I went to see a Psychatrist yesterday and she has prescribed 15 mg mirtazapine and 150 mg Venlafaxine. I have been on both these drugs before - Venlafaxine for 10 years but it stopped working and 15 mg Mirtazapine which only worked for 2 months.
I was disappointed with this and said but both of these didn't work. She said that that was singly but they are good in combination with each other.
Has anyone else had this combination and if so did it work?
Many thanks.
Pat
I hope I can reassure you. I was taking venlafaxine but it wasn't working well enough so the psychiatrist added mirtazapine and I very soon felt the benefit. Now I've been on 225mg venlafaxine and 30mg mirtazapine for some time, and it's still working well and allowing me to keep my life on track. I was very worried when I saw him that he would say I had to come off the venlafaxine before i could start something new, so i was hugely relieved when he simply added on the mirtazapine. I gather that it's a combination not universally known ( my GP hadn't heard of it, and several pharmacists have queried why I'm taking two anti-depressants) but I can recommend it. You've taken both drugs before, so you know they suit you. I hope it works for you too.
M any thanks Pixie you have certainly made me feel better. I did hear that it was not allowed to combine these drugs but then I heard that GPs are not allowed to prescribe both only Psychatrists. Did it take long before you felt better?
Pat
Hello Pat,
I was on Mirtazapine alone but like you found that this stopped working as well so was prescribed Venlafaxine as well - eventually on Ven 225mg and Mirt 45mg. These did work well for me and I've been on them now for 5 years but due to the side effects and wanting to start a family I am now coming off them (which is seriously hard) I wish I had looked at this forum when starting to take this combination of drugs as contrary to what I've been told by health care professionals there are side effects and withdrawal symptoms if you need to come off them so I would recommend reading up on these and thinking about it when deciding where to go next,
Sorry if this is off track a bit but from all I have been reading recently about this combination of drugs I think it is something doctors don't point out enough,
I wish you all the best,
Hi Aby
Thanks for replying. You were on a high dose of both drugs. I was pleased to hear you were on them for 5 years it certainly gives me hope. Did you put up with the side effects of the high dose. What were the side effects?
I guess I was lucky as I never had side effects or withdrawal with either of the drugs. Good luck with starting a family.
Pat
Hi pat. How are you feeling on your new meds? I hope they're working for you. I'm back from my hols and feeling like my oldself. Long may it last!
Hi Kat. I don't believe this. I am completely back to my old self too. I really didn't think the combination of Mirt and Vet would work as singly they hadn't. The psych had said that they were excellent together. On the fifth day I wasn't good on waking but once I was up I felt fantastic. The sixth day no bad feeling on waking and back to normal ever since. Like you I am saying long may it last. I guess that's my pessimist side coming out. But I guess when they have been trying different drugs for 2 years it can't be helped.
I'm so glad you are your old self as I didn't know whether to tell you about my luckk.
Love Pat
I'm so happy for you. You can now book your cruise. I don't know what really worked for me. Whether it was the tablets, the folic acid or the holiday! I thank god whatever it was worked as it was such a horrid 3 months.
Hi Kat. I'm delighted for you too. I took my son and his wife and the grandchildren for lunch yesterday as a thankyou to Kate for supporting me throughout the past 2 years. I still can't believe I am not tired all the time. I'm now doing all the chores, enjoying the garden and just generally enjoying life.
It must have been the combination of Mirt and Ven that did it for me and in only 5 days! Long may it last for both of us!! It's been lovely having you as support especially as we were both at the stage even to recovery.
Pat
I'm glad to hear that the combination is working for you as it is for me. Perhaps you need to ask the doc next time if there are any other therapies like counselling or CBT that you could have to reinforce your recovery in the long term? Good luck!
Hi Pixie. I am completely back to my oldself and feel so happy. I never thought I would feel like this again. Full of energy and tacking all the jobs and garden I haven't done for th3e last 5 months. I hope you are feeling well too.
Can I ask if you are still on this combination ?? Is it still working ??
Hi there
I have been on Venlafaxine and Mirtazapine for a little over 6 months and it has literally been a life saver. I take a high dosage 450mg Venlafaxine and 30mg of the Mirt. So far so good- I wake in the morning and get up and go to work. A new job with a nice normal human boss has helped massively too. Hope you're doing ok
Best wishes
Patrick
Hi sorry just come across this post! I have a 7 week old son and have been going through a terrible time with depression and anxiety since his birth unable to bond properly etc! I have been on Mirtazapine 30mg for just over two weeks now and yesterday I was prescribed Venlafaxine 75mg to take along side the Mirt! I really hope this starts working for me because I am so miserable feel like a totally different person since having the baby! I am unable to enjoy being a mother and the way I feel is stopping me from loving and enjoying my son! The pregnancy was planned and I couldn't wait to meet him so it is so horrible that I am now feeling like this! I really hope this combination works for me and i can start to get my life back on track! X
Hiya, I know things an old thread but wondered if this combo worked for you? I have been on mirtazapine 45mg for 10 weeks and feeling so depressed and anxious. Gp has reduced me to 15 mg mirtazapine and I have an appointment on Tues with the mental healthily doc re adding venlafaxine as gp would only prescribe separately and I am hoping to get both prescribed together. I need my happy life back now!! Xx
Hiya, I know things an old thread but wondered if this combo worked for you? I have been on mirtazapine 45mg for 10 weeks and feeling so depressed and anxious. Gp has reduced me to 15 mg mirtazapine and I have an appointment on Tues with the mental healthily doc re adding venlafaxine as gp would only prescribe separately and I am hoping to get both prescribed together. I need my happy life back now!! Xx
Hi Joanne
I was on Venlafaxine 75mg for 11 years and never ever had any side effects. From time to time, usually about a year or so, I would come of them. I would cut down on them and I have never had any trouble with withdrawing. After a while the depression would raise its ugly head again and so I woud go back on them.
As I said I was on it for 11 years but two years ago they just stopped working. My GP tried me on several different ADs but to no avail. Then last November she prescrbed Mirtazapine 15 mg. They worked more or less immediately. However, they to stopped after 3 months. My doctor then upped the Mirt to 30 then 45 mg but no luck. She then said I should go back on Ven.and put me up to 225 which was horrendous.
I then asked if I could go to our local hospital and see a psychiatrist as they are supposed to know more about the drugs. Anyway long story short the Psychiatrist prescribed 15 mg Mrt. and 150 mg Venlafaxine. I said but they both stopped working and she said sometimes they don't do so well singly but they make a good combination. I walked out feeling it was a waste of time but to my joy they started working in three days. I have also got a couple of friends who are on Ven with great success. One friend was actually in hospital for weeks as she was so bad. She has just been taken off her second drug and just on 150 mg of Ven.I was on Venlafaxine 75mg for 11 years and never ever had any side effects. From time to time, usually about a year or so, I would come of them. I would cut down on them and I have never had any trouble with withdrawing. After a while the depression would raise its ugly head again and so I woud go back on them.
As I said I was on it for 11 years but two years ago they just stopped working. My GP tried me on several different ADs but to no avail. Then last November she prescrbed Mirtazapine 15 mg. They worked more or less immediately. However, they to stopped after 3 months. My doctor then upped the Mirt to 30 then 45 mg but no luck. She then said I should go back on Ven.and put me up to 225 which was horrendous.
I then asked if I could go to our local hospital and see a psychiatrist as they are supposed to know more about the drugs. Anyway long story short the Psychiatrist prescribed 15 mg Mrt. and 150 mg Venlafaxine. I said but they both stopped working and she said sometimes they don't do so well singly but they make a good combination. I walked out feeling it was a waste of time but to my joy they started working in three days. .I was on Venlafaxine 75mg for 11 years and never ever had any side effects. From time to time, usually about a year or so, I would come of them. I would cut down on them and I have never had any trouble with withdrawing. After a while the depression would raise its ugly head again and so I woud go back on them.
As I said I was on it for 11 years but two years ago they just stopped working. My GP tried me on several different ADs but to no avail. Then last November she prescrbed Mirtazapine 15 mg. They worked more or less immediately. However, they to stopped after 3 months. My doctor then upped the Mirt to 30 then 45 mg but no luck. She then said I should go back on Ven.and put me up to 225 which was horrendous.
I then asked if I could go to our local hospital and see a psychiatrist as they are supposed to know more about the drugs. Anyway long story short the Psychiatrist prescribed 15 mg Mrt. and 150 mg Venlafaxine. I said but they both stopped working and she said sometimes they don't do so well singly but they make a good combination. I walked out feeling it was a waste of time but to my joy they started working in three days.
I have had a couple of hiccoughs but I now know how to handle these ie not laying in bed all day and just getting on with life and I find this works. By the way I am 73 and I think you are a good bit younger so I am sure you will have success with the combination.
Good luck.
Pat.
Hi Patricia,
Thank you so much for your reassuring reply. I had an tel appt with the pdoc as he can't see me til 10th Sept and I said I need help before then. He has basically reduced mirtazapine to 30mg and added 75mg venlafaxine. Started this yesterday and feeling spaced out totally but not quite as anxious although I have had diazepam earlier. Hoping this combo (not with diazepam unless really needed) will give me my happy self back!! It's been nearly 3 mths and I miss me and being a happy Mummy. I have had a lot go on since start of the year. Relationship breakup with father of my kids (was right decision), moving house and job and getting used to being a single mum. I'm normally so strong and together but this is probably a delayed reaction to everything that's happened. So California rocket fuel do your thing please!!
hi..
how r u friends?
i was extremely and severely depressed for last 10 years and tried all the available antidepressants in the market.
15 days back,I started taking the combination of venlafaxine 150 mg,mirtazapine 30 mg and escitalopram 10 mg per day. i have got miraculous results by this unapproved self formulated combo.I am as enthusiastic content and happy as i used to be 10 years back...but am an addict of nicotine.so when i use nicotine i feel mild symptoms of serotonin syndrome many times a day. but i neither can leave nicotine nor this formula that i cud compose having lived for 10 years in hell. please tell me as to what you people think.
thanks,
all the best!!!
Hi,
I realise this is an old thread, but I wonder how people are getting on on this combo?
I've been on venlafaxine for 12 years - was on 150mg for 6 years, then 225mg after a stressful life event. I was fine (the odd blips, but only small and manageable and I think most of us get them) ... Then out of the blue last July my depression came back bad and I couldn't pull myself out of it. I told my GP in October and he readily admitted he didn't know what to do tablet-wise and referred me to a psychiatrist. I had to wait until mid November for the appointment, but the psychiatrist was lovely.
She wanted to add Mirtazapine but as I'm very sensitive to medication, she said do it very slowly, which I did - 1/4 of a 15mg tablet every couple of weeks (I seemed to get a good response to each increase which then wore off, but I was getting better overall I felt. On 12th January this year I got up to the full 15mg and I had 5 really good weeks. After 3 weeks, I saw the psychiatrist who discharged me, but said I was still on a low dose of the mirtazapine and that could be increased if needed, up to a max of 45mg, and she would write to my GP stating that. She said if I had 7days feeling bad I had to look towards upping the medication. Anyway, I thought it was cracked to be honest as I felt so much better.
After the 5 good weeks however, I had a really bad spell - I have M.E. too, and had got over tired so thought it was probably prompted by that. It went after 5-7 days & I felt better again. Then 2 weeks after that (and 2 weeks ago) I had another bad spell, so I spoke to my GP & he said slowly increase to 30mg. I went up by another 1/4 of a tablet, then had 10 days ok, but could feel it creeping in again Monday, so I increased to half an additional tablet (so 15mg + 7.5mg total). That was Monday just gone and I still feel really bad.
Do people think I will only get full therapeutic effect at the 30mg and I should panic at this stage it's now working now?
I feel so worried - the psychiatrist was really reassuring, but as I'm now discharged I don't think I can still speak to her. My GP doesn't seem to understand depression and the tablets in the same way.
Sorry for the long post 