Hi
Just some background..... I have been signed off work for the last 6 months with depression. I was prescribed Proxac, the dose of which was doubled after a few weeks, but I didn't find it helped with my anxiety.
A trip to Morrisons puts me in panic mode, I recently had to renew my passport at the Post Office and was sick on the way home as it caused me so much distress.
I stopped taking the Proxac cold turkey a few weeks ago and didn't have any problems. I didn't feel and better or any worse.
I have now been prescribed 30mg Mitrazapine - my first tablet will be this evening. However, I have read bad things about the side affects, I don't want to put on weight or feel any more down and sleepy than I already do.
Are there any positives to this medication - surely there must be!!!!
Advice greatly received.
You go to Italy and have fun. No kidding. Never start Mirta
Go to Italy and have fun. No kidding
That sounds wonderful.... never been to Italy - love the food, think I would like the relaxed atmosphere..... you really don't think I should start taking the pils? Have you had them?
K
i have been on mitz 45mg now for 3 weeks
started off at 15mg which was terrible then up to 30mg
i struggled the first week or so but am now starting to feel a bit better my anixety level has gone down
i still get bad days but they are getting less
i know at lot of people have had problems
i was ready to give up but thought i would lose nothing by giving them a go
Of course! Change weather! Invest in a holiday, come to Rome...Even the most depressed perdon becomes happy...
And yes I had them Just to be more relaxed I was put on 15 mg . Now I'm in my way back. Nobody should ever start this stuff
Please can you tell me how you struggled...... how did that make you feel. I am really scared to start this stuff. My main problem is anxiety - I would love to be able to just go to the shops and not feel sick or shake. Do you think this will help?
K
Look, I'm 42, I work as a film director and I ended up on this stuff for a silly anxiety I would like to eliminate straight away. This thing alters your system and makes you feel way more anxious...Then doctor interpret its side effects as your problems and put you on a higher dose. Unless...You wake up and realize that you are perfectly OK, you are just dealing with nasty side effects. NEVER EVER START. Embrace your depression and sped 2 weeks in Rome. It will be GONE.
how i struggled was with the seditave side of this drug which was one of the reasons i was put on it in first place
i found to begin with i was like a zombie couldnt do anything but that has now worn off
as for anixety side i have yet to be able to go to a shop by myself but i can go with someone which before i was unable to do
If you read about any Anti Depressant on the Net you will probably find a whole load of scary stories about side effects for each one. I think Mirtazapine is generally acknowledged as having fewer side effects than some other ADs such as SSRIs (Prozac, Citalopram etc.) I'm afarid each drug seems to affect different people in different ways. For instance I took Citalopram 12 years ago and found it a miracle drug but this year trying it again I could not handle the start up side effects.
The two common side effects with Mirtazapine are triedness (sedation) and increased appetite. I certainly had both (refered to my appetitie as "the beast" as I would devour anything in the house!). I found both effects waned with time but unfortunately I found that Mirtazapine wasn't really helping me But that is just my experience. It has helped other people but unfortunately you are much more likley to read the negative experiences on the Net than the positive (when you feel well you don't feel the need to post).
I understand your concerns, I am the same when taking any new drug. Personally I think starting on 30mg is more likely to be a shock to the system. Some people say the drug is more sedating in lower doses but I never found this to be the case. Wonder if it might be worth asking your GP if you could start on the 15mg pills. 30mg is considered the therapautic dose but a lot of people start on 15mg I think.
Hope this helps
First time I was put on 30mg...I fainted. Literally. I took it while walking and I fell.
Thank you for your thoughts..... the zombie affect is something that is concerning me. I just have to way up the pro's and con's.
It's a positive step that you are able to shop with a friend.... something that I can only aspire too.... keep going and be strong.
K
Funny I agree with you - when you feel well you don't need to post - I have never posted before so I guess I am really worried...
Prozac didn't do anything for me - I stopped and had no side effects at all. Perhaps it wasn't really targetting my problems. I am still confused as to which drug targets what symptoms........ this one sounds more like a sleep thing rather than an anxiety thing.
EEEKK.........
Thank you for being realistic... the net is not necessarily the best place to hear all that is good about anything!
K
I just think the Net has a natural understandable bias to reporting negative experiences.
If you're anything like me then you obsessively search the Net for every scrap of information you can get on the effects of a drug, and whilst I think a bit of self education is a good thing I think it can quite easily add fuel to the fire of anxiety if you're not careful as it is a very hypothetical inward looking practice i.e. I worry if this drug will affect me, what might the problems be etc.
As I say I think 30mg is quite a big dose to start with (I stepped up to 30mg and eventually 45mg). BUt ultimately if you decide to take it you're not going to die, most likely it will just knock you out the first time you take it (my advice would be to take it at or 30 minutes before bedtime). For me the fact that it let me sleep and also gave me back my appetite were good things (had lost a stone in weight due to loss of appetite from anxiety) but ultimately for me it didn't help to relieve my anxiety long term.
Mirtazapine is prescribed for anxiety and/or depression but is sometimes used for insomnia or appetite due to it's side effect. If you decide to take the pill tonight try and watch some telly or something after taking it ,try not to sit worrying about the fact you've taken it, chances are you'll be fine. Tired but probably ok.
Thanks, I tend not to do negative thoughts, ie if I'm going to take it I will and suck it up and see. Regret is not a good emotion. I will let you know.
Can you tell me a bit about your situation and why you ended up on the medication.
If that's a bit personal not to worry.
K
Kate: one month in Rome, sun, ice creams, fun and friends TARGET all the symptoms.
And Prayer. We cannot forget Eternal Life.
Was prescribed it for anxiety at the start of this year. Often I think depression and anxiety tend to get lumped in together by GPs but for me I felt it was definitely more anxiety than depression which was the issue. So situation was that I wasn't able to sleep, had lost my appetite almost completely (went down from 10 1/2 stones to just over 9) and generally striggling to get through days.
Initially I felt the Mirtazapine helped on 15mg although did seem to rob me off motivation. However seemed to stop working afetr a few months and which point the GP suggested putting up to 30mg and then when that didn't work up to 45mg. Stayed on the 45mg for 4 weeks and felt it wasn't helping indeed felt like it was making things worse in terms of depression so I made the decision to start tap[ering off it a few eeks ago.
Currently back down to 30mg and so far am feeling a lot better than when I was one the 45mg. Plan to cut down again by 7.5mg each week I see how I feel taking nothing.
I think anti depressants are often a bit hit and miss as to whether they will work for you and frequently it is a case of trying to find the one which alleviates your problems whilst not causing you excessive side effects.
I hope if you try it that Mirtazapine is the one that works for you.
Thank you so much for your thoughts...... however I'm not a religious person, though sun and ice cream seem very appealing!
I'm sure Rome would be lovely, however I have to deal with my lot in Berkshire atm.
Thanks anyway
K
Just do this:
Discover the sun.
You have no idea how light feeds and heals.