Dangers Of Mirtazapine (Page 10)

It seems to me that Mirtazapine is a potentially dangerous drug with little information known about it. My veterinarian prescribed this drug in small quantities for my cat as an appetite stimulant, so I began reading articles on the drug and its effects. Although it is supposed to be used as an antidepressant for humans, it has a wide reputation for causing suicidal tendencies in children and young adults. It causes weight gain (the side effect my vet was looking for in my cat's case). It also can cause feelings of depression, and wooziness. I spoke with a nurse who took it and she said the effects of sluggishness and dizziness lasted 2 to 3 days. It can also cause nausea and headaches. It seems to me that these side effects are anything but what a person who is already depressed should be feeling. (suicidal tendencies that they didn't originally have, feeling tired and unwell physically, and weight gain that could cause feelings of insecurity or increased depression) Giving this drug to my cat was the worst thing I ever did. About an hour after administering it to her, she began crying, looking confused, and she could not walk straight. We figured the effects would wear off, but they seemed to worsen. The next day she was holding her head down, walking in circles (trying to walk straight) and she could not focus her eyes. We brought her to the emergency animal hospital, and they called a poison center. Even the poison center had so little information on this drug (especially being prescribed to cats) that they did not know how to counteract the effects. We believe that the drug actually caused a mild stroke in our cat, and the vet said this looked like it might be the case. On top of that, it has a 72 hour half life, so we just had to wait the drug out for her to even feel better. If this drug could cause a mild stroke in my cat, I could only imagine what it could also do to a human. With so little knowledge of the effects, and such long-lasting effects, it seems to me that it is a dangerous and harmful drug for doctors to be prescribing. A few years from now, when it actually is studied more, I bet that it will be taken off the market as another one of those trial drugs that did not work out. Until then, how many people (and animals) will it harm?

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I am so sorry to all the pet owners who had horrible experiences with this drug. I was researching side effects for mirtazapine for dogs when I came across this blog. Unfortunately, we are not pet experts (even thought I try to research things as much as possible, veterinary care is complicated and we always try to make the best decision for our animals). And I am so sorry for those who lost their beloved pets. :(
I adopted my dog almost 10 years ago and from the day we adopted her she wouldn't eat anything. At first I thought it was because of the transition she had gone through from previous owner to shelter to a new home. But in time I have come to realize that Maggie has cycles of eating and cycles of anorexia. No vet has been able to give a definitive diagnosis other than GI issues that affect her stomach, liver, and small intestines. Last year, after an acute rise of her liver values and a hospital stay to get her back on track, she wouldn't eat. I asked the vet if there was some kind of appetite stimulant and he gave her mertazapine. And she began to eat! So when she has gone through these cycles over the last year, one or two doses of mertazapine have done the trick. But now she is in a cycle again and the drug has shown only moderate stimulation. Although, over these past two days, she has eaten more after 3p (I give the dose at 11am). I haven't noticed any of the side effects mentioned. Maggie is a pointer/lab mix, but her weight is now only in the upper 30's. SHe is also now 15 years old. I am hoping that her appetite kicks in soon.

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I have been given this drug and feel like death warmed up. I was taking sertraline 100mg but these were causing me to have disturbed sleep so was changed to Mitrazepine 15mg. as a type 1 diabetic and in kidney failure I am dubious about taking other meds however since taking these tablets I have not slept it is now 4am and I am wide awake, I have been to bed twice already tonight to come back down as I am just lying there and getting very restless. my GP when prescribed these also gave me chlorestrol and blood pressure medication to start a week after the mitrazepine???? they have thrown my body clock totally out as come 7am I will be shattered and then sleep until lunchtime, but when I wake up I feel as if I have been drinking all night and feel very grogy, and drowsy, as I drive for a living I am not capable of going to work and have lost time and money as self employed...no work no pay!! I am going to try and get into the gp tomorrow but totally expect to have to wait a week before I have an appointment. I have weight issues and have binge disorder so DO NOT need the weight gain many of you have discussed, I am also concerned about the comments about "cats"....is this med given to animals??? if they are having rough side effects what the hell is it doing to humans? I am really concerned about taking it now, to be honest I haven't took one today..last taken at 4pm yesterday, purely as they were given as an anti depressant to aid me sleep but as it wasn't working I thought take it earlier it may just kick in by bed time....how wrong have I been so it has been 36 hours since I last took one and still not slept!!!!! any advice would be most grateful

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Last night my 16 year old cat died and it seemed like a direct result of being given Mirtazapine. Although she's had kidney issues all of her life, her recent bloodwork had been normal for her, so we weren't entirely sure why she was starting to fade, though infection from mouth ulcers due to the dangers of dental work and anesthesia on a "kidney kitty" were definitely a factor.

The vet prescribed Mirtazapine due to appetite loss, which I had used somewhat successfully with a previous cat (albeit with the side effects of restlessness and yowling; it did help her to eat). I had given her 1/2 of a dose (1/8 of a pill) three days ago ad it seemed to help a little, so when she hadn't eaten in a full day I decided to give her a 1/4 tablet . That day she had been less active than usual and was breathing a litter harder than normal, but was responsive and seemed to be resting comfortably. She had peed on the couch a couple days before, which she had never done previously, so I suspected she was getting ready to say goodbye and I had begun contacting vets about doing an in home euthanization.

About ten minutes after giving the Mirtazapine, as we lay together on the couch, she began salivating and got up to walk to the end of the couch, barely able to balance and obviously wanting to vomit but somehow unable. Her pupils were dilated and her tail was puffed up and she staggered around the couch as I tried to guide her, falling over and getting back up. I ran to wake my husband and he got a carrier while I tried to hold her. She struggled and staggered away under a desk. When I pulled he out as gently as I could, her bladder let go. I put her in the carrier and she lay on her side, struggling to breathe. I kept my hand on her as my husband drove toward the emergency vet. Her breathing quickly turned to gasping, then she began shuddering. That soon changed to convulsing, then she went still.

She was gone. The whole episode lasted no more than five minutes. I had already accepted that it was nearly her time to go, but had expected a peaceful, compassionate passing that we planned. Instead she died in what must have been horrible pain and confusion, with my own terror and sorrow washing over her.

Was it a reaction to the Mirtazapine? I obviously can't say for sure. After reading about other people's experiences with it, I think it likely. She was in general decline but this was such a sudden an acute event and so proximal to her being given the drug. All I wanted was for her to be comfortable in her last days, but I feel like I killed her and that this is the worst thing I've ever done in my life.

The more cats I have pass away, the more it sees that they've all take dramatic downturns when more drugs or agressive therapies are introduced. I don't mean things like basic antibiotics or subcutaneous fluids, which were largely responsible for the length and quality of this kitty's life to until the end, but starting Prednisone, radioactive hyperthyroid treatment, and now Mirtazapine have all seemed like be beginning of he end for my past three cats, respectively. Of course they were already in decline. Of course they might have died sooner without those therapies. I'm just left to wonder each time I say goodbye whether I did the right things, gave them the best care I could, an whether there were ready to let go before I was. I think animals are more okay with death than we humans are, at least in Western culture, and would probably rather have a good quality of life than a long one. But then, what does "quality" mean to an animal? I don't know. I just know I didn't want her life to end like it did, and will always wonder if it could have been different.

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Sarah, I am so sorry to hear that you had this horrible experience too. There are no words to describe what you go through when you watch your beloved baby suffer in this way and die before your eyes while you feel so powerless to comfort or help in any way. As I read your post I relived what I went through with Simba - so similar to what you experienced. I know that Mirtazapine is the deadly culprit yet there seems to be little that we can do to convince the veterinarian industry of this. I have submitted a letter of complaint to the College of Veterinarians of Ontario and they have responded that they are proceeding with an investigation. They are now at the stage where they are asking the vet to respond to what they have summarized as her "treatment resulting in the suffering and death of Simba". stating that, among other reasons, she "failed to receive fully informed consent when she did not advise me of the possible side effects". I fully expect that the vet will come back with some response that will excuse her from all blame but I feel I need to keep trying to protect other people and their pets. If you (or anyone else) wishes to submit a complaint to your veterinary regulatory authority let me know and I will share what I've done so far. I am also considering going to the media at some point. I truly believe it is no coincidence that our pets have suffered similar results even though there may have been other underlying issues. I, for one, would not have taken the chance with this drug had I had any inkling that such a reaction was possible. Pet owners NEED to be informed, and that does not seem to be happening --WHY??--I don't understand. Sarah, my heart goes out to you today, the sorrow that you will feel over the coming days, weeks, months will be heart-breaking and difficult. Fortunately you will heal but I know you will miss the love you and your cherished friend shared. In time the torment of her unnecessarily painful death will be replaced by the joyful memories of your life together. It takes time and lots of emotional support. I send you big hugs and tons of empathy today as you grieve the loss of your precious baby.
Simba's mom

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I simply don't understand these tragedies. I had my almost 15 year old Bichon Frise on 5 mg. of Mirtazapine daily to improve her appetite when she was going through a serious illness. I started her on it last summer and just took her off it in January. It helped her so much and got her through a really tough period when she didn't have much of an appetite. I don't know what I would have done without this drug. She experienced absolutely no side effects, and it helped her appetite immensely. The only reason I took her off it is because her appetite returned, and I only believe an animal or person should only take a drug if they really need it. She no longer needs the Mirtazapine. I am so sorry that others have not had the same good results that I experienced with my beloved little Sheri. I do believe, however, that any drug can have serious side effects and must be used very cautiously after much consideration, research, and talking with your vet.

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Carolyn you are so fortunate that your baby did well on this drug. My concern is that many don't - that it appears to be hit and miss - and that vets don't seem to know why, and in many cases don't even know or acknowledge that it is potentially dangerous or life-threatening. When Simba died my vet said "some animals just have sensitivities", to which I responded "so which ones do and which ones don't? Are we just going to continue playing "russian roulette with them?" That's what concerns me so much - pet owners are not being warned about the side effects and risk of death. As great as it is that some animals are doing well, every time someone says their pet did well on it, it feels like another minimization or denial that there are serious risks for many pets. I'm all for the drug being used when it is safe and appropriate but for God's sake someone needs to find out what the factors are that make it unsafe. You made the comment that "any drug can have serious side effects and must be used very cautiously after much consideration, research, and talking with your vet". That is just the problem I counted on talking to my vet about it but she knew absolutely nothing about the side effects - I had to tell her what Serotonin Syndrome was and that Cyproheptadine could be used as an antidote - and even then she said that she didn't think that was correct! Will I be more cautious and do tons of research in the future? You bet I will!! But the sad fact remains that most people count on their vets to be the experts (as did I) and will assume that their own research is invalid. I am curious though Carolyn were you lucky enough to have the foresight to research the drug and know about the dangers before you gave the drug to your pet – and if so, what was the determining factor (s) to go ahead and use it in spite of the dangers?

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Amen to what you stated Simbasmom. I have my vet thinking twice about prescribing Mirtazapine. I gave it once or twice to my then 15 year old male (who is 17 now) and my once to my 9 year old female who has cancer/diabetes. They handled it okay but this drug scared me enough to research it. I will continue using Cyproheptadine as an appetite stimulant if any of my cats need it. There absolutely does need to be more research on this drug and vets need to cautiously prescribe it to their clients or not prescribe it at all until further animal research is done. It's not even FDA approved for animal use. I am glad my vet actually looked at this site and said he may not prescribe it anymore.

I am so sorry for all those who've lost their beloved pets doing what they thought was right based on their vet's prescribing this drug. Clearly it should not be used on any animal with critical illnesses.

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I also was prescribed mirtazapine for my 15 yr old 4lb feline baby. She has had adverse reactions every time I gave it to her. The first time she was jittery and shakey. The second time she went into a distressed breathing state just suddenly after having many really good days. Since distressed breathing is her major symptom of her current medical condition I didnt even think to make the connection. Today I gave her the third dose and the same thing happened. I had to take her to after hours emergency where they are convinced its not the mirtazapine. Maybe its not, but im not risking it anymore. Her heart rate is off the chart and im just hoping to make it thru the night. Im so sorry about your loss Becky and the issues that this med has caused with anyone elses Kitties. I know I need to start making preparations but I dont want to speed up the end by giving her heart failure.

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Cyproheptadine - another appetite stimulant is the antidote for mirtazipine. They counteract each other. I've found that vets tend to prescribe too high a dosage. I give my six pound cat 1/8 every other day. She is recovering from salmonella & refused to eat. Cats not eating can be deadly as the can end up with fatty liver disease. Cats (& other animals) don't necessarily metabolize things the way humans do. Raisins, macademia nuts are some things we can eat safely that dogs cannot. If your vet prescribes this, I would use the smallest possible dose to make sure. Also, cyproheptadine is also prescribed & I had another kitty who was prescribed 1 four mg tab per day. Way, way too much - luckily I knew to begin with a lower dose. She did fine on 1/4 per day. She eventually died of kidney failure but she didn't starve to death first. And that is a huge problem with cats. Always research any prescription you are given, for yourself and your pets. Doctors & vets are only human. You need to be a strong advocate for yourself and your lived ones.

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I agree with you as far as dose reduction with the Mirtazapine and Cyproheptadine too for that matter. I am a little afraid to use Mirtazapine again (even though I did use it a couple times before coming to this site without a problem). As long as Cyproheptadine works for me, I will stick to that. I give my cat 1/4 tablet of that too as 1/2 tab works way too well and makes her crazy hungry. The reduction to 1/4 tab of Cypro works very well. I don't have to give her more right away either. That 1/4 tab works well for couple days. She has low grade small intestinal lymphoma and recently came down with pancreatitis, which has cause a lack of appetite right now. So I give her the Cypro to ward off Hepatic Lipidosis (fatty liver).

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Is your cat also receiving buprenorphine? Pancreatitis is very painful. My angel Cougar had it last year. There is a wonderful group on Yahoo dedicated to feline pancreatitis and I learned a lot of good information from them. There may be a lymohoma group also.
Positive thoughts and energy to your fur-baby.

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Chellie, no my vet didn't even mention Buprenorphine (which I am using with one of my other cats mouth problem - long story - won't go into that). I may ask him about that if the pancreatitis flares up again. She is finally feeling like eat now with no extra meds promoting it, thank goodness. Will look up the yahoo group. Thank you.

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I want to be contacted. My dog died on July 3 and I believe it was from this drug.

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Every substance on the planet is harmful in the right amount. Every drug has side effects and every patient (especially one that is debilitated from other illnesses and not wanting to eat) is at risk for drug sensitivities. One cannot assume that a different species will respond to a drug the same as another; there are huge differences in metabolism between species. If you want more information about how drugs effect pets, donate money to reputable non-profit research of pharmaceuticals in pets. Lack of funding for proper research is the main reason the information is not out there. Vets are often left to trial and error of human drugs because research has not been done or is anecdotal in pets.

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My vet prescribed mirtazapine for my 16 1/2 yr old cat who has been throwing up regularly for years but began to go from 2 to 4 times a day and lost 1/2 a lb since his last trip to the vet a year ago. He had his blood drawn then and everything was normal so this time I decided I just wanted to get an anti vomiting pill to keep him comfortable. Well the vet gave me 3mg capsules of mirtazapine and some high calorie cat food.He administered the first pill and within an hour of getting home my boy got sick. I called the vet to see if I should give him another pill or not and he said to wait till the evening when he was settled down from his trauma to the clinic. He never got sick again so I decided not to give him another pill. I'm glad I didn't now that I've read some of the side effects. He didn't have any negative side effects though, his appetite is increased and he hasn't thrown up since. I'm ecstatic, he is doing very well! With several tries my husband and I gave him his second pill at 3 days but I think after reading all the input I will wait until he gets sick again before I give him a third pill since it sounds like the effects may last longer than 3 days...

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How old was your cat?

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I haven't read every post here as there are 10 pagest of posts, but I wanted to add my cat's experience to this list. Be very, very careful when using Mirtazapine for cats. It comes in a 15mg tablet, but no more than 1/8 tablet should be given. But even then, I personally believe that it's a risky drug. I know that some have had good experiences with it, but my cat didn't react well to it at all. I also believe that my vet prescribed it when it was unnecessary. And, based on all the reading I've done today, it appears that cats with liver or kidney issues (and possibly thyroid issues) should not use this drug. For some reason, my vet prescribed it even though my cat has both liver and thyroid issues.

I took him to the vet yesterday because he had not eaten for 24 hours and was sleeping all day (I have an active, older cat, so this was unusual behavior). He was not vomiting or showing any other signs of illness. Ironically, he did eat about 10 minutes before leaving for the vet, so he was clearly starting to feel better.

After examining him, the vet injected him with fluids as he seemed slighly dehydrated. Then, she sent me home with Mirtazapine broken into 1/8 tablets. I gave him a 1/8 tablet and fed him some Science Diet Prescription a/d, which he gobbled right up. That was as 12:30 yesterday afternoon.

By 8:30 last night, we were headed to the emergency room with him. He was stumbling around barely able to walk, it appeared that he was having vision issue, he could barely eat, he seemed to have problems getting his legs under him if I picked him and set him back dow, and his tongue was hanging out (prolapsed).

They concluded he was having a sedative effect from the Mirtazapine. This medicine made him worse than he was when we took him in the first place!

After much reasearch, I am at a loss as to why my vet would prescribe this particular medication when my cat wasn't vomiting, has a history of liver problems, and has hyperthyroidism. I had taken him once a few months ago with the same issues and that's when they discovered the hyperthyroidism. It was a different vet doctor that treated him at the time, and she had also given him an appetite stimulant, but it was an IV they gave him, and he had zero side effects.

Today, 18 hours after giving him the Mirtazapine, he is even worse than he was last night. Now, he just takes a couple of steps and then falls over. He went over to his litter, but was having a hard time getting in, so I helped him in. As soon as he was done urinating, he started lying down in the litter box as if he was falling asleep right there. That is not normal! I nudged him and helped him out.

It's breaking my heart to think that this is going to take 72 hours to get out of his system. Since he can't eat and he can't drink, I'm seriously considering feeding him and giving him water using a syringe (thankfully, I have several around due to his thyroid and liver medications). Hopefully, by putting something on his stomach and hydrating him, it might counter the effects of the drug. But, even if it doesn't, at least he'll be getting some nutrition.

I would recommend being extremely cautious when using this for your cat. Due to my cat's reaction, the vet at the emergency room recommended that I tell my vet to never use this drug with him again. I'm just praying he comes through this with no adverse long-term effects.

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Tonua, your story is so similar to the others here. I will never, ever use this drug again. I used it one time on my male cat and he tolerated it well but I have never given it to him again. I referred my vet to this forum & now he is hesitant to prescribe the drug. As long as Cyproheptadine is working for my cats, I will stick to that. I wanted to ask you if your vet could show you how to do subcutaneous fluid administration at home. It is very easy to do and most cats tolerate their owner administering the fluids. One of my cats is, in fact, very nervous and jumpy and even she lets me do it to her. That would hydrate your cat better than syringing water to him. Your vet should be able to show you and tell you how much and when to do it. If you decide to do it, Drs. Foster & Smith has Lactated Ringers (fluids) for $4.99 and I believe the line for it is $1.99, which is cheaper than a bag from the vet. Just Google their name for the link. Good luck with your boy. I hope by the time you read this, he has somewhat recovered. I hate this drug.

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I had been giving my 17-year old cat 1/8 of a mirtazapine about once a month to increase her appetite. I liked that it worked well and kept her eating more for three days. After doing this for appx a year, I gave it to her as usual and she began acting strange shortly afterward. The most prevalent symptom was backing up while walking. It was very strange. I started her on subq fluids and took her in to the vet the following morning. The fluids helped flush the drug from her system and she fully recovered in a couple of days. I have no idea why she suddenly was unable to handle this drug. Her bloodwork looked good and she has no lingering after effects. It's unfortunate I can no longer count on this to help her appetite. She needs to eat to keep her weight up.

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I just used this for my 13 year old spayed cat, who was losing weight over the past few months and we wanted an appetite stimulant. It essentially killed her in 18 hours. I gave it to her and she got a bit hungry. An hour later she developed diarrhea and threw up. She calmed down then & we thought it was a passing symptom. This morning she threw up 6 times and had several severe bouts of diarrhea. Took her to the vets and she was on her last leg. Her urine turned severely brown, she couldn't walk at all, could not keep down fluids and was very thin from her previous issues. She developed rapid breathing and heart irregularity. Needless to say she had to be put down.

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