Mirtazapine?

[JustBeenNosey]

Evening!

Im just wondering if anyone has been prescribed Mitazapine before, and what side affects did you have and how did you feel?

I self harmed on Saturday evening and ended up in A&E as it was a big cut.
I spoke with the Mental Health Team and they suggested going back on anti-depressants (I've been off them since March after speaking with my GP and weaning off them)
I decided I was ready to come off them and felt like I could deal with life without them.
I think for the past 7 months I've been telling other people that often that I'm okay, I started to believe it myself and I think Saturday night gave me a massive fright and shock that maybe I'm not okay and I do need help.

I went to the doctors today and was prescribed Mirtazapine, mainly I think to try help me with sleep as apparently they make you drowsy.
I've never heard of these before so was just wondering if anyone out there can tell me abit more about it.

Thanks!

They're one of the worst for weight gain.

I've just started them last week. I'm on the lowest dose and they do make you sleep at a low dose, but the higher the dose the less it makes you drowsy.

They are fast acting and as I described it to dp as my head is grey cloud and these make it feel like little bits of sunshine are poking through.

Give it time.

I was prescribed them last year. They are really strong. I was really sedated on them. The first night I pretty much passed out half an hour after taking it. I couldn't drive or look after my children properly for 2 weeks. Luckily I was off work. I was just about to give up, when at two weeks the worst effects passed, and I stayed on them for 6 months. I needed rest from my thoughts and I can honestly say I got it! I would give it time too. Sorry you are feeling this way OP.

@Bombardier25966 that's what I was worried about. I am already overweight and signed up to the gym last week and started swimming and aqua fit but then after Saturday night, I can't go now for at least 2 week until my arm has healed.

@YouCantTourniquetTheTaint ah I see! I have suffered for the past 5 years since I first started on AD's with my sleep so the Mental Health team I spoke to recommended taking meds that will make me drowsy.

Let me know how you get on. It would be a massive toss up on whether I stay on the lower dose to help me to sleep or go on a higher dose to help me abit more..

@Spudina I took one about 15 minutes ago and I don't know if I feel drowsy from the tablets or if I'm overthinking it all and I'm making myself feel tired..

Luckily my work are all in the loop and are quite good with me having time off and stuff.
I'm back at the doctors on the 12th to see my usual doctor because I saw one today that I've never seen before.
Usually when starting on meds or even swapping to new ones I've always been given just a weeks worth or two weeks worth to see how I go, but this doctor gave me a months worth.
My mum came with me today and we both said to each other when we got to the car that it was odd that she gave me a months worth especially starting back on them and after my episode on Saturday night, you would have thought that maybe I couldn't be trusted with a months worth of AD's however I do feel quite stable in myself although I know I'm probably not 100%..

If that makes any sense at all 🙄

Hope you're doing okay though 💐

Makes total sense. A month is quite a while not to have a follow up appointment. I hope you get on ok with them. People react differently to meds and I'm obviously sensitive! But otherwise well thanks for asking. Take care. And keep posting if you need to. X

I was on mirtazipine for 18 months, came off at Easter. I was definitely pretty foggy for the first couple of weeks, but by about a month in the side effects were minimal and they really helped stabilise my mood. I stayed on a low does, it knocked me out pretty effectively every night - lack of sleep was a significant marker of depression for me. I did gain weight, but i was also quite inactive due to damaged Achilles tendon. I found coming off them difficult - reducing the does made me even more sleepy and woolly-headed, but mentally it was fine. In my opinion worth the woolly-headedness for the mental health taking them gave me.

@Spudina thank you! And hopefully I'll be okay. I'm starting to get tired now, I think! 🙈

No matter how much or little I sleep, I'm always tired.
No matter what I do throughout the day, I'm always tired.
Drive me insane.

@PandaG im used to the foggy feeling. I find as well that my jaw usually tenses, a lot!

I signed up to the gym but I don't like using gym equipment so mainly using it for length swimming, aqua fit and gym classes but since I cut myself quite badly, I'm out of action for about 2 weeks unfortunately..

Hope you feel the benefits soon. I take half at night to help with sleep and stabilise my mood, then 100mg Sertraline in the morning. I think there is an issue with weight gain. However my GP seems happy for me to continue, particularly as I’m sleeping lots. Good luck.

@Naveloranges how come you take sertraline as well, if you don't mind me asking?

I have an appointment a week on Friday with usual Dr so will ask if there are any different one I can take that don't necessarily associate with weight gain.
As that is something I do not want to happen, as that will more than likely make my anxiety worse😩🙈

@JustBeenNosey - not sure really. It’s what my GP prescribed. I’m in a real black pit at the moment, signed off work for 6 weeks. GP says to keep going with meds as I’m sleeping and more stable. Still waiting to see adult mental health team.

I'm also on flouoxetine as well. They haven't been working as well over the past 6 months. I tried to come off them to go on to stirtraline (sp) but instead of going into stirtraline I tried to kill myself anyhoo my dr has put me on these as On top of flouoxetine.

So far so good, I'm pleased that they seem to be having an effect already.

@Naveloranges ah I see! I took my first tablet last night and slept right through from about 8.20 until 6 this morning!

I'm still feeling abit hazy today tbf and feel like I could get back in bed and go to sleep.

After I spoke with the mental health team at the hospital, they told me to do a self referral for some help and counselling.
I did this last night but unsure how long it takes for them to get in touch with me to see which form of help will be the best.

How long have you been waiting to be seen by the Mental Health Team?

I had them for a while . They have a sedative effect which is a bit disconcerting at first but it settles down .
However, as I saw already mentioned, the weight piles on (they are also used for anorexics apparently) .
Went back on Citilopram

@WhentheRabbitsWentWild okay thank you.

I'll deffo be speaking with my Dr then and see if there are any within the same kind of group, with a sedative in, but without the weight gain

@JustBeenNosey - just over two weeks now. Although the depression is bad, I’m not high risk, so will probably have to wait. Good luck with your medication. It’s worth trying a few to get it right. I sleep for hours and hours on mirtazapime. I’m going to join the gym to try and help my recovery.

You're welcome OP

@Naveloranges fingers crossed it isn't too long for you!

I'm back at the doctors for them to check dressing on my arm so I'll see if the report form the Mental Health team has reached the surgery yet and hopefully they'll tell me more info about how long it can be.

I would like to go do some gym classes but abit paranoid about the dressing on my arm being on show and obviously can't go swimming until fully healed

@JustBeenNosey - I totally understand not wanting the dressing to be seen. However as my daughter (17) keeps telling me “nobody cares what anyone else is doing in the gym”. I hate the thought of being seen in public because I don’t necessarily ‘look’ ill. My GP says I just have to tell them - if asked- that I may look well, but I’m not well inside. I really want to get better and back to living. I really hope you get some help very soon.

@Naveloranges yeah that's true!

And to be fair when I had it bandaged up yesterday, people at work asked what had happened and I told them.
Not everyone knew really what to say but that's not necessarily their fault.

I'm quite open about my problems but it's when you get the odd ones who are just so narrow minded about stuff that piss me off!

And thank you! I've finally realised and admitted that I need help so hopefully we won't be waiting too long!!

@Bombardier25966
@YouCantTourniquetTheTaint
@Spudina
@PandaG
@Naveloranges

Sorry for the post again guys..
Did any of you get really tired in the afternoon to the point where you could just drop fast asleep?

I've been taking these tablets since Monday night, and don't get me wrong I'm sleeping right through from 8.30/9pm to 6am without waking up but I'm finding myself getting really tired about 12/1pm Ish and then about 4pm.

I don't know if it's me getting used to the meds or it's a side effect.
I'm sat on my dinner at work literally nearly read to fall asleep 🙈🙈🙈

Hi, i think it should pass. For two weeks, I was spaced out like a drunk person, hence not being able to drive, and was really sleepy. But after that I was able to drive and go back to work. I generally felt a bit more tired than normal so had few evening plans as I fell asleep on the sofa about 9. This was one of the reasons for me deciding to come off them after six months, as it was getting a bit isolating. That and not being able to drink!! It sounds like you are doing much better than I did on them already though. How's things otherwise??

@Spudina oh that doesn't sound good!

I'm going to Poland for a few days with my mum in about 10 days which is good - something to look forward to but I'm not looking forward to not drinking.
I suppose I can have one 🙄
Not a massive drinker anyway tbf!

Going to Amsterdam in November as well for my birthday and then a gig the week before my birthday so it's all just abit all over the place.

I can't work out whether it's happened at the right time with me having things to look forward to or keeping thinking I can't/shouldn't drink 🙈🙈
I know you don't need alcohol to have fun and I don't drink a lot anyway but I know I'll want to drink at this gig!

Other than that I think I'm okay in myself??
My arm is just getting really itching and irritating now! But I suppose that just means that it's healing..

@JustBeenNosey - I’ve not really noticed tbh. I have had alcohol while I’ve been taking it - not much but the odd drink. I’m only on half a tablet at night though.