Tried but failed with Mirtazapine

[purplesky]

I have taken some different meds over the years, but not had the reaction I had with Mirtazapine. I am putting it down to being the wrong choice for me at this time and not here to be negative about it. I know someone personally, who finds it great for them, so I do know it works, but not for everyone.

Anyway, I talked with my GP and we agreed it was a good choice, due to my sleep pattern being very disrupted, and this not helping my mental health. I have depression/anxiety, panic attacks, and PTSD.

I took 15mg on Monday night, and it took effect properly after about an hour - felt heavily sedated, so went to bed thinking great, I will sleep well. Unfortunately not, I started to get a feeling in my calves like nerve stimulation, that made me stretch my legs everytime. This happened about every 10-15 seconds. I tried to relax through it, but it was difficult. Anyway, so that went on for about 3 hours and it was now 2am. I turned the light on, and felt really heavily sedated still, but wide awake from the leg stimulation. Long story short, I must have got to sleep about 2.30 and woke a few times before finally getting up at 12.30pm feeling sedated, but in good spirits.

I went out at 3pm to visit a friend, and only drove a mile, but felt really angry and nearly had road rage a couple of times..! When I got there, I felt really irritated and not at all myself. I was totally preoccupied with how I was feeling, and it was quite scary tbh. Now I realise from reading many threads here that there are symptoms when starting most meds, and these have to be lived with until they start to get better. Personally, there was no way I could have carried on taking Mirtazapine, because I was not myself at all. It was more than sedation, I felt really ill. I decided after much thought, to not take any more, and clear this out of my system. Seeing doctor again on Monday, so will talk about this and decide where to go next.

It was only yesterday evening that I started to feel almost normal again. My flat felt like it was not my own for two days, I didn't know who I was and things felt all out of sync - really weird. Not pleasant, or for me, bearable.

I just wanted to share my experience, and am not here to put anyone off who is considering this med. We all react differently. It just wasn't for me, but I won't give up, and will work with my GP to find the right medication. I have accepted that medication is something that helps/will help me to lead a relatively normal (whatever that is) life.

The good thing is that here there is plenty of advice about medication. I know ultimately we have to try them and see if they work, but it is good to read so much of peoples experiences.

[purplesky]

Well, after a visit to my doctor, and talking about various other medications, we agreed for me to give Mirtazapine another go, though on a half dose, so 7.5mg. After reflecting on this, I realised there were some positives last week after taking it. I woke up feeling positive (though because of sedated feeling this did leave me quickly), I did feel less tense in my body (though again this was outweighed by my anxiety over feeling weird).

Also, looking back, I probably wasn't in the best place to take it after a weekend that had been very stressful, and a few nights of bad sleep.

So, I've decided to take only 1/4 of a 15mg tablet tonight, and see how it goes. Hopefully, I can carry this on and slowly increase that over a few weeks. I have read so many positives about Mirtazapine and have seen the difference in people I know who take it, and the doctor agrees it is a good choice - so it has to be worth persevering with.

I've read that in smaller doses it tends to be more sedating, but I'm hoping that the effects will not last as long the next day on a smaller dose...we'll see.

I would really like to hear from anyone else who has had a similiar experience, or tried a lower dose, or has any thoughts that might help.

[Belleblue]

Hi Purplesky - I think the reason you have not had any responses so far, is that people are out and about more because of the fine weather
Anyway, the feeling you describe in your legs sounds a lot like restless leg syndrome. Quite a few get this side effect on Mirt, but with most it subsides over time. I had it when I tried to go up to 30mg.

I've been on Mirt for about 6 months now. First at 15mg and now for the past two weeks at 7.5mg. It has helped me a great deal. 30mg to 45mg are said to be the therapeutic dose for this medication. However there are some on this forum who have done very well on 15mg and a few more who do well at 7.5mg.

Bottom line - we are all different and what may be "therapeutic" for some will be agitating for another. I would say start at 7.5mg, see how you tolerate that and if you feel well then increase to 15mg.

Good luck to you!

Belle x

[purplesky]

Thanks for that Belleblue

I think it was the restless legs that did a lot to deter me from carrying on, but hopefully at a lower dose it won't be so bad or maybe even not at all.

I haven't tried again yet, mainly because I have to go out this weekend, and really want to be free from any possible side effects for it, so will have to use my usual coping strategies for my outing.

It took a good 48 hours before I felt ok last time, so I plan to start on the low dose from next Sunday/Monday. Will keep the thread updated with my progress, and hopefully a low dose start will lessen any side effects.

[spuder]

hi purplesky i get this everynight along with hot itchy feet that burn and feel tingly. havent mentioned this to my gp been on mirt for about 2 years so cant be side affects. i dont sleep on mirt either and dread bed time

[hanshan]

I also get restless legs after taking mirtazapine. The restless legs start about 40 minutes after taking the mirtazapine and last an hour or so.

My solution has been to take the mirtazapine right before bedtime. I usually don't have much trouble falling asleep, so I sleep through the restless legs.

The other alternative is to take it earlier in the day. If I'm moving around, I don't feel the restless legs.

[purplesky]

Thanks for that

Update is, I took it last night at quarter (roughly) of a tablet which is 3.75mg. Obviously its difficult to be exact as they don't break evenly...anyway you know what I mean..

Took it about 9.30pm. By 10pm I was feeling warm and slightly more tired. I was making a conscious effort to relax into the feeling this time, rather than try and fight it which I have been known to do.

By 10.20 I was laid on sofa with eyes shut feeling nicely tired. Went to bed about 11pm and laid down. It still took me a while to go to sleep, and my legs did start to feel twingy, but only a little so I tried to ignore it, and that worked..

Woke up about 1am felt ok went back to sleep until about 7am, then dozed until 9am when I got up. Now I have been sleeping really badly for about 10 days, so this was definitely a much better sleep for me. This morning I feel pleasantly tired without feeling drugged. Very similiar to how I feel on Doxylamine Succinate, which for those who don't know is an over the counter anti histamine sleep aid.

I will stay on the small dose for a few days, and then try upping it to 7.5mg. Hopefully by then I will be more used to it and any effects will be tolerated by me much better. So its quite positive so far.

[purplesky]

Ok, still on the small dose of 3.75mg for the third time last night. Took it a little earlier (9pm) to try and get past the twingy legs (which seemed to start about 1.5-2 hours after taking). I made myself stay up until 11.30 and went to bed. The legs were ok for about 10 mins and then started...i relaxed through it, and don't remember much before waking about 5.30. I then dozed until 9am. I'm hoping my sleep will be a better pattern over time, and when I increase dosage.

My sleep has been better quality and I feel less tired/anxious on the whole. I do feel slightly more angry though and often find my thoughts going that way. I don't feel completely myself, but thats ok and not as severe as when I took the full dose a few weeks back.

I went out for a short walk yesterday and felt pleasantly spaced out. For me thats always the test, how I feel out in public. I'll keep taking this dose until probably Thursday and then maybe up it to 7.5mg on Friday night all being well.

[Belleblue]

Hi Purplesky - I have suggested to other members on here that they try Tonic water for restless legs. It's the quinine in it that does the trick. Worth a try at least. Glad you're doing ok

Belle x

[purplesky]

Thanks Belle, I'll give that a go.