking citalopram around 2 years later :( now on sertraline.

[exWifebeginsat40]

i take mirtazapine (one of many psychiatric meds I'm on) and when I started it it knocked me flat for 3 days or so. I did notice a lift in my mood but that wore off pretty soon. I take a lot of quetiapine as well so not sure how a mood stabiliser affects it. my dreams are beyond crazy. and, I've lost weight on it (meds make me fat).

I take 5 psych meds daily and heavy painkillers. no wonder i have no energy!

[Skittlesss]

I started it about 3 weeks ago. I was on citalopram before for about 8 weeks but it made me feel suicidal so the GP swapped me to mirtazapine.

The first week I felt so drowsy. I was feeling dizzy and hungover in the day. I wanted to stop them, but kept going and after about 10-12 days I started to feel better. Obviously it's still early days for me but I think it is working better than citalopram did. I haven't felt suicidal, so that's a good thing :)

[LittleMissUpset]

I've been on them for just over 2 months, and I was really tired at first, I take mine at bedtime and struggled to get up, and had to sleep in the day.

Now I'm used to them it's ok, it took a few weeks for the sleepiness to wear off, but I feel much better. After about 3 weeks I noticed a difference in my mood, the only side effect is increased appetite but I will take that over how I was feeling, on the point of a breakdown.

I'm on 15mg, I tried going up to 30mg but it was too much for me so the doctor is happy for me to stick to 15mg.

I hope they work for you too

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

I am starting Mirtazipine on Wednesday - I am currently in the final week of coming off citalopram (the no tablets week), and I am not finding things easy - the depression is definitely rearing its ugly head.

I've been put on Mirtazipine because the GP hopes it will help me sleep better - at the moment, it is a miracle if I get to sleep before 2.30am, and I don't sleep well after that - until the morning, when I can sleep as if I have been stunned.

I am a bit worried about being home alone the first night I take these tablets - dh is working away from Tuesday to Thursday, and then working from home Friday. Might it be better for me to wait until Thursday night to take the first tablet, do you think?

[LittleMissUpset]

SDTG I found they help me sleep so much better, I used to struggle to get to sleep, and wake up in the night and my anxiety started making my mind run away. Now I'm getting a good nights sleep that's helping the depression too.

I felt sleepy but not too bad, I take it before bed (up to an hour before) and I've not struggled to get to sleep once.

If you feel better waiting to take them it's up to you, I know I was nervous when I started, but I was ok but anxiety is the biggest voice sometimes isn't it

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

It certainly is, LittleMiss. It is good to hear that they have helped with your sleeping - and I can so empathise with the lying awake, worrying about anything and everything - I fret about the daftest things.

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

[Skittlesss]

SDTG do you have children at home? I only ask as my first night taking Mirtazipine I slept for about 14 hours. They kick in after about 45mins for me and make me feel really sleepy. It's good though as I was waking in the night with anxiety.

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

No - no children at home - they are 19, 21 and 23 - the younger two are at university and the oldest one has graduated and left home.

I'm just responsible for me and the dogs.

14 hours of sleep sounds like bliss!

[SugarNspiceNallThingsNice]

I find they kick in about an hour after taking them, they do help me doze off but won't knock me out and I still wake up quite early. What I'm not happy about today is the weight gain, day 6 and I'm up nearly half a stone! I have no idea how this has happened so quick.

[Skittlesss]

SDTG start as soon as you can then :) just expect it to be rough at first, but it won't last forever.

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

Thank you - that really helps, Skittlesss.

[OnceMoreIntoTheBleach]

Hi everyone

SDTG i hope you have a decent first night/day. I say if you can, just go with the sleep as needed. I was knocked out for the first day and a half, but that's eased off considerably now and I'm feeling much better than before I started taking them. I think the enforced rest plus the ADs themselves combined has been good. I was on citalopram 20mg for months but with no real benefit, now taking 10mg in the morning and 15mg mirtaz at night. The citalopram will stop in a few days, just tapering now, as instructed by GP. It may be that I was more zonked at first because of the citalopram, so as you've already stopped that, you might have an easier first few day - don't know for sure, but maybe.

I just took pill #5 and I've been feeling better again today. I am back at work but the day went much better than expected. Worked from home and made a special effort to clear the decks this morning (superfluous emails, old desktop shite, etc) so I could concentrate on actual work and I must say that I managed quite well my concentration seemed better, after I'd got past the usual procrastination!

I did come over very tired at around 12:30. Did a headspace meditation and almost fell asleep at my desk, so I went up for a lie down over lunchtime thinking I would easily fall asleep for a quick power nap but I didn't. So I think that's a good sign that the overwhelming tiredness of the first few days continues to lift.

I have found for the last two nights I've woken up a few times when normally that never happens to me. I hope that settles down soon.

Ironically, getting to sleep was never my problem. I'm on these for major depression and anxiety but not sleep issues, but I am certainly enjoying the relaxing end to the day as they make me drowsy.

I'm so grateful to all who are sharing their experiences here. It was pretty nerve-wracking to start with. Onwards and upwards, mirtazapine crew!

[whatdoiso]

Hi,

Hope it's ok to jump on this thread?

I've been prescribed Mirtazapine (15mg) by my GP today and, though I've taken other ADs before these are new to me. I have a couple of questions I hope someone might help me out with. Or maybe a wwyd...

I don't feel crippled with depression, just that I'm doing a crap job of everything and can't be arsed with anything but the essentials. I think they will help me feel better and I'm happy to give them a good go.

I've recently gone back to work part time after having DS a year ago. My boss is lovely but started more recently than me so I've only been working with her a couple of weeks.

If I take my first dose tonight, am I going to be able to go to work as usual tomorrow? Should I be upfront with her and tell her I need a few days off to adjust to the pills? I think my boss would be quite surprised to know if been diagnosed as depressed. I'm sure she'd be supportive, but I don't want to plant a seed of doubt about my ability in her head when I've not had much of a chance to prove myself. I called in sick today as I'm a bit flu-ey anyway, so I could just put it down to that and keep shtum. Or I could wait til I have a few days off at the end of the week and start then maybe?

Also, will I still be able to look after my (energetic and very mobile!) 1 year old? He has nursery tomorrow so if I took the first dose tonight and took tomorrow off i'd have the day to rest.

Sorry for the rambling post. I can't really think straight.