Therapeutic dose for Mirtazapine?

[Belleblue]

I'd appreciate hearing from people for whom 15mg Mirtazapine ceased to do much, but are now doing well on 30mg.

I'm thinking of upping my dose... but the thing is that when I tried that last year it affected my sleep, plus I got derealization/depersonalization which wasn't very pleasant. Maybe I didn't persevere long enough on it - and perhaps those side effects would have ceased with time.

All responses welcome

Belle x

[Ponk86]

Hi I used to be on 30mg I didn't really have any size affects apart from being half asleep all day, now on 15mg and trouble sleeping :/ seems like there's no middle ground

[lauz_lea]

Hi Belle, as you know I upped to 30mg a few days ago after about 6 weeks at 15mg. Tonight will be the 4th night of the increased dose and so far so good, I was terrified and expecting to feel terrible, but I already feel better. Mornings are still a struggle but no DP or DR (which I did experience mildly for a few days when I first started mirt), and in fact this evening I've laughed more than I have done in months (watching Jackass). I've returned to work after 10 weeks off and I'm planning things again and looking forward to the weekend so I can get my new sewing machine back out and make more stuff. Now I just need to get my hair done - my roots are terrible

It's still very early days I know, but I never suffered horredously to begin with on mirt anyway (I didn't think it was even possible to find an AD that wouldn't cause any awful side effects), so at the moment, I'm giving it the thumbs up, but watch this space, cause I know that tomorrow morning I'll be obsessing again until I get myself busy.

How long have you been on 15mg?

[Belleblue]

Hi Lauz - Good to know that the higher dose seems to be helping so far and that things in general are moving along nicely for you. I guess I'll just have to bite the bullet and see how I get along on 30mg. I've been on 15mg for about two months now and I think the initial calming effect is beginning to wane... hard to tell as I also have some very stressful situations to deal with at the moment.
Hope your hair turns out nice

Hi Ponk and thank you for your response. Sorry to hear that this med is not working out so well for you xx

Belle x

[Ingenious]

In a couple of weeks time it will be one year since I switched from 40mg Citalopram to 15mg Mirtazapine which I have been on ever since. I guess I am one of the lucky ones for whom 15mg is the therapeutic dose.

I will say though there was a point a few months in where I also felt the effects had waned a bit. I had to make a choice of upping to 30mg or not. I decided not too - still wary after my experience of ever increasing Citalopram doses - and had a major blitz on exercise. The benefits of this seemed to "top up" the effects of medication. Sometimes when I had dips I did think it was just a case of waiting them out, and sure enough after a couple of days they passed.

But there do seem to be many people who do well on 30mg, so I would say if you have exhausted everything else then why not give it a go?

[lauz_lea]

Well Belle, today was one of those great days - I was a bit hyper for an hour or so, but I probably only felt hyper after weeks of feeling mainly nothing, or terrible. I'm usually a bouncy person anyway so it wasn't anything out of the "norm", but it felt good. I know its still early days (night 5 of the increase tonight), but it's certainly made a difference - I can feel again

[JT69]

Hello Belle,

As you know I have been taking mirtazipine for a couple of years now. I started on 15mg but did have to go up to 30mg for around 6 months as at that time the 15 was not enough. I did settle on this dose for a while but then I found I still suffered blips and general anxiety hence the pregabalin was added which has now enabled me to reduce to 7.5mg...and touch wood I seem to be stable.

I would give it a go...you have nothing to lose...you have been on 15mg for some time now so the increase might not effect you like last time as I am a firm believer that no 2 experiences are the same...just see how it goes...you can always reduce again if you find it does not agree with you.

I wish you well...you deserve a break.

Take care
Jo.xx

[Belleblue]

Hi Ingenious - Yes, I agree that it's much better to try other things first. Walking is my exercise, I do a lot of it and find it extremely beneficial. It helps burn off excess adrenaline, especially when stressed. Like you, I'm a big believer in helping the medication along and not expecting it to do all the work.

I am feeling much better today and at the moment it's hard to tell if the positive affects have really waned or whether I have had just one too many blips in the last two weeks. I really don't like the idea of increasing the dose, but feel I may need to if the down days start to outnumber the good ones.
I'm pleased that the mirt is still working well for you at 15mg

Hi Jo - You are right about not having anything to lose by giving the 30mg a go. And as you say I can always reduce if it doesn't work out. What you said about no two experiences being the same is very helpful - I may feel completely different on the higher dose this time round.

Thanks folks xx

Belle x

[eden.eden]

I've been on 30mg for about 2 months now. Haven't noticed any real improvement in the depression although I fancy the anxiety is reduced which is something. Have started counselling and have been nothing like as freaked out about going as I would have expected to be.

Having said that I had a good week last week but dont think that can be the pills after all this time. It's all very confusing.