In this blog post, we are going to talk about mirtazapine induced dizziness or lightheadedness. Mirtazapine is an antidepressant which is used to treat a variety of mental health conditions.

However, it is also associated with side effects, ranging from mild to severe. This blog will cover why mirtazapine causes dizziness and what could be done to help reverse it.

Can mirtazapine cause dizziness?

Yes, mirtazapine can cause dizziness. It is considered a normal side effect and it usually goes away within a few weeks of your treatment. However, some people may experience severe dizziness, which may lead to the discontinuation of treatment.

Make sure you inform your healthcare provider if you experience any unusual side effects. It is impossible to predict how your body will react once it is exposed to this medication.

Unless you’re not sure how bad your dizziness can get while being on mirtazapine, make sure you avoid the following activities:

Driving

Do not drive when you’re feeling dizzy or lightheaded. Driving requires your full physical and mental alertness and it’s in your best interest to avoid it when you’re dizzy and your mind is numb. If there’s somewhere you need to be, just ask a friend to drop you or book a ride.

Driving without full mental alertness can cause accidents. It not only puts you in danger, but others around you as well. Make sure you stay out of trouble.

Operating machinery

If you’re an employee in some factory where you are supposed to operate heavy machinery, don’t! Your lightheadedness might cause an accident and can make you or others around you severely injured.

Drinking alcohol or taking any sedative

Make sure you’re not taking any other medication that might be contributing to your lightheadedness. Do not drink alcohol, or you’ll end up getting even more dizzy, that can reach up to a point where you are no longer able to stand up straight.

Alcohol itself is responsible for causing lightheadedness and dizziness. It clouds your mind and messes up with your mental alertness. Alcohol is never a good combination with an antidepressant, no matter which one you take.

What to do if you suffer from mirtazapine induced dizziness?

If you suffer from dizziness, make sure you inform your healthcare provider. Mild dizziness usually stays as long as your body tries to adjust to the medicine. When your body is fully adapted, your dizziness begins to fade away.

This side effect is also common when your dose is increased. In usual practice, mirtazapine is started from the lowest possible dose, especially for those patients who newly get diagnosed with depression.

It is impossible to predict how a person, who’s nascent to antidepressants, will respond to mirtazapine. When you seem to tolerate it well, your doctor increases your dose to achieve maximum therapeutic response.

This dose escalation can make you dizzy for a few days, until your body adjusts to the new increased dose. Following are a few tips to help manage your dizziness:

Drink plenty of water

Hydration is an important key to get rid of dizziness. Water not only removes toxins from your body, but also increases your blood volume. Experts believe that people who are dehydrated and have lower blood volume can experience more pronounced dizziness.

Make sure you drink plenty of water. If water is too bland for you, you can add fruits in it to make a flavourful detox water. You can try adding lemons, ginger, cucumber, berries, orange, kiwis etc.

Sip some ginger tea

Ginger is a good option when it comes to simple home remedies to help avoid getting lightheaded. Several research studies have indicated that ginger is used as a herbal medicine in people with motion sickness or early pregnancy associated with morning sickness.

The purpose of taking ginger is to cure, guess what? Dizziness. This indicates that ginger, in any form, is helpful in making your head spin less and it can also reduce the intensity of nausea that follows severe dizziness.

Make sure you have enough vitamins

Deficiency of certain vitamins may make you more susceptible to mirtazapine induced dizziness. Make sure you have plenty of essential vitamins, including vitamin C, vitamin D and vitamin E.

Several studies have indicated that vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid can help relieve your dizziness, even if it is a side effect of mirtazapine. Common sources of vitamin C include grapefruits, oranges, bell peppers, berries and lemons.

Studies have also revealed the impact of vitamin E on dizziness, especially when it is caused by reduced circulation. Common sources of vitamin E include nuts, seeds, kiwis, wheat, barley and leafy green vegetables.

Monitor your blood pressure

Low blood pressure or hypotension can make your mirtazapine induced dizziness much, much worse. This is because when your blood pressure is low, it indicates that your heart rate is also low which means that you will have a lesser amount of blood going into your brain.

When the brain does not receive enough oxygen and nutrition, the first symptom that appears is dizziness. This is exactly why experts recommend you to monitor your blood pressure.

If you notice changes, make sure you talk to your healthcare provider and ask for suitable tips to help maintain your blood pressure.

Medications

There are certain medications that can be used to tone down the intensity of your dizziness. These include some over-the-counter anti-allergy medications and some anticholinergics that might relax your mind and make it easier for you to retain your balance.

Helpful movements

There are certain body and head movements that may help relieve your dizziness. Lie down straight on your and lift your legs straight in the air.

If holding your legs is a difficult task for you, you can either raise them against a wall to help support them or place a pillow underneath your lower back. Hold this position for a while.

This helps to encourage the flow of blood towards your brain which, researchers have proved, can significantly tone down your dizziness.

Make sure you lie on bed or on the floor without a pillow under your head or else the maximum amount of blood may not reach your brain.

Sleep well

Make sure you sleep well. Disturbed sleep patterns are your biggest enemy. It not only kills your energy but can also make your dizziness much worse.

This condition can disturb your daily life activities and make even small simple tasks difficult for you. Several guidelines suggest following tips to make your sleep quality better than it is now. These include:

Try to go to bed at the same time every day, working days as well as weekends.
Do not use electronic devices or gadgets before going to bed. They reduce your sleep quality. Make sure you remove such devices from your room or switch them off.
Do not consume caffeine in the evening. The half life of caffeine is 2 to 12 hours, so make sure you do not consume it in the evening, as it might remain in your system till bedtime.
Do not consume high amounts of food or alcohol before bedtime. You don’t need to keep your digestive system working while you sleep.
Stay active. Regular exercise releases tension from your muscles and makes you feel relaxed. Exercise at least 3 to 4 times a week.
Avoid smoking. Nicotine is a stimulant. As long as it remains in your system, it keeps you awake.

What are the additional side effects of mirtazapine?

Mirtazapine is associated with a number of side effects other than dizziness. These include:

Sleepiness or drowsiness
Excessive tiredness or fatigue
Dizziness or lightheadedness
Xerostomia or dry mouth
Anxiety
Agitation
Confusion
Gain of appetite
Weight gain
Gastrointestinal side effects including nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea/Constipation

Mirtazapine is also associated with some serious side effects, which may include:

Allergic reaction associated with symptoms like redness of skin, itching, burning sensation, blisters, blue-purple patches, tightness of chest, wheezing, difficulty in breathing, hoarseness etc.
Convulsions
QT prolongation
Pain and tightness in chest
Arrhythmia
Flu like symptoms

Conclusion

In this blog post, we have discussed mirtazapine induced dizziness. Mirtazapine is an antidepressant which is associated with a number of side effects. It can cause lightheadedness or dizziness, especially when the dose is escalated.

It is one of the most commonly reported side effects and can range from mild to severe. Most people have reported slight lightheadedness and that too on sharp head movements or after standing up too fast.

Mild dizziness usually stays as long as your body tries to adjust to the medicine. We have discussed some important tips that can help you get rid of or at least tone down your dizziness.

FAQs: mirtazapine dizziness

Does mirtazapine dizziness go away?

Mirtazapine-induced dizziness usually begins to subside within a few weeks of your treatment. This time duration is taken by your body to adjust to the medication. Some people may take longer to adjust, while for some people, side effects begin to fade away in just a few days.

Is dizziness a side effect of Remeron?

Does mirtazapine make you feel weird?

Mirtazapine may induce the symptoms of psychosis. Several surveys have revealed that mirtazapine can make people behave angrily and erratically. This may be due to the mechanism of action of mirtazapine. Any drug that can alter the amounts of neurotransmitters in your brain can make behavioural changes in you.

How can I stop dizziness from medication?

Immediately talk to your healthcare provider if your medication makes you dizzy. Make sure you don’t drive, operate heavy machinery or use alcohol excessively while you suffer from medication induced dizziness.

Can antidepressants make you lightheaded?

Antidepressants can cause lightheadedness or dizziness, especially when the dose is escalated. It is one of the most commonly reported side effects and can range from mild to severe.

Most people have reported slight lightheadedness and that too on sharp head movements or after standing up too fast. Some people, however, have reported lightheadedness even after small head movements and such people find it difficult to maintain their balance and may fall down.

References

S A Anttila et al. CNS Drug Rev. Fall (2001) – A review of the pharmacological and clinical profile of mirtazapine https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11607047/
Mirtazapine Tablet – Uses, Side Effects, and More https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-13706-4047/mirtazapine-oral/mirtazapine-oral/details#:~:text=Mirtazapine%20is%20used%20to%20treat,(neurotransmitters)%20in%20the%20brain.
National Library of Medicine – Mirtazapine https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a697009.html
A Grøntved, E Hentzer (1986) – Vertigo-reducing effect of ginger root. A controlled clinical study https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3537898/

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