Mirtazapine giving increased senses

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It could. i don't know how low was low, so i assume you took something like 15mg.

The hard part is that if you're off it now, you'd have to slowly titrate up again which would contain some known bad side effects. Given that and the way the drug can work (with higher being better (or worse!)) plus that feeling more depressed was one thing you experienced, it might be easier to just try something else instead and keep it as a possibility to revisit later.

If you do retry it though, since you have experience with lower, you should be able to get an idea of its potential when higher. That is, if you're at 15, go slow and try 22.5. (Or even baby step to 18.75 for a few days, then 22.5). If all of those effects are even worse, the odds are that 30 will be too and sadly it's probably not a match for you. While if after ~2weeks, they amazingly seem a little bit lighter, 30 will probably be even better.

It also would be telling if the shingles came back.

Thanks for your reply. Yes if shingles came back it would be just awful. I liked the effect it had on social anxiety, but it is risky.
Every one I take seems to have something nasty attached.
The one now is generally ok, but it does make me feel sick at times, and if I ever drink alcohol then I am horribly sick.
No big deal about alcohol you might think, but it helps me go out and socialise. Without it, I wouldn't, just wouldn't appeal. I don't mean I am drunk when I see any friend, I mean going out out. Anyway, I may suggest a gradual higher dose and see what my doctor says, but it's not like magically knows what would work.

A short update after a week on a lower dose.

The jittery feeling disappeared immediately the day after the lowered dose. Haven't had it since.


That was immediately reduced to "I feel like stretching my legs".

I haven't noticed any change regarding my increased senses.

Good that those more annoying side-effects have gone or reduced. Is the medication working well for you overall?

Getting rid of those, has actually made it easier to tolerate my sensory issues.
Since new year, my mood has been pretty stable and I've only had one anxiety attack due to stress. I feel like I'm in a good mood, nearly all of the time - a little tired but happy.

How's it going for you?

I'm still not sure if I'm happy with them or not. Some of the irritating side-effects have settled down. I still have to sleep a lot more than usual and feel tired during the day, which I don't like at all. It helps manage a lot of my everyday anxiety, but is not so much help when I have to do new things or go through particularly stressful events. I seem to be more socially confident. It's a bit of a mixed bag.

As 100000fireflies and InsomniaGrl mentioned, it has different effects depending on dosage.
At lower doses the the sedating (histamine) effect is more dominant. And at higher doses the noradrenaline effect starts to counteract it.
I got a noticeable boost in my daily energy level and needed less sleep, when I increased the dose to 30mg.

I've been at 3/4 of the 45mg tablet for about 2 weeks now. Side effects much reduced!
Saw Dr today and finally I am getting a different drug to try (I've had a lot of side effects from Mirt but little to no positive therapeutic effect). Next is Duloxetine (sp?). I'm to ramp up the dose each week so long as no side effects and the effectiveness will be reviewed in 6 weeks time. Finally, after months of limbo, feel like something is being done to address this on going depression.

A short update on the side effects. After a few weeks at 22,5mg, these disappeared completely:
- Vivid dreams.
- The feeling to stretch my lower legs.
- Feeling every microscopic vibration (from my neighbors washing machines).

I had no withdrawal symptoms going from 30 to 22,5mg.


4 months has passed since then and I've had enough with the tiredness, bad sleep and increased senses (sound, light).
So yesterday I started the long journey to get off mirtazapine and reduced the dose to 15mg.

I just use it to fall asleep. Can't seem to relax enough to fall asleep if I don't take it. Haven't noticed any of those effects that you mentioned.

I'm glad to hear you dont have side effects.
I've always had trouble falling a sleep (brain won't shut down), and it really helps with that. I'm usually sleeping 1 1/2 hours after taking it. But I'm sleeping 12 hours every night and it feels like it's not enough!

Well, it's been a while since I've been on WP.
I tapered down the mirtazapine VERY slowly, and became depressed again, but my increased senses didn't go away. They became a bit worse as I tapered down.
So now I'm on quetiapine, and still stuck with my sensitivity to bright light and that freakin hyperactive hearing.

Now that I got rid of that horrible brainfog and tirednesss from mirtazapine, I'm totally clear in my head, but it's like my brain isn't working! Hmmm... burnout... think it's time for a new thread...

I take 45mg to help me sleep , I don't sleep without it. As for 12 hours of sleep not feeling like enough I agree , I cant remember the last time I woke up refreshed ( maybe in my teens ). I get brainfog but I think its my other meds doing that. I tried Californian Rocket Fuel ( Mirtazapine & Effexor combo ) but it didnt help.