I have been depressed for many years despite having great support network with family and friends and have a great life really on the surface. Underlying this is a living hell where I just feel really down all the time and have trouble sleeping. I have been on venlafaxine for near 20 years max dose 150mg per day but that didn't seem to be working any more and so I have slowly come off them as per the doc's instructions who has now prescribed Mirtazapine. I took my first tablet (15mg) last night and feel absolutely awful- really dopey and lifeless. Is this a normal reaction or should I ditch it straight away and go back on a higher dose of Venlafaxine. I would really appreciate some advice on this from someone who has been through this same experience and is now feeling great. Thanks
Hi Howie
Everyones reaction to medication is different
I can only give you my experience of mirtazapine I was on it for 8 years the only side effects were weight gain and sore limbs after the initial 4-6 weeks to kick in properly all meds have side effects
It stopped working for me a few months ago and thats when the problems begain trying to taper of mirt was really hard I still cant get off the last 15mg.
But as I said everyone is different and on the whole the helped my depression and insomnia for 8 years
Take Care
Lil
I was put on mirtazapine 2 years ago , i took one at night& felt the same , extremely groggy & didn't even seem to possess enough energy to talk to anyone , i didn't carry on with them & my doctor put me on sertraline which didn't have many side effects & worked a lot better well for about 6 months anyway, i think you're doctor put you on mirtazapine because you are having difficulty sleeping. Hope this helps & good luck .
Im having the same problem, i'v cut down my sertraline from 200mg daly to 15mg but i semm to be stuck on 15mg.
Yeh the withdrawal symptoms are worse than the anxiety/depression
Lil
I know it makes me wish I'd never started, cutting down is hard .
David
Hi Howie,
I personally found mirtazapine helped me a lot. Do remember that these meds can take up to six weeks to kick in, and that most people feel worse for a few days at the beginning. If it doesn't help, go and ask your doctor for a higher dose. All people have different reactions to these meds, so what one person gets benefit from, another person will find it useless.
When I was on mirtazapine I eventually reached the maximum dose, and wow it really started to help then. Give it a chance. If all else fails, go back to your doctor and ask for a different med. Hope this helps. Depression sucks. Love Tess
Oh, forgot to say that I've completely recovered now. My three year depression was over 16 years ago, and it hasn't come back.
I have that reaction to 1/4 mitrazapine. Personally I hated it so much I quit but was only trying for sleep. You may come right everyone's different
So I took mirtazapine for the short term and the side effects I experienced was I was hungry all the time and actually gained some weight but it did make me sleepy and kind of calmed the anxious thoughts. All medications are different for everyone and just discuss negative side effects with your doc. My doc told me usually the negative side effects like thinking even more suicidal is usually immediate. I also had that experience where I took an antidepressant (don't remember the name) and it made me feel even worse, like it numbed me even more which sent me into a panic so I stopped taking that too. For me though, medicine helped but it was more like a band-aid, therapy and my own willingness to overcome was what made me feel better.
Hi I found mirtazapin didn't work for me coz I felt exactly the same as you - doped up and spaced out. The dr did say though that this wears off in time but I got her to change them.
Did you get any nasty side effects when you came off venlfaxine? x
Hi. Thanks for replying. I have only been on it 3 days but they have been terrible. It's as if I have no mind of my own and sleep is weird as if you are ill with flu and just want to sleep all the time. Cognative ability is seriously impaired and I have grave doubts about the drug and what it is doing to me. Coming off venlafaxine was fine but I was only off it for a week before going on mirtazapin. x
Hi mirtazapine is one of the newer SSR's and is nowhere near as addictive or powerful as the older style ones like valium etc. So it isn't doing you any harm but then if it's not helping you then you might need to ask your doctor to change it. Unless that is you can wait until the tiredness wears off in time. Very difficult when you are working! x