Dangers Of Mirtazapine (Page 6)

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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Nancy - that is great about your two other cats. Keep close watch over them and document everything in case you need to bring them back to the vet. It seems to me that 1/4 tablet is too much for many cats but the vets dont seem aware. I opted for a feeding tube over these drugs in the end.

I don't want to scare anyone but my cat was never quite the same after having this drug. Yes she had a few problems but she had more afterwards. Although she didn't die immediately, there is such a thing as a drug contributing to an animal's decline.

Please keep us posted Nancy. I'd like to see possible death listed as a side effect for this drug.

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I'd like to have possible death listed as a side effect as well. I have requested that my vet report the events with my three cats to the drug manufacturer, and she said she would. Yesterday, I had sub-Q fluids administered to the other two cats to try and aid in getting the drug out of their system faster. It's day two now, and their eyes aren't dilated finally. They are acting more normal. They seem more sedated than usual, but that's a welcome relief after having them howling, pacing, disoriented, and dilated pupils.

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If you want a particular side effect listed for a product then you have to report the reaction to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate. They are responsible for doing that and without receiving the reports of the reactions that have occurred they cant change anything. Although, as mirtazapine is a human drug there is probably not much that they can do.

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My cat has some kind of undiagnosed gastrointestinal disorder. She began vomiting and avoiding water and food about 3 weeks ago. It seemed to start with her eating some dahlia leaves on my balcony. She did have one initial instance of diarrhea, but only one. I have taken her to four different vets for X-ray, blood work, urinalysis, ultrasound, all kinds of IV drugs, all to no avail. She would be fine one day, then food-aversive the next. She has lost about 10% of her body weight during this time (from 11 lbs. to 10lbs.)

I finally tried giving her 1/8 of a 15 mg tablet of Mirtazapine, prescribed by the vet, with little effect. The next vet I went to suggested I give her 1/4 of the tablet, and the effect was noticeable (administered 4 days ago). Within an hour, she was eating well and not showing any signs of indigestion. But then the vomiting and the food/water aversion slowly came back. Yesterday, she vomited twice, although her stools seemed normal.

Today, I gave her another 4/15 mg of orally administered Mirtazapine. Within half an hour she was meowing for food. I judiciously fed her t/d kibbles, 1 shrimp, and let her forage on Purina EN dry and hypoallergenic kibbles. She was quite agitated for a couple of hours, meowing and yowling a lot, although this is typical of her before and after she eats. But this was excessive meowing/yowling. Although she always purred readily when I petted her. I also gave her some catnip in a sock, which she liked, and sprayed a bit of certain type of room freshener which has always calmed her down.

Since then she has settled down significantly, and is now curled up in one of her favorite spots.

I’m taking her to the vet’s again this Saturday. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what is causing her problems, or what I can do to resolve her condition?

Thanks.

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Took my 10-year old Siamese mix to the vet today because he hasn't been eating as much and started losing weight. Waiting for the blood work to come back to say he is okay for surgery since he needs one or two teeth extracted. My vet prescribed 1/4 tablet of Mirtazapine in the meantime as an appetite stimulant. Within three hours of giving him Clintabs (antibiotic) and the Mirtazapine, he was losing his balance, agitated, pacing around in circles, eyes dilated, and meowing at me (he is not normally a big meower and the eerie meows he has just makes it more heart-wrenching). He even went after one of my other cats and tries biting me (but not breaking the skin). He is currently standing here, looking at me and meowing like I'm supposed to fix how he feels, and there is nothing I can do. I did fall asleep a little earlier but he woke me up. I'm waiting for the vet to open to take him back there and maybe they will give hiim subQ fluids to try to get this medicine out of his system.

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@Katnip: My advice is, don't repeat the Mirtazipine. You can see my experience with my cat in the previous message (105). Cats' reactions to this drugs are highly variable. SubQ fluids to flush the drugs out sounds like a good idea. Good luck with your kitty, and keep us posted.

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I just wanted to post an update on my cat (see my original post #88). I've been keeping him on the 1/8 pill for a while now, but although he's been eating quite a bit he wasn't gaining any weight. I upped his dosage to 1/4 pill (the original prescribed amount) and he was okay for a day. The next day, he spent most of the day in his enclosure outside and wasn't eating. He stumbled when he walked and I became very worried. They day after, he improved and started eating again.

At this point, I decided to take him off the pill completely. He's been eating regularly and looks like he's "filling out" a bit and looking healthier. If he stops eating again, I will try giving him 1/8 pill... but only if he hasn't eat for at least a full day.

My recommendation to anyone with a cat on Mirtazapine is to try a 1/8 dosage at first. Once they start eating again, take them off the drug or start reducing the dosage even more. I'm not a vet, but I don't think this drug is very good for cats. I do think it saved my cat's life, but I should have taken him off it much earlier than I did.

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I think giving Mirtazipine is kind of like a dose of LSD or marijuana. It affects the brain chemistry. Some people / pets are okay with it, others freak out and are never the same again. So, in my opinion, this drug is only to be administered with an abundance of caution or as a last resort when all other treatments have failed.

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I'm not a vet, so what I say (and what others say, too) should be checked out with a vet. But there are a lot of reasons a cat will not eat--although it's important to address eating issues quickly as after two days of not eating, other serious problems can ensue.

My cat is undergoing chemotherapy and is taking both prednisolone and Atopica, two very strong oral medications, so any of those three things can affect her eating and has. I have used Miratizipine successfully and it seems to have an added benefit of mood elevation (although I do understand that every cat reacts differently to different medications--mine reacted badly to an anti-nausea medicine that I stopped using immediately, for example).

One often overlooked reason for not eating is simply an upset stomach--no one wants to look at, much less eat, if his or her stomach is upset. Cats are no different. So as part of her therapy, I give her 1/4 tablet of 10 mg (original strength) Pepcid (famotidine) twice a day. I think it helps a lot, and I hope this helps you. Check with your vet, of course.

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Our 17 year old female torti has always been small. She has never been over 6 1/2 pounds and for the past year has hovered around 5.1 pounds. She has a mild heart murmer and some renal issues, however her labs are generally good. She has been prescribed mirtazapine to help stimulate her appetite, but the vet was very serious about saying it should be no more than 1/8 pill every three days. This seems pretty sensible, as the cat is pretty small. I haven't picked up the prescription yet, but will post when I have been able to observe her behavior later today or tomorrow.

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Hi! This is quite a "popular" thread. I have no idea how many will make it through all the replies to find this information, but here it goes..

I'm not a medical or veterinary professional, and unlike some people, I'm very careful about using the words "advise" or "recommend." However, I have read about and studied the effects of drugs for over 10 years.

It does appear to be clear that in the case of Mirtazapine, one has to be very careful with dosage. I've taken it; I know. I had some terrible dizzy spells, once or twice, when I was first adjusting to it.

15 milligrams is commonly the dosage -Adult Humans- are started on. Does a cat weigh 1/4 what a 150 lb human does? Almost never! The 1/16th and 1/8th dosages make much more sense. I believe the drug can be had in 7.5 mg tabs, which would make dosing easier. I can't imagine cutting a tablet into 8ths and getting an accurate dosage from that!

The side effects people describe are very familiar to me, look up "akathisia." If you've ever had it, it's as maddening as can be. Edginess, restlessness, irritability, anxiety. I have to be very careful with any anti-histamine drugs..they nearly all give it to me at a normal dose. Many antidepressants also carry this side effect. I suspect it's a major factor in this whole "risk of suicide from antidepressants" issue. If I were a cat (and cats are known for their natural wariness) I'd be scared half to death, I'm sure.

Adding benadryl would be a horrific idea, making the akathisia even worse. The people who mentioned cyproheptadine were mostly on the right track, it counters some of the neurotransmitter effects, though it also is an antihistamine.

I'm mildly disturbed that there are people giving "advice" that Capitalise Every Word In A Very Long, Rambling Paragraph. It can be taken as a sign of mental illness when someone writes so strangely, so consistently. I'm more disturbed that there may be people who will follow advice from that person. There's a lot of preaching to the choir.

People whose pets reacted badly or died are obviously going to hate the drug that, by all their observations, harmed/killed a beloved friend, the vet that rx'd it, the company that made it, etc, chiming in to further their agenda, when all they really wish for, is a chance to go back in time. I am truly sympathetic, believe me. My eyes have misted over several times, reading the thread, and writing this.

Let it be said, again..that losing a pet, or seeing them suffer, is very hard, and strikes at the core of our emotions involving mortality, and the helplessness it can engender. I can also understand feeling victimised, and going on a crusade.. I would not argue against the stance that drug companies are powerful, well connected, and hungry for profit. Often enough their tactics for making that profit are less than ethical. This does not mean that everything they sell is useless poison.

Likewise, someone who is bereaved is likely speaking wholly from emotion, and rational advice can seldom be had from that viewpoint.

The lesson, however, should be painfully clear. Be very careful with your dosages! You can always up a dosage that's ineffective, but a bad reaction takes time to recover from, and erodes trust. Use drugs that aren't formulated for animals very carefully, and use judgement to determine whether caution is even possible when you're dealing with tiny slivers of a pill.

PS: The user Forest Riggs mentioned an incident after "bombing" their house to deal with their cats' flea problem. The pesticide Permethrin acts as a nerve toxin, and is a very common household product. Cats are vulnerable to this poison, though humans and most dogs metabolise it without consequence. Adding psychoactive drugs that aren't the antidote likely makes matters worse.

What was described sounded a lot like permethrin toxicity. This stuff is the reason that many products for dogs tell you not to use them on cats. I'm horrified how few pet owners are aware of this danger. Please pass it on!

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Sorry to hear about the trauma your cat experienced. It's fortunate for your cat that you know more than your vet does and are so certain you weren't simply seeing further symptoms of what was causing your cat's appetite loss in the first place.

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My male has been on mirtazapine for over a year now. He has renal disease and hyperthyroidism. The drug helps stimulate his appetite and curb the increase in stomach acid produced as a result of the renal disease.
I give him 1/16 of a 15mg pill every week to 10 days. This is just enough to not cause any bad side effects but stimulates his appetite. I originally had him on 1/4 of a pill and he did the howling and pacing. 1/16 works great for us. He's maintained his weight very well and is a very happy boy. I'm sorry for those of you who had a bad experience with the drug but it has been a blessing for us.

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I have read/ skimmed the majority of posts here; my 'heart' and emotions swollen in both directions. I have a degree in Human Physiology and a Master's in Psychology. I have lost the majority of my family ( 4 siblings and our father) to a cancer that is obviously hereditary in nature, one by one , before I was 16yrs. of age. The devestation for my mother was and still is nearly unbearable to recall. This was in the 60's/70's-so you may be able to imagine the "treatments" that were given, often of which I also was a 'subject' because Tx is expensive and that is one way they could get people/families to consent to 'research', who were not wealthy. I still carry scars on the undersides of my arms and skull from 'tissue samples', summers spent in odd multi-leveled buildings with machines that pulled blood from your strapped-down arms , spun it around, then put it back in-if the Techs remembered you. When they didn't, there was much comotion, your face turned blue and you had to ride in a wheelchair for a week or so~to a 10yr old~I fit right in! If you are thinking where was 'Mom'-exactly where she needed and I wanted her to be-at the side of her eldest son and my brother, a beautiful young man who had been a Pro athlete-and now was wasting away, on the verge of death. My mother is one strong Lady, and maintains a strong 'faith' still. My scars ran much deeper, though I was unaware at the time.

Why the long story etc... here? Among other things, I developed an IQ of 160, and am an optomist as well as a bit of a well intentioned opportunist, at times. I have not shared the 1st part of the story for many years. I am not a 'Physician' or a 'Vet'. I became a bit of a self-styled 'doc'-I'd seen dozens, watched thier actions, the calmness or harshness of their responses/referals and studied how these were recieved by people in various emotional states. I began to know the names of various drugs and what they may or not do to/for a person. It haunts me to this day when I saw overloaded Docs administer-or not- something to a person w/out completely checking the 'notes/log' of what other things may/may not have been given. I began to understand the 'Power Structure' , infrequently and certainly not the norm, where nurses/caretakers knew better, yet were forced to silence by overstressed docs or unknowing administrative moves. I was not 'employed', yet even at 10-13 if I saw an error(at times a percieved error-not a Dr.) I felt compelled to interrupt Dr. etc. regarding intent,etc... which more often than not resulted in chastisement/dismissal......though every so often, the towering super-humans would take a knee and ask for my thoughts. A powerful lesson in human compassion and validation for me. I became a favorite of the nurses-though to my want of having a pet animal of my own, became drawn to the area of animal research. I am not here to start argument over animal rights etc.. unfortunately, some is necessary, and 90+%is humane as can be.

I became fast friends with a young woman Vet.;ok for a newly teen boy. She taught me many things; including boundries as I had a good incentive to learn. I learned that becoming a vet in many ways was more intensive and difficult than a physician-feline, canine, ovine, bovine, etc....each with a seperate 'system'; drugs used for various animals effectively can be disastrous for humans (pcp, ie..) and some human drugs the same or worse on animals--all with the added issue that as of yet , animals can't TALK, so they must diagnose through owner observation, certain tests, etc....
A half an asprin was 'ok, w/ close supervison' for pain when my 110lb. rott. broke several toes; less than 1/4 of that could very well kill my 9 lb. dacshund. I learned that these higholy educated nd rained individuals are still HUMANs. You must do research as well as pick a good provider, High emotions can cloud judgement quickly! Please use caution when making blanket statements about experiences with drugs. People can be unaware of other problems/chemical reactions or imbalances going on-then blame a certain drug. The Lady NP and Vet hubby; she had an excellent letter. Our pets are part of us and it hurts badly to see them ill or pass; do not let that get in the way of learning or educating others. Thank You. God Speed.

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I have to remind everyone who keeps posting about how great mirtazapine worked for their pet that this thread is entitled "THE DANGERS OF MIRTAZAPINE." Anyone with half a brain knows that there are side effects to drugs. This forum is clearly intended to let people know about POTENTIAL bad experiences that may occur upon administration of this drug witnessed by ACTUAL experiences our pets have been through. Then people can decide for themselves whether or not to give the drug to their pet. If anyone wants to tout the wonders of this drug, start a new thread called "The BENEFITS of mirtazapine."

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Teresa-I hope that my 'long' post did not upset you further...My point was I am (was) in the business of independant, objective, unbiased research. I understand this is a 'people's forum'; and I have witnessed this drug dispensed to humans and animals. I am not sure who titles the threads; though it would be (and I think is) a disservice to title it either "Dangers or Benefits"of a drug-especially a cross-used one as this. It would be more appropriate to say "My bad experience w/ xxxxx Drug"; as long as all variables possible were stated-in either case. I have not researched this drug-though many commonalities stated: many animals were of considerable age, had other problems and possible problems unseen, dosages were either over-prescribed or over given by well-meaning people who were in pain at watching a beloved pet suffer, possibly a non-diligent or experienced Vet.
Although I now suffer from the genetic disease I spoke of in previous post (I am 43), I also became became and was deployed as a highly trained and specialized member of an elite service team. One of my extra responsibilities was as Field Medic. Believe it or no, there were times I needed to administer to animals as well as fellow humans-sometimes all my training and knowledge I would have given for good, solid research to make my decisions off of when there was no 'manual' or CONSISTENT known dangers or benefits. I did the best I could, with what I had, until hopefully we could get to a Pro. A forum that did not list opposing experiences and (check the message lead) 'as detailed/specific as possible'-to decide for yourself what or what not to do regarding health of a pet or otherwise, based on a 'bad experience forum' - that would be one for the 'half a brainers'-IMO.

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First, to the veterinarian who posted. You could probably learn something from people who post here to do a better job in your practice.
To those of you whose cats have had reactions to mirtazapine, I will add another story. My black female cat began losing weight, dropping from about 9 pounds to 7 pounds. Blood tests appeared to indicate some episodes of renal failure initially. After I dumped my former veterinarian for incompetence, my current veterinarian suspects pancreatitis or other undisclosed diseases. Possibly caused by years of feeding grain-filled foods like SD Maintenance. We still don't know exactly what she is suffering from but the weight loss prompted a prescription of mirtazapine by the first vet, 1/4 of a 15 mg tab every 3 days. I tried it several times with negative results, ie. she vomited what little she had in her to get rid of it. Two days ago, I tried it again out of the desperation of her still not eating consistently. She became very animated, pacing back and forth across the apartment, with many trips to her food bowl for dry food and active eating of canned food, Natural Balance. It was like a miracle, she was prancing around the house, playing with her little stuffed mouses. I tried it again this morning and she vomited it up right away. So, what I'm saying is my experience is widely varying results and I wonder if technique matters, ie. is there a best way to administer to get the effect without the rejection via vomiting. Best wishes to those of you with animal companions suffering through similair conditions and I hope your animals regain some appetite. It's probably as heart-wrenching for you as it is for me to watch with my animal.
My new vet prescribed another appetite enhancer in syrup form, cyproheptadine, 2 mg/5 milliliters dosage, which I don't have any research on yet. She seems to really hate it's taste, foams at the mouth. I may try it more now that I am leery of the mirtazapine.

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@Warwalker - the message was not aimed directly at you - I've been thinking of posting this for awhlie. Every vet will tell you the wonders of mirtazapine - mine said "I have this appetite stimulating pill that works great on cats!!" None of them will tell you about POTENTIAL horror stories. So that's the purpose of forums like these are. My vet didn't even believe she was having a reaction to the med until I showed her this site. She had never heard of a reaction like this before. This is a vet at a respected animal hospital in a major city. NEVER HEARD OF THIS KIND OF REACTION BEFORE. So IMO it is up to us, as caring pet owners, to warn each other.

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I'm sorry for all those who have experienced negative side effects with mirtazapine in their cats.

My cat is only eight years old and was diagnosed with end stage kidney failure back in January. I was told that he would likely be gone in four months. He was immediately put on fluids every day along with a pill regimen consisting of three antibiotics/day, Pepcid AC 2x/day, and an antihistamine to stimulate his appetite. He looked drugged out and uncomfortable most of the time (which we now attribute to the antihistamine) and he went from 16 pounds down to about 9.5 pounds. Three weeks ago I was seriously considering euthanasia as well as looking at a site to bury him. Our vet decided to give one last try with Mirtazapine. For the past three weeks, we have been giving him 1/4 of a 15 mg tablet. The transformation for my cat has been nothing short of a miracle. From reading the previous posts, I realize that my cat could have been unlucky, but for my cat (and those of us who love him), his quality of life is back. He eats all the time (I may have to put him back on the diet that he was on before he became sick) and also wakes my daughter up every morning to go out on his leash for a walk. If your cat is truly at death's door as was mine, I think it is worth trying this medication. If I hadn't tried this medication, I would have put him to sleep to end his suffering. Now, I am hopeful that we'll have many more months of true quality time with him.

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I just gave my cat who is 20 years old and has had lower intestine cancer for 2 years. Her weight is down right now to 6.6 pounds and she has been eating and acting fine along with Reglan and predisone. So now I just gave her an 1/8 of a tablet of Mirtazapine and she is yowling and so agitated. I do not know what to do for her. If I just talk to her and hold her she will calm down for a minute then back to her food. I know this is going to be a longggg night as I will be up with her and I pray this helps and that she gets used to this medication. We try our best and hope it works. Blessings to all animals.

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