Lowering Mirtazapine dose

[C10]

Hi, I'm new to the site and this is my first post - apologies if the topic has already been covered but I wanted to get some feedback on my position.
I've been on 30mg of Mirtazapine for 4 weeks now for anxiety issues relating to relationship problems. Initially tried Citalopram but suffered terrible side effects. I went straight into a 30mg dose and have had no real problems for the first 3 weeks but felt no beneficial effects of the medication.
However during the last week I have noticed a big shift in how I am feeling. I've become increasingly irratable, feel very 'flat' and very spaced out during the day - so much so that it is effecting my work. I'm aware that the drug can take a while to kick in but I'm wondering if this is still part of the settling in period or if this is how I'm going to feel at this doseage?
Having looked around at various websites / forums I wonder if I should have been put straight onto 30mg? Would dropping back to 15mg help? Or should I leave it for a little while at 30mg in the hope that things will settle down? I will be talking to my GP about it but value real life experiences more than what he has read in a book! Thanks

[Monostich]

Talk to your GP and always take their advice over us because we're not qualified. BUT you are feeling exactly like I did on 30mg - it ruined my life. I stuck it out for many months but wanted my life back so I've been tapering ever since. I am currently down to 7.5mg and have bad days but my emotions are back.

[nicola1980]

Hi i took mirtazapine for 6 weeks at 30mg and it made my mood very very low to the point i felt suicidal if you don't think its suiting you then go back to gp asap, good luck xx

[Ingenious]

Mirtazapine has been a life saver for me (and there are many success stories on this forum too). However one side effect in the first few weeks was extreme irritability. I was very short tempered to the point where family and friends needed to wear tin hats. Sometimes I could feel rage so strong, I could feel it in my stomach.

The good news it this passed, maybe felt like it for a week or two... in time I reverted to my normal self.

It is important to understand the difference between side effects when you're settling into a new medication, and adverse reactions (such as those posted above). It would be a shame to abandon it now because of a side effect that may well settle. I'm sure your GP will suggest sticking it out a bit longer - if you still feel this way in a month's time then that is the time to sit down and consider this is not for you. But when it works, it's a brilliant medication

[C10]

Thanks for the replies. I will talk to the GP but I also wanted to get some feedback from other Mirtazapine users. My concern is that the way I have felt over the last few days is the reality of being on the drug at 30mg. If so I think I'm going to really struggle to cope sticking with it. However I have read some really positive things about the drug and how it has helped people so I want to keep going. My gut feeling is that the dose is too high. I want to be able to feel some emotion so that I can learn to control the negative feelings I have - but I think at this doseage I'm just wiping myself out.

[MrRedShirt]

Hi, I started on 15mg in mid-December 2011. Moved onto 30 at the end of january and stayed there until moving up to 45 briefly in March. I came off and switched to Duloxetine about 3 weeks ago as the Mirtazapine wasn't working well enough against my anxiety (I found I go worse on the 45 too). It did something, just not enough.

It did really help with sleep though (and made me eat a lot).

[JT69]

Hi

I am one of those that found mirtazipine a life saver for me!!! It took me out of a very dark place and enabled me to get my life back. I had previously took citalopram for a number of years and it had been successfull but the last time I suffered it just did not get me to where I needed to be and so my GP changed it. The side effects were hardly anything compared to when I had started the cit so that was a real bonus.

You are bound to get mixed posts as we are all different and not all drugs suit one or another of us so it is trial and error really I guess.

I wish you well and really hope it helps you in the way it has me.

Jo.x

[LAURA48]

There will be mixed posts on all meds are here - we are all different.

I was on Mirt for 6 weeks - 3 weeks on 15mg and then 3 weeks on 30mg - it made my mood flat and anxiety worse? but sleeping and eating much better the latter too much!

I am due to start Cit this week and if this works will stay on it for life it I have to. Was prev on Prozac 20mg for 15 years constantly and worked wonders until my little doggie died in Oct when it stopped working.

I know where my bread is buttered and would stay on a med for life if it worked!! as do not want to go through this HELL again!

[joy]

thought mirt was supposed to help with sleep its not doing a thing for me and i'm not hungry either

joy

[Ingenious]

It's amazing really how we all react so differently, Mirt knocked me out at least to start with, and my appetite went bananas!