Headmeds fills the medicines information gaps for young people - things you might want to know about meds like will it affect my sex life? Can I still study?  Can I drink?
Headmeds does not give medical advice so this is just general information.
Each medicine has a balance of good and bad effects, and each person gets their own individual effects.
You might want to know just one thing about your medicine, but on each page we have given you the ‘safety headlines’. Please read them as they are important.
We have included lots of information about each medicine - but if you want all the details, please look at the patient information leaflet - which is inside every pack. These leaflets are also at www.medicines.org.uk - where there will be the most up-to-date information.

Safety headlines

• If you have taken more mirtazapine than it said on the label, you must see a doctor quickly – even if you do not feel any different.
• Mirtazapine can make some people think about hurting themselves or committing suicide. You must go straight to hospital with your tablets if you have any of these thoughts.
• Mirtazapine can also cause rare but serious side effects: allergic reactions (difficulty breathing, swelling of your face or throat, itching skin lumps), and bone marrow problems (symptoms could be high fever, sore throat or mouth ulcers). Go to a hospital if you get any of these symptoms with your medicine.
• Do not take mirtazapine if you have taken a monoamine oxidase inhibitor antidepressant (MAOI) like moclobemide, phenelzine, isocarboxazid or tranylcypromine in the last 14 days.
• Stopping mirtazapine suddenly can cause serious side-effects – go to your doctor if you want to stop, or if you are having these effects.
• You might feel sleepy or dizzy, or less alert, in the first few days after taking mirtazapine – do not drive a car, ride a bike or operate machines until you see how this affects you.

• If you are pregnant, or thinking of becoming pregnant, please read the pregnancy section (see Sex, drink and everything else) because mirtazapine may affect the developing baby.

Basic details

Mirtazapine is an antidepressant medicine

You can take mirtazapine as tablets, dissolving tablets or liquid

The tablets contain lactose and ‘sunset yellow’ colour, the melting tablets contain aspartame

The oral solution contains a small amount of alcohol and maltitol

• The mirtazapine tablets that you swallow may not be suitable for you if you have problems eating some sugars or dairy (milk-based) foods, as they contain lactose.
• Mirtazapine tablets may also have a colour called ‘Sunset Yellow’ (also known as E110), which causes an allergic reaction in some people.
• The mirtazapine orodispersible (‘melt in your mouth’) tablets contain aspartame, which can be a problem for people who have a condition called phenylketonuria.
• The oral solution contains a small amount of alcohol.
• It also contains maltitol, which can be a problem for anyone who has an intolerance to a sugar called fructose.
• Mirtazapine medicines do not contain any animal products.

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking the medicine if any of these are a problem for you.

Reference Sources 

Bumps – best use of medicines in pregnancy. Mirtazapine Sep 14. Accessed via http://www.medicinesinpregnancy.org/Medicine--pregnancy/Mirtazapine/ 12.08.15

www.choiceandmedication.org accessed 12.08.15 

WADA Prohibited List 2015. Available online at http://list.wada-ama.org/ accessed 12.08.2015.

Zispin orodispersible tablets SPC last updated 18.02.15.Available online http://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/search

Zispin Soltab PIL last updated 18.02.15. Available online http://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/search