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Question Switching to Vortioxetine soon - anything I need to know?

S

s_still_here

I'm currently on Mirtazapine and Lithium for treatment-resistant depression and severe anxiety (maybe other undiagnosed stuff too). I recently had a medication review with a psychiatrist following a year or so switching back and forth between extreme mood changes. He wants to switch out my Mirtazapine for Vortioxetine to see if I experience any improvement.

I know everyone responds differently, but has anybody tried Vortioxetine and can offer words of advice? Stuff you wish someone had told you perhaps?

Thanks!
 
What is this medicine suppose to do for you if i may ask, what did your doctor give it to you for. reason i am asking is i have never heard of that for Bipolar, i take lithium which is a very heavy drug but i have to have other medications to level it off and not everyone responds the same to it that is why i am asking did you ask your doctor about it. Are you having side effects from it?
 
Hi, I'm new to the forum - from Elefriends and Side By Side also as Lost Cloud.

I am on Vortioxetine for treatment resistant depression and anxiety. I was on just 5mg for three months because I'm very sensitive to meds, but then increased to 10mg per day and felt an improvement of 'calmness' after a month or two. There are fewer side effects than most antidepressants, but it did give me nausea for the first hour after taking - so drink a glass of water with it. Also felt giddy for a bit, and had minor nagging headache. Also body itching/hives because I reacted to it, but an antihistamin eased that. The side effects did settle down after a few weeks, and I think it is helping me feel less stressed about life, and more able to focus to get things done.
I have been on Mirtazapine many years ago but it sedated me far too much and didn't improve my mood. I came off Mirtazapine slowly over a month of dose reduction but it still gave me muscle cramps, so take the reduction gently.


I hope this helps.
 
Thank you @Lost Cloud that's really helpful, and handy that you have a similar diagnosis and did the same transition I am currently embarking on.

I've only on my second day of reducing gradually down from 45mg - although I'm just splitting my 45mg tablets in half, rather than going down to 30mg because I haven't been mentally well enough to go to the pharmacy and pick up the smaller doses.
 
I hope you feel able to go to the chemist and collect your lower dose prescription, or perhaps arrange for a delivery service.
I reduced over 4 weeks from Mirtazapine 45 to 30 over two weeks, 30 for 1 week then if I recall, I halved a 30 tablet for the last week. I did feel withdrawal symptoms, but this was 3 years ago so I can't remember exactly to give you more details.
I didn't change from Mirtazapine to Vortioxetine - there were a few other meds tried inbetween, but Vortioxetine has so far been much easier for me to manage. I began on Vortioxetine in April 2020, and increased to 10mg in July 2020. I only felt an improvement in my mood around late August. I really hope it is a positive change in medication for you. All the best with your tapering of Mirtazapine. Try to think how this could be a change for the better, and a way forward to recovering a better quality of life.
 
That's really encouraging though that you are able to identify any form of improvement after a few months. My problem is my mood being consistently flat, intercurrent with dips where I'm severely worse - so even if I can cut out those dips that will be considered an improvement.

Struggling with insomnia the last few nights though, but I don't think it's related to the reduction (what with Mirtazapine having a sedative effect) as it started happening before I reduced. Probably just everything going on at the moment.

Thank you :)
 
I take Mirtazapine for Depression and Anxiety. Take 45mg at bed time, but I have had a "fuzzy head" since starting it three months ago, think I am going to request a change too.

Have you changed to your new medication yet?
 
Lee said:
I take Mirtazapine for Depression and Anxiety. Take 45mg at bed time, but I have had a "fuzzy head" since starting it three months ago, think I am going to request a change too.

Have you changed to your new medication yet?
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I used to be on Mirtazapine and I always felt like a zombie.
 
I've been on Mirtazapine for over a year now (I think). Do you mean where you can't quite focus/concentrate on anything or remember details of things? I do suffer really badly with that but I had always linked it to my Lithium, but it's entirely possible it's linked to the Mirtazapine instead - maybe to do with its sedative qualities. I'm out of work so I've just sort of made do with it even though it's horrible, but I'm making huge mistakes when typing long messages or blogging that I never would have made before the brain fog. My proof reading skills are all gone. If it's affecting your daily life, work, etc then you should definitely look into changing until you find something that does work for you.
 
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Me again!

Started the 5mg Vortioxetine at the beginning of January and moved up to 10mg a couple of weeks ago. For the last week or so, I've been suffering from really bad headaches and neckache (base of my skull down to my shoulder muscles). I'm not really sure what the cause of this is, but was wondering if it sounds like a familiar sound effect to anybody else? It's getting unbearable if I'm honest, costing me a fortune in painkillers, Deep Heat, Tiger Balm, heat packs, massage tools, etc... none of it is working, and it's constant!

We also changed our mattress around the same time, and my usual pillow is at a different height as a result, so it could possibly be linked to my body adjusting to the new layout. I do struggle with pain on a daily basis anyway, but it's never quite to this extent where nothing eases it at all.

Thanks if anyone has any suggestions :)
 
s_still_here said:
Me again!

Started the 5mg Vortioxetine at the beginning of January and moved up to 10mg a couple of weeks ago. For the last week or so, I've been suffering from really bad headaches and neckache (base of my skull down to my shoulder muscles). I'm not really sure what the cause of this is, but was wondering if it sounds like a familiar sound effect to anybody else? It's getting unbearable if I'm honest, costing me a fortune in painkillers, Deep Heat, Tiger Balm, heat packs, massage tools, etc... none of it is working, and it's constant!

We also changed our mattress around the same time, and my usual pillow is at a different height as a result, so it could possibly be linked to my body adjusting to the new layout. I do struggle with pain on a daily basis anyway, but it's never quite to this extent where nothing eases it at all.

Thanks if anyone has any suggestions :)
Click to expand...
It could be your mattress but I would mention it to your GP.
 
HI I am not new, but i do understand your concern about the medicine you will be changing too , I also take lithium as well. I would really review it with your dr, like you said everyone is different, I would probably read a little about the medication so if you have any questions, you can mention your concern to them, i am in the midst of changing my Lithium and have tried at the least 5 different meds, I don't want you to be scared of any of this either, Ask your Dr why they are giving it to you, I am on 10 different medications,, you will know if your body will adhere to it, you won't really get side effects from it. I don't know why your dr is changing your meds, but i would ask them. When i was in a treatment center for bipolar anxiety and more I was on Seroquel, when we would go to get our meds, no one but me could take Seroquel, so just be careful, side effects are different on everyone. If you feel the way these people did, that is not a good side effect and should talk to your dr. Good Luck
 
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