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What Causes A Major Manic Episode After Taking Mirtazapine?
Question: My wife had been on clozapine for 20 years, with no serious adverse effects. There was a persistent depression that was treated with Zoloft. Recently, her doctor added mirtazapine, and, to make a long story short, was hospitalized [declared emergency]with a major manic episode just last week. Could this be related to the mirtazapine?
Brief Answer:
Manic switch can be seen with Mirtazapine
Detailed Answer:
Hello thanks for asking from HCM for your health related queries
Clozapine is a mood anti psychotic drug and the drug have good mood stabiliser effect. Your wife was stable on Sertraline for depressive symptoms but later switched to Mirtazapine.
Mirtazapine is an atypical antidepressant. Theoretically both drugs (sertraline and mirtazapine) are known to result in manic switch but the risk is greater with mirtazapine than sertraline.
So yes, her switch to Mirtazapine is the reason behind her symptoms of mania. It is common in bipolar patients on mood stabilisers to develop mania while on mirtazapine. If you have access to her psychiatrist then please discuss about changing drugs. Instead of mirtazapine drugs like Lamotrigine can help in her depression and will not result in such manic switch. The drug is relatively safe also.
Thanks, hope this helps you. Please don't hesitate to ask again for more doubts.
Take care
Manic switch can be seen with Mirtazapine
Detailed Answer:
Hello thanks for asking from HCM for your health related queries
Clozapine is a mood anti psychotic drug and the drug have good mood stabiliser effect. Your wife was stable on Sertraline for depressive symptoms but later switched to Mirtazapine.
Mirtazapine is an atypical antidepressant. Theoretically both drugs (sertraline and mirtazapine) are known to result in manic switch but the risk is greater with mirtazapine than sertraline.
So yes, her switch to Mirtazapine is the reason behind her symptoms of mania. It is common in bipolar patients on mood stabilisers to develop mania while on mirtazapine. If you have access to her psychiatrist then please discuss about changing drugs. Instead of mirtazapine drugs like Lamotrigine can help in her depression and will not result in such manic switch. The drug is relatively safe also.
Thanks, hope this helps you. Please don't hesitate to ask again for more doubts.
Take care
Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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