Mirtazapine Advice

[Shinyshoe73]

Hi,

I was put on 15mg Mirtazapine last Thursday mainly for anxiety which manifests itself in Insomnia - basically I get myself into such a state about the thought of not sleeping that I don’t!! The doctor suggested this AD as it’s also sedating, so far this has really helped in helping me to sleep but I do still feel generally anxious. After talking to the doctor today he suggested upping my dose to 30mg to help the anxiety. I’m so nervous of doing this as I’ve read that the higher the dose the less sedating? I’m stuck in a catch 22 because I could keep things as they are and hopefully sleep but still have bad anxiety or up the dose to 30mg and lose the sleep and still be anxious or they could work well and I’d be less anxious in the long run?! Any experiences or advice would be most appreciated!

I went up from 15 to 30mg as I was in a similar state to you OP. 30 still knocked me out. We tried 45 for a month but it gave me awful leg aches!

I started Mirtazapine about five weeks ago, on 15mg. My doctor says to stick with that dose as upping it can have a negative effect, as I take it for sleep issues and anxiety rather than for depression on its own.

Thank you both, has it helped with the anxiety?

Initially I felt the mirtazapine helped. Then I nose dived and nothing helped. So now I am on Pregabalin and even though sits only Day 2 it's definitely helping more.

i’m on 45mg and it’s still sedating. mind you, i also take anti-psychotics that make me drowsy, but there’s been no noticeable insomnia since i went up on the mirtazapine.

It has helped with the anxiety, although it is still there.
At first it helped me sleep, but that is hit at miss now.

Thank you. I’m
Not sure what to do as anxiety not sleep is my problem. I have anxiety over not sleeping which keeps me awake so maybe I need the higher dose to address the anxiety.

It works for me at 30g. You can take it with other meds for anxiety.

I'm also prescribed Propranolol (for something else) but his is also used to treat anxiety.

Talk to your GP and keep talking to them so they can try things with you.

You could stay at 15mg for another week or so, and see if the improved sleep has a knock-on effect of improving the anxiety.

Or go up to 30mg and keep a close eye on both aspects. A good night’s sleep is worth a lot, sanity wise.

OP I have similar problems with sleep and anxiety. Tried mirtazapine which made me feel like Hell and didn't really help. Now on Pregabalin which has been a minor miracle - have been taking it for a year and it's still working 🙂

Thank you. I’m just worried that nothing’s going to work with the anxiety but think I’ll stick to 15mg as it’s only been six days and need to give it a chance!!

Pregabalin is the nuts!

I started on a similar amount and it knocked me out until the next afternoon- a fab med for insomnia I'd think. Keep it up OP and good luck in recovery!

I'm on 30mg, it doesn't make me sleep at all, I take Phenergan so that I can sleep.

Has 15mg helped anyone with anxiety?

I think it did calm my brain down quite a bit. Unfortunately I had loads of side effects too. How’s it going?

Ok, great. Did you find that you had up and down days the first couple of weeks? I’d been doing well sleeping then felt anxious all day yesterday about bedtime and really struggled to sleep last night so now I’m thinking that they’re not working!!

Oh dear, how frustrating! If it’s not making you worse than you already were, then it’s worth sticking at it. Things ought to settle down in a few weeks (like any antidepressant).
Then you can make the decision to up the dose (maybe worth a try) or keep it as it is, or come off it and try something else.

I’m finding it hard to remember what it was like to begin with. Mainly that it damps things down. I’d been having very strange/extreme panic attacks, and with the Mirt that turned into murderous irritation, which was an improvement!

Unfortunately it always makes me extremely sluggish, which is no good as I have CFS/ME as well as depression.

I’ve been on and off it for years. Currently off it.

I take amitryptiline for sleep. Didn’t find mirtazapine or trazadone helpful at all

I took mirtazipine until I was nearly 20stone ! It's used as an appetite stimulant for the elderly!!

Had to have a gastric sleeve .. now back to 10stone after 7 years of hell and now have amilytriptyne for sleep.. fab !! No weight gain