Mirtazipine/Remeron

[Proseccoagain]

Just been recommended this anti-depressant, also known as Remeron, by the local mental health team. Anyone else been on it? Will be speaking to GP on Thursday who will most likely be prescribing me something then.

[cheekymouse]

It was amazing for helping me sleep. But for me, it stopped working overnight : /x

[Batshitbeautycosmeticsltd]

I take it because of PTSD and depression characterised by dire insomnia. It works okay for that (I take 15mg). It increased my appetite, however, so I have to be very careful about what I eat. Don't let them tell you it doesn't cause weight gain, it's a known appetite stimulant.

[Killerpinkflamingo]

I take it after I had a complete mental breakdown, and I stopped sleeping completely. I’ve been on it for three years now.

It’s the only antidepressant that has ever worked for me (I’ve tried fluoxetine, citalopram, sertraline, trazodone and amitriptyline - so I was getting quite desperate!). It’s amazing for sleep, which has such a positive impact on my mental health. It is an appetite stimulant and I put on weight, which really stressed me out and upset me for a while - but that seems to have stopped now. The appetite stimulating effect was definitely much worse in the first 6 months. And now I have joined a gym (eek!) and am going to try to lose the weight that I gained - I’d rather do that than stop taking Mirtazapine, because the last three years have been the first time in my life I have felt normal and, dare I say it, happy It’s a really good antidepressant, if you can get past the crazy appetite in the beginning

[Batshitbeautycosmeticsltd]

@Killerpinkflamingo

I take it after I had a complete mental breakdown, and I stopped sleeping completely. I’ve been on it for three years now.

It’s the only antidepressant that has ever worked for me (I’ve tried fluoxetine, citalopram, sertraline, trazodone and amitriptyline - so I was getting quite desperate!). It’s amazing for sleep, which has such a positive impact on my mental health. It is an appetite stimulant and I put on weight, which really stressed me out and upset me for a while - but that seems to have stopped now. The appetite stimulating effect was definitely much worse in the first 6 months. And now I have joined a gym (eek!) and am going to try to lose the weight that I gained - I’d rather do that than stop taking Mirtazapine, because the last three years have been the first time in my life I have felt normal and, dare I say it, happy It’s a really good antidepressant, if you can get past the crazy appetite in the beginning

I feel the same! I'd rather work on losing the weight than come off it because I could NOT sleep. It was awful. Now, even if I can't get off straightaway, I know that it will eventually kick in and I won't be up at 5am all stressed out.

I just made sure I was caning water, I still make sure I drink a cup of broth or vegetable soup before meals to fill me up and take in a lot of veg in general.

I still have another stone to lose but got 2.5st off.

[Batshitbeautycosmeticsltd]

I tried other ADs, too, and this one's only side effect for me was increased appetite and I had a really dry mouth the first couple of months and frequent headaches (nothing paracetamol couldn't take out) but that has settled. Mentally, like Killer, the effect of knowing I will get off to sleep has been huge for me. I've also not had suicidal thoughts since being on it. I'm not 100%, possibly never will be, but not having suicidal thoughts and being able to get off to sleep have been huge for me and I'm a relatively low dose with scope to go higher if need be.

[Batshitbeautycosmeticsltd]

It's worth a try, especially if you suffer from insomnia. I'm still on the 15mg - that's the starting dose.

[tofuschnitzel]

I take Mirtazapine alongside Sertraline, and it has really helped. I have anxiety with depression. I would recommend you give Mirtazapine a try, I've really seen an improvement and I hope you will too. It is normal to feel apprehensive about starting medications like this, but they can make such a difference.

[Spanglebangle]

I know two people who have taken mirtazapine both of them got very fat very quickly and were miserable because of it. For both of them sertraline worked without the fattening.
Personally I wouldn't take mirtazapine.

[Batshitbeautycosmeticsltd]

@Spanglebangle

I know two people who have taken mirtazapine both of them got very fat very quickly and were miserable because of it. For both of them sertraline worked without the fattening.
Personally I wouldn't take mirtazapine.

I think if your depression or mental health condition is characterised by insomnia (I've only just taken my tablet, I usually take it around 9pm) then it's worth a go. In the US and Canada, if the patient puts on weight rapidly, buproperion is commonly prescribed alongside it if the patient is already obese, but it's not here because buproprion is only licensed for smoking cession and only for a limited time, even if you are under the care of a private psychiatric consultant. But in the UK, it's usually recommended where the patient has insomnia characterised by not being able to get off to sleep at all.

Personally, I actually got on with zopiclone well, but it's nigh on banned here so I went for this.

I researched and found it was associated with increased appetite, so decided to try it with that in mind. I was a serious mess, though. I was past idealising suicide and to the point of planning it with several methods in place or else so clear on intent I could wait to get back to N. America and dispatch myself with a firearm which would eliminate the need for several methods. A trained arm with a gun will do the trick.

I did put on weight, but as pointed out, that effect attenuates, and I'm alive to tell the tale and on track to losing the weight.

I experienced far fewer side effects than with sertraline, citalopram or fluoxetine.

[Hangingover]

I only took it for three days. I was falling asleep at my desk and I couldn't stop shoving food in my mouth even though I was already full to the point of being sick.

[Batshitbeautycosmeticsltd]

If the patient is under the care of a mental health team, it's worth a go.

It saved my life from myself and my own hand.

It's not a magic bullet, but where it's been recommended by a mental health team, it's clear the patient probably tried other means.

I'd go with their recommendation. I don't think of suicide at all now. It's just not on my radar. I've still got PTSD, but I'm far better to deal with it and entertain other therapies.

I've got another stone to lose, and I was a competitive gymnast who has a really stocky build. But now I'm able to focus on this and not have my thoughts distracted by depression and suicide.

[TheFormerPorpentinaScamander]

I take 45mg daily alongside propranolol. Like others I have depression and anxiety with insomnia. I slept better at a lower dose, but my depression is so much better at the higher dose that I feel better overall.
Bizarrely if I accidentally take my mirtazipine with my morning meds it knocks me out for the day. If I take it in the evening like I'm meant to it might help me sleep but not always

[cheekymouse]

Am I the only one who it stopped working for? : / I have really bad insomnia now and back to square one!

[mildlymiffed]

I take it for insomnia. But like others have to be careful on the food front. I don't have breakfast, as funnily enough I'm not hungry until lunch. Soup only for lunch, and then a light dinner. Even then I don't lose any weight!

But my my my, life is better now that I sleep. I can drop off. I'm happier because of it!!! 🙂🙂🙂

[InsaneProbably]

I've fairly recently switched back on mirtazapine, and currently take 30mg. I just don't sleep much at all without it. The only issue I have ever had with it is some increase in appetite and straight up feeling more physically hungry. (That's why I had quit it earlier this year, as I worried about weight gain, despite not actually gaining weight!)

I'm feeling mentally quite rubbish right now, and still only coming out of a bulimia relapse, so the food side is a bit of a problem. I've made myself re-join a gym, and stick to meal times and stay within my calorie limits, and don't have unhealthy snacks in the house, so it's not too bad so far.

[InsaneProbably]

@cheekymouse - It did sort of stop working for me on the antidepressant front. I had felt really well since starting it a couple of years ago, until late last year just suddenly got hit by massively bad mental health, which is yet to really get better. That's been the story for me with all meds, though, and the message I'm getting from HCPs is to not even expect meds to fix my mood for me, so I mainly just take it for the added bit of balance and sleep.

[Proseccoagain]

Starting on Mirtazapine tonight,. Hand holding time please,very nervous as I had such dreadful side effects from Sertraline.

[mildlymiffed]

@Proseccoagain good luck. I did find that I had the typical drive mouth, and a bit spaced feeling for the first few days. So be kind to yourself. But hoping it is a success for you.

[cheekymouse]

When it worked for me it was just a lovely sleep and relaxation. I dreamt I was making love to Charles I hahahaha xx

[InsaneProbably]

Good luck, Prosecco. I do actually get dry mouth, too, but it's a potential side effect from some of my other meds, too, so not sure if it's the mirtazapine. I chew sugar-free gum during the day if it bothers me, and I don't want to just keep sipping drinks, and keep a throat spray by my bed in case it gets annoying during the night (don't want to choke on gum or pee all night!).