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.

Whatdo - I wasn't too knocked out by the tablets, the day after I took the first one - I guess it varies according to the individual.

But I did put off starting because the night I was supposed to start, dh was away, so I was going to be alone in the house, and wanted dh around, in case I did get completely knocked out by the tablets.

So on the one hand, putting off starting 'til the weekend might be a good idea - but on the other hand, it means you are putting off the point where you will start to feel the positive effects of the drug.

Maybe a compromise would be to take the tablet tonight and if you feel OK in the morning, go to work, but if you don't, call in sick with the flu symptoms you already have? And if you went to work, and felt bad later on, you could go home sick 'because the flu-ey symptoms have come back'.

OnceMore - thank you for remembering that I had started the tablets. Things are going well so far - I am sleeping better - I love going to sleep within half an hour instead of tossing and turning g for 2.5 hours or more! It is a revelation.

I am still having some of the citalopram withdrawal symptoms - especially light headedness, but that is improving, and I am still tired in the afternoon (I keep napping in front of the tv).

I'm glad that things seem to be going well for you. Well done for getting things done at work - it feels so good to achieve things!

SDTG thanks for your thoughts and for replying. Good to hear that not everyone is floored by the drug when starting!

Sorry to hear you're still having a rough time with citalipram withdrawal. It's nasty. I hope it eases for you soon. Enjoy that sleep!

SDTG I've just clicked - perhaps I felt odd when first starting mirtazapine because I was withdrawing from citalopram? My GP just said stop citalopram that day and take mirtazapine from then on.

I've been on mirtazapine for 4 weeks now and found that recently my anxiety has been bad and I've been feeling a lot of anger and irritability. My low mood has been helped though. GP has given me Duloxetine to take as well. Day 2 of that and feeling a bit better.

i take 7.5mg to help me sleep - it doesnt affect my mood at this dose
whenever ive tried to up dosage to 15mg after day 3 im hypervigilant , ocd gets worse , very irritable and agitated and cant sit down and it makes my paranoia worse-
(im very sensitive to head meds - 3 days of seroxat made me psychotic and they had to come out to sedate me)so i have to try olanzapine now , not tried it yet as im ill ,infection then virus now asthma flare up
last thing i want is some weird side effects from new meds kicking in.

Hi all, well I'm about a month in and I've had enough. I look and feel about 7-8 months pregnant. I've gone from a size 6 to a size 12, none of my clothes fit me, I can't bend to reach my feet, I'm breathless, bloated and fed up. Also, I seem to have been really angry and irritable since starting this medication.

The main benefits are less anxiety and more ability to do daily chores, but that's it. I'm grumpy, fat and fed up.

I am on 15 mg but tonight have only taken half. I can barely even fit the water in to take it, and all I've eaten since xmas lunch is a small bowl of all bran.

Hi I've been taking mirazipine for the past two years it gets bad press for weight gain but I actually lost 2 stone while taking it (I'm still on it) because I suppose it lifted my mood an I was actually able to exercise. I suppose it really depends on how you metabolise it. For me it made a difference.

Oh the lower dose is better for sleep at the 30mg dose it had no influence on my sleep but the 15mg knocks me out.

I've been on it about 9 months now and at 45mg for 6 m and only just recently felt an improvement in my mood
I've hated being on them but I was having very strong suicidal thoughts so the point of parking below tall buildings and more besides
And now I'm not , so my children still have a mother . I've gone from a size 16 to an 18/20 and feel fat and horrible
Life isn't perfect , I'm very tired ,it's made my fibromyalgia a lot lot worse but that's tough I guess .been a tough year I don't wish to repeat it
I'll keep going to give my emotions a good chance to stabilise as even if I miss one dose I have an emotional crash three days later so I presume that means I'm not recovered .i think I was so bad this year one could describe it as a breakdown
But I'll keep going