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Depression, anxiety, insomnia and changing medication!

Posted , 3 users are following.

nikki30670
nikki30670

I've been struggling for two months. I was on escitalopram 20mg for several years then last summer things got v bad with anxiety. Since then my gp put me on pregabalin (last oct) but I was never able to get beyond 100mg a day.

In April he introduced 15mg Mirtazipine as I'd had success with that years ago. It seemed to help! I had to taper off pregabalin and escitalopram which I did both quite quickly in June. End of June, massive anxiety and depression! Looking back, I can see how the depression had been taking hold for many many months.

Anyway. I've now been back on 10mg escitalopram with 15mg Mirtazipine for five weeks. Plus Zopiclone up to 7.5. Plus diazepam as needed.

I've been an isolated depressed anxious mess for weeks. I'm a single mum and been trying to keep it all going.

I also have a health condition called ME/CFS. 

Anyway. Had my long awaited psychiatrist assessment yesterday. Very thorough. Outcome is to taper down on the escitalopram over next two weeks. Then stop that and the Mirtazipine and immediately start Sertraline.

There will be therapy at some point once stable.

I've also had to stop the Zopiclone. 

Part of my depression is obsessively reading up on all this stuff! Anyone else?

I'm scared. I need positive stories and encouragement. 

I want to be able to hold conversations again, focus on things I enjoy like tv programmes and art and family. And be able to sleep again! 

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • stella58218
    stella58218 nikki30670

    Posted

    I can relate to the obsession on reading up about things! I myself do this on a regular basis and the outcome doesn't help! I'm about to start on the mirtazapine myself for anxiety, did it help you for anxiety? I'm worried about the foggy feeling in the mornings as I've to get the kids ready for school! It's not easy is it? Especially being a mother! But your not alone there's so many like us! I hope you get relief on the sertraline 

    • nikki30670
      nikki30670 stella58218

      Posted

      Hi Stella, thanks for replying and being understanding. It's not easy going through all this as a Mum is it?! 

      Mirtazipine wise, I was put on it in 2009 for severe depression and it started working very quickly. I made a full recovery and gradually came off it a couple of years later. I was on the max dose. 

      This time my gp added it into a mix I was already on at a low dose, 15mg. I felt relief v quickly for anxiety. But then I came off the other meds v quickly and couldn't tolerate a higher dose of the Mirtazipine so I'm stuck on the 15mg plus 10mg escitalopram which I've been on for a few years. 

      It's not had the drowsy effect this time round. The first time i was just pleased to get sleep and start feeling better and got through the drowsy feeling (that improved). 

      I hope that helps a bit?! 

  • booboo40688
    booboo40688 nikki30670

    Posted

    Hi Nikki, years ago I was on sertraline and risperidione, I functioned very well on that medication, sertraline is good medication, I was able to work, sleep, and was in a good place mentally. So I hope it will work well for you too. Don't believe everything you read on the internet about depression, everyone is different and has different coping strategies. Fight off your illness as much as you can, it might be a struggle at the start but in time it will get easier. I'm sorry about your mc cfs diagnosis, I can  understand to a certain extent, i am also tired all the time but in my case it's because of the high dosage of mirtazapine I'm on...and depression. Try not to worry to much, you're doing fine considering you're changing medication. Some people become really unwell with the slightest change in medication. You said you need positive stories, I think your story is pretty amazing being a single mam and batteling depression. Some people don't have the strength you have, some people just give up, but I'm sure that even when u feel weak you are still a strong person, its incredible what some people manage to do for their kids, and one day I hope you will get better for her/him there's nothing your child will want more than to see you happy. try not to worry too much about your illness and what could happen you will either learn to cope with it or one day you will get tired of your depression and you will get better and maybe you won't even need medication anymore. 

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