Depression is a severe mood disorder that will cause individuals to feel persistent sadness and loss of interest in activities they once found joy. It may also be described as clinical depression or major depressive disorder, and it will affect how you feel, behave, and think, which may lead to various physical and emotional issues. Unfortunately, it may impact your ability to conduct day-to-day tasks, and you may feel that your life isn’t worth living.
Individuals struggling with clinical depression may lack the chemicals in their brain necessary to be happy, and they will need chemical relief to boost their mood. Fortunately, two such medications exist known as mirtazapine and venlafaxine. They are antidepressant drugs used to treat depression and increase chemical activity in your brain. In addition to treating depression, mirtazapine can be used to treat post-traumatic stress syndrome, nausea, and anxiety.
Mirtazapine and venlafaxine belong to different classes of drugs – mirtazapine is a tetracyclic antidepressant, while venlafaxine is a selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SSNRI). Both drugs are effective at treating depression, but which is better to use? First, let’s take a look at a list of potential side effects these drugs produce.
Side Effects of Mirtazapine to Consider Before Taking
As you might expect, antidepressant medication may come with its fair share of side effects. Mirtazapine is not exempt, and you must speak with your doctor about these potential side effects to determine if the benefits outweigh the risks. The most common side effects of mirtazapine include:
- Increase in appetite
- Drowsiness
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Weight gain due to increased appetite
If you experience adverse side effects as a result of mirtazapine, you must reach out to your prescribing physician immediately to discuss your options. There are severe side effects that you must look out for, which include:
- High fever of 102 or more
- Uneven or fast heart rate
- Hallucinations
- Agitation
- Loss of coordination
- Stiff muscles
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Confusion
- Tremors
- Nausea
- Overactive reflexes
- Flu-like symptoms
- Weakness
- Sweating
- The feeling like you might pass out
- Body aches
- White patches or sores inside your mouth or on your lips
- Severe headaches
- Inability to concentrate
Side Effects of Venlafaxine to Consider Before Taking
Venlafaxine also comes with a specific set of side effects you should monitor while under a doctor’s care. Contact your doctor immediately if you experience the following:
- Nervousness
- Constipation
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Headaches
- Insomnia
- Anxiety
- Blurred vision
- Drowsiness
- Increased sweat production
- Dry mouth
- Changes in appetite and weight
- Impotence
- Seizures
- Difficulty having an orgasm
- Decreased sex drive
Abrupt cessation of this medication may cause withdrawal symptoms that include:
- Changes in your sense of taste or smell
- Severe headache
- Nausea
- Mood changes
- Dizziness
Should I Take Mirtazapine or Venlafaxine?
The only two people that can make this decision are you or your doctor.
If you have a history of taking certain medications, the physician may suggest one that interacts better with one of these medications, as mentioned above.
In other cases, your physician may experiment with different drugs to see what works best for you – this means you may start using mirtazapine.
If it provides little to no relief, they may try you on venlafaxine.
Speak with your doctor today if you are concerned about symptoms of depression.
