Sept my GP decided to change my antidepressants from Fluoxetine 60mgs to Mirtazepine as I was having trouble sleeping and anxiety and depression deteriorating. In dec i started an 18 week course of CBT which really helped at the start but unfortunately because of unforseen circumstances sessions had to be cancelled on several occasions with several weeks between therapy. Anxiety had started to deteriorate before CBT finished in July but I wanted to give it ago.
Since starting on mirtazepine approx 6 weeks ago sleeping has improved despite vivid dreams, i do not feel as depressed anxiety more controlled but I have suffered with swelling to feet and ankles, which subsides at night but within minutes of standing become swollen again, breathlessness, muscle fatigue, some slight stiffness in joints particularly fingers. I have seen my GP once since starting mirtazepine he is aware of the swelling but nothing else. I am due to see him again at the end of the month. i just don't know what to do, i hate these side effects as they sre making me feel older than my age, i am wondering whether i should try stopping medication altogether
I have been on antidepressants continuously for past 8 years
I had had sever back and hip pains for as long as I could remember. I cemof mirtazapine about 2 months ago and alostimmediately the back pains stopped. I considered it nothing short of a miracle.
I mentioned this to a doctor friend of mine. He said that it was well known that mirtazapine caused musculo-skeletal problems.
See http://www.drugs.com/sfx/mirtazapine-side-effects.html
"Numerous cases of mirtazapine- induced arthralgia have been reported. Symptoms tend to appear within 2 to 22 days of starting mirtazapine and resolve shortly after discontinuation of treatment."
Thanks NickOliver. I am not having a good time at moment I will mention it to GP when I see him. I just feel like stopping them at the moment in timevbut a rational voice says don't be stupid coz the side effects of just stopping could be a lot worse. Will let you know what he suggests when I see him on 25th
Good luck. I look forward to hearing the result of that. I am not quite sure whether you mean the side-effects or how you might feel when any effects (side-effects etc) wear off. So that the depressive feelings (or whatever feelings you had pre-mirt) return and you possibly realise that they might be worse than the effects of mirt.
I think that what you want to discuss with your GP is what the alternatives are to mirtazapine. I was able to come off mirt without replacing it, but when I had to come off Lithium, I changed to another ned. Whenever I have changed from one drug to another, I have had to gradually totally withdraw from taking X before I could then gradually take up Y. So even if you change to another drug, you will have to experience the withdrawal effects of the drug that you are currently on.
It is not easy being a psych patient.