Dangers Of Mirtazapine (Page 21) (Top voted first)

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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Thank u for this info.

I am a psychologist, & over the years, several of my clients w refractory depression have been prescribed mirtazapine (Remeron). They all put on a significant amount of weight, but no one's depression seemed to remit at all.

I have also had myriad cats on this drug (when cyproheptadine failed to boost their appetite). Fortunately, they did not seem to experience what ur cat went thru, but the medication did nothing to increase their appetite. It sounds like u love ur cat a lot, & I'm sorry u & she had to go thru that.

Incidentally, what HAS worked as an appetite stimulant w 2 of my cats (w hyperthyroidism, tho that is perhaps irrelevant) is prednisolone (1.25 mg BID). Obviously, I have no idea what else is/was going on w your kitty other than inappetance, but it might b worth a conversation w ur vet(s), at least (some vets seem to fairly adamantly oppose pred for fear of diabetes).

In any event, I hope your cat is better -- or at least stable -- & I wish the two of u absolutely the best.

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Becky, I just stumbled on your post today, after my cat has had a bad reaction to an antibiotic (in our case, ClindaCure) for nasal infection of unknown cause and stopped eating, so she was prescribed 1/4 pill of Mirtazapine. The vet administered it herself, before I had a chance to research it. I'm HORRIFIED that your poor cat was given an entire pill and am SO sorry for everything that happened to you and your cat. I know that awful feeling of grief and sorrow and guilt, wishing you could turn back time and have a do-over. I'm so, so sorry. I'm still hoping my girl will pull thru and be somewhat back to normal. Thank you for posting your experience & helping others learn from it. <3

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I am glad, I think, to have found this post. I had a 17 year old kitty whom I had loved and cared for since she was a kitten. She was diagnosed with Hyperthyroid several years ago and we had been managing it well with pills. About 6 months ago she began to fight with me on the pill so after a bit we moved to a transdermal gel which I could rub on her inner ear flap. This was great and less stressful however it took us almost this past six months to find a therapeutic level for her. As a result she had been steadily losing weight. The vets had administered mirtazapine to her once a few months back when she had an infection in her gums (too old to have her teeth cleaned as they were concerned she would not come out of the anesthia) and resluted in her losing her appetite. They gave me more to give her (1/4 pill every three days) but she never needed it again. On Chistmas Eve (just over a week ago) I had spoken to her vet who suggested I give her a 1/4 tab that I had to stimulate her appetite as whereas she is finally at a therapeutic dose for her thyroid medication, she had lost a lot of weight in getting there. I gave her the pill after getting off the phone with the vet and within minutes she was yowling and throwing up. Within a half an hour she had an "episode" of some sort which if I had to guess it was a seizure/stroke??. Within another half an hour she had another one. I had talked to the vet after the first episode who said it didn't sound like the medication but cautioned to not give it to her again despite the likelihood she threw most of it up. I gave her the day to try to recover. She was sluggish, whiney and yowly at times. She moved very little and was not appearing comfortable at all. Her pupils were dialated and she seemed very weak. Her left side was barely working and her hindquarters especially. I offered her water and she showed interest, tried to sit up but wobbled and just laid back down, wherever she laneded, she did not have the strength to position herself so she was at the mercy of gravity. By 10pm that night I called the vets as I was concerned she was in pain and giving up hope she just needed to recover. Long story, not so short, I ended up making the decision to let her go. The vet discovered she was blind and/or brain damaged and confirmed she was in a lot of pain. She suggested it could be from the medication and they could keep her comfortable for the night to see what the next day brought but I couldn't bare the thought of her being in pain for another minute. there had also been indication of the possibility of cancer in past blood screenings so I really had no idea what I was up against, but my gut told me it wasn't good. This was not a clear cut decision on my part and was much more difficult than a past decision that was pretty black and white. I am greatful for finding this post as people have described exactly what I expereinced with her. I am discomforted in learning that maybe I should have given her a day to recover. I don't blame the vets, they were only doing what they thought would be helpful and the medication, if fact, had been in the past. I do find myself second guessing my decision, but I have to remind myself that she had a great life and we had a great one together. And now she is over the Rainbow Bridge where she can hear and see again and is spending lazy hunting days for the rest of eternity.

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I was prescribed this for my depression. I took it for a week and was terrified at my insane rage, feeling like I wanted to kill people for looking at me wrongly. I had slight insomnia before, but after taking it, was lucky if I managed 2 hours a night. I trembled and shook, was completely spaced out and sat for hours slack jawed and drooling. I suffered terrifying blacked out moments. I stopped taking it. 48 hours in and I still shake, have heart palpitations and am slightly zombified, but feeling calmer. I have also stopped gorging on food. I ate the cupboard bare. A month's worth of snacks went in 2 days!!! I was prescribed this poison by a doctor I'd never met before, who never looked at my medical notes and never explained any of the side effects or had a discussion with me to ensure it was the correct drug for me.Never again!

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With a cat with kidney disease, you want a low protein diet. Although, my baby hated all the special foods. Low protein for kidney disease...

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There r no studies that support low protein is best for CKD in cats ,, but low protein diets will cause muscle wasting . I will not put my cat on low protein diet , her rentals continue to be in normal range and her internal doc says she looks great

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Do your research and you will find out . I've researched for many many months , good I did or my cat would Not be alive now ..

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Cats need protein (a fact ) but CKF cats need good quality meat , not meat by products .. Organic is very good , also should be grain free or can give raw cat food found in frig at pet stores( my cat wouldn't eat it ), or there r many recipes online to make your own cat food .. But limiting protein does result in muscle wasting . Be an advocate for your cat and Research !!!! Vets don't know everything and consult internist and do research themselves but to what degree depends on the vet ..

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our 3 yr old cat was lethagic, not eating or drinking, and not playing with our other
cats, as she normally did. We went to the vet with her, blood tests did not show
anything unusual. The vet gave us mirtazapine. 1/4 tab of 15mg tablet. within 8 hrs
of taking it, she went into convulsions that would not stop until she died. I blame the
drug.

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OMG! NO! I am so so sorry for your lose. That must have been so horrible for you and your cat. I agree with you that it was probably the drug. We have to do something! Too many cats are dying from this. I once read through all of the comments here, and counted 18 cats who have died right after taking this drug. If my count is right, now your sweet cat makes the number 19. This must be happening all of the time all over the country -- most people are not going to find this site to post the results, so we can only imagine the number of families affected. My heart goes out to you and your family. Thank you for posting.

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Wow, i decided to look up mirtazapine as i was given it for long term depression. my concern is my behaviour, which others had noticed to have become more challenging and aggressive, also i ended up taking the last 20 in one sitting. That was the last time i took them, as i went from never being in trouble with the police to now having a record within the last 2 years. If i could have seen these effects in others i would never of have accepted mirtazapine, i am also over sensitive to sertraline which gave me shakes and tremors. I also get absence seizures but dont know if this is connected to my brain or the medication, i have had some recent head traumas but i am at the mercy of a failing health service, so i am none the wiser what is causing my symptoms. Going by my experiences i would not give this to any animal, as a dog might flip and attack if it feels out of sorts.

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Is your husband taking 15mg? if so it is most probable that the sedative present in the 15's combined with the alcohol are causing his effects. Hope this helps.

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I was scared of Mirtazapine AND WEIGHT GAIN, BBBBBBBBBBBut I am on 45mg for the last 3 months and have lost a small amount of weight . I don't crave sweet foods and still eat to much at night

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Vets prescribe it. Get off your high horse and stop acting like a jagoff.

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Hahaha.... just wait till it stops working and you try to come off it pal... believe me you'll change camps pretty quickly.

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i have been on Mirtazapine for 3 days to help me sleep as i have insommnia felt great the first day after i had woken up but have felt woozy and really tired for the last two days will these symtoms go away or should i see my doctor i sleep really well with them its just the symtoms during the day i am worried about

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SteveO please please read the Book Diary of a Legal Drug Dealer. It talks alot about the drug Lipitor are you being prescribed it for High Blood Pressure prehapps? Its so so bad for you. Read the book please, or at least look up the side effects of Lipitor its not what yer doctor tells you it is. PLEASE!!

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Ginger;It's Funny,Not Funny Funny,But Just how much our Pets,are Dedicated for Life to us.When we loose a Pet,We loose a part of ourselves.Most of us Greive for different lenghts of time.Some forever,Some maybe a Few mnths,some,that doen't have a Heart,They Greive for a few days & go get another Cat or dog within a few days.I am an Agnostic,But I know that there is Someone or Something,That is looking after our Pets & Freinds after they pass.When I read the Terrible things about the different reactions to All Cats,I go back in time,just looking at my Snoopers{i had a Proffesional,take various photo's,of Snoopers,}I have 1 Photo of him,Chest Up,Head held High, Staring right at the camera,All nice & Groomed,Looking like a Movie Star.He Looked almost Exactly like Sylvester.I keep that photo right next to me on an end table in a Beauty Frame,that cost a Good Chunk of change.Depending on my mood,I catch myself talking to the photo.sometimes there are Tears & sometimes A Chuckle,Remembering the Good Times we had together.With my new Cat Stryker,He looks a bit like Snoopers, He has 6 toes on each foot. I pick him up & he snuggles right up to me & the tears,Just start to flow.I doen't know how long I'm going to Greive,But I do know,I will not be taking Stryker to a Vet,unless it's a Serious Problem.Ginger;You did it with Class My Dear & I beleive he is being looked after.By Someone or something out there.I hope for you Peace & Understanding.I wish You & your Female.You Didn't name,The Very best of luck.If posible Keep her the Hell away From all The Money Hungry,Mean,Preposterous Vets & what ever happens at home,Doen't you Dare Feed her Mirtazapine.I have a Good Sniffer & I will smell that drug out & find you & beat you with a Wet Noodle.DEAL,DONE! Best of all to pet owners that have Sick Pets,Wether a Hamster to an Elephant,Do not administer Mirtazapine to any Animal. Ginger Snoopers Stryker & I are waiting to hear from you,With Good News.

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We are going thru the same thing right now with our cat prissy! We are scared to death. She's not doing good at all. She is grieving and that's why she started taking it but it's made her more sickly. She is vomiting also! This makes me mad that my vet gave me such crap!

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Oh my gosh. I hope your Vet didn't prescribe 15 mg for your little cat! That dose would be lethal! That's a dose that a 150 lb person would take. My Vet just prescribed 0.5 mg for my 45 lb dog and told me that max dose for her was ONE MG. That Vet killed your cat. Accidentally I'm sure but he/she did nonetheless I'm sorry to say.

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