Experiences with mirtazapine? Just started

[mirtyjane]

Hello. On day 2 of mirtazapine.
Took 7.5mg the first night. Within 30 mins felt so sleepy and dizzy. Slept a solid 10 hours and woke up feeling I had only slept 4 hours. Took 15mg last night. Again, slept well and just woke feeling the same as yesterday. Didn't even hear my DC wake up (luckily my DH did!). Completely zapped of any energy and feel very 'I don't really care'. How long does this last for? It's taking me a good 3-4 hours to actually build up enough energy to do anything.

Any one?

Hi @mirtyjane I took mirtazapine for a few years, it gave me the best night’s sleep!
It took a couple of weeks to get through the groggy feeling, I remember I nearly crashed my car one morning, because I wasn’t as on the ball.

I had to stop taking it since having my son, as nothing would wake me up at night, I would be in such a deep sleep.

@Coffeelattes it's horrible. Can't describe how I'm feeling. Hungover? Sleep deprived? Restless? Either way I do not feel I can work safely feeling like this 😳

How were you coming off it? I've heard the withdrawal is pretty bad

Everyone is different but it probably took two weeks for me to stop feeling so sedated.

I had insomnia so the sleepiness was a very welcome side effect (the lower doses are more sedating).

Lots of people don’t like mitazipine as it can cause weight gain but as long as you eat well and exercise it’s ok.

I didn't like them I couldn't stop eating

I’ve been on it for a number of years now. Have never taken above 15mg, am now on 7.5mg. I piled on two stone within a year of starting it, but weight stayed where it was, and I really need to lose it. So I came off last year - tapered but once I had stopped I literally could NOT sleep. I went 6 weeks as I was determined to persevere but slept no more than one hour a night - I felt like dying. Unfortunately I had to restart it and from then on slept well so I feel now that I am dependent on it to sleep. I feel fatigued a lot of the time so it’s very frustrating. And I still need to lose two bloody stone !

I am welcoming the weight gain side effect to be honest. I have lost a lot of weight over the last few years due to anxiety and really struggling to regain my weight and look so unhealthy and ill. Today I'm very much feeling like I do not care about anything.
Im starting to think I should possibly look at an alternative medication though. Do all ADs make you feel this drowsy and careless?

I am also very snappy today. Feeling very irritable

It made me fat. And hungry. And really tired/sleepy. It worked for my depression though when SSRIs didn't, so I tolerated the negative side effects until I didn't need them anymore.

They do all work in different ways. You could try a different type - but maybe give these a few more weeks. More people are prescribed SSRIs - have a look at different ones online, but I had a bad reaction to sertraline, hence the mirtazapine. Definitely may take a few attempts to get it right for you.

@RollOnSpringDays that’s my biggest fear about coming off of them. I can’t go back to not sleeping. I’m on 45mg and have been for years.

@mirtyjane I was like you and welcomed the weight gain.