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Mirtazapine for Anxiety week 3

Posted , 17 users are following.

mannotanumber
mannotanumber

Hi

After several visits to A&E and a collapse at work and the doctors surgery I was finally admitted to hospital 4 weeks ago as they thought there was something wrong with my heart as I had been having near constant palpitations for two weeks!!! anyhow turns out my heart is fine seems that I've got some king of panic disorder - my work are paying for a private councilor to help with that - I'm currently taking 7.5mg of Diazipam daily just to get me through the day - I'm fine if I don't have to go anywhere - also taking beta blockers to slow my heart rate down and I've been prescribed Mirtazapine for the anxiety - at 15mg per night - it does make me sleep but seems to really give me the shakes during the night (maybe thats just the anxiety I dont know) has anyone else experienced this?

I did forget to take a dose last week at the shakes still came on as soon as I started to doze so maybe not related to the mirtazapine - I was shaking alot before I started it to then it was a visible panic shake now its just an inward 'brain' shake' if that makes sense?

The doctors just agreed to up my dose to 30mg nighly at my request as I've started to get depressed sitting at home all day and having to deal with the constant restlessness. Probably just a cycle but I'm wondering if anyone else has felt more restless as their Mirtazapine treament has gone on , I'm tempted to keep taking the 15mg as my body seems to have stopped shaking in the day time and the panic is under control at least while I'm at home - the only real reason why I wanted to up it is to stave of the depression - what does everyone think is three weeks to early to make that decision I've got another weeks supply of the 15mgs left should I just stick it out untill then, touch wood I've not had a panic attack as such in nearly three weeks just feel really shaky and agitated most of the time I dont want to increase the dose and make myself worse especially over the weekend when my GP's is shut.

Is there anyone else out there with similar experiences, prior to this episode I've never been ill enough to visit the doctors in 28 years - no history of depression, even after the panic attacks first started I still wasn't depressed thats come more recently since starting the anti depressants - but guess that could be out of frustration at being so anxious and agitated all the time.

Sorry for the long post - has anyone experienced any negative side effects when increasing their dose of mirtazapine, aside from weight gain which to be honest I'd like I've lost two stone and after three weeks I\"m less hungry than ever.

Answers on a post card. BTW unlike allot of people on Mirtazapine it doesnt knock me out for the whole nite by any means I wake several times shaking. what to do what to..........

==

0 likes, 32 replies

32 Replies

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  • megapolitico
    megapolitico

    Posted

    Hi Mannotonumber

    I think you should give the mirtazapine more time to work and not change anything without speaking to your GP.It can make you a little shaky but for me that wore off after a while.You have just been through a terrible time that is hard to make sense of.Be kind to yourself and try to get plenty of rest,its difficult but you may not be able to come up with many answers right now.It is difficult sitting around at home but see it as a well earned break and allow yourself time to get well.This site is great for support,its been a ife saver for me so dont think youre on your own.

    Take care

    Jox

  • mannotanumber
    mannotanumber

    Posted

    Jox

    Thanks for replying, I think your right I should stick with the 15mg for now I actually got a full nights sleep last nite!! and the shakings a little better at the moment - I think I'll just break the new 30mg tabs that the doctor gave me in half for now and keep taking them.

    The hardest thing I'm trying to deal with at the moment is the restlessness - I did try going back to work for a couple of hours each day last week but it made me feel awful - started to really shake and had to take so much dizipam just to get me through it - so I'm going to stay off for a bit longer. I guess getting well is more important than anything else.

    its a cycle once you have a bad day you go right back down but now more panic attacks at the moment which is a good thing just allot of agitation, restless legs e.t.c.

    Dave

  • mannotanumber
    mannotanumber

    Posted

    Jox

    I should have added that prior to being admitted to hospital I was put on Cipralex (an SSRI) it threw me into a wild panic within hours of taking it - my ECG reading was irregular and thats how I ended up being admitted to the cardiac unit - they determined that there was nothing wrong with my heart after keeping me in for four days - although just had a letter today from the hospital today to say that I've got to come back and have some kind of monitor fitted that I wear for 24hrs a day that records my heart rhythm just in case.

    So for me Mirtazapine is the only med I can really take - the SSRI's just dont agree with me, I beleive an initial side effect of them is increased anxiety.

    Dave

  • charlies_girl
    charlies_girl

    Posted

    Hi mannotanumber, when my dosage was increased i found that i couldn't sleep and was restless, went back to 15mg and it stopped. Not on them now but they did help me with my eating problem and my sleep.

    Take care x

    • Work
      Work charlies_girl

      Posted

      Hello just started mirtrazapine 15 mg I was so scared to take it I took 7.5 mg to see how it affects me first 

      I was shaking but I think this is through fear 

      I am worried so much about weight gain 

      I have bipolar 2 depression am on aripiprazole ano weaning off sertraline 50 mg for 2 weeks I had no libido on sertraline and I gained weight 

      Any advice about reducing weight gain on mirtrazapine 

  • mannotanumber
    mannotanumber

    Posted

    Hi

    I had a feeling that would be the case I suppose that anything that stimulates your brain is going to make you a little restless - there again its hard to know weather the restlessness comes from my anxiety or not before I started them I was extremely restless - it felt like I had pins and needles in my head if that makes sense.

    Glad to hear your off the meds now, and that Mirtazapine helped you. It seems to be helping me, with the panic attacks at least. I still find it very difficult to go out in public but I'm getting there slowly - each day I seem to wake up in a little better mood only more restless which is frustrating sad - hoping that that'll pass once my body gets used to the medication - did you find the Mirtazapine made you shake at night? I'm just trying to work out if its the anxiety or the meds.

    Take Care

    Dave

  • Guest
    Guest

    Posted

    I have had a similar experience to yourself, but wasnt amitted to hospital.

    I also take beta-blockers, diazapine and 15mg mirtazapine for anxiety and social phobia. I asked my doctor to increase my dose to 30mg as I didnt think 15 mg was doing much good apart from sleeping and eating, but I couldnt cope with the increase it made the anxiety worse, aggitation, just couldnt relax, so I now take half a 30mg and am back on track.

    I am also very sensitive to ssri,s and have tried many, my last one was citalopram and within hours of taking it I thought I was going mad, never again. looking back now I think I was expecting to much to soon from mirtazapine, but can now say after been on 15 mg since january I am starting to feel a lot calmer, and dont have a lot of negative thoughts.

    So for now I am quite happy to stay at 15 mg. I am also on a waiting list for cognitive behaviour therapy.

    Take Care

    Danielle.

  • mannotanumber
    mannotanumber

    Posted

    Danielle

    Glad to Hear Mirtazapine is working for you, just out of interest how long was it before you noticed any benefit from it - I noticed some after the first week or so - but now I feel agitated all the time does that pass ?

    I cant sit still but cant be bothered to get up - I'm sure you know the feeling well.

    Dave

  • Guest
    Guest

    Posted

    I think it was about 4 weeks when the anxiety started to lift and by about 7 weeks when I felt no anxiety. It is a gradual thing though, its only when you look back and think \"Im not as bad now as I was say 2weeks ago\", that I realised it was working.

    But after the dose increase last weekend, that was a mistake, I have been feeling more anxious than normal, just hope this is a temporary thing. Or do I need the increase?????? going perservere with the 15mg for now and hope things get back to how they where.

    I know that the restless thing isnt very nice, for me its like Im waiting for something just to tip me over the edge and send me into a panic attack. Take Care

    Danielle.

  • charlies_girl
    charlies_girl

    Posted

    [quote:8ebac10f29=\"mannotanumber\"]Hi

    I had a feeling that would be the case I suppose that anything that stimulates your brain is going to make you a little restless - there again its hard to know weather the restlessness comes from my anxiety or not before I started them I was extremely restless - it felt like I had pins and needles in my head if that makes sense.

    Glad to hear your off the meds now, and that Mirtazapine helped you. It seems to be helping me, with the panic attacks at least. I still find it very difficult to go out in public but I'm getting there slowly - each day I seem to wake up in a little better mood only more restless which is frustrating sad - hoping that that'll pass once my body gets used to the medication - did you find the Mirtazapine made you shake at night? I'm just trying to work out if its the anxiety or the meds.

    Take Care

    Dave[/quote:8ebac10f29]

  • charlies_girl
    charlies_girl

    Posted

    [quote:6668f87556=\"charlies girl\"][quote:6668f87556=\"mannotanumber\"]Hi

    I had a feeling that would be the case I suppose that anything that stimulates your brain is going to make you a little restless - there again its hard to know weather the restlessness comes from my anxiety or not before I started them I was extremely restless - it felt like I had pins and needles in my head if that makes sense.

    Glad to hear your off the meds now, and that Mirtazapine helped you. It seems to be helping me, with the panic attacks at least. I still find it very difficult to go out in public but I'm getting there slowly - each day I seem to wake up in a little better mood only more restless which is frustrating sad - hoping that that'll pass once my body gets used to the medication - did you find the Mirtazapine made you shake at night? I'm just trying to work out if its the anxiety or the meds.

    Take Care

    Dave[/quote:6668f87556][/quote:6668f87556] Hi Dave, sometimes anti depr can cause tremor, which is like shaking, don't know if this could be the cause of your shaking.. i have had it myself when my dose has been too high.. just a thought.. :wink:

  • mannotanumber
    mannotanumber

    Posted

    Hi all

    Just thought I would post an update for you - I'm feeling alot better today - even though I've just been told by work their going to stop my full sick pay !!! - depression is easing a bit (I've been taking the Mirtazapine for four weeks)

    I didnt up the dose like the GP suggested to 30mg as I was so worried about bringing back the anxiety/shakes e.t.c and so far so good. For me depression wasn't the major problem, I've only become mildly depressed and agitated since the panic attacks started - more out of frustration at not being able to lead a normal life I think. Today I'm feeling like I could go back to work next week - but one day at a time although I will have to soon as the mortage has got to get paid somehow :-(

    I'm not feeling any side affects from the Mirtazapine at the mo aside from the sedation which is a good thing - definately more hungry especially late in the evening - all day I'm fine and rarely snack apart from breakfast. I cant comment on hoe effective Mirtazapine would be for servere deppression as thank god I'm not in the place although without it who knows if I would be.

    I've had one mild panic attack since I started on Mirtazapine so for me its effective in controlling those - I'm not saying its been an easy ride- it makes you feel spaced out at first and I felt very restless (I still do some days)

    And I'm not entirely sure if my shaking came from the medication or my anxiety but thats definately easing up - it'll go completely with 2.5mg Diazipam and a beta blocker before it didn't even touch it.

    Any improvement at the moment is a plus for me. So to all those out there taking Mirtazapine please give at a fair go it does take time but eventually for me at least it seems to be worth it. I'm just hoping the improvement continues without upping the dose. I so scared of going backwards again.

    Dave

  • Joeysweeney
    Joeysweeney

    Posted

    Hi. I've been suffering with anxiety for almost 5 years and I'm currently in my first week of withdrawl from 150mg Sertraline before starting on 15mg Mirtazapine. After being on Buspirone, Citalopram (twice) Fluoxetine (Prozac) and Sertraline (Lustral) I've found that with every drug you don't generally feel any of the benefits until at least 4 weeks after you start. You must remember (and my GP forgot to mention this when I first started on medication) that your symptoms (be it anxiety or depression) will most certainly get worse before they get better (that is also applicable if you increase or decrease your dose) Unfortunately SSRI's have never fully rid me of my anxiety symptoms hence the drug change. I would be interested to hear from anyone who may be in a similar situation to me and as to how you are now? Many thanks.
    • Jim1234
      Jim1234 Joeysweeney

      Posted

      Hi Joey, I'm another long term sufferer of anxiety.  I've played the balancing act of medications and am finally down to what I would consider the bare minimum but I still deal with anxiety daily.  Lke you I was on many SSRI's and Benzo's, several at the same time and sadly the addition of Lithium landed me in a mental health ward of a hospital against my will.  Nothing like having several county deputy sheriffs show up at your house and take you away...  As it turns out, it was the Lithium that broke the camel's back and "changed" me into a shell of the person.  Though the dose wasn't large; it, combined with all the other meds turned out to be a toxic level according to my toxicology report.  It was supposed to be a 3-day observation stay but since I live in a small county, our Majistrate (judge who signed the order) only comes to our county periodically so I stayed for 8 of the longest days of my life.  In the hospital a heck of a doctor did the best thing possible when he read my medical records and found I'd been perscribed about eight meds at the same time.  The high doses of klonopin, xanax, mixed with a couple anti-depressant SSRIs really did a number on me.  Of course at the time I was in uncontrollable anxiety attacks and a constant level of anxiety that I would equate to me as a glass and water being the anxiety.  I stayed at about 80% full constantly.  Fight or flight, heart racing every second of the day.  Very little would overfill my glass to panic attacks as well.  Considering this, when a doctor says, "this might help, and continue the meds you're taking."  You say yes sir and hope he's right.  I honestly would've tried just about anything to make the anxiety go away.  After that fiasco, I wasn't on anything (didn't have any seizures from stopping the large doses either).  I was very reluctant to try anything and now I take 30mg of mirtazapine at bed.  I started at 15mg and noticed a vast improvement almost instantly and eventually upped it to the now 30mg.  Probably two years now.  The other thing that helped with immensely was the addition of proprananol (I believe it's the right spelling) which is a beta-blocker or something that stopped my heart from racing all the time.  It took much of the fight or flight syndrome away and probably did something to limit the adrenaline that was dumping constantly in my body.  I still have anxiety and my world has gotten very small, but it's not like it was 6-8 years ago.  I couldn't even go out to the mail box for fear of collapsing on the way.  I hate taking any meds and are very choosey now.  Of course, the anxiety is somewhat controlled.  I do have Ativan (a benzo) for quick help when a have an attack coming on or as a preventative for going out to the doctor's office or into other buildings.  That's up to 4mg a day as needed but I rarely use 1.5mg a day and probably average less that 1mg per day.  I've only been to a couple restaurants in the last 4-5 years.  Both were fast food and I had an escape route ready.  I tried sit down places like Longhorn and such with me ending up in the car waiting for my wife to have the meals put in to-go containers.  A quick note on my wife.  Without her, I would've checked out of this world about 8 years ago when this anxiety started.  I consider anxiety to be the most selfish thing I've ever dealt with or heard of.  It makes you forget everything around you, like family, friends, hobbies, etc., because you're dealing with anxiety.  I have also gained much compassion for my "neighbor."  I used to go through life care free and uncaring but at around 42 years old when this hit, everything changed.  God may have thought I needed an example because words didn't make me a compassionate person.  My world is getting bigger and I was able to attend all the Christmas happenings with mine and my wife's family this year.  Huge step up for me and was thankful.  Lately the anxiety has been on an upswing but I'm still able to get out and go to certain small shopping stores.  For anyone else reading this; it will get better.  I remember in the throws of anxiety several years back I would read as much as I could from others only to say; "no, it's much worse."  I've lived worse, so hang in there.  I'll hang in too because looking over several years it's like night and day better.  Yes, my world is still small but it's gotten huge compared to the darkest times.
    • Rhubarb57
      Rhubarb57 Joeysweeney

      Posted

      Hi, I know this thread is old but I was wondering how you got on with the change from sertraline to mirtazapine? I'm currently in 150mg of sertraline and my doctor has told me to consider changing. Sertraline has helped my anxiety for a few years but it seems to have taken away my ability to enjoy anything and caused insomnia! I'm nervous about changing because of side effects, I do have diazepam to take when I need it and 3 months after an increase in sertraline I'm still using them occasionally so I do feel that they're no longer working for me!

    • pg123
      pg123 Joeysweeney

      Posted

      Hi!I have been diagnosed with anxiety and have taken sertraline,fluoxetine,citalopram,escitalopram for months but didnt get relief from anxiety.Now I am taking mirtazapine and paroxetine.Did mirtazapine help?
    • jacki74
      jacki74 pg123

      Posted

      Hi , was just wondering how you are getting on with Mirt ? I’m on my second week , feeling ok but hungry all the time ! Best wishes 😉

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