Mirt, weight gain and acid reflux, remedies reaction?

Posted , 4 users are following.

Question, i have been on mirt 45mg now for around 3 months, have put on just over a stone in weight which is not good. I now get chest and left arm pains when walking, exercising. Informed GP of this she said that it will be acid relux due to weight gain. Didn't check blood pressure etc or suggest anything. Went to pharmacist and asked what i could take, advised normal indigestion remedy beginning with G incase I can't advertise. The problem I now have after eating I take the recommended 2 5 mg spoons of this then I get the feeling of disassociation, as if I am outside looking in. Happened last night, this morning and now again so I'm not imagining it. Very weird feeling, as if my head doesn't belomg to me. Still got pains in chest on walkng and took 2 chewy tablets and sat down, pains went. Has anyone else had acid reflux and weird feeling taking these remediess. Also I keep getting an upset stomach. any other suggestions very welcome. Going to see physiciatrist next Friday and want to start coming off mirt as I am no better and the weight gain is pants. 

0 likes, 25 replies

25 Replies

  • Posted

    Hi,

    I have had no good experiences on this drug and have now started on St Johns Wort instead.

    I was recommended to start on 15mg and double up after a week. Well I didn't even get beyond 4 days. The sedative effects were far too severe to enable driving next day and as they're is no help in Hell in England to get PIP for mental illness, I cant afford time off. I gained half a stone within 2 weeks of trying to even establish a safe/effective dosaage.

    Also I experienced a refluxing of food when swallowing. It was as if the normal peristaltic motion of the oesophagus was halting and reversing! A painful and distrssing experience!

    Hope this helps

    • Posted

      Hi

      just typed a reply and hit the wrong button, now got to start again and try and remeber what I wrote.

      Poor you I didn't really get affected by the sedation I can be up unti 1 or 2 in the morning sleep till 5, or all night or have distrubed nights. 

      I'm still feel depressed, anxious, suicidal thoughts self harming and now bloody acid relux,

      seeing my psychiatrist on Friday he didn't want to revise this unti I'd been on the full does of 45mg for 3 months. 

      i hope as you were on it such a short time no WD affects for you.

      thanks Tina

  • Posted

    Hello,

    I have never tried Mirt, but you are describing exacly the way I was on Seroxat.

    I felt so BAD I was convinced I either had IBS or Coeliac disease, my cupboard was half full of Imodium tablets, I was on it 6 months and then decided that enough was enough, it wasn't even helping my anxiety issues in fact the stress of all these side efeects was making me worse.  I read on a forum that one lady said she could NOT cope with giving up Seroxat and that this drug "is for Life"  That was a turning point for me because I thought  "We'll see about that"  I DID give it up, it wasn't easy, had to be done slowly but at least I did it!!  Now I am on Amitriptyline, which is messing with my head/ears so again I am faced with giving up., feel soooo tired all the time.  I have no appetite at all and in fact need to put ON some weight as I am getting too thin.  Hang in there Tina, the Docs are of little help I have found, we have to do our own research.  xx

    • Posted

      Hi Valerie

      thanks for your reply, I;ve only just started getting these pains and I find the worrying thing is I only seem to get them when I am walking or exercising so have to really slow down or stop. So then the vicious circle starts no exercise put on more weight causing more problems. It's enough to make you mad, oops forgot I'm already there.

      Good kuck is trying to find something else that works for you.

      I just wish I'd never started on the drugs road and is seems so difficult to get off.

      Before all this s""" I'd never been ill.

    • Posted

      It IS  difficult to get off because when we finish one lot of drugs we feel so 'down' we want to take something else!!! xx
  • Posted

    Peppermint tea is a good send for me for stomach issues I have ibd for the upset stomach wise and drinking aleo vera drinks aswell is good gaviscon is brilliant for acid reflux I went through bottles when pregnant. Ginger baskets aswell are good for upset stomach or just plain old milk for acid reflux calms the burn. So for the weight gain I can't help on that one as I've lost almost 3 stone on matazapine it's given me absolutely no apetite down from 12 12 to 10 2 since March. I am currently coming off them as they have made me alot worse mentally wise. The pains do not sound normal have you thought about beta blockers they would help with chest pains and see to take with mirt. However I do think you are best coming off. Ano when I had a change in dose off mirt I got a horrible pain in behind my calf I literally wanting to get a knife and cut my calf off it was immense bit went after a few days x
    • Posted

      Problem is I don't drink hot drinks so tea is out of the question. I mostly drink water, then wine or beer. I don't do cans of fizzy drink either. I'd lost a bit of weight last year and was beginning to feel not too bad about myself but then things went to pot completely mental wise. I thought beta blockers controled rapid heart beats. I just want off meds I've never been one for medication as I saw the amount of drugs my late husband was on, you take something to control one thing then have to take 2 or 3 others to combat the side effects. 

      How long have you been coming off mirt, how long were you on it for? I'm just dreading it after reading peoples reactions on here. I got brain zaps for weeks changing from Citalipram to mirt. 

      i'm just so fed up. I'm planning to return to work end of September as they are putting pressure on me. So i've got to get my act together.

  • Posted

    I have been on mirt for about 10 weeks.  It restored my appetite so I did put on weight, but no more than I lost by being anxious.  I have to be strict with myself. (Even writing this is making me want to eat!)

    The pains you describe are the classic ones for angina, so I cannot understand why your GP did not rule that out.

    I take meds for both reflux and angina. The reflux only ever affected me at night (after eating too much too late)  and it never gave me pains as you describe. 

    Even if your problem is reflux, your doctor could have prescribed something.  I take Lanzoprazole without side effects.    Your GP seems unsympathetic. 

    I do not get an upset stomach from any of the 8 meds I take every day, but many people do get it from an antidepressant.

     

     

       

    • Posted

      Thanks for your reply oldboy, I'm afraid angina is at the back ot my mind as that was the start of the downfall for my late husband. I'm going to try the antiacid remedies for the next week then if there is no improvement will go back to GP. Trouble is i;m not one for keep going to the Dr I just put up with things and hope they go away. I don't like being a pest. and i'm just getting so fed up of feeling crap as it's been over a year now. I'm just too tired to keep going. 
    • Posted

      It;'s just seems one thing after another......
    • Posted

      Hi Tina,

      I have counted 8 ailments in your postings so far.   Perhaps the GP thinks you are a hypochondriac.

      An idea is to write down the ailments you have and put them in order of importance to you.  Then go to your GP and say you want her to treat the most important ones.   

      If the thought of angina is worrying you put that high on your list.

      I got angina nearly 20 years ago, and I am still here.    

       

    • Posted

      Hi Oldboy

      Never thought myself being a hypochondriac, I hadn't been to my GP for years until last September due to being suicidal, I have only been to see her around 5 or 6 times this year. i tend to just ignore things or hope they go away. 

      I had a ECG done back in May and bloods done on admittance to mental health hospital and nothing came back on that so I assume my heart is ok but then again I hadn't put on as much weight then. 

      She did say I was too young to have heart problems plus there is no history in my family. 

      i'll just end up putting up with it.

      List of ailments apart from the chest pains/acid reflux I didn't think I had much else phsyically? 

    • Posted

      Hi Tina

      I did not say you were a hypochondriac, just that your GP might think so.  

      Even if you are one that is an illness to be treated -  not an insult. 

      Hypochondria is not synonymous with "pestering your doctor", in fact if you research it you will find that many hypochondriacs fear visiting a doctor.   

      Hypochondria is when YOU think normal symptoms are a sign that you are ill.  

      I did not mean to upset you.  Unfortunately being called a hypochondriac is seen as an insult in the way that all mental illness used to be seen, and to some extent still is.   

    • Posted

      Hi again

      Sorry if I got the wrong end of the stick, that is yet another problem I have trouble controlling my emotions, rages trusting people etc etc still awaiting full assessment of BPD, 

      Like i said before I've never really been ill until my life turned upside down last year and it just kept spiraling downhill since. 

    • Posted

      These things can happen suddenly.   I was perfectly okay one day and suffering from severe generalized anxiety disorder the next (although I should not call it that as the definition includes ".. for six months" ).  There was no life change which caused it.

      I had a panic attack for 8 hours.  I have been suicidal.

      Now (5 months later) I am 90% back to "normal" thanks to the sertraline and mirtazapine I take. 

      You can turn your life around too.

       

          

    • Posted

      I'm glad you are 90% back to normal.

      I do so hope I can too get back to some normality and get used to my life on my own.

    • Posted

      HI Tina,

      I started thinking I'd developed BPD or somesort of Personality Disorder. I recall the emotional trigger for me back in 2012 but I can't understand why I didn't bounce back afterwards. I'd dealt with worst in the past, I felt.

      Then I blamed perimenopause but again wasn't really having hot flushes or the like. So I suspected irrepairable damage from antidepressant meds of the past.

      What is completely unlike me are sudden rages/meltdowns. It's like my emotions are all over the shop. Although they are short lived, it's impossible being so up and down all the time. 

      I also have generalised anxiety and fear of life itself, it seems. So much doom and gloom about everything and no future.. It can is so wearing. I can't seem to tackle anything new or break away from routine. 

      As for my GP. Well I have been completely let down. No follow up, lack of promissed counselling etc etc. All they are interested in is screening for women's diseases/cancer. I won't even go. I know it's foolish but I can't face any sort of physical intrusion now.

      I feel how can they be so neglectful of my mental health? I have even written to them for help!

      I feel what's the point? Everyone dies and if they don't they will be shoved in a vile carehome like my dad and stripped of their dignity and family home.

      I hate my negative attitude but I can't see anyway forward at the moment. sad

    • Posted

      If you do nothing you will probably continue the same for a long time. So you should do something about it - get help.   If your GP is not interested (as my first GP was not) can you change GP (as I did)?  I am registered at a practice with about 5 doctors - and I can see any of them. I hit it lucky with the second doctor. 
    • Posted

      I think that's the best way forward really. I'm going to see if I can research other GP surgeries near me. Do you have to give a reason why you want to change? Thanks
    • Posted

      I do not know if you can change surgery so easily.  I changed GP within the same surgery.
    • Posted

      Hello Tina,

      Good to see you posting on here again as I have been wondering how you were getting on now.

      Sorry to hear that you are still feeling so bad and you  now have acid reflux and pain.

      You have really suffered during your time on mirt Tina and you are probaby right when you think that this drug does not help you.

      I hope your appointment on Friday is beneficial and you can get the help you surely deserve.

      I too experienced acid reflux and it is horrible.I was on 30mg at the time and I also had chest pain.

      I did not want to take a remedy and found small meals every few hours helped ,I never eat after 7pm.

      I took my last mirt 8 weeks ago and I am thankful to be improving.

      This drug effects us all in different ways and has been a life saver to many while others have not had a good experience and have great suffering due to WD.

      As well as feeling so bad you are probably anxious about your return to work Tina.

      With all my heart I hope that your appointment will be with a good doctor who can help you to regain your wellbeing.

      Do please let us know how you get on.

      Sunbird xx

    • Posted

      Hi Tina,

      Only to say that I too am a widow so I know how it fells having no-one to talk these things over with. xx

    • Posted

      Hi Pippa

      It was explained to me that your personality is developed during your childhood, from your parent,s surroundings and life events etc. It is supposedly something that you do not get later in life. Their thinking with me was that I had a lot of BPD traits during my teenage years which a lot of stuff has not been opened up yet by me, then this was all stabalised during my marriage. Which following my husband death all these traits came back or they are going along the line of adjustment disorder too.  

      I hope some of this makes sense as I'm not that good at putting things into words. 

      Sorry that your GP doesn't seem interested and yes I know the feeling of being neglected, abandoned. I hope you are able to move to a different practice that would give you the support and understanding you need.

      Are you working at the moment, have family?

       

      I know too about care homes, with my mother and late aunt.

      I will not end up in one of those I'd rather die than be placed in one.

      I've tried being positive today after the past week, done nothing but watch TV. Now that's really positive!!!!

    • Posted

      Hi Valerie

      Sorry that you too are widowed, it is horrible not having anyone to talk too or even hug you to make things better.

      How long have you been widowed? if you don't mind me asking. How do cope I just feel so lost, abandoned, alone in the world. XX

    • Posted

      Hi Sunbird

      thanks for your reply I have been on other forums too and trying not to rely on these, even though people have saved me many a time.

      I haven't eaten much at all today as I had a really bad and uncomfortable night and not done much today so no pains but then I've been sitting watching TV nearly all day.

      Looks like you are doing well coming off mirt and improving, it is so tempting just to say f it and stop but I know that;s not the way to do it, as it won't make it any quicker. How long did it take you to come off mirt?

      I'll try and keep people updated as it is interesting seeing how others get on,especially as we do share a lot on here.

      you take care 

      Tina xx 

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