Started mirtazapine, not doing so well

[Rennie1989]

On Tuesday I saw my doctor regarding my moods and negative thinking which was long overdue. Without hesitation he prescribed me mirtazapine 15mg to take at night plus CBT in the future. I've only taken two doses and beginning to wonder whether this is actually normal.

Two mornings in a row I have woken up very late, not getting out of bed until 11. I feel so lethargic I could fall asleep anywhere and it doesn't improve for the rest of the day. Today I've been getting electric shock like sensations when I'm startled. There's nausea, headaches, increased appetite and on and off dizziness as well.

I'm a little concerned that I'm getting these symptoms very suddenly. Could anybody offer me some light.

[keggsy]

Hi Rennie, the symptoms don't sound to unusual.
I had ringing in my ears for a few days, dizziness and numbness.

All that wore off.

Its early days just 2 days into it. Give it more time and I'm sure these effects will wear off for you. It will then be a case of seeing how the depression lifts.

[mummyanxious]

What time did you go to bed? Did you fall asleep quickly? I'm just being nosy as I take my first tonight.
Sound like regular side effect if AD to me, have you been on any before?

---------- Post added at 20:24 ---------- Previous post was at 20:23 ----------

How long till that wire off keggsy? I can't stand feelin dizzy :/

[xrachykinsx]

Hey...totally normal...It honestly disappears within the first week or so. I actually was fine after day 3 of taking mirt. It was very difficult to wake up the first couple of nights but it gets much easier. I now take at 10-10.30pm and am able to stay up until midnight if I want to... and sleep through and wake up through the night if I need to for my son..I also wake up as normal at 7am with no problems. The grogginess is enough to put some people off mirtazapine initially..but it isn't zombie like forever

As for the increased appetitie...I'm afraid its a very common thing initially..I was sooooo hungry the first 2 weeks, it was like I couldn't say no to biscuit after biscuit...but safe to say it does calm down :)

[keggsy]

Wasn't a Sicky dizzy feeling, more chilled, actual remember it feeling like I'd had a couple of drinks.
Wore off after a couple of days.

If we are taking something that affects our brain it is entirely reasonable to feel a bit different when first starting.

[Rennie1989]

Thanks for the quick replies. I have been on citalopram, seroxat and prozac and neither gave me side effects this quickly, hence the concern. I hope it does wear off soon because the electric shock thing is very uncomfortable and frustrating, I can somewhat deal with the rest. I take mine at 11pm and I fall asleep an hour or so later. I may be tempted to take it a tad earlier ie two hours before I go to bed, but we'll see. I will persevere!

Mummyanxious - don't take this as gospel, everybody has different experiences with medication, I'm the unlucky few who seems to not get on with them.

[xrachykinsx]

Rennie, I tried citalopram and lasted 5days on it..because I did get severe side effects straight away. It gave me severe insomnia- literally 0hours sleep in 5days, it literally wired my brain and unfortunately the reason I ended up with GAD was insomnia in the first place hense going onto mirtazapine- atleast I knew I would sleep!

I took my pills at about 9pmish when I first started but you become quite tolerant of the sedative effects after a few weeks and you find that it is really no different to not taking them.. Hope you start to see some positives soon Rennie :)

[keggsy]

I lasted 2 days on citalopram as I had some dark suicidal thoughts and am glad I came off them quickly.
Mirt is def better as a rule in terms of side effect profile but until I can improve my sleep, my mood will be low.

[mummyanxious]

I lasted two days on cit and sert as the side effects were quick and intolerable for me.

[Rennie1989]

I came off cit because once it stopped improving my health it made me suicidal, paroxetine made me nuts and withdrawals from them plus prozac gave me electric shocks, brain zaps, loads of panic attacks and suicidal. If these don't work then I'll give up on antidepressants all together but I will give them a go, even if I need to try a higher dose.

Sorry for the pessimism, I'm sitting at work alone and yearning for my bed!

[mummyanxious]

I can understand your reluctance and diwnheartedness as I tried two before as I sat and both sent me wappy. I'm automatically assuming that ill be the one that gets adverse reactions on these too. But I'm trying to be positive as diazapam have suited me so maybe this will be the same.
I assume you've got a follow up with your dr next week to see how you've got on?

[keggsy]

It does sound you are sensitive to meds but give the mirt a few more days.

Me and rachy went from 15 to 30 and now on 45

[xrachykinsx]

That's okay. I understand it's hard to believe that anything is going to help when you've tried a few already. After me trying Citalopram, it's made me sceptical that I suit any SSRI type...although my mum gets on with prozac quite well.

I started on 30mg mirtazapine and after 10weeks increased to 45mg. I've been on 45mg dose for nearly 4weeks now and I still struggle some days, but I have to look at it as a whole..and I suppose I have come a long way in that time. I'm much better than I was..I'm by no means back to normal but have been reffered to counselling/CBT and a part-time job is literally within my grasp- I think I've reached a point of my life whereby my son is at nursery, and I'm like ''ahhh now what''..I've spent 4years at home to look after my son, so being ill recently has just isolated me more than I was already...so I partly can't expect mirt to do it all..I need to try change things myself too x

[keggsy]

Never tried diazapam, wonder if the gp will give me some for emergency anxiety use

[mummyanxious]

Dud you switch straight from another med to this one? Or have you been off the others for a while?

[keggsy]

Rachy is right that no med is a complete solution on its own and treats symptoms rather than root causes.

[Oosh]

Sorry to hear you're having some side effects problems Rennie. Like everyone says maybe give them a bit more time, see if they wear off.

It's a pity Prozac didn't work for you. I found I became incredibly wordy on Prozac and as a soon to be ultra successful writer I'd have thought that would have suited you down to the ground. I felt stimulated and not tired too.
On the other hand bit of an increase in nervousness and those nasty brain zaps occasionally.

Fingers crossed for ya

[mummyanxious]

How are you doing today Rennie?

[Rennie1989]

Thanks for the replies everyone :)

I have a follow up appointment with the doctor in two weeks time. Despite the side effects the anxiety is actually below par, which is fab. I had an awful day at work yesterday and I think the anxiety made the side effects feel worse, but the anxiety itself did not feel half as bad. I'm having a pajama day today so that should make me feel better :)

Rachy is right, and I think that's another reason why I wasn't keen on meds. I've seen people literally depend on medication to fix their problems and seen how disappointed they were when they learnt that it doesn't. I've been self-helping but I think it got to a point where I needed the extra boost in help, because with a new job lined up and the need to finish my first novel I need to be less distracted by my depressive thoughts.

Mummyanxious - I am ok today, thank you. Waking up was not as bad, still got up late, but am now sitting on the couch in my jammies, blanket over me with a cup of coffee. How are you finding your first dose of mirt?

[Jacsta]

Hey Rennie, sorry to see that you are struggling, but well done on facing up to it and approaching the doc for help x

These all sound like common side effects for mirt, it is a one to make a lot of people want to sleep more, and with meds the side effects come before the therapeutic effects. Try and stick it out, keep communications open with the doc and maybe keep a diary of how you are feeling.

You are an incredibly strong person in mind and body, so I am sure you can kick the depression is the ass again.

Jac

[mummyanxious]

Glad you're a bit better today rennie.
I'm not bad actually. The anxiety is there but brewing and not spilling over. My mind is sort of saying just ignore it today. It feels better able to cope. It's saying its a nice day keys get out there but my body is really tired so trying to drag me back. Think it'll be a day if pottering and lazing about.
So far so good but then so was my first day of sert and then the side effects properly kicked in so I'm not counting my chickens!
Enjoy your day x

[Rennie1989]

Thanks Jac :)

Good to know that you're doing well today Mummy!

Oosh - Sorry I forgot to reply to you! Tbh the initial side effects from Prozac were mixed with withdrawals from paroxetine so it's hard to say whether they truly worked or not, but after my crisis a psychiatrist recommended that I take an SNRI as the SSRIs don't seem to agree with me. I wish me being creatively minded guaranteed me success with anti depressants (if anything it's guaranteed me being ill) but if they don't then, hey, that's life :)

[Moley]

Hi Rennie,

Keep going with it as the side effects do ease off. but don't be afraid of increasing the dose as the sleepy effect is actually less the higher the dose of mirt seems to get. But everything that you have described seems normal SE of mirt. Hope that they ease off for you soon and you can start to see the improvements.

[xrachykinsx]

Yay, so pleased you're having a better time right now. Hoping it continues for you. I've been very up and down on mirtazapine and sometimes I do think 'ohh I half think i'm only as good as I am because I've done it myself' but then I try to be rational..and consider that I don't know how bad I'd be without mirtazapine. I am very reluctant to come off mirtazapine despite still struggling occasionally with my anxiety because I'm close to certain that my anxiety and depression is a result of just being worn down and I just need a new lease of life so I'm really pushing to just carry on taking the mirtazapine and battle through on my own with other techniques such as counselling...I'm talking to a hypnotherapist and going for a consultation before I commit to it. I need a big distraction to cure this anxiety..and staying at home with a 3year old all day everyday whilst hubby is at work is really not beneficial to me right now.

I'm on 45mg and like Moley said.. it is supposed to be less sedating at higher doses...although I've found no difference..infact I find it harder to wake up on 45mg than I did on 30mg :) lol xxx

[mummyanxious]

How you doing today Rennie? X

[mummyanxious]

How are you doing Rennie?