Side-effects WITHOUT meds???

Seriously, I feel like I can't win at the moment!

I skipped the mirtazapine last night as I had an essay to write and the last thing I needed was the zombie-like sluggishness that it's been giving me. To be honest I was also getting sick of the jumpiness and constant sugar cravings (and the way these side-effects seemed to have kicked in immediately). The jumpiness was particularly getting to me - a friend of mine gave me some tracks to help with my sleep and I've really wanted to listen to them the past few nights - but every time the speaker on the cd paused even for a moment, when they resumed speaking I would "jump" (inside), and it's a lingering feeling that makes my whole head and heart feel just... not good. Same if my phone got a text - even when it was on silent, just the led suddenly flashing would trigger the same reaction.

So today I have felt pretty good, actually. I've been out, got stuff done (including the essay!) and generally feeling pretty happy with life. I haven't had the urgent need to swallow a bag of sugar (I'm only half-exaggerating ) or jumped at EVERY LITTLE THING. To be honest, by late afternoon with the exception of feeling a little tired (understandable, what with lack of sleep) I was feeling great. I've actually been thinking I should just ditch the mirtazapine - I know it's only been a week and it takes far longer than that for any noticeable effect, but the stroppy teen inside me is pointing out that for now, they're making me feel like **** with no benefit to balance it out. And after just a day without, I seem to be feeling better.

And then, suddenly, the jumpiness came back again. Just in the last couple of hours or so. It's not something I ever experienced until about a week ago when I started taking the meds, but it's really unpleasant.

A few questions buzzing round my head, then - firstly, is it normal for the side-effects to kick in this quickly? (In my case, literally the morning after taking the first tablet). And would side-effects really 'linger' after stopping the meds if I'd only been on them for a week, as I wouldn't have thought that would be long enough for any withdrawal symptoms? Is this all just in my head (no pun intended)? Am I inventing odd symptoms because of my dislike of meds in the first place? Should I go back on them? I don't have much desire to (especially because as I type this I can feel the tingling that this week has signified the start of a sugar craving) but then I think maybe I could take them only when I need to sleep at night - but then I do realise that that's not going to help matters. I guess the only real positive so far is that there's absolutely no chance of an od on these, because I have no desire to take one, let alone several!!!

Sorry I've been so full of self-absorbed posts this week. I've been a bit wrapped up in all the weird new things going on in my head and am struggling to focus on anything for too long I really am grateful for people's replies and sorry I haven't been reciprocating in kind lately

It depends on the medication.
On wikipedia, it says the mirtazapine has a half life of 20-40 hours so it may still be in your blood depending on when you last took it.

I think you should stay on it and talk to your doctor. If the jumpiness gets worse, talk to your doctor right away because you may have a uncommon side effect to the med.

I'll link you to the article on this pill:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000995/

It might help to read it to get a better understanding on why the medication is prescribed.

Thanks for the info! Interestingly, that's the only link I've come across which doesn't mention the various side-effects or the possible effects on 'manic depression'. I wonder why they're different from site to site, when essentially they're (presumably) giving the same info you get in the pack itself?

2:30am and I'm wide awake for the first time in a week. Guess I should've seen this coming, really...

I was taking mirtazapine along with Lunesta for sleep. I had the same jumpy effect. It felt like an electrical shock inside when almost anything happened. I could have my phone set to no alert and the light from an incoming text would shock me. Any change in music or even a shadow seen out of the corner of my eye would shock me. For me, it lasted for about two months then just faded away. It did start immediately after starting this drug. I told my PDoc after a few weeks and he asked if it was something I could deal with or did I want a change in meds. I just stayed on mirtazapine because I was finally sleeping.

Tell your doc. I am sure there are other options.

Is this drug metabolized through the liver? If it is, what you are experiencing may be withdrawal like symptoms, much like a hang-over after a night of drinking alcohol

Dejavu, thank you! You've just described exactly what I was attempting to put across earlier.

At the moment I think I'll take the insomnia over those sensations. It may be awful at times, but I'm used to it, whereas the 'jumping' is new and therefore seems more unpleasant.

Have felt SO MUCH BETTER today!! Particularly this evening. I still don't understand why I felt affected by the tablets so quickly, but I am definitely staying off them as compared to last week I feel bloody brilliant

Glad to hear that the effects are going away.