Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[CrispyChick]

Hey

For anyone familiar with the antidepressant mirtazapine, can you help with my query?

I've read it's more sedating at lower doses. I've been advised to start at 15mg. But if my sedation is too bad on that, would 30mg be better?

I'm extremely sensitive. Due to other health issues. And, for example, one utrogestan is far too sedating for me. As are all drowsy antihistamines. So it's a scary thought.

Appreciate the views of anyone on mirtazapine or familiar with it.

Thanks x

[bombsh3ll]

I take a low dose (7.5mg) of mirtazapine off label for insomnia, which I have used for over 10 years.

If I were you I would start with 3.75mg ie a quarter of a 15mg tablet, at night if you are sensitive to medication.

It doesn't do much of anything at this dose although some do find this effective, and why take more than you need of any medicine if you find this adequate.

This will help assess your tolerance before moving up in dose, which I would do gradually.

I would say 7.5mg to 15mg is maximally effective for insomnia generally, above this is considered to be more activating although I have no personal experience of using more than 15mg.

In my opinion it is still better to start low, at night, than risk a 30mg dose off the bat if you tend to react negatively to medication because that could be far more unpleasant if you don't get on with it, even if it doesn't result in sedation.

[CrispyChick]

Ok. Thanks bombshell.

From what I'd read, 7.5mg is more sedating than 15mg. But perhaps not. 

[bombsh3ll]

Tbh I didn't notice a difference between the two. At first I was using 15mg and later tried reducing due to weight gain.

I found 7.5mg equally effective, but 3.75mg not so much, so I stick with 7.5mg.

Everyone is different however and plenty of people are happy with 3.75mg.

Note this is for insomnia. If you have been prescribed it for a different indication then the dose will be higher.

But I am suggesting starting with the lowest quantity that is possible to ingest in case it affects you adversely in any way, and then building up gradually to your intended dose.

That's what I personally do with any new medication or supplement - I start with just a smidge and then work upwards because it is difficult to untake a bigger dose if it makes you unwell.

[VMS]

Just changed from being on Sertraline since 2018 to Mirtazapine and I can't believe the difference it has made. I now realise what it feels like to be "normal" since being on other ADs when I had to come off HRT in 2004.(breast cancer)
I took half a15mg tablet of it along with 50mg(a half dose) of Sertraline,in order to ween me off that. I noticed a change within 2 days. Pity I didn't insist of a change of medication long before now, but I just bumbled along putting up with awful morning anxiety. Just hope it lasts 🤞

[CLKD]

Bumbling along feeling better not worse ......... sometimes a change can work wonders.

VMS - mayB begin your own thread about why you had to stop HRT?

[CrispyChick]

VMS are you not finding it sedating?

I only lasted a week. But then, I'm extremely sensitive to all meds.

I hope if works well for you. X

[VMS]

I've not experienced any sedation as such, apart from my bowel habits slowing down🥴, but I think my rubbish dreams have gone up a notch, as to where they all come from, who knows😂
I suppose any sedation must be that my mind no longer works overtime worrying and I now have my enthusiasm back.
I am now wondering if the ADs I had been taking were ever the right kind for me🤔

[VMS]

BTW, Crispychick, thankyou for your kind thoughts.
Now I'm on the full 15mg and no Sertraline I may be bouncing off the ceiling soon🤣🤣

Re starting another thread re breast cancer and HRT, there appears to be different opinions as to whether it contributes to the disease or not. The disease is/was already in my family on my Dad's side, 6 of us over 3 generations ☹️

[bombsh3ll]

[quote author=VMS
Re starting another thread re breast cancer and HRT, there appears to be different opinions as to whether it contributes to the disease or not. The disease is/was already in my family on my Dad's side, 6 of us over 3 generations ☹️
[/quote]

I know this isn't the original point of the thread but if 6 people in a family have had breast/ovarian/pancreas/prostate cancer you should push for genetic testing if this hasn't already been done, particularly if you have daughters or nieces etc of the same bloodline.

If someone has a mutation then all the evidence suggests hormone therapy doesn't make a jot of difference to their lifetime risk of breast cancer as it is already extremely high.

My first aunt passed away in 1995 believing hormones had caused it, but after her sister had ovarian and daughter got it in both breasts at 40, the BRCA2 gene was diagnosed.

She could have stood on her head and said 100 hail Mary's a day and eaten nothing but leafy greens and she would have still got it.

Genetic testing also means that family members not yet affected but at risk can access preventative treatment like I did.

[VMS]

Sorry to be going off piste with this, but so you see this reply I've put it here

My cousin, my Dad's brother's girl had a genetic test done and there was no genetic link apparently. This was a long time ago, so remembering the information is a bit fuzzy!
Please advise which link/thread I should go to, so not to get mixed up with this one.

I'm new to this forum!! 🙄

[bombsh3ll]

Maybe start another thread so people interested in that topic can see it more easily.

[CLKD]

VMS - I started a thread about busy dreams years ago  probably due to the medication that I take.

[VMS]

Well, that didn't last long, I was over the moon to feel "normal" again(enthusiastic, happy) after changing to Mirtazapine from Sertraline, but after two and half months my anxiety has returned our of the blue😥. I contacted the Dr and have had my dose increased to 30mg from 15mg, so it's another waiting game. Sadly my optimism is waning.