long term using mitrazepam

I am very interested to learn that you have been on both Mirtazapine and Venlafaxine for 6 years. I am in my mid 70s and after having my gallbladder out last January I went down hill fast. I hadn't had any depressive episodes since my 20s so this was a shock. I am currently on 45 Mirtazapine and 150 Venlafaxine. I have been on them since last September and feel really good and am sleeping better than I have done in years. My psychatrist said she thought I would need to be on them for at least 2 years because she felt the older you were the more likely you were to relapse. Do you find that you have put on weight. I am being really careful butvI have still managed to put on a fee pounds. This isn't good since I am due to have a new knee before too long and the less heavy one is the better. I would like to hear your experiences. The only negative I have with the mirtazapine is that it seems to relax my bladder after I have taken it at about 9.00 in the evening which is a nuisance but manageable. Maggie

Hello sweetheart, I have been on mirtazapine 45mg for a number of years...along with 375mg venlaflaxine, 400mg of lamictal and of course 800mg lithium.

I was concerned as I felt it was just keeping me travelling along the middle line and not improving my mood.....I'm fully aware I'm not going to be doing cartwheels down the M25 but blimey where's the bright days! After talking to my Doc we agreed that I would add

400mg of carbamazepineto the list. If you can imagine dropping a mento into a bottle of coke, that's the effect the carbamazepine has with other medications.

This still isn't having the desired effect so we agreed to take the venlaflaxine away and go from there....being totally messed up at the time and mixing up the number of pills I was taking I actually missed out my mirtazapine..and without knowing (seriously!) Went cold turkey....the side effects at the beginning were unnoticeable, probably mixed in the venlaflaxine but it was OK...it was only well into week three I realised! So with guided assistance I have no worries about coming off....it can be done hun

I have been mostly free of the depression for the last 4 years, after many years of recurring problems, so I am very happy with the combination of mirtazapine and venlafaxine. I did have a course of counselling and CBT, which taught me how to cope with the "downs" and that has helped too. I am in no hurry to get off the medications, although I do occasionally drop 75mg of venlafaxine with no bad effects. I'm lucky in that i've not gained any weight, and really had no trouble with side-effects. I suppose they do dull me slightly, but that helps prevent the anxiety.