Anyone on Mirtazipine

[jb2112]

Went to see a new Psych Consultant last week. He told me to stop taking Prozac/SSRi's as some people (he reckons 25%)just don't get on with them -and apparently I'm one of them. He has prescribed Mirtazepine (Remeron).
Has anyone else taken them as I am on my 3rd day and am so unco-ordinated/feel so shaky that I nearly fell down the bus stairs this morning/feel like I'm floating along/unreal?

I'm going to give them a go but maybe the 15mg start-up dose is too much for me as I've been very sensitive to meds in the past......

I'd be really grateful for any feedback

thanks all.
J

[oliverb]

For the first couple of weeks I felt as though I'd been hit in the head by a plank. Now, four months or so later, I'm on 30mg and feel relatively fine. I don't exactly have a spring in my step and a song in my heart, but the anxiety levels are definitely down and I haven't had a full blown panic attack for quite a long time. I've been on seven or eight meds over the past few years and so far this has been the most effective. Bear with it, you should feel less woozy as you get used to it.

Oliver

[Rainbowlady]

Well done for giving them a go, I have been reading the thread and it seems alot of people suffer these similar side effects at the beginning but people that have stuck with them say it's worth it.
I joined as my husband took his first dose tonight & I was wondering what to expect, ie: what's his depression symptoms & which could be the meds. They appear to have immediate side effects so I'm really glad I checked.
Citalopram seems to be what Gp's tend to prescribe as a 1st time anti depression but he refused it as I also have depression, he has seen me on it, how difficult it is to get off & didn't want meds in the 1st place, he thinks he's fine.
Also, our baby had withdrawel symtoms when she was born from citalopram so there's no way he'll take that. hopefully I'll let you know how he gets on.

[Cat80]

I was started on 15mg of these and felt dreadful the 2 week I was on them so came off. Mentioned this too my new Dr and she told me it's too low a dose and the lower the dose the worse the side effects and that she always starts people off on 30mg. I'd go back and ask fi you could have your dose upped. My Mum is on 30mg and has barely an side effects other than feeling sleepy within an hour of taking them at bedtime

[JT69]

Hi,

I have been taking these meds for 6 weeks now, I started off on 15mg for the first 4 weeks then the last 2 weeks upped to 30mg. At first yes I suffered felt drunk/drowsy/heavy for most of the day (evenings were usually the best) but as the time went by it wore off. When I increased to 30 mg I didn't notice too much of a difference and 2 weeks on I can say that I probably feel bit heavy for the first part of the day but is soon disappears. I am still struggling with my mood 1st thing in a morning but I'm hoping when I start back to work next week that will distract it.

I took citalopram on and off for a number of years and it was very successfull, but unfortunately this time it didnt work for me hence the change.

So far with the experience I have had I would reccommend mirtazipine...at least I now get a good nights sleep.

Jo.

[Rainbowlady]

Hi Cat80 & Jo,
thank you so much for your replies, I found them both very helpful.

I will definately try to get my husbands GP to up his dose to 30 mgs as he has really bad patches of slurring & confusion very early in the morning & early evening which he never had before so if there's a chance of improvement, he should grab it with both hands. I also wonder what the GP's views are on this.

Jo,

thank you for the info on citalopram, I sleep very poorly so any chance of this for myself I will look into. Also I heard there is less threat to pregnancy if I take this.

I have no idea if this is true but we are planning another baby so if anybody's got any info, I'd love to hear about it. Then I can compare it with my Gp info & research I do online.
I'd never forgive myself if another baby got withdrawel symptoms because of my lack of knowledge.

Cheers guys

[GT]

Any more advice on this drug please! just about to start taking it