I'd be quite interested in hearing how many people here have long term problems with anxiety / depression or have episodes, say every 8 years but in between are full of life and positive?
Hey I am more episodic x I have had three episodes in fourteen years x each lasting 10 months then fully recover x I am presently recovering now from my third and life is now really good I usually get about 6 years in between episodes but this time with the rite meds and CBT I i intend to have longer years in between x
dereko, to show how you can get involved in prescribed drugs in this group, I have chronic, severe IBS-D (Irritable Bowel Syndrome - Diarrhea). There isn't much that you can do but treat the symptoms. I was put on 1 mg lorazepam with meals and at bedtime, 4 mgs per day, about 5 years ago, still on them. Also, prescribed Remeron for IBS caused depression, because one of the side effects is constipation, which would help with the diarrhea, and also GI docs use Remeron to treat nausea. So now I am on Ativan & Remeron, and wasn't prescribed either one for the most common causes! Before all this, I had a problem with depression that was due to a personal situation, and was treated with Zoloft, and after the problem, with time, resolved, I stopped cold turkey without a problem. I realize this is not exactly what you are looking for, it is just that I have been treated with those same type of meds for years. I tried to get off the the Remeron twice, and had to get back on 7.5 mgs. I now, by the way, find that if you are taking Mirtazapine and a drug in the Lorazepam class, you need to get off the benzodiazapine first, as mirtazapine effects the way that your body metabolizes the benzodiazapine, and you can potentially have withdrawal from both, which I may have had and why the withdrawal was bad enough to have to get back on the mirtazapine. I hope that this has been helpful, as I wish that I had known it before trying. My next task is to try to get off the Ativan.
I have been on Mirt 30 on all three occasions and no withdrawal symptoms at all x
You are very fortunate. Mirtazapine is a powerful chemical designed to alter your body. Once your body adjusts to having anything; alcohol, tobacco, drugs, etc., when you deprive your body, the adjustments that it has made craves what you take from it.
I have Dereko.
My first major episode was at age 16...... My next at 25.....and my current one age 38.
In between I've had a few little blips but nothing that lasted long enough to worry about or felt so bad that I had to take medication.
Between the major episodes I would say I was very stable and lived a happy full life.
Xxx
Hi David your post seems like I've just been reading about myself. I suffer chronic IBS and have done for the last 10yrs. I was given Mirtazapine for it but I was also on Tamazapam and Diazpam to which I've been on for about 20yrs. I've been on the Mirtazapine for the last4yrs. Over about the last 6mths I've been trying to get off it. I started at 45mg and I'm now down to 15mg with great difficulty,the lower the dose the stronger the Stomack pain becomes. My GP now tells me to stay at the 15mg untill my Tum settles but I don't think that's going to happen. Personally I don't think I should have been given this drug and I wish I hadnt . I would be interested to know if you've found anything to give you releif from IBS. Sorry to have gone on so long but your the first person I've read about that has been put on this drug for IBS. Keep Well
Maybe Jacqueline that's because you wasn't on it for any length of time.
Maybe Jacqueline that's because you wasn't on it for any length of time.
Norma, the only thing that I can tolerate is Hyomax SL (hyoscyamine). You place it under your tongue, and you feel the spasm start to relax in about 5 minutes or so. They don't taste bad either, kind of like mint. The dose is .125 mg. It is prescribed by a number of names, Nu Lev, Levsid, Levsid SL, and others. I have been to the hospital Emergency Room twice this year. Once they thought that I had a kidney stone, the other was for heart attck symptoms; both times turned out to be IBS pain. My problem area is the Splenic Flexure ( the upper left area just under the ribs and back). The mirtazapine was prescribed for depression and nausea, but as I told the doctor, "you get rid of the IBS pain and I won't need anything for depression. Anyone with chronic pain is going to be depressed, if not, they have an even bigger problem". My wife also has IBS, and she takes Librax, which does the job for her. She says that were iit not for Librax, she would't be able to work. Good luck on finding something that will work. I would at least give the Hyomax SL a try. The generic name is Hyoscyamine SL.(SL is sub lingual). The worse pain that I have ever had is IBS spasms. It is horrible, and you never hear about new research or anything positive for the people suffering from this condition. IBS is the number one reason for patients visiting GI doctors. They make money doing all the tests to rule out other more serious things, and when it turns out to be IBS, that is when you are told that there is no cure and they seem to lose interest. Not all of them, but most of them. I hope that this has been helpful. David
Hey Norma on my second dose I was on Mirt 30 for four years during my nursing degree although I remained well x
And still no side effects I have been found the perfect combo for me I suppose I've been very lucky x
Boy David every word you said there is so right. Whenever I have an appointment with some Gp consultant or whoever reads my meds its a case of ( oh I see you suffer with Depprestion) well no I suffer with chronic IBS which in turn depresses me,the times I've stated that is unbelieveable. I have had a heart attack and the meds they gave me for that caused an Underactive Thyroid,I've got Ephesema,Rhuematoid Athritis,and Beleive me none of them have ruined my quality of life like what is refered to as JUST IBS,as you say the spasms are beyond belief. I'm also on 4 other meds just for IBS which I'm comeing off when I've conquered the Mirtazapine .I have also had a few trips to AE. What I do find is at the moment my only relief is sleep, so I take a Tamazapam for sleep, which I've taken for the last 20 yrs now my GP wants to take me off it because it's addictive what a joke. Anyway David thank you for the reply I have now got something else to present to my GP. Keep Well and if you ever get a cure put it all over the Internet in capital letters,ha ha.Take Care you and your wife.
Thank you Norma, and good luck to you as well. If you get a chance to try the Hyomax SL, I hope that it helps. I am in pain right now, IBS and a pinched nerve in my spine. I had to make a 4.5 hour drive Thursday, and I thought that I was going to have to pull over and throw up just from the pain of sitting in one position for that long. Gob Bless You and Your Loved Ones, David
Wouldn't take the drug that long to find out. The side effects were a nightmare and the permanent nerve damage is enough...........
Michele
Hi David I hope your having a better day today. My husband and I haven't had a holiday for the last 6yrs due to that exact reason, I can't stand to sit in the same position for very long. I find when I'm on my feet it's easier but due to my other problems I can't do that for long,my only releif at the moment is sleep. I've been seeing a professor of Gastrology who says because that's a releif to me it must be a dysfunctional bowel, so he's sending me off to another Proffessor of Gastrology and Hypnotherepy to see what he can do. It's gone on that long and I've seen that many people and tests, I think this is my last chance saloon. Anyway I don't really think the right hand knows what the left hand is doing. I do wish you both good health and I hope things get better for you.Big Hug
Thank you Norma. IBS can be a minor inconvenience, or a debilitating, chronic, painfull state of pure suffering. I have often said that I would never know it if I had colon cancer until it was too late to do anything about it due to the chronic, constant IBS symptoms. I pray for God's help, and wait for His reply. I can hardly go sometimes due to constipation, and an hour later be running the the bathroom with urgent diarrhea. It doesn't seem like anything that I do, eat, or medicines that I take makes much difference. Thank you for the hug, I needed one. And here's one back to you.
Hi Michele can I ask what nerve damage you are referring to & what meds you think caused it?
I often worry about the long term affects of medication. I've been on 5 different anti depressants over 15years. I try not to take them for longer than a year but my GP has said it takes 18months to reset the brain chemistry.
Hi Dereko,
my problems developed around 20 years ago. I'm still trying to get a true diagnosis. I've ben told depression & most recently GAD. I've been on 5 different anti depressants over a 15 year period. Most don't seem to be affective after 6months. I've seen 1 psychiatrist (ridiculous I know) in the 20years.
I often get quite angry when I think about how long I've had these problems & not had the help that I've needed. I feel like my life could have been improved with proper care & that I may have gotten over these issues years ago with therapies.
I'm trying to do things on my own to help my recovery but I know thats not always the way. I'm clearly doing something wrong to not have the hapiness in between that other people are talking about here.
I've been prescribed yet another antidepressant & feel reluctant to start it all up again.
Hey...don't beat yourself up like that. I just listened to an pod cast last night on the peoples pharmacy. They talked about how peolple who are low on magnesuim tend to have depression and anxiety amongst a host of other symptoms. I recently started taking magnesium before bedtime for another reason altogether and notice a difference in both my mood and anxiety. Maybe you could try a low dose and soak in an epsom salt bath. That's another way to soak in magnesium. I was quite shocked as it was very interesting to hear this discussion from doctors. Won't hurt to check it out and see what happens!