Mirtazapine and Drowsiness: What Users Say (Page 4)

• gco...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 24, 2022

Mirtazapine for Depression "I've been on this for 3 weeks, and I thought I'd leave a review since I always read reviews and have some health OCD. This third week, I've actually been singing along to songs and not only able to make it to work, but am working extra. I haven't had any terrible panic attacks like I had been previously. I am on 15 mg. I will say I was groggy the first few days, stick it out. A bit of breakthrough anxiety, but nowhere near as bad as it was. Hopefully, will continue to go well for me! Good luck!!"

• Bob...
• July 20, 2021

For Anxiety "At age 65, I experienced my first panic attack this year, it just came out of the blue and was obviously a buildup of life’s general work and living issues. I was prescribed mirtazapine. The first tablet I took was 15 mg, I slept through the night. The next day, as I stood in the bathroom having a shave, I couldn’t understand how the taps on the sink worked and how to switch the water off, or where the water was coming from, everything was totally confusing. I had to go and lay down and was clammy, gray, drowsy, and sweating. I never touched the tablets again for 2 months. I then decided to try the prescription again and broke the 15 mg into 4 and took a quarter of a tablet. I had an okay sleep, but the next day I was totally zombified and struggled through the whole day with my eyes half shut and had to sleep in the afternoon. Still very tired and irritable after 19 hours."

• lol...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• October 19, 2012

Mirtazapine for Anxiety "Improved the physical and mental symptoms I had with anxiety/depression but in a reduced dose. More than 10 mg would keep me too drowsy and make me forgetful. I have been on it for 19 years and have tried to get off it several times but my physical symptoms (stomach cramping) return after a few days. The generic form was far less effective. Does cause constipation with me."

• Man...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 27, 2021

Mirtazapine for Depression "I’ve struggled with severe nausea induced by anxiety for years. I went to countless doctors thinking it was a GI issue, but they couldn’t find anything. I finally went to a psychiatrist, and she prescribed me Remeron. I occasionally get nauseous still, but it is bearable and doesn’t prevent me from doing everyday things like it did if I take this medication on schedule. If I forget to take it one day, the nausea returns, but I am able to live everyday life normally with this pill. The one thing I will say is that this pill will knock you out. I work early in the morning and have to take this pill and go to sleep around 7 pm every night, but that is doable for me and definitely worth the benefits of this medication. This medication saved me!!"

• Ang...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• October 17, 2024

"I had been ill for 3 months, with all of my symptoms being autonomic. I couldn't eat, couldn't sleep, twitched and shook 24/7, couldn't stand for more than a minute without passing out, peeing every 15 mins, but zero mood changes. I was in and out of the hospital, had lots of tests, but nothing was found, so they decided it must be mental. I tried Prozac, then citalopram, and felt worse. Venlafaxine tablet was the worst night of my life, so I was told to try mirtazapine. After 20 minutes of taking the first tablet, I slept for 20 hours and woke up without ANY of my symptoms. A little groggy, but it was a miraculous turnaround. The only downside for me is my appetite is crazy, but I choose healthy foods and manage my weight. I've been on mirtazapine now for 8 years, and every time I try to come off, my symptoms return, no matter how slowly I taper (last try was 15 mg down to 0.25 mg, which I did over 2.5 years). All was OK until I got to 0.2 mg, then back to square 1. I clearly need this med, and it's saved my life."

• Mar...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 7, 2015

For Insomnia "This medication has helped me to sleep well pretty much every night. It does make weight loss harder, I guess. At first, I felt dopey during the day and had dry eyes and mouth, but I no longer notice those side effects. All in all, it's helped me a lot."

• anx...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 31, 2018

For Insomnia "I take this medication in a small dose every night (7.5 mg), and I have the best sleep of my life on it. I have pretty severe anxiety/OCD spectrum, and this medication still allows me to fall asleep fast, stay asleep, yet wake up refreshed and non-drowsy the next day. The first few weeks on it, I felt kind of groggy in the morning, but after being on it for a year+, I have found the perfect balance, and it still works so well. This is also a great appetite boost at night (as I couldn't eat much on the SSRIs I am on), so it let me get some needed calories in. I really like this medication and cannot imagine living without it."

• Spa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 8, 2019

For Depression "I'm a male in my early 30s and was prescribed this drug, mirtazapine, to combat severe anxiety and minor depression, which resulted in a lack of sleep. This drug has been perfect for me so far (2 weeks in), and it worked effectively almost immediately when taken at night. I have had no adverse side effects as of yet, my sex drive is actually higher than normal. It's a little tougher for me to get out of bed in the mornings due to the drowsiness, but I'm hoping this will pass soon. It's made me feel the most normal I have felt in many years, improved my working life a LOT due to the feeling of clarity it brings (not euphoria). Friends have noticed a good change in my general attitude, and I'm happily looking forward in life rather than firefighting on a day-to-day basis. This drug may not suit everybody, but it is working wonders for myself so far."

• Asl...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 16, 2019

For Insomnia "My doctor had prescribed me Temazepam for insomnia, but it didn’t help at all. He then prescribed me 1/8th of a 15 mg tablet of Mirtazapine, and it works SO WELL! I am so relieved. I got dissolving tablets, so they crush up into a powder. I lick the very tip of my finger and take a tiny dab of the tablet powder. After 6 months, I’m only on my fourth tablet of a box of 30, as you need too little. I am a bit yawn-y in the morning, but not dopey or drowsy. This drug has really worked for me."

• Asl...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 16, 2019

For Insomnia "My doctor had prescribed me Temazepam for insomnia, but it didn’t help at all. He then prescribed me 1/8th of a 15 mg tablet of Mirtazapine, and it works SO WELL! I am so relieved. I got dissolving tablets, so they crush up into a powder. I lick the very tip of my finger and take a tiny dab of the tablet powder. After 6 months, I’m only on my fourth tablet of a box of 30, as you need too little. I am a bit yawn-y in the morning, but not dopey or drowsy. This drug has really worked for me."

• Mat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 2, 2020

For Anxiety "I took 15 mg of mirtazapine after dinner at 7:50 pm... fell asleep by 9 pm and tried getting up at 5 am as I had an early start. I couldn’t even sit upright, I was so drowsy with it, so I collapsed on the sofa and checked my watch, which showed a heart rate in the early 30s! It’s like a sedative. It’s now 24 hours later, and I have more or less slept all day and still feel zoned out, but recovering. Maybe my body needed the rest, but I won’t be taking the rest of the 10-day course the doc gave me."

• Unc...
• September 7, 2019

For Insomnia "Was prescribed this medication because of insomnia. Took one 15 mg pill around 10 PM, and one hour later I was badly zonked, which lasted 'til the next day in the evening. Got no significant quality sleep, and the next day I was groggy and disoriented all day. All in all, a real bad trip. Will never take this medicine again if my life depended on it. Docs who prescribe these psychoactive meds should be required to try them so they'll know what 'side effects' means."

• Med...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 27, 2012

Mirtazapine "I was having a very hard time with the anxiety of thinking something was wrong with my heart (which turned out to be nothing), when I was put on Remeron. I had virtually stopped eating, and just felt very anxious and not myself. It helped a good bit with the anxiety, but it turbocharged my appetite. Would not recommend this to anyone who is overweight, but it's great for anxiety sufferers who lose their appetite when they get anxious. It does make you very sleepy the first week or so you take it, so I would take it before bed. I didn't notice any sexual side effects though, which was another big selling point. The sedation seems stronger at lower doses, and I had some bizarre dreams at lower doses as well."

• Pen...
• June 8, 2020

For Insomnia "Well, at first I enjoyed taking mirtazapine as I have recently developed sleep anxiety and had developed a negative association with bed and going to sleep, etc. As it is soporific, it helps with sleep at lower doses. It was incredibly sedating at first, and while falling asleep was something I wanted, this made me a bit concerned about the amount of sleep I was getting. After 4-5 weeks, I had a slight increase in sleeplessness with my phased return to work in play. What I liked about this drug was initially it seemed to calm my brain activity down, which reduced my anxious thoughts; as time went on, though, and I started to build up a tolerance, I began experiencing a feeling of arousal/adrenaline in my gut, which was too distracting to aid sleep and anxiety for me."

• Amj...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 12, 2022

For Depression "This is one of the best medicines ever. Highly recommended medicine. I take mirtazapine for 8 months, and it still works great. I feel happy and think more positively. On the other side, it also makes me sleep easily and without tension. Trust me, guys, the world's best antidepressant medicine ever. Thank you to those who made this medicine for depression, it works 1000% for me. Quetiapine and mirtazapine are the world's number one medicines ever!"

• Dav...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 27, 2021

For Anxiety "Been on this for over 3 years now, and it's been good for me. I take 30 mg at night, and I sleep much better, and my anxiety is a lot lower. I used to have terrible panic attacks in public, so bad that I sometimes had to leave the store halfway through grocery shopping. So my doctor put me on this, and it's stopped the panic attacks in public places. I'm 36 now, and I wish I had found it sooner as I've had debilitating anxiety my whole life, but being a guy, I thought I would tough it out. In the end, it got too much, so I look to the future now, and so far so good on this medication. I actually live a normal life now, and I'm a more productive person. Only side effects have been a bit of weight gain and grogginess when I first wake up, but these are much better than the train wreck I was before taking this med."

• Sta...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 8, 2020

Mirtazapine for Depression "I have bipolar disorder, and during my low episodes, I experience intense anxiety, which feels all day like that feeling when you look over a huge drop (if you're scared of heights). That feeling where your heart almost jumps out of your mouth, and also with ruminating thoughts of guilt and shame (OCD-like), that are so extreme they send me into depersonalization with hallucinations. After just 1 or 2 doses of Remeron at a dose of 15 mg, during these episodes, those ruminating thoughts and anxiousness almost completely disappear. It's miraculous. They make me so numb that I feel like I could do a bungee jump and not feel anything, which at times is a lifesaver. However, that feeling of complete numbness, paired with feeling very groggy in the mornings, is what makes me come off of it when these episodes pass. Using it in this way is what works for me, although it's an off-label way of using it. With BPD, the numbness makes me split on my partner quite badly and lessens my creativity."

• Fre...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 9, 2017

For Anxiety "I started taking mirtazapine 15 mg 5 weeks ago as I was in a very bad place with pure obsessive disorder and GAD. It has been really helpful in controlling my generalized anxiety and has allowed me to enjoy my Christmas and New Year and life again. It hasn't really helped with my pure obsessional thoughts directly but has really helped lower my anxiety, which does trigger my pure obsessional thoughts, so indirectly I suppose it has made them more controllable. I've had no weight gain, and weight has remained the same throughout. The only side effects were sleepiness and drowsiness in the first week. If you are worried about gaining weight on this drug, then I suggest weighing yourself before and during taking it. I would definitely recommend it."

• Fre...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 9, 2017

For Anxiety "I started taking mirtazapine 15 mg 5 weeks ago as I was in a very bad place with pure obsessive disorder and GAD. It has been really helpful in controlling my generalized anxiety and has allowed me to enjoy my Christmas and New Year and life again. It hasn't really helped with my pure obsessional thoughts directly but has really helped lower my anxiety, which does trigger my pure obsessional thoughts, so indirectly I suppose it has made them more controllable. I've had no weight gain, and weight has remained the same throughout. The only side effects were sleepiness and drowsiness in the first week. If you are worried about gaining weight on this drug, then I suggest weighing yourself before and during taking it. I would definitely recommend it."

• Mam...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 22, 2016

For Major Depressive Disorder "I have fallen in love with this med! My cyclic depression was at an all-time high, suicidal ideation, hopelessness, severe anxiety and paranoia, insomnia, and ready to literally give up on life. I started on 15 mg for the first 2 days. It knocked me out, and I slept very well. Bad side effect was being super groggy all day long and a little foggy. Not a big change in depression until the third or fourth day. I upped the dosage to 30 mg on the third day, and after a week, I am feeling so much better! It doesn't completely knock me out right away like the first night but just makes me a little tired. I wake up ready to face the day and happy. The dreams are a little crazy, but they're kind of just like fun adventures. I recommend this drug!"

• Ano...
• August 12, 2016

For Anxiety "I've been taking these for about 6 months on 15 mg. I actually have zero to no side effects apart from the occasional morning drowsiness, but nothing to the extent that I felt in the first two weeks. I also have had minimal weight gain. I'm really petite, so I was quite worried about that side effect. I've only put on about 3 kilos, which, if anything, has made me look a lot healthier. I did lose about 1 kilo by cutting out red meat, potato, white bread, etc. I did get cravings when I was first on it, but that subsided. All I can say is that it's worth waiting it out with this drug. It brings you to a really calm place where you can beat the anxiety. It doesn't 'cure' anxiety, but with CBT exercise, I have never been in a better place."

• Pen...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 31, 2013

For Depression "After only five days on mirtazapine, I thought it was amazing. I was diagnosed with severe depression and was at breaking point. I was reluctant to start taking mirtazapine because of the negative reviews (weight gain, etc.). The first three days were awful due to the heavy sedation effect, but that wore off sooner each day, and by the fifth day, I could function normally. In fact, I felt loads happier and had tons of energy. Over the next six months, I put on a stone in weight and tried to come off it. But I felt dreadful with terrible insomnia, nausea, and depression. I went back on it after a week, having lost half a stone, and have been on it for 18 months. I did not regain the half stone I lost and have controlled my eating better."

• Chr...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 5, 2019

For Insomnia "Most nights, 15mg generally works well to put me to sleep and keep me asleep, but it's difficult to get up in the morning as I feel I can sleep the day away. When I do get up, I feel a bit dizzy and my balance isn't too good, like a drugged feeling. This effect does wear off after being up and about for an hour, plus a cup of coffee."

• big...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 23, 2015

Mirtazapine for Depression "I've been taking Remeron for a few weeks. The doctor prescribed it for major anxiety and sleeplessness, as well as depression. He also thought it would help with weight gain, which I needed. It has helped with everything but the depression. Anxiety has mostly subsided to the point where I'm not paralyzed. I have gained about 5 lbs in the past two weeks, and my sleep is uninterrupted. I was very groggy in the morning at first until 10 or 11 am, but that's gotten slightly better over time. Depression has not subsided, considering asking for something else to help with that."

• Anonymous
• June 14, 2010

Mirtazapine for Depression "Had a deep depression combined with insomnia. I was helped from the first day with Remeron, it was an incredible feeling! The side effect is increased appetite. But since I know it's a side effect, I can control it. It's better to feel hungry than to feel like the end is near... Have been on it for a month now and still fall asleep like a baby after less than 30 minutes when taking the pill. My doctor recommends that I continue with it for approximately 4 more months and then lower the dose (from 30 to 15 mg) and phase it out after a month or so. Let's see what happens, but it's really great now!"