Mirtazapine to help with sleep

oilovlam

Registered User
Aug 2, 2015
386
0
South East
Just started giving mum Mirtazapine to help with mum's sleep. Someone here suggested Mirtazapine could help reduce anxiety and aide sleep. However I think there are risks that need to be considered before going down this route.

I gave mum a 15mg tablet circa 6:30pm and at 8:00pm she was leaning over, staggering around the room, and bumping head first into the wall. When I did get her into bed she slept heavily and all night.

So I think that Mirtazapine (which is for depression) isn't always the answer to help with sleep. If risk of fall increases and mum were to fall and hurt herself, then any benefit would be gone instantly.

At the moment I am trying half a tablet (therefore 7.5mg) of Mirtazapine and given later (circa 8:30pm with 9pm bed time). But if she starts to show any of the same symptoms then I will have to stop the Mirtazapine.

The dementia consultant has also stopped Aricept and is thinking of starting Memantine, which will presumably have side effects too. I half wish I hadn't asked to try Mirtazapine and just stayed on what we knew. But I will keep going & see if things improve.
 

Grannie G

Volunteer Moderator
Apr 3, 2006
81,447
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Kent
My husband took Mirtazapine for depression. His sleep was irregular and wasn`t really affected by the drug. His risk of falling warranted 24/7 supervision which I made sure he had . He was never left alone for longer than it took to boil a kettle for tea.
 

oilovlam

Registered User
Aug 2, 2015
386
0
South East
My husband took Mirtazapine for depression. His sleep was irregular and wasn`t really affected by the drug. His risk of falling warranted 24/7 supervision which I made sure he had . He was never left alone for longer than it took to boil a kettle for tea.

Was the risk of fall linked to the Mirtazapine or made worse by it?

It only takes a split second for someone to fall....it is impossible to stop falls. It is more a case of limiting the risk....trip hazards etc. If Mirtazapine increases that risk then I may have to stop it. Same with Zopiclone (which really is for sleep), which the GP didn't want to prescribe because of the increased fall risk.
 

la lucia

Registered User
Jul 3, 2011
592
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I'm assuming that the Mirtazapine was prescribed for night time agitation and not just sleep problems? It's not a sleeping medication as such. Sleep is just a side effect of certain dose levels.

My mother is on it and we don't have these problems. I give it to her just before she goes to bed literally half to quarter of an hour before. She seems to need about 9/10 hours sleep and she's not drowsy the next day.

She had quite extreme night time agitation previously, waking every 10 minutes sometimes, and deep sleep in between. Literally the minute her head hit the pillow she'd be asleep. But in between she would get very agitated, argue the toss, try and get dressed and when previously mobile would shove all the furniture against the curtains after bull dog clipping them...

It's not a drug that you can just up/down the dosage because as I understand it, it works via brain receptors. Different doses affect different receptors. That's why increasing the dose beyond a certain point can have the opposite effect. That's what my mother's consultant explained to me.
 

Grannie G

Volunteer Moderator
Apr 3, 2006
81,447
0
Kent
Was the risk of fall linked to the Mirtazapine or made worse by it?

It only takes a split second for someone to fall....it is impossible to stop falls. It is more a case of limiting the risk....trip hazards etc. If Mirtazapine increases that risk then I may have to stop it. Same with Zopiclone (which really is for sleep), which the GP didn't want to prescribe because of the increased fall risk.

With me it was about the lesser of two evils and quality of life. My husband was in deep depression and fear throughout the course of his dementia. The drugs he took reduced this depression and fear, only slightly but it was the best we could do. At least we had some lighter moments when we could go out for lunch or to the sea front, or sit in a relaxed mood listening to music.

There are side effects to every drug but we have to do our best to help our people with dementia who suffer to get the best out of life they can. Any drug which sedates in any way can cause the risk of a succeptability to falls. Having a fall is not the worst threat and it can be avoided as far as possible by close supervision.
 
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PianoMike

Registered User
Mar 18, 2017
31
0
Hull
Dad developed an out-of-control walk with Mirtazipine. He slept sound but after being in the car for half an hour, he would get out, walk and go diagonally and fast until it resulted in fall.

He's now on nothibg
 

tryingmybest

Registered User
May 22, 2015
638
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My Mum, who lives with me, was given it to lift her mood and increase her appetite as she's scarcely been eating since November. Within a few hours of taking it, she became aggressive (She's usually so placid) and falling about and lost the use of her legs so I didn't give her anymore.
 

Quizbunny

Registered User
Nov 20, 2011
156
0
Mum was prescribed Mirtazapine as she was agitated, refused to get out of bed and wouldn't eat. All of these symptoms have been reversed and she is happier than she has been for quite some time. She has had a number of falls but she had those before starting the medication as well.

I think it just goes to show that what suits one does not suit all.
 

Raggedrobin

Registered User
Jan 20, 2014
1,425
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The psychiatrist who prescribed Mum mirtazipane said that you had to give it at least a couple of weeks and that sometimes symptoms can get worse before they improve.
 

cuppatea

Registered User
Oct 28, 2016
417
0
South Wales
I take it without problems lowest dose. It was prescribed for anxiety but helped me sleep when I was tossing and turning all night. I wait till I'm in bed to take it and there's no effect on me the next day. I was worried about having to get up in the night to see to OH when he came home but it's OK. HTH.

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SEASHELL

Account on hold
Sep 2, 2009
82
0
One of the drugs my mother was prescribed. I don't know if she's still on it as the doctors (who I have absolutely no respect for) won't now tell me what's she's on as previous drugs have been shown to give her problems. I suspect this drug has been making her more agitated at night. My mother has never been a depressive person yet this seems to be one of the standard drugs some of these doctors prescribe.
 

oilovlam

Registered User
Aug 2, 2015
386
0
South East
The psychiatrist who prescribed Mum mirtazipane said that you had to give it at least a couple of weeks and that sometimes symptoms can get worse before they improve.

I will continue to give mum half dose (7.5mg) for a while because I expect the body has to get used to the drug. Although every change now gets blamed by me on this drug and it might be just a coincidence. Her head seems to have dropped and she is bashing it on things that she wasn't before.

Also she had three big bowel movements yesterday (where does it all come from?) and I blame Mirtazapine when I probably shouldn't.
 

istherelight?

Registered User
Feb 15, 2017
128
0
Hello, oilovlam

My Mum was started on Mirtazapine this week for anxiety and depression. Four days in and the CH just phoned to say she's had a fall. Am now going over to see her but have a feeling that these events are related!


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