Mirtazapine and Vivid Dreams: What Users Say

• Pau...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 25, 2020

For Anxiety "After reading the comments, I thought I would share my experience of mirtazapine. After suffering from anxiety and panic attacks, I finally went to the doctor and was prescribed antidepressants - I think they were citalopram, not sure of the name, but they made me worse. I was then prescribed mirtazapine, they took a good few weeks to kick in. I've been taking 15mg for nearly 2 years now and feel miles better in myself. I am now able to go to the shops on my own, get a bus alone, and even got a full-time job. Here comes the downside: I've put a stone and a half on, gone from 9 and a half to 11. The actual drug doesn't make you gain weight, it's the food you crave. So I'm determined to try and combat that with a healthier diet. She says haha...also, the dreams are horrendous, and it does take me a good hour to come round when I get up. Saying this but it is all worthwhile as I now feel I have my life back. I hope this helps. Keep at it as it will be worthwhile in the end. Wishing you all well, Paula x"

• cfa...
• June 3, 2019

Mirtazapine for Depression "I NEVER REALIZED HOW BAD I WAS UNTIL I STARTED FEELING GOOD AGAIN!! Remeron has changed my life. I had anxiety and depression, and I had tried Zoloft, Buspar, Wellbutrin, and am on Lexapro still. Some of my worst anxiety symptoms were nausea, lack of appetite, and vivid dreams. I am currently on Lexapro 15 mg with 7.5 mg Remeron that I started a little over a week ago. I was scared to try it because I am sensitive to medication changes, but the first night I slept amazingly, fell asleep easily, and woke up with a quiet mind. I still had vivid dreams, but I did not have an anxiety-producing reaction. I was scared I would never find an answer to my anxiety disorder, which resulted in depression as well. Highly recommended if dealing with insomnia, vivid dreams, and lack of appetite. I did not have any weight gain but did have food cravings for the first day or so, but other than that, this drug was side effect-free. The weight has finally been lifted off my shoulders, and the mind is much quieter."

• Coc...
• February 19, 2020

Mirtazapine for Depression "I was taking mirtazapine for around a year and had I been in a better space I would have gotten off it as soon as I realized it was causing certain effects on me. Minor side effects: sluggishness, major weight gain. I was prescribed this medication due to having poor sleep, but it made me have vivid awful dreams - sleep paralysis multiple times a night. I used to sleep for 14+ hours, usually in the day due to being worried about falling asleep for the nightmares. It caused me to miss lots of university - I was so tired and drowsy I could not physically get up. I wish I had been able to understand the effect it was having on my body and stop them sooner. I was severely suicidal. I made plans almost daily, even walking to the shop I thought about walking in front of buses. It was a truly awful time in my life, made worse by a medication which did not suit me. I’m glad it has worked for some, but if anyone I knew personally were to tell me they were taking it, I would advise them not to."

• nic...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 15, 2014

For Anxiety "After being prescribed Zoloft, Lexapro, etc., over the past 5 years for my 'anxiety', I finally found this medication actually chills my constant anxiety. Mind you, I have never been depressed. I take it at night before bed (15 mg), and it slowly puts me to sleep, unlike Ambien. I do have vivid dreams but I wake up feeling well-rested and with energy. Unlike Ambien, which stayed with me the next day and zapped my energy. I say, please give this a try for your anxiety. If you are more depressed, you might need another medicine. I found all the antidepressants I've tried for my anxiety make me more anxious and, oddly, depressed. I hope this helps those with mild to moderate anxiety, as it did for myself."

• mar...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• September 20, 2021

For Anxiety "In 2009, I had a severe anxiety attack with increased symptoms over the next year. My family doctor tried so many anti-anxiety/depression medications, none of which worked. I wasn't sleeping, and thus began with my downward spiral. I live in Canada, and Mirtazapine/Remeron was very new, so no doctor was prescribing it. Things got so bad with me that my husband decided to admit me to a clinic in Arizona. That's where I was started on Mirtazapine. When I first started it, I had such bizarre dreams but had the best sleep I had had in over a year. Because of the medication's sedative effect, it did calm me and helped me to sleep, which was exactly what I needed. Once I was able to sleep, it was easier for me to deal with the anxiety attacks - which were not as severe after that. I did have to slowly decrease the dosage, and now take 15mg one night and 30 mg the next. I can honestly say that Mirtazapine saved my life. No other antidepressant/anti-medication helped, and I tried a lot."

• Spr...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 9, 2020

For Insomnia "Yeah, I take mirtazapine for depression. It knocks me out every night (my dose is 45mg), but all night my brain is racing with weird dreams. I wake up, it feels like I haven't slept at all. I can sleep for 12 hours + easily and feel like rubbish when I get out of bed. I don't know if it's done anything for my depression/anxiety because I've been on them for a while. I take them with 30mg of diazepam a day. Yeah, I'm a total zombie. I always used to be slim, now I'm really bloated. I think they make you crave sugar. I regret starting taking them, definitely. Stay away if you can."

• Anonymous
• September 15, 2011

Mirtazapine for Anxiety "After 4 LONG years of 'experimenting' with Lexapro, Paxil, and benzos on and off with my regular MD, I decided to see a Psychiatrist that's very popular in my city. I told him my symptoms and that I was also going through Ativan tolerance withdrawal. He prescribed me Remeron and agreed to wean me off the Ativan properly. I don't know why my regular MD didn't try this miracle medicine on me! GRR!! This changed me overnight. It has STOPPED my nervous stomach and I'm eating again. I sleep well too. A few side effects would be the flashing lights you see when you close your eyes the 1st night I took it, and restless legs and vivid dreams but those are slowly disappearing. This medicine has helped me drastically."

• Nev...
• May 14, 2020

Mirtazapine for Depression "I literally split a 15mg down to into 8ths because my body is so sensitive. Wow... I have been out of it for DAYS. I cannot stop sleeping. Put me in a horrible weird state like I don't know what's going on or like I'm truly awake. Just feel 'out of it'... Off of a sliver! I have read contradictory things about dosing. I would indeed say and agree with that the lower doses are VERY sedating. Very weirdly vivid (not nightmarish) dreams... I had a gene test done and this medication was on my 'lower doses maybe be required'. I can't even imagine what a high dose would do! This is completely staying on my 'NO!' list! Be careful of this medication because it is POWERFUL. I feel like I've just been high for days. Like I've just been smoking the most dank weed and I've just been stuck in this high. When I wake up, I feel like I'm manic, like I just have a huge rush of anxiety. I wanted to try this because I am experiencing 'heartburn' like chest pain that isn't acid-related at all."

• Pun...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 26, 2013

For Anxiety "This medicine has been awesome for me. Depression and anxiety seemed to just go away after about a month. I started on 7.5mg then slowly went up to 30mg. Don't mix with alcohol. And being a writer...the dreams (very vivid) are inspiring and wonderful to experience."

• Emi...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 19, 2019

For Anxiety "Had moderate anxiety with horrible hour-long panic attacks, no sleep nor eating. After I started taking the pills, I felt super relaxed, and the first week I slept 18 hours a day (which was needed). Felt the side effects of feeling dizzy and the entire room spinning the first week, but definitely worth it. Now I experience higher appetite (which is positive for me since I lost a lot of weight before treatment) and I have vivid dreams and nightmares once in a while. These pills made me positive and optimistic about life again and definitely changed my life for the better. Used to have intrusive thoughts, bad anxiety, and when I didn't have a panic attack, I was just worried about when the next one was going to hit! The pills stopped my over-worrying and (combined with therapy) made me less harsh on myself. All of this is based on the Danish health system, which is pretty highly ranked worldwide, so I consider the drug to be one of the better options."

• Mik...
• June 15, 2013

For Anxiety "Only been on 15 mg for a week now and just upped to 30mg. Warning: do not mix this with alcohol when you first start, you will not be able to walk. Take this at night. Fantastic sleep aid and WOW, such vivid, crazy, and wonderful dreams. For me, so far 10 times better than any SSRI antidepressant. I've probably been taking anxiety medicine for the last 6 years. This medicine should be first-line prescription when anxiety is presented. Also, taking 300 mg pregabalin at the moment, once a day, which I quite like. I'll rate again in a month or two, but for now it's a definite 10!"

• Try...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 18, 2020

Mirtazapine for Depression "I was feeling very depressed three years ago, and I've always suffered from anxiety. I tried other antidepressants, but the side effects were horrendous, so I started on 15 mg Mirtazapine. They started to work after a few days. I felt calm, and my anxiety reduced hugely, I also slept very well. They will give you very vivid dreams. After a few weeks, I started feeling anxious/agitated during the day, so I popped another pill, and that did the trick after an hour. The doctor upped my dose then to 30 mg, and they worked great at night. However, I felt very anxious in the morning, so the doctor very unusually, apparently, prescribed 15 mg for the morning, that really did the trick. Fast forward three years, I'm still on the 45 mg, and they still help me sleep. My mood, however, is a little on the low side, anxiety is quite bad. In a nutshell, they work less and less the longer you are on them. I'm now thinking of tapering off them and trying some talking therapy, even if I am a little skeptical of the value of doing so."

• Tru...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 26, 2018

Mirtazapine for Major Depressive Disorder "Literally a lifesaver. I have been on every antidepressant known to man, and I thought they were all a joke. They never worked. I ended up in a behavioral health facility for 2 weeks because of a major depressive episode and constant thoughts of suicide. They gave me this medication, and I stuck with it. Initially, it will make you sleepy and crave food like crazy. You will also have crazy dreams. This will pass in time. I haven’t fallen into a depression in over 3 years now, which is a record. I have recently lost my job because of a different medical condition. I am on food stamps and might have to sell my home, but amazingly it's no big deal to me. Remeron and other forms of therapy have changed my whole outlook on life. If anyone has tried every medication and it hasn’t worked, give this one a try. The only downside at this point I can think of is sometimes when you want to feel down or depressed (I know it sounds weird), you are not able to."

• sca...
• August 1, 2013

Mirtazapine for Depression "I have been prescribed Remeron for about 8 months now and it is a miracle. It not only helped me put on weight when I needed to because I have lost so much from all the anxiety, it also gave me an amazing night's sleep every night. Yeah, it does give you some crazy dreams sometimes and you might gain a few pounds, but your quality of life is so much better. I was so happy the next day when I woke up. I finally felt like I figured it out. I say yes to the Remeron Cycle."

• Anonymous
• June 5, 2024

For Insomnia "I was placed on 30 mg to start. Big mistake! Bad dreams, sweating through the sheets, a zombie! Cut back to 7.5 mg and went to sleep peacefully for 8 hours, but woke up groggy. Will be reducing the drug to 2.5 mg and expect to have a 'perfect 8 hours of sleep'. I am a 100 lb female with low drug tolerance."

• LAD...
• February 21, 2016

For Insomnia "Taking 7.5mg, started one month ago. I was very nervous about taking my first dose, but it's improved my quality of life dramatically. I sleep around 2 hours after dosing, so I take it at about 8 pm. I do experience some rather odd dreams, which I find interesting rather than unpleasant, zero weight gain thus far. To anyone suffering from insomnia, don't be scared of this drug, it feels like a very natural sleep/tiredness feeling at 7.5mg."

• Osc...
• March 24, 2015

For Insomnia "I have been on mirtazapine for just over a month. Like others here, I had trouble sleeping - only a few hours a night. This became unbearable, and I couldn't function in my work or daily life. I was tearful and miserable. I went to my doctor, explained the situation. I didn't want antidepressants as I tried them before with dreadful side effects. Long story short, I relented and thought I'd try mirtazapine for a week. I'm now into my 5th week and sleeping well most nights. I have a few night sweats and some weird dreams, but I'm starting to feel human again."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 15, 2021

For Insomnia "I was prescribed APO-MIRTAZAPINE 15 mg at night this week. I took one quarter of the tablet last night, and my night was spent waking continuously after dreaming that cockroaches were all over my body. The dreams felt so real that they were terrifying. I was scared to go back to sleep. I'm reading a lot of positive comments, but I am scared to take this again. Did anyone else have this sort of reaction on commencement of the drug?"

• G-D...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 20, 2017

Mirtazapine for Major Depressive Disorder "This medicine is a godsend. Being 100% honest, I didn't like it because of the vivid nightmares, but they do stop with continued usage. Don't give up too soon. The vivid nightmares stopped after my 5th day of taking this drug. Now, 2 weeks later, my nightmares are gone and I have normal dreams that don't involve death, violence, or carnage. I sleep well and awaken rested. Some days there is a little grogginess in the morning, but it wears off as you start moving. A cup of coffee helps as well. My appetite has increased, and several people complain of weight gain. You will gain too much weight if you stay sedentary. I started lifting weights and doing planks and push-ups. That keeps the weight gain at bay."

• hen...
• June 8, 2014

For Insomnia "I had chronic insomnia due to massive anxiety. I'm now on mirtazapine 30mg and olanzapine 5mg. It fixed my problem from the first day. I'm now sleeping well (the only negative is that every night I see dreams). I also wake up like a normal human. My anxiety is okay, but it's not all gone. Perhaps I need more time. So, I guess 9 stars is a good rating!"

• sle...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 25, 2013

For Insomnia "I love Remeron so far. I have been on so many sleeping pills since I began to have terrible insomnia 3 years ago. I was taking Seroquel at 50 mg but it took forever to put me to sleep and made me foggy during the day. I switched to Remeron 15 mg two months ago, and it works a lot better. It will make you hungry after you take it and you will feel foggy the first couple weeks, so tell your doc to start you off slow, maybe 7.5 mg at first. I have had a few pounds put on me but I am eating more and I stopped exercising, so that might be it. On Seroquel I tried to eat healthier and exercise and I gained 12 pounds on it anyways. Remeron works way better and helps with depression and anxiety too, it also gives me very vivid dreams."

• Lus...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 20, 2014

For Insomnia "I started taking mirtazapine steadily for a few months. I commute to work, a.k.a. sleeping on the train. When I woke up, I was totally confused as to where I was, if I had already been at work, or if I was heading to work, and whatnot. That was a constant for the time I was on it. I stopped taking it cold turkey, it worked fine. But the thing you guys should be aware of is that it’s like putting a blanket over your brain the first few weeks. I got jumpy, skittish, and in general grumpy/aggressive. If I take one now, I can easily sleep for three days straight. So, I keep a stash when I need a break from the world and just sleep it all away. Also, be aware of extremely vivid dreams."

• 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."

• tit...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 25, 2015

For Insomnia "Had panic attacks and depression, loss of appetite, and trouble sleeping with Restoril and other sleep aids. The Remeron works OK, after a few initial nights of being wide awake for 2-3 hours after bedtime. Now, on 15 mg, it seems I can fall asleep within 60-90 minutes, but wake up after 2-3 hours. However, I can fall back asleep easily. I have no complaints, but I usually get the weirdest dreams - nothing catastrophic, but just plain unreal. It is just where my brain gets this from is a mystery. I can't imagine where my brain dreams up (no pun intended) these situations. I've even tried cutting the 15 mg in half, which seems to work as well as 15 mg."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 17, 2012

For Anxiety "I was prescribed this by my new doctor for severe anxiety and resultant depression of two years. Sleep had been disturbed and appetite was very low. I had lost 12 kg (63 to 51) in two years and was not myself. I have been taking it for 8 days and I am feeling better, eating and looking forward to my future again. I take it before I sleep - sleep is sound but vivid dreams (not bad, just stranger than usual). This is okay as previously I had very distressing dreams. It has not affected my libido as the SSRI I tried last year did. Feeling more positive and relaxed on Mirtazapine."