I have recently changed to Avanza which is a brand for mirtazapine. It is brilliant. I didn't think there was going to be a drug out there that could help me. Is there a way to avoid weight gain though? Since being on it I'm starving all the time...
SSRIs - the first medication I was put on at the age of 15 was Zoloft. Worst thing to happen to me, made me extremely suicidal (probably should not have been prescribed this medication at 15 though).
The next was Cipramil which helped hugely with depression but my anxiety worsened. Including insomnia, hyper activity, panic attacks, extreme weight loss I was never hungry and the longer I was on it the more anxious and a bit aggressive I would be.
Then a psychiatrist put me on seroquel, an antipsychotic which I never should have been given. The side effects literally nearly killed me! By the time I went back to say I need to go off them I was running into walls, wanting to die, bleeding, hardly able to breathe, couldn't eat without being sick, couldn't see straight I'm nearly crying thinking of the experience.
So it was straight back to Cipramil. Because I had been going so frequently to the doctors to ask for valium to allow me to go to work without suffering from anxiety constantly they wanted to change me to another med again. (Valium by the way works for me the best out of any drug it's a shame it can be addictive and dangerous in the long run, I fully feel like myself on it).
So the doctor prescribe me with Avanza, I've been on it for 1 month now and it works so well, apart from weight gain. Avanza puts me to sleep, helps depression and completely relieves my anxiety I can't believe I'm capable of being calm.
What's your experience with medication switching?
Hi Rebecca,
actually I cringe while reading your post because I can so understand you!! I was on multiple meds and once my doc gave me Mirtazapine I was finally myself again! I was happy! But... the weight gain was too much to handle for me.
With being overweight already and trying very hard to lose weight, mirtazapine was like the iceberg for the titanic.
There is a post here about losing weight - look for it - it was started by evergreen and he/she has made first steps into losing weight on mirt after the initial weight gain.
Clinical studies state that weight gain slows down and stops after about 4-8 weeks. The mean gain is around 2.5% of the initial weight.
Sadly many patients experience much higher numbers and it scared the [****] out of me so I told my pdoc I couldnt take mirt any longer, unless he can give me something on top that keeps the weight from going up.
Clinical studies have been done with mirt and metformin as well as mirt and topiramate. They both look promising. My pdoc has been looking into it but has no experience with metformin. He has now referred me to a local specialist who has done a lot of research on this topic. I'll know more after I've seen her.
Until then I am using clonazepam and zopiclone as a crutch for sleeping. BEcause valium is a no go for my pdoc too! Sigh.
Emis Moderator comment: I have edited this post due to the swearing. These are open forums so as per the T&Cs please do not use offensive language in posts otherwise they may be deleted.
I have tried lots of anti depressants too. Lofepramine worked for me a few years ago when I had post natal depression. I came off it without any withdrawal. However, it didn't work for me the second time around and the doc tried me on various SSRIs. None of them helped at all. They just completely deadened me and stopped me sleeping. But mirtazapine has been brilliant. It has really helped me in so many ways, not just my depression and insomnia, but my migraines, IBS and allergies. I did put on weight, but I've been on it 3 years now and found that my weight stabilised. Then I went on a diet and lost virtually all of the weight I put on, and am still losing it. So I couldn't be happier. I just hope the doc doesn't take me off it, because the withdrawals are awful apparently.
Hi Rebecca,just like you I've been on no end of drugs,but I couldn't agree with you more. Valium suits me as well,I know it's addictive but I think nearly all drugs are if you feel good on a drug you wouldn't want to come off it. At the moment I'm WD from Mirt and I'm on Valium,I don't really care about it being addictive as long as I feel well.
Ive been on Valium on and off for over 30yrs and I certainly don't have as bad WD with Valium as I'm Haveing with Mirt.
Take care