Can you take 20mg of Escitalopram with Mirtazapine?

Treatment and medication
1

Hello, my partner has been having the worst time with anxiety, panic and depression for over a year now. He's been on several tablets and the latest is upping his 10mg of Escitalopram to 20mg. However his doctor has said he needs to come off his 7.5g of Mirtazapine which he takes at night to help him sleep.

Personally I think this is a bad idea, sleeping (or lack of) is one of the biggest problems he has and the Mirt really helps him.

I'm just wondering if anyone is taking 20mg of Escitalopram with Mirt?

His doctor is pretty useless and won't give him a straight answer.

Thanks 

2

Hi

Not sure if this is any help to you but I've been on escilaprotin for 4 weeks now. 1 week at 5mg then 3 weeks at 10mg. Before this I was on Mirtazapine 30mg for a couple of months and apart from the sleep found it didn't help at all. When I went back for my review I told her I had only just started taking 10mg and started myself on 5mg. I also told her I was continuing take 7.5mg of Mirt at night for sleep...she was more than happy for me to continue with this, as for 20mg I'm not too sure. But I have read a lot on here about people taking both as they work on different receptors apparently and the lower the dose the more sedating?? (I'm not a Dr so please note this is just my view based on doing research, reading forums etc) but I will be going back to my Dr regarding an increase in the escilaprotin but I would again only go up to 15mg for a week or so and see how that works for me if only to limit the side effects. How long has he been on 10mg for? Sorry it doesn't answer your question directly but i dont want to stop the Mirt for the same reasons. A lot of people take one or more Ads/Anxiety meds with great success (Again from what I have read). X

3

Hi, I don't know the answer to that question. I did look up drug interactions associated with mirtazapine and ssri's.... There may be an interaction known as "seratonin syndrome." You can easily look it up AND talk to a dr. about it. Like I said, I don't know the answer to that question. Take care

4

hi alex, I was also on the mirtz and agree that it didnt do anything but promote sleep. 

how are you getting on with escitalopram?

5

Hi I do feel the Escitalopram is working I'm up to 15mg now and about 8 weeks in, still have the morning anxiety though.

I will probably taper of the Mirt as the Escitalopram makes me sleep, I take it at night before the Mirt and always fall asleep. So I'm going to gradually decrease the Mirt and see how I go sleep wise.

I would say I'm about 80% better but still have that underlying anxiety (especially in the mornings as mentioned) so wgen I see Dr in 2 weeks will ve looking to up my dose to 20mg in the hope that take the last of the anxiety away.

6

feeling 80% recovered is really good... imagine the time we spent on the mirtz waiting for it to do something ...

7

what symptoms did you get with the anxiety?

8

I have been on 20mg escitalopram and 15mg mirtazapine for two months now and the combination has given me my life back. I was on 20mg escitalopram and was still extremely depressed and anxious, hardly even getting out of bed. My family relationships were suffering and I couldn’t see any future at all. Within days of adding the mirtazapine I was sleeping and feeling so much better. I have my motivation back and no longer struggle to get out of bed. I intend to reduce the escitalopram dose at some point but will continue for now. I do have side effects from the mirtazapine, blurry eyesight and uncontrollable munchies, but I’d much rather that than how I was before. 

9

hi alex

how are you getting on now? 

10

I am on the same dosage of Mirt and Escitalopram as you. Take Escitalopram in the morning but am getting stomach pain so doc has suggested taking it at night same as Mirt. When do you take yours?

11

Hi, l am taking 20mgs of ecitilopram in the morning and 45mg of Mirt at night for a month. My doc is keeping me like this for a while until l calm down and will then reduce the Mirt x

12

Hi, I am currently on 20 mg escitlapram in the morning and 30 mg of mirtazapine in the evening, Life is great sleeping is a whole different deal I get restlezs leg syndrom and muscle spasms at night, i take mir at 6 pm asleep by 1130 so at least 3-4 hours of gitters

13

Try to take the Mirt as you got to bed. That way you avoid the RLS. If I take any earlier than that it makes my legs writhe about. RLS is miserable!

14

today my doctor combined my mirtazapine with escitalpram . Im on 15mg mirtazapine for anxiety and panic disorder, and today my doctor told me to drop to 7.5mg mirt at night and start the escitalpram 10mg tomorrow morning. I am so anxious to start this tomorrow, the mirt stopped my panic attacks but have gained 23kg in 6months on mirt and now my breathing is bad shortness of breath like everyday so now she has told me to try escitalpram 10mg in morning with 7.5mg mirt before bed and ween off mirt over next 2 months but I'm so scared to start this routine as I don't want my panic attacks back no way they were hell but I don't wanna be short of breath either everyday so I'm preying this new combination works for me.

15

my doc put me on alprax 0.25 once morning and one evening for two weeks and weaned off the alprax totally in another 15 days.. since lexapro initially makes you nervous.... but with alprax support i did not feel nervous.... it took me 12 days to see the first benefit of not getting worried about panic attacks... am on day 45 on lexapro 10 mg and i am feeling relaxed no more panic attacks... lexapro 5 mg for first 5 days with alprax 0.25 once a day and then from day 6 onwards alprax 0.25 twice a day with lexapron 10 mg once.Currently I am only on lexapro 10 mg NOT taking alprax anymore

16

hi i have been strugglying for a while now, ive been on 20mg of escitalapram for 8weeks , its not helping, dr has prescribed me 7.5mg of mitrazpine with it! !will this help ??