Mirtazapine not working

[username1987a]

I started on 7.5mg of Mirtazapine in December last yeas. I've gradually increased the dose and am now on 30mg. It's not working. I've now gone up to 45mg a couple of days ago.

My depression is still awful, I'm feeling really low and my mind is going to very dark places. I'm under the CMHT and am having an assessment tomorrow with the home treatment team, it's so bad.

Has anyone else experienced this? Have you been on Mirtapzapine and it hasn't worked for you? I read on here that it didn't really start to work until it was on the highest dose.

I started mirtazapine in late Aug 10mg, steadily increased to 45mg in Jan and only in the last 2 weeks do I feel able to cope with crap. Was originally in mirtazapine because of lack of sleep. Last month I had a really awful day, definitely the lowest point, had suicidal thoughts on the way home. But since mid Feb after this day I definitely see an improvement.
It’s not all roses, yesterday I had a shit shit shit day (no suicidal thoughts) just a dark day when I was just inside my mind for the most part. It’s part of the course. Good days outweigh the shit ones. Give it a few more weeks?
I speak to my doctors surgery once a month as a check in

I had an anti psychotic started because mirtazazpine alone ,for me wasn't that great
So now not sure if it's taking both drugs together working ,or is it the anti psychotic? 🤔

@VioletOcean

I started mirtazapine in late Aug 10mg, steadily increased to 45mg in Jan and only in the last 2 weeks do I feel able to cope with crap. Was originally in mirtazapine because of lack of sleep. Last month I had a really awful day, definitely the lowest point, had suicidal thoughts on the way home. But since mid Feb after this day I definitely see an improvement. It’s not all roses, yesterday I had a shit shit shit day (no suicidal thoughts) just a dark day when I was just inside my mind for the most part. It’s part of the course. Good days outweigh the shit ones. Give it a few more weeks? I speak to my doctors surgery once a month as a check in

It sounds like you've gone on a similar course to me regarding increasing the dose. Sounds like it took several weeks for the 45mg to start working for you as well.

I can't wait for good days to outweigh the bad ones and that is the only thing getting me through.

I'm also checking in with the GP, just spoke to them this week in order to increase the dose. They want to stick with mirtazapine as i'm not having really bad anxiety as a side effect.

@wfrances

I had an anti psychotic started because mirtazazpine alone ,for me wasn't that great So now not sure if it's taking both drugs together working ,or is it the anti psychotic? 🤔

So the mirtazapine wasn't working for you and they started you on something else alongside it? I'm already on other medication as well as the mirtazapine.

Anti depressants work on neural pathways. Each one of us has very individualised neural pathways what works for one person will make no difference to another.
It's like shooting arrows blind folded, it might hit, it might not.
If it is not working for you then get your GP to try another.
Mirtazipine is commonly prescribed for help with sleep problems co-morbid with depression.
If it is not helping you, you need a med review and to try something else.
For myself Amitriptyline has been the most helpful, bar the quetiapine which fucked my voice so had to come of it in able to be talk normally. I miss it though, sleep was guaranteed but my voice is important to my job and the Botox injections in my vocal chords did not improve my ability to speak at al well, so I came off it and have been on Amitriptyline pretty much every since. It works but not to the same degree.
And it's made me put on weight but will I take that over insanity caused by lack of sleep..

@ArabellaStrange

Anti depressants work on neural pathways. Each one of us has very individualised neural pathways what works for one person will make no difference to another. It's like shooting arrows blind folded, it might hit, it might not. If it is not working for you then get your GP to try another. Mirtazipine is commonly prescribed for help with sleep problems co-morbid with depression. If it is not helping you, you need a med review and to try something else. For myself Amitriptyline has been the most helpful, bar the quetiapine which fucked my voice so had to come of it in able to be talk normally. I miss it though, sleep was guaranteed but my voice is important to my job and the Botox injections in my vocal chords did not improve my ability to speak at al well, so I came off it and have been on Amitriptyline pretty much every since. It works but not to the same degree. And it's made me put on weight but will I take that over insanity caused by lack of sleep..

Yes, I understand that this medication might work for one person and not for someone else. I was just wondering if this medication had had the same effect on someone else. It seems to have had and I'm probably going to see it through and see if the higher does works.

I'm glad you found something that works for you. I tried Amitriptyline but it gave me a terrible stomach and I couldn't continue on it. I'm sorry to hear about the problems iwth your voice, sounds difficult to deal with.

I was on Mirtazipine for s short period, it made my day time sluggish brain fog ten times worse, so I came off it fairly quickly.
What symptoms are you hopefully trying to address?

I'm taking venlafaxine and mirtazapine. I don't feel like they are helping much, if at all. It's probably time to ask the doctor to do a meds review and maybe try something else. Maybe for you too? It's very unfortunate that it can take quite a few tries to find the right antidepressant for each individual.

I was on mirtazapine for 9 months. Got put up through the doses to 45mg.

Wirh every dose increase it made me feel worse. My anxiety, aggitation and depression got way, way worse. The only thing it helped for was sleep. I know it works wonders for so many people but I wish I hadnt tried to stick it out. There's so many others to try.

@ArabellaStrange

I was on Mirtazipine for s short period, it made my day time sluggish brain fog ten times worse, so I came off it fairly quickly. What symptoms are you hopefully trying to address?

I have really bad depression and anxiety. I've had the depression since August last year, so over six months now. I've been on the medication since December last year. I'm hoping that the medication lifts my mood.

@Notgettingbetter

I'm taking venlafaxine and mirtazapine. I don't feel like they are helping much, if at all. It's probably time to ask the doctor to do a meds review and maybe try something else. Maybe for you too? It's very unfortunate that it can take quite a few tries to find the right antidepressant for each individual.

I'm sorry to hear it's not working for you. How long have you been on the medication? I've been on it for three months and have just had a review where they are putting it up to the max dose. I also have a psych meeting next week and we'll probably talk about changing medication if this doesn't do anything in a couple of weeks.

@Sunnyscot80

I was on mirtazapine for 9 months. Got put up through the doses to 45mg.

Wirh every dose increase it made me feel worse. My anxiety, aggitation and depression got way, way worse. The only thing it helped for was sleep. I know it works wonders for so many people but I wish I hadnt tried to stick it out. There's so many others to try.

I'm sorry to hear it hasn't worked for you and you're saying what I am dreading, that it's not going to help. It's not making me feel worse at least. I've had few side effects while on it. I'm able to sleep. It has given me constipation and i feel continuously hungry.

I'm sorry your not doing too well on it.

I had such severe side effects and it made my mental health so much worse, I became unsafe and also was put under the crisis team. I was taken off it really quickly by a crisis team doctor. I was suicidal.

If you're not having bad side effects then maybe it's taking time to help and 45mg might be effective. Don't lose hope. And if this one isn't for you, there are others. I know how hard it is.

What I would say, is never hesitate to tell your doctor if things get much worse when on a med.

@Sunnyscot80

I'm sorry your not doing too well on it.

I had such severe side effects and it made my mental health so much worse, I became unsafe and also was put under the crisis team. I was taken off it really quickly by a crisis team doctor. I was suicidal.

If you're not having bad side effects then maybe it's taking time to help and 45mg might be effective. Don't lose hope. And if this one isn't for you, there are others. I know how hard it is.

What I would say, is never hesitate to tell your doctor if things get much worse when on a med.

I'm sorry to hear you reached crisis while on the medication. i'm not doing too well on the medication and was on the phone to the crisis line myself today. I now have an assessment coming up with the home team tomorrow. I felt like this before i was on the medication though, so I know it's not the medication doing that. sorry to hear it had that effect on you though.

I suppose what's so frustraing about it, is that it's taken months to get to this dose and now i might have to go through it all again if this doesn't work.

Hi, sorry you’re feeling rubbish. I have never been on mirtazapine alone. I was taken off sertraline (stopped working) and put on venlafaxine and mirtazapine at the same time. Max dose mirtazapine and a fairly hefty dose venlafaxine. I had something else added at a later date, but now just on venlafaxine as I’m functioning so much better. The mirtazapine helped a lot- especially with sleep. Keep going and see what else can be offered to you. You will get better, this is just a shitty shitty period in your life

I have been on mirtzapine twice. First time it didn't work at all but then I had quite bad anxiety depression mix. Second time I was already on sertraline and mirtzapine was added. My mood got better rather soon.

@dangermouseisace

Hi, sorry you’re feeling rubbish. I have never been on mirtazapine alone. I was taken off sertraline (stopped working) and put on venlafaxine and mirtazapine at the same time. Max dose mirtazapine and a fairly hefty dose venlafaxine. I had something else added at a later date, but now just on venlafaxine as I’m functioning so much better. The mirtazapine helped a lot- especially with sleep. Keep going and see what else can be offered to you. You will get better, this is just a shitty shitty period in your life

Thanks this is a shitty time and it's good to be reminded that this is hopefully just a phase and things are going to get better. I keep having to remind myself that this is a blip and things will get better. Yes my sleep isn't too bad at the moment but I'm also on another medication which is quite sedating so I think they're working to help me sleep.

@guineapigs

I have been on mirtzapine twice. First time it didn't work at all but then I had quite bad anxiety depression mix. Second time I was already on sertraline and mirtzapine was added. My mood got better rather soon.

I'm glad the mirtazapine worked for you in the end, that's good to know. I'm really hoping mine starts to kick in soon as i'm so fed up.