How to Take Avanza SolTabs

Avanza Soltab is the Australian brand name for mirtazapine, and sold under the brand name Remeron in the United States. Physicians and psychiatrists use mirtazapine for the treatment of major depressive disorders, or MDD. The "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" (DSM-IV) classifies an MDD as a mood inhibiting daily function, with a minimum of five out of nine symptoms, including a depressed mood, difficulty concentrating, increased fatigue, psychomotor agitation or retardation, insomnia, changes in appetite and/or weight, loss of interest in usual activities, suicidal thoughts or suicidal behavior. Take mirtazapine only under the direction of a doctor or psychiatrist.

Things You'll Need

• Prescription for Avanza SolTabs

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Instructions

• 1

  See a physician and/or psychiatrist before starting a course of mirtazapine. Your doctor will evaluate your mental state, as well as your physical condition to determine if you are healthy enough to start to take mirtazapine. Tell your doctor if you are taking MAO inhibitors or have taken MAO inhibitors in the past 14 days. Early clinical trials suggest the combination of mirtazapine and MAO inhibitors can cause altered mental states, as well as loss of consciousness, coma and even death.

• 2

  Take 15 mg per day before you go to sleep for 1 to 2 weeks. Typical side effects of mirtazapine include dizziness, sleepiness, dry mouth, increased appetite and/or weight gain and constipation. Notify your doctor immediately if any serious symptoms occur, such as sudden mood changes, shaking, tremors, swelling of the extremities, confusion or signs of infections like fever or flu-like symptoms.

• 3

  See your physician or psychiatrist after the 2-week initial trial to reevaluate your symptoms. The doctor may prescribe up to 45 mg per day. However, increase dosage in 15-mg increments over the course of a month. Do not increase dosage without doctor supervision.

• 4

  Take mirtazapine for up to 40 weeks. After this period, the doctor should reevaluate your condition to determine if you can lower the dosage or stop taking mirtazapine.

• 5

  If your doctor determines that you should stop taking mirtazapine, do not discontinue it suddenly. Stop taking the medication in stages. Over the course of a number of weeks, determined by your doctor, step down from 45 mg per day to 30 mg and then finally 15 mg. After that, the doctor may recommend taking half a pill or taking the pill every other day. Sudden discontinuation of mirtazapine may result in dizziness, nightmares, fatigue, anxiety, headache, stomach upset and sensory disorders. Mild forms of these symptoms are common during decreasing of dosages. Notify your doctor immediately if symptoms become severe or inhibit your daily life.