Triggering (SI/OD) - Mirtazapine

[dissectme]

Today is my third day of taking Mirtazapine and I really hate it.

I had been on Citalopram for about 4 years to treat my depression but was taken off it after I took a small OD of Oxazepam - because the doctor thought it cant have been working.

I was meant to go onto the Mirtazapine straight away but I left it 3 months because I was doing so well. The only reason I'm taking it now is because I recently had a bit of a break down. I'm taking it with the strong advice of my mum and several professionals.

I wikied Mirtazapine but didnt learn anything new I hadnt read from the leaflet in the box. I'm a bit concerned because I'm feeling soo tired all the time (I'm taking the 15mg which is supposed to have this affect) and also very emotinally numb.

I was feeling so numb earlier and because I've been feeling so **** lately I actually SIed for the first time in about 18 months. My reasons were mainly to see if there was actually any feeling inside me. Nothing happened. It was only a small SI, but I broke something that is meant to be important to me, and I dont understand how I can feel nothing.

Also yesterday I walked out on my job (not physically... I actually got my mum to phone them up and tell them I was too sick to ever come back). I've been working there 40 hours a week for the past 3 months now and I'm quite supprised I couldnt give a **** emotionally at the moment about what I've done.

Has anyone else ever been on Mirtazapine and experienced similar numbness or anything else worth noting? I'm a little scared here. The crisis team told me I would be put in touch with someone to talk with soon but as usual, I find myself with drugs thrust down my throat but nobody here to talk to me (apart from my mum - but I cant really talk to her because she has my dad to look after).

[one_step_closer]

I know what you mean about being tired all the time, I also felt like this when I was talking Mirtazapine. What time of the day are you taking it? I used to take it after my last meal but found that I couldn't stay awake past 8pm, so changed it to taking it right before I went to sleep which really helped.

If you're finding that it's making you feel emotionally numb and as a consequence is leading you to self harm in order to feel then it's really important that you talk to your doctor as soon as you can. A lot of antidepressants can make you feel like this to start with, but it's best to have some sort of support through it.

We are all here to talk to if you need to, and you could use live help if you'd like to talk to someone one to one. I hope that you feel better soon. Take care and please get in touch any time. xxx

[Stellata]

I've been on mirtazpine nearly 2 years. It does actually help me. Its not perfect, but its way better than on efexor or before that.

paintingflowerswhite has raised some good points about about the interactions and timings of your medications. I would suggest giving the mirtazapine time to settle. And to keep in close contact with the prescribing doctor.
I occasionally get that emotional numbness, but with me its more related to my PTSD defences than medication.

living_just_for-dying also makes some good points about the time you take it. The worst of the sedation tends to calm down after a week or so. Also if, like most people do, you go up to 30mg from the initial 15 after the first week, that should also help, as it's less sedating at higher dosages.
I take mine about 30-45 minutes before I switch off the light and go to sleep. Usually between 9.45 and 10.15. I find that works best for me. Much earlier and I wake too early in the morning.

[stumpy davies]

I used to be on Zipin/Mirtazapine Soltabs & Ordinary film coated tablets I start back on them tommorrow, when I had a concern I used to go on a forum about Zispin with loads of people who are all on Zispin here's a few links

www.healthboards.com/boards/index.php

www.depressionforums.org

www.medhelp.org/forums/mentalhealth/messages/31990.html

Hope this Helps mate

luv Ceri (HUGS) Good luck your welcome to PM me at any time ! x

[dissectme]

I'm taking the tablet about 9ish each evening now. I find I'm usually asleep within 1-2 hours of taking it. Taking it at this earlier time (before I was taking it about 11pm onwards) I find the sleepiness has worn off by about 10am the next day.
Thankfully I have an appointment with the doctor, who first prescribed me the Mirtazapine, next week. I know I'm going to feel like such an idiot going against his advice first time round... (I dont like taking medication and I cant really help that. At least I'm taking it now though, so nobody can lecture me for the present).
Hopefully by the time I see the doc this numbness will have warn off... I really dont like it.
Thanks for the tip Ceri.

[Prospero]

I have been taking Mirtazapine for week now due to a relapse of SI. (Before this I had been clear for a year).
I really don't like it either.
I take the 15mg on a night before bed and I find it completely knocks me out not only for the night but I find it very hard to get up before early evening the next day. I feel completely sedated.
I'm glad that I'm not the only one that has reacted to it like this as there is no information on it anywhere other than the general and the side effects.
However the other medications I'v tried have all had a bumpy start, one way or another. Maybe I should persist but I'm scared of the numbness and it is eating away at my resilience to stop SIing.

[alienshe_cheesycake]

I'm on Mirtazapine 30mg, I started on 15mg and before that I was on Venlafaxine/Efexor, which I found kept me up at night

I found the first 2 weeks on 15mg Mirtazapine I was really sedated
I slept for most of the day and I just felt a bit like a zombie
(oh plus my appitite was enourmous)
but after about 2 weeks the sedative effect wasn't so bad, it wore off after a while.

[Lost-Odd-Sock]

i was put on 15mg then up to 30mg, did the same too me, twas not nice but it does wear off (",)

[Daysleeper]

Posted to wrong thread. Sorry bout that...

[sherlock holmes]

I'm on 45mg mirtazapine.

The drowsiness (or in my case, feeling like you've run into a brick wall of tiredness) does reduce after the first few weeks. It helps to take it before you go to bed, I take mine at 10pm.

Persevere with it, it does help.

[melda]

Hiya, sorry to hear you're having a bad time on mirtazapine. I am taking 45mg a day and while it has made me less depressed I have noticed that I do feel emotionally numb and I cant feel anything. Things that Im supposed to be happy about, Im just not and things I would have been upset about, Im not. Talk to your doctor and see if there is anything else that they can put you on, there are so many different medications. I know though that medication is not always the answer and that talking can be as of much help. See if you can get some counselling or therapy or if there is someone that you feel comfortale with that you can talk to.