Mirtazapine and tension headaches and jaw pain.

Treatment and medication
1

Hi

I have been on 45mg of mirt for 1 and 1/2 years and don t really feel it helps. It does help me sleep but i wake up constantly. I am on venlaflaxine and diazepam also. For a year now i have had almost daily tension headaches and pain in my left jaw.

I am unsure as to the cause and am having massage and osteopathy to help but i suspect the mirt may be part of it. I want to reduce on a 10 % reduction but i know the withdrawal symptoms are headaches and not sure how i ll cope.

Has anyone else experienced these symptoms after long term use?Also dizziness. Did it improve on reduction ?

I am at my wits end. My life is on hold cos of these physical symptoms and although my mood has improved this is holding my recovery back.

Any experience or advice ?

2

Sarah hi, I think many have had unexplained aches and nerve pain as a side effect to Mirt, so I wouldn't rule out it being the cause of the jaw pain, I got it in one foot, comes and goes, doctor couldn't help.  I'm not sure reducing initially will help until you get low on the Mirt dose, however it might be worth a try.  

I would reduce slowly, try a 5% drop every 2-3 weeks initially, work up when you know your CNS isn't rocked too much from it.  Make a liquid with Mirt' if necessary.

Wishing you well.

 

3

Thanks.

I was planning on 10 % every 4 weeks. Do you think 5 % initially ?

4

Plan on trying to get to 15mg initially. Very scared about it.

Am hoping by 15mg it may reduce any side effects.

5

Hi Sarah

I've quite often read that a 10% cut from a the higher dose, 45mg, is fine, its when folk get lower on the doses that the 10% cuts can be too large.  Having said that, knowing Mirt' as I do I would always be cautious.  

6

Hi ive been on mirtazapine for a year been up to 15mg and now at 7.5mg does nothing for anxiety or deppression and get out of bed after not sleeping as it no longer sedates me - when im up i get tension headaches and jaw tightens have asked gp for help but nothing

7

That has happened to me. I was on 45.....now 30. I do have impacted wisdonm teeth coming out on friday. I plan to slowely taper off this as i don t think it helps me. I do get interupted sleep but wake up feeling hungover.

8

GP is useless. They just put everything down to anxiety or depression and know very little about psych meds but neither it seems do psychiatrists. Got to find your own way to recovery.