Scared to start Mirtazapine

Ive been trying so many meds lately that just hasnt helped so now am having to start mirtazapine.. but i remember taking them years ago (only 1) and the next day i felt like a zombie / drained and couldnt do much yet they did make me feel numb/no anxiety but i never took them again with worrying about the zombie atate i had next day... but i really need my life back.. is there anything i can do to make that zombie/drained feeling the next morming not as bad.. as it lasted nearly a whole day when i laat took ome years ago.. but like i say even juat one tablet i had no tight anxious belly nothing so that was a good point.. just the drained feeling i dont like its like my body was so weak??

The thing is that you will experience side effects right at the beginning with all antidepressants, it just depends on what you feel you can tolerate.

I am very medication sensitive but found I could tolerate the start up effects of mirtazapine (was on it several years ago for approximately a year) much better than any other antidepressant I tried. I felt a bit zombied out the first three or four days and then things began to level out. The tiredness first thing in the morning lasted throughout my time on it, but after a cup or two of tea or coffee I was good to go for the rest of the day. From what I've read this seems to be the experience of most people.

Try to tough out the first couple of days, give it a week at least, it could be worth it.

Take care and all the best :)

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Originally Posted by Belleblue

The thing is that you will experience side effects right at the beginning with all antidepressants, it just depends on what you feel you can tolerate.

I am very medication sensitive but found I could tolerate the start up effects of mirtazapine (was on it several years ago for approximately a year) much better than any other antidepressant I tried. I felt a bit zombied out the first three or four days and then things began to level out. The tiredness first thing in the morning lasted throughout my time on it, but after a cup or two of tea or coffee I was good to go for the rest of the day. From what I've read this seems to be the experience of most people.

Try to tough out the first couple of days, give it a week at least, it could be worth it.

Take care and all the best :)

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Thanks for your reply. I expect side effects i was on citalopram a long time an to start with they just made me anxious ( but i was anxious anyway so i put up with that feeling for a few weeks) there no longer working. I liked when i took Mirtazapine i felt no anxiety nothing apart from the tired/zombie feeling i dont like that feeling am not in control:( am wondering if starting a quarter tab for week then half tab and so on ??

You could try that if you like. The only thing is that mirtazapine is known to be more sedating the lower the dose.

Stick with it as the Zombie feeling goes and I was the same at the start but it soon wears off.

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Originally Posted by Belleblue

You could try that if you like. The only thing is that mirtazapine is known to be more sedating the lower the dose.

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That what crisis team tokd me te lower does the more sedating :(

Well i stuck to ut but OMG no more i feot like a zombie all day was awful and tablets didnt wear off even as had to take the new dose.. thats not a life i just laid their all day like a zombie / exhausted unable to do anything

Thats not a life i wanted

Hi

I've recently withdrawn from Mirtazapine but hopefully my experience can help.

Mirtazapine is a potent antihistamine as well as an antidepressant. It has a better side effect profile than SSRIs/SNRIs but have the tendency to cause sedating effects, especially at low doses and at the start of treatment.

As you increase the dose (to a maximum of 45mg) you will see less sedating effects and more stimulating ones. Low doses of Mirt can be used as a sleep aid. It seems to me that lower doses has more of an antihistamine effect while higher doses have an antidepressant effect.

The start up side effects are unpleasant, yes. But as someone who suffered from insomnia, the tired and spaced feeling was more tolerable than the Citalopram start up and withdrawal effects.

Stick with it for a while, i'd say you'll need to give it a few months to settle into your system first.