Posted by papillon2 on October 7, 2012, at 9:26:33
In reply to Mirtazapine/Remeron/Avanza, posted by jono_in_adelaide on September 30, 2012, at 20:39:58
> Anybody had any sucsess with this med either for depression or anxiety?
Hmmm, limited success, though I think it would have been better for my mental health to never have taken it. I took it for melancholic depression, but I also have underlying anxiety which tends to be seen more when it's not masked by severe depression. Mirtazepine is meant to be particularly good for melancholic depression, or at least better than SSRIs and SNRIs.
I took it for 6+ weeks and during this time titrated up to 60mg. I quit it as it (a) wasn't as effective as it needed to be and (b) the side effects of insatiable hunger and weight gain (5kg in 6wks on a 1.58m frame) were intolerable and causing my anxiety to skyrocket. Use extreme caution if you have any history of an eating disorder.
Oh and by the way, the weight gain was despite not eating any more than I usually would and exercising like a maniac (poor choice of words? Lol) once I was able to exercise, that is. I am also naturally slender and ordinarily don't gain weight easily. And by insatiable hunger, I'm talking about feeling like I was starving all the freaking time even after eating.
A number of posters have commented on the sedating features of Mirtazepine. It is sedating in lower doses, but quickly becomes activating in higher doses. I wouldn't pass judgement until you get to at least 45mg.
Anyway, if weight gain will be an issue for you, I wouldn't touch Mirtazipine with a barge pole.
To whoever asked: Avanza is the errr, trading name? for Mirtazapine in Australia, like Remeron is in the U.S.
Ring the bells that still can ring
forget your perfect offering
there is a crack in everything
that's how the light gets in
~ Leonard Cohen
poster:papillon2
thread:1027176
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20121001/msgs/1027927.html