Side effects after one dose?

[Belfry1973]

So I took my first 15mg on Thursday night, felt fine Friday, came home and slept 13 hours(And forgot to take last nights dose!) Woke up this morning feeling so bad it was unbelievable Felt almost drunk, head felt really heavy, almost disassociated with the world around me (For those who have read my epilepsy thing this feeling is a problem for me) and it was damned horrible, just spent most the day lying down waiting for a seizure to happen.

Is this normal this quickly? If so I really dont want to do it again! Do I give up or just wait and see what happens, its known to lower seizure thresholds and every seizure makes it longer to getting my licence back!

[ElizabethJane]

Dear Belfry I'm sorry that you are experiencing the effects of mirtazapine. These side effects are very very common in the lower doses. I experienced extreme drowsiness in the lower doses ie 15mg continuing during the day. I don't know whether mirtazapine and the drugs to treat epilepsy are contraindicated. This is something that you will need to discuss with your doctor. The drowsiness excessive sleeping and drunk feelings should disappear in a week or two if you can persevere with the mirtazapine for long enough. If you think that these feelings will cause you to have a fit then you should contact the person who prescribed the mirtazapine without delay explaining your concerns. I have had all the side effects that you describe and am now on 45mg mirtazapine (since Christmas) which combined with other meds has reduced my anxiety and depression. Please post and let us know how you are getting on. EJ.

[JT69]

Hi Belfry,

It is very common to feel this way when first taking mirtazipine. I have been taking it for almost 4 months now, started on 15mg then after 4 weeks went up to 30mg, the side effects (sleepiness/drunk feeling etc) lasted around 2 weeks for me but as the 2 weeks passed got easier, it was more difficult to judge for me as I was also experiencing the horrendous withhdrawal effects from citalopram at the same time. My appetite did increase initially but that soon settled and now if anything I eat less than I did before mirtazipine. My concern for you would be as Elizabeth-jane says around the feelings that you may have a fit, if this continues than I would seek advice.

Hope things get easier for you.

Let us know how you get on. Take care. Jo.

[doktorjohn]

When I first take an anti-depressant I always break off a crumb and
take that to start.
This is because they always hit me hard when start on them.

Mirtazapine 45mg is the best one I have tried but I'm a bit spaced-out
even after a year.
It's worth it though.

The dreaming was difficult but thanks to tramadol my dreams are not
too weird any more.

[ElizabethJane]

Dear Doktorjohn what do you take tramadol for?

[Belfry1973]

Thanks guys, perhaps I didnt explain too well, my aura is exactly like the feeling you get at the beginning of a panic attack, so the two get confused in my head, so I panic about having a panic attack, if that makes sense! So this feeling of having a seizure hasnt increased since being on the mirtazapine, just the side effects making me feel so awful!

I did go through the implications of this drug thoroughly with my GP before deciding to take it, it doesnt contradict with my current medication so theres no worry there, its just increases the risk of seizures, thats the bit that was increasing my anxiety, though strangely I dont care as much today!

Emma
X

[ElizabethJane]

Hi Emma I think that you are very brave to start taking mirtazapine. I'm not sure what an 'aura' is though? Is it sounds smells sight of things that aren't really there? I think most people have strange sensations when they are about to have a panic attack except with you it could be the trigger for an epileptic seizure? Those thoughts and feelings can't really be ignored. If you can find a way through the side effects this med really does get better. I have been on it this time since October last year and it has made a tremendous difference to my depression.

[doktorjohn]

Dear Doktorjohn what do you take tramadol for?

Hi ElizabethJane

I take tramadol for sciatica although it was originally abdominal pains that
my Dr. prescribed them for.

I have to say that tramadol have a soothing effect but Drs. won't give them
for that reason because they are addictive.

dj

In the USA a lot of people get other drugs to go in combination with their anti-depressants and I think we get short-changed in the UK.

[ElizabethJane]

I have meds prescribed in combination. I'm on lithium and mirtazapine. I was interested in tramadol as a sleeping aid. When I was prescribed it for back pain but it made me violently ill. Is there something else you could take to help you sleep docktorjohn?

[doktorjohn]

The mirtazapine makes me sleep and dream and the tramadol makes the dreams pleasant so I'm not really looking for anything else. Or do you mean for yourself?

I'm not concerned about the addictive nature of tramadol because to me every medicine is addictive. (Every medicine I like or need anyway).