Mirtazapine & duloxetine together "rocket fuel !?"

Mental health
1

Hi all, I have recently had a relapse in terms of depression and anxiety and my physchiatrist is going to try me on a combination of mirtazapine 30mg and duloxetine 60mg.  I have been on escitalopram / citalopram for a few years but will be switching to the above.

after a bit of research I have seen that this is referred to as limerick or Californian rocket fuel which is somewhat worrying - does anyone have experience of this combination as I will be stopping escitalopram and starting duloxetine from today (been on mirtazapine for just over a week) so just wondered what to expect ?. Thanks all any responses welcome 

2

I know mirtazapine made me gain 3 stone. Made me clumsy (first 2 months or possibly more) and made me angrier than I've ever been. Also made me vomit every time I tried to cut down.  It has a long half life, that's why I wanted it over citalopram, which I tried first, and suffered if I didn't take the pills at similar times each day, but the withdrawal from mirrazapine is horrendous. The benefits: increased appetite, reduces the vomit stress thing definitely, regulates my sleep well, and I have amazing vivid dreams, often with vertigo for me, but the flying on horse and snowboarding down shear cliffs, who wouldn't  get vertigo, kind of worth it. 

Other than that, the other drug I have never had, so no idea. 

If you post more tj

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If you post more though it will be good to hear what you decide. (Sorry this site is terrible with my phone). And it will help others too. All the best. 

4

thanks for the information, im currently on day 3 of the new medication and very up and down at the moment. My anxiety seems to be raised but I suppose that is to be expected. Will let you know how it goes though so thanks and best wishes 

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R

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Hi Gareth. It is some time since you made this post, but I have just started on this combination and was wondering how you had got on with it? 

7

Hi Gillian in the end I have come off this as it wasn't as effective as I'd hoped so now on mirtazapine and clomipramine but best of luck

8

Hi,

I know this is an old discussion, but i will post my experience in case anyone finds it useful. 

I have had stress problems, minor depression, insomnia, and major psychosomatic problems. In the past I have taken Fluoxetine.

I have been trying with my doctor, mirtazapine 15,30, cymbalta 60, and both smile

Mirtazapine, got me out of huge problems with insomnia, when you start it you sleep really really well, negative side effect, I gained 8 kilos. Mood a lot better but sometimes some stress symptoms were worse and the psychosomatic problems were unaffected. I just felt it was kind of wrong for me. 

Duloxetin for me is a life savior, i just feel its like I am not taking any medication at all. It is the only that relieved me from psychosomatic problems like diarhea, back pains etc. I probably helps sleep a bit too. The only problem is difficulty in having an orgasm sometimes (ejaculate, not get an erection).

Together they had an even stronger effect in the positives, but mirtazapine is impossible to stop due to the sleep it affects, once I stop it and try to sleep, its impossible.

As a conclusion, taking them together helped in my case, had some sideffects like weight gain and was very difficult to make my sleep natural again. 

As mentioned above, duloxetin was life saving.

Its important to understand that these kinds of medication have different effects on each particular person, one may vomit from mirta other may not, one might say its perfect, one might say its the worst experience of his life. In my case I am only taking duloxetin now and never going to take mirta again. 

This is why there is always a trial period, trust your doctor but also your body/yourself. 

Regards

T

 

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How are you doing on mirtazapine and duloxetine Gareth?! Just was wondering because the hey just perscribed me that today.. please help me and tell me ur experience as I am very nervous about being nauseous on the cymbalta:dulxoxetine.

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Hi Gillian it's been 2 years since you started your combination of mirtazapine and cymbalta. How is it working for you?! I was just wondering as my psychiatrist just perscribed me the cymbalta today and I have already been on mirtazapine for a month now. Plz all info is greatly appreciated thank you.

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Hi Gareth, I take these 2 medications together and have so for the last 3 months. The mirtazipine I was prescribed to help me sleep so I take that at nighttime. The duloxetine I take 60mg in the morning and I'm now back to my normal happy self. I was a total mess at the start of taking these meds and would say that they have saved my life. How are you doing on the combination? Xx

12

I've been on Mirtazapine for approx. 6 weeks now with no noticable improvement in my condition (depression & anxiety). I initially started on 15, then 30 and for the past 2 weeks I've been on 45 but unfortunately I'm still waiting for 'something' to happen. It does give me wierd dreams now & again and a bit of an appetite (I could do with putting weight on to be truthful) but I was hoping to see some improvement by week 6 ? Anyone else on Mirt' and how did you find it ?

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Hi, I am glad that I saw your post. I have been on mirtazapine for about a year and a half . Started 15, then 30 and then 45mg. I don't think that they have helped me. I have no appetite and I could also do with one. I get the weird dreams, sometimes nightmares. I would go back to your GP in a few weeks if you have not already been. It would be great to hear how you got on.

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My goodness this is an old post! I wanted to comment because I have found the combination of Mirtazapine and Duloxetine a life saver. I have tried every single anti-depressant out there as a stand alone anti depressant in my medical cocktail. I had limited luck with Venlafaxine at 600mg. This is an SNRI med and I have found that the addition of Norepinephrine helped with my vast depression. I am now taking 75mg of Mirtazapine along with 60mg of Duloxetine at night and my sleep has never been better. I take 15mg Mirtazapine and 60mg Duloxetine in the mornings and my days have never been cheerier or brighter. My doctor at the Mayo Clinic suggested going up to 90mg of Mirtazapine with the 120mg of Duloxetine. I had a partial response with Duloxetine alone. It is 10 times more powerful at capturing Norepinephrine than my Venlafaxine at 600mg. I am also on some mood stabilizers since I am also bipolar.

I am so thankful to have found a doctor to listen to my symptoms and found an appropriate dosage for me. I am very insensitive to side effects and tolerant at high doses. ECT worked well when I was a hospital patient, but this Limerick Rocket Fuel does the trick outside the hospital. Thanks and good luck!

15

Weird, i didnt know that, i guess the doctors say it is safe and they are specialists in their field. I trust the doctors. Tap water has bleach chemicals in it, but we still drink it.

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Hi there. I have taken almost every psychiatric dug available, alone and in combo for more than 20 years and over ten hospitalizations. I could never been stable until recently my doctor gave me a combination of Duloxetine and Mirtazapine a week ago and I can tell it is starting to work together with Risperidone, an antipsychotic. I am in a better mood, can get out of bed early and feel a little motivated. I hope it keeps on working until getting the full effect. My Dx is Schizophrenia with Treatment resistant Depression.