anyone on 45mg Mirtazapine?

[cedlong]

Hi there,

I've been taking 30mg of Mirtazapine for about a year. I take it at 11pm and it provides pretty much the only respite from the day's anxiety and dizziness. The doc suggested I increase to 45mg recently because I went to see him about the fact that I am still not feeling good.

However, after 4 days on 45mg I dropped back to 30mg. I felt very tired, headache and anxious/sick.

Has anyone persisted up to 45mg/day? How long did it take for you to feel ok on it, and was it worth it?

Thanks for your help!

[marie1974]

hi hun, cant help with this but just wanna send u a hug and bump u back up the forum so hopefully someone can advise u, off u goooo xxxxxxxxx

[jo61]

I'm on 45, have been for about 3 years. It took me about a week to get used to the higher dose and it made a big difference - just my experience :hugs:

[Cookie64]

Have been taking 45mg for a couple of months, but am desperate to get off, feel fat, awkward and uncomfortable. Have decided to drop it completely and see what happens. Am off work at the moment and hopefully the pre christmas rush will take my mind off it. anyone tried anything similar ? Any help gratefully recieved.

[Smiley?]

Cookie64

I came off citalopram cold turkey with minimal problems. On Mirtazapine 30mg
now and know exactly how you feel. Your three words "fat, awkward and uncomfortable" describe it perfectly!!!

It's always best to talk to your GP before changing dose/stopping, even if you are set on stopping it's best they know what's going on so can help you in the right way if needed. I was surprised that my GP was so supportive when I came off Citalopram suddenly!

Keep us posted on here about how you are getting on - i for one will be interested to know your progress. Desperate to be off the meds myself.

xx

[lostsoul]

I made the move from 30 to 45mgs last months gradually by splitting the pills - all I can say is its made no difference to me.

The first day of increasing a felt a little dizzy but nothing else. I cant honestly say that it's not made any improvement to me at all, If anything I suspect that it is making me feel more strange. I don't feel like doing anything and still anxious as hell :-(

But as with every medication it effects everyone differently. On the upside there were no major side effect from increasing the dose.

Hope this helps you at the end of the day its worth trying anything to get better

[Cookie64]

Took no mirtazapine and no quetiapine last night and took only 500 mg of lithium and 15mg ox zopiclone. Felt good togay in a strange way/ physical or mental, not sure, ran 7 miles to day and did an exstensive work.

day two feeling good - 2 moro shopping will hopefully take my mind off the possible effects.

\till tommorow - feel very tired before bedtime (10:00)



Onward and upward to new frontiers:ohmy:

[Smiley?]

Crikey Cookie, didn't realise you were on all those other things too! How can you pin point mirt as the problem?

Nice one on the good day though! Here's hoping for tomoro!!

[Cookie64]

OK - Now taking zero Lithium, zero quetiapine, zero mirtazapine and 15mg zopiclone at night for some respite.
Am having bad stomach pains and extensive shivers, but after a week I am now tolerant of them OR they could be less severe. I made the decision to quit all apart from the sleeping med as I was scared of what these things were doing to my physical side. I am running about 6 miles every other day at least which I find is helpful to de-stress me. I can't sleep at night and believe I am addicted/dependant on the sleeping med(zopiclone). The plan now is to carry on with everything as it stands and then in two weeks time try to eliminate a quarter of my sleepy tabs. If anyone else has any experience of this please let me know. I wouldn't recommend coming of meds. abrubtly to anyone - side effects and the original need for them - but for me it's important, I just wish I had someone who had seen me amonth ago could see me now and tell me the differences. I do feel as though my mental state has slipped back a bit, BUT I feel more in control and can manage day to day life better - main setback = complete fear of meeting people.

Will post more in a week - hope this is a help to someone somewhere.

"The longest march, starts with the smallest step"

[Smiley?]

Well done Cookie! It must feel so good to be so in control of your meds, can't help but be a little jealous. I hate that I still need the Mirt, missed a few doses here and there over xmas and paid the price Boxing day and yesterday.

And now I've got a new side effect - swollen ankles! Oh joy!

[weeanna]

Hi there,

I've been taking 30mg of Mirtazapine for about a year. I take it at 11pm and it provides pretty much the only respite from the day's anxiety and dizziness. The doc suggested I increase to 45mg recently because I went to see him about the fact that I am still not feeling good.

However, after 4 days on 45mg I dropped back to 30mg. I felt very tired, headache and anxious/sick.

Has anyone persisted up to 45mg/day? How long did it take for you to feel ok on it, and was it worth it?

Thanks for your help!
i have been on mirtazapine 45mg for the last 18m it took mee 14days thy i stared to fell alot better

[yusuf]

Hey guys

my first post in the forum and would like you give you some advice on panic disorder and depression i am a nurse practitioner and deal specificity with mental health... many people seem to say very similar things about the drug mirtazapine i would like to share some tips, i have have many clients on the this drug...

First is dose, remember always to have a good relationship with you GP or mental health worker as getting the best treatment is key in recovering.

I tend to use this particularly drug for people who have had substance abuse issue's in the past and also, poly pharmacy using this drug ill explain more in a moment.

dose is very important depending what type of problems you are suffering from. For example someone who is suffering form major depression. I would start them on 15mg mirtazapine but in conjunction with and SSRI as mirtazpine is not an SSRI there is reasons for this. The mirtazapine can be sedating and can make people feel groggy and lethargic the SSRI and Tricyclic work with each-other in filling the serotonin receptors so poly pharmacology the SSRI can real help balance this out, as-well as a significant difference in mood. Most GP's do not like to prescribe two together they mite say there is a major drug interaction this is not true this was made when the drug first came out and has been tried and tested dual pharmacy and is not the case i have many patient's on this combination and was the assistant of Dr K Watts a leading expert in this Field, most GPs do not have the knowledge of this and therefore do use it...

Also I have seen siginficant differences when i dual prescribe it with an low dose anti-psychotic just because its label, it may put people off. Not all people using this drug are psychotic.. i was trained but one of England best in this field of medicine and published a paper on this topic "remember two key component regulated mood serotonin and dopamine" allot of the time doctor over focas on the section with no help to the client were dopamine is another massive part of it, all the anti-psychotics to is re-uptake dopamine some also work on the 5-HT receptors meaning serotonin so this can be an option.

there is also many fantastic herbal options available please msg for any advice on this subject

please email me for more information, with your health query i would be happy to assist

Nurse Practitioner, Yusuf Hoffman BA Ms PHD :)

[ladybird64]

Hi there Yusuf

I assume Dr Watts has published a paper on this? Could you let me know the name of the study as I would be interested in reading it, I imagine it's available online? :)

[ladybird64]

Bump?

[ElizabethJane]

Yusuf I believe that the whole point of the forum is for 'lay' people to share experiences. I do not want to see a whole post about ssris and mirtazapine some of it inaccurate from a 'health professional'. This information can be found online and elsewhere. I think that you are missing the point and your post should be removed. You are not sharing your experiences as a lay person. There are plenty of forums for professionals such as yourself. I object to you clogging up the forum in this way. I might be sticking my neck out here but unless you are ill with anxiety or depression or have a close family member who is a sufferer then you have no place here sorry. EJ.

[Jebdog]

I don't think having an 'expert' view is necessarily a bad one (giving yusuf the benefit of the doubt) but I think it needs to be a constructive and relative to the actual topic it is posted on.

I'm not entirely sure that Yusuf's post does that.

[ElizabethJane]

I am irritated when presented with a list of facts some of them innacurrate. I would never reccommend anyone to take herbal 'alternatives for major depression and neither would my consultant psychiatrist Dr J.This is a post about 45mg Mirtazapine. If you are taking 45mg mirtazapine like me it is likely that you are suffering/ have suffered from major depression. EJ.

[Jebdog]

I agree EJ, Yusuf's post is a bit of rambling with very little or nothing to do with the original post and this fantastic herbal option sounds like a sales pitch to me, espicially with the email/msg me bit. Probably not meant like that though.

[ElizabethJane]

I think that it is advertising. I have emailed the moderators and they will sort it out. EJ

[Rachel J]

Hi there,

I've been taking 30mg of Mirtazapine for about a year. I take it at 11pm and it provides pretty much the only respite from the day's anxiety and dizziness. The doc suggested I increase to 45mg recently because I went to see him about the fact that I am still not feeling good.

However, after 4 days on 45mg I dropped back to 30mg. I felt very tired, headache and anxious/sick.

Has anyone persisted up to 45mg/day? How long did it take for you to feel ok on it, and was it worth it?

Thanks for your help!




Hey ya , i started on zispen 15 and worked my way up to 45mg , i had never taking anything like that before cos im a single parent of 3 young kids , i was always weary of stuff that wud make ya drozy , anyway yes i experienced them symptoms for the first month of taking the 45mg but in hindsight it was the best decision of my life to continue taking them. i now feel motivated in life where i never used to be and to be honest i didnt even no how bad my depression was until i was out the far side of it. i started them simply to help me sleep. i say take them for 6 weeks and if u dont feel the benifit after that then reduce ur dose again. hope i have helped :)

[ElizabethJane]

Hey ya , i started on zispen 15 and worked my way up to 45mg , i had never taking anything like that before cos im a single parent of 3 young kids , i was always weary of stuff that wud make ya drozy , anyway yes i experienced them symptoms for the first month of taking the 45mg but in hindsight it was the best decision of my life to continue taking them. i now feel motivated in life where i never used to be and to be honest i didnt even no how bad my depression was until i was out the far side of it. i started them simply to help me sleep. i say take them for 6 weeks and if u dont feel the benifit after that then reduce ur dose again. hope i have helped :)
Hi Rachel I'm glad that you have found benefit from mitazapine 45mg. I am also on 45mg and I agree that you need to allow time for this medication to work. I would never suggest to anyone that they reduce their meds without their doctors permission. There is usually a reason that we are on a particular dose. It seems that many people are put on mirtazapine to help them sleep, help them eat or sleep. It is great news that you are coping with depressive illness with three kids that is no mean feat. I'm glad that mirtazapine is working well for you and me. Are you still taking it? EJ.

[ElizabethJane]

Well things aren't quite so fantastic as they were about a month ago. Unfortunately I'm really struggling again in the morning. I feel sick and weepy and just want to lie on the bed after I have woken up. I am also extremely irritable. I haven't been late for work yet but the drive in is horrendous usually only about twenty minutes but sometimes thirty minutes. It adds to my stress as well as the IBS.I'm also taking regular fybogel ah what fun! I'm busy at work but underneath I'm feeling a bit low. I'm not giving in to it and I know that if I go to see Dr J he'll want to add in another anti d! I think that the thought of more pills (not) plus my music helps to keep me going. EJ.

[Gaz]

How long have you been on ad's Elizabeth? Has this happenned before where your ok for a while then down again?
My sleep was getting better the last couple of weeks ,where as I normally wake up a minute before my alarm goes off,my alarm was actually waking me up :ohmy:
I've been on the mirtz for about 3 months ,half 30mg and the other half 45mg,they seem ok for me apart from this last week as you know from my other post.


Regards Gary

[ElizabethJane]

Hi Gary unforuntately I have been off and on anti ds most of my life. It isn't all gloom and doom though. I have made the best of a bad job and I have a relatively new and wacky (private psychiatrist) who I trust with my life. I have suffered since with anxiety and depression since about the age of fourteen but it hasn't stopped me getting qualifications. My diagnosis is severe recurrent depressive disorder and fraid to say have had most types of therapy. These days my depression is 'managed' but I work part time in a specialist music shop and belong to three choirs. I have been on lithium since the birth of my son nearly thirteen years ago. I don't want my story to put you off in your journey to become well. You might only have one episode of depression and have treatment and become well again. My story is very complicated long and boring ang few people know the full extent of it. I promised my hypnotherapist (who is also a GP) that I would write out my life story for him but I haven't got around to it. My treatment these days is drugs and I'm happy with that. I have had hypnosis and that seems good and finding those problem areas to work on. I have a brilliant boss and an understanding husband but I still suffer from depression. EJ

[ElizabethJane]

Sorry I haven't really answered your question. You can suffer with highs and lows whilst being on anti ds. I am cushioned being on lithium and I am aware that I don't have extreme highs and lows like I used to. At the moment my mood dips up and down during the day worse in the morning and evening. As I am busy at work I do not notice my moods that much. Mirtazapine will be less sedating in the higher doses ie 45mg. Sleep can be affected and you might find it less easy to go to sleep on 45mg. I find exercise helps and reading if you can concentrate that much . Best Wishes. EJ.

[siji]

[QUOTE=cedlong;433551]Hi there,

I've been taking 30mg of Mirtazapine for about a year. I take it at 11pm and it provides pretty much the only respite from the day's anxiety and dizziness. The doc suggested I increase to 45mg recently because I went to see him about the fact that I am still not feeling good.

However, after 4 days on 45mg I dropped back to 30mg. I felt very tired, headache and anxious/sick.

Has anyone persisted up to 45mg/day? How long did it take for you to feel ok on it, and was it worth it.
hiya i was started on 15mg aroung 5 yrs ago when my appetite went and was feeling a bit weak and tearfull but never suicidal ever at all. they worked for about a year but then i felt back to feeling bad, but worse so i went on 30mg. this was ok for another 2 years.. then same again so went on 45mg which ive been on 2 years now..a few months ago my dr reduced me to 30mg as she says i should reduce dose, however after 3-4 days i was feeling rough again so im back on 45mg and all good.:).. im pretty set on i will always be on them but am trying to find out if theres any long term damage by doing this... thanks hope i helped and hope some one can help me with my Q....

[unreal]

Hello all, Been on 15mg Mertazapine for about half a year after taking an over dose. ( Was on Citalapram) Been upped to 45mg now(Gulp). Not sure what to expect! Just hope to cope(pardon the rhyme). Still in work(somehow). Mind you, i'm not sure how patient work can be. Going through a separation. Share a lot of your sentiments. Bloody gained weight! Worst of all I'm struggling to motivate myself to exercise myself to control my weight. This medication has helped though....

[ElizabethJane]

Hi Unreal I am currently taking mirtazapine 45mg and lithium 1,000mg. Your response to the mirtazapine will be unique to you. You should expect less sedation and falling and staying asleep might be more difficult. The anti depressant qualities of mirtazpine should increase. I did not find and increase in the 'munchies' so that should stay unchanged. Weight gain can be a problem when taking mirtazapine and is difficult to shift. I have a love/hate relationship with mirtazapine for that reason. The benefits do out weigh the negatives but you must allow yourself time.

[cookie482]

Hi there,

I've been taking 30mg of Mirtazapine for about a year. I take it at 11pm and it provides pretty much the only respite from the day's anxiety and dizziness. The doc suggested I increase to 45mg recently because I went to see him about the fact that I am still not feeling good.

However, after 4 days on 45mg I dropped back to 30mg. I felt very tired, headache and anxious/sick.

Has anyone persisted up to 45mg/day? How long did it take for you to feel ok on it, and was it worth it?

Thanks for your help!


Hi, I've been on 45mg for over a year (up from 30mg)It slowed the panic attacks and to put it bluntly it saved my life, I was on self destruct. P.T.S.D. problems just got too much.
4 weeks on the higher dose made one hell of a difference. With the zopiclone I can get a pretty good nights sleep, (at least the flashbacks stopped) The only problem I still get is constipation, but this is not helped by the Morphine as well. Still can't have everything. Hope this helped, keep strong and remember, shit happens, it's how we deal with it that counts. Regards

[Johnf]

Hi there new to this forum. Just wanna share my experience with mirtazapine and to see if anyone can help.
I started on 15 mg bout Feb 2016 and first nite it knocked me out I slept for hours but felt really groggy the next morning which also contributed more to my low mood as I'm not a morning person anyways. Took this for 2 weeks and I cudnt handle the feeling the next day so they tried me on citalopram 20mg. I took this on a Sunday nite and I cudnt sleep had stomach cramps was awake all nite sweating being sick blood I phoned an ambulance went to hosp waited round for ages just for someone to come talk to me and they got me in contact with a crisis team. In the mean time they gave me one diazapam while I was sat in the hospital.
I got an app with crises team went thru and explained all that had happend in my life and he prescribed me with promethazine at that that wud work and I'll be right as rain. Wrong. It didn't do out
I started to get more depressed as I want sleeping so Bak to docs they tried trazadone took this for 2 days I was really angry cudnt sleep so Bak to docs got put Bak on mirtazapine 15mgs. Again first nite knocked out and went to sleep felt really groggy the next day. I persisted with this as I wanted it to work. Started getting really good sleep which was good I liked the sedation it have u on a night also i was eating more. Then few weeks in felt like it stopped working. So they upped me to 30mg. Took this and it sedated me loads which was ok but agen groggy next day but by the afternoon I was ok. Eating loads aswell which was ok with me. Then I felt it was too much so I cut some in half for 4 days and I went backwards I had low mood agen doc sed shudnt of cut in half it don't work like that. So went Bak up to 30mg was ok for few days. Then went up to 45 mg and this is where it all happened. First day or two felt ok then the next 2 weeks have been hell been really suicidal and racing thorts of anything and everything and can't get thorts out my head like I need to do it. Phoned my doc and pschayatrist and both sed stick at it it'll go so I did and it got even worse to the point I was so close so doing something stupid. So last nite I only took 15mgs to c if I wud feel any better. Fell asleep as they say it's more sedating at lower doses woke up tossed n turned. But slept a bit. Had racing thorts agen of wots the point all time but that probs coz I was just laid there. So dragged myself out of bed and sat down stairs with my mam. Thorts Wernet as racing as on 45 mg. but I still feel a little down and a bit shaky. I read the paper and do this book thing and feel a litle better. Anyways sorry for the long post just wanted to know if anyone else felt suicidal on the 45mg. Was it too much. Plz reply soon

[hanshan]

Hi John,

Welcome to NMP. I can't say about the 45 mg dose, but changing doses and taking different meds over the space of several weeks might be more disruptive than helpful. You seemed to be best at 30 mg mirtazapine per day. It might be best to stick with that, even if there are patches where it doesn't seem to be working so well. Good luck with it.

[smartie76]

im on 45mg Mirtazapine and have swollen ankles too :weep: