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Mirtazapine

Posted , 4 users are following.

alisha1984
alisha1984

Hi all just wanted to ask a quick question, i have been on mirtazapine for depression since aug 2014 my current dose is 45mg and a few months after taking them i started to develope anxiety i mentioned this to the doctor and he said it is social phobia as it only happens when i talk to people. This i do not get as i have no problem at all talking to strangers i reckon it is the meds that are having the anxiety effect on me am i the only one feeling this ? I also ask the doctor if he could start to reduce the mirtazapine and he has refused to do so for now as he wants me to wait till summer i have read on one of the threads that their are major withdrawal symptoms from this drug which is why i am determined to come off them before the year mark.

1 like, 20 replies

20 Replies

  • lesley99443
    lesley99443 alisha1984

    Posted

    Hi alisha..not you are not alone feeling these feelings....i too have no trouble talking to strangers but talking to friends is another story..so i agree i think it is these pills they are very strange and the effects very wierd......so you are not alone out there at all....hang in and good luck with getting of the evil stuff....i too would love to stop taking them but am very afraid as have read the horror stories too but i think they help as theres positive advice out there on how to withdraw successfully so dont be afraid to give it a try...u can do it ..kind regards
    • alisha1984
      alisha1984 lesley99443

      Posted

      im so glad im not the only one this has made me even more determined now thanks for they reply :-)
    • lesley99443
      lesley99443 alisha1984

      Posted

      so glad alisha......im at present trying to leave the house to get perscription think i will have to ask someone to come with me...mad isnt it...you are definately not alone so stay determined..regards
    • Karl_-_UK
      Karl_-_UK alisha1984

      Posted

      Oh and Alisha....do some research and reading up on the med (even ask a pharmacist or two about) PROPANANOL ...

      I personally find it GOOD - VERY GOOD for anxiety ...and believe me when I say I have struggled with poor mental health for many years, and 'Anxiety'/'Acute Panic' etc has been a real sometimes unrelenting debilitating blight on my life.

      It seems to be the kind of drug I can pop in my mouth as and when I need to. It has in my experience all the positives without any noticeable negatives or unsavoury punushing side effects (unlike Mirtazapine).

      Anyway ...just my humblw suggestion!

      Peace

  • Karl_-_UK
    Karl_-_UK alisha1984

    Posted

    Hello Alisha ...

    MIRTAZAPINE: I think if you spend time reading the many posts on here re. the drug ..youll find a number of people on here who take or are reducing down/weening off or have stopped taking the it recently have reported experiencing anxiety/increased anxiety.

    I was surprised to read that your doctor has 'refused' to let you reduce the dose you are taking ..esp. having been on such a high dose for over 6+months AND he claiming you have a social phobia disorder/form of anxiety when you report being fine sound people.

    Peace

    • Karl_-_UK
      Karl_-_UK

      Posted

      *Excuse poor spelling/grammar
  • Calmer
    Calmer alisha1984

    Posted

    Hi Alisha

    I agree with Karl; do your research if you are thinking of planning to withdraw ... this wd from Mirt' should carry a very strong psycological health warning as the wd, if rushed, can be worse than your original symptoms some people on this forum say.  

    If and when the time comes - I understand that the best wd is 10% every 3/4 weeks "to be sure" of the best outcome.  I know that may sound over cautious but if you read others stories you will understand why.  It might not be easy to measure accurately but it is available in liquid form - don't let the Doctor rush you off saying liquid is too expensive!

    Different people react differently to Mirt' and it seems it might not suit you - I wonder how quickly you got to the 45 mg Alisha as I think it is cautionary to start on 15 for a few weeks and if not working then up the dose gradually to 30 - then 45 for depression.  Some people have commented that 15 mg suits them, helps the sleep problems and therefore the anxiety as it has for me.

    I hope, like me, you can gain a little help with your suffering and some confidence with the help of the tried and tested Mirt' takers on this forum - it's great to know you are not alone.

    Wishing you well.

    • Karl_-_UK
      Karl_-_UK Calmer

      Posted

      Alisha I doubt you'll get much better (caring) advice than that from Calmer...

      I TOTALLY agree that MIRTAZAPINE should come with a serious health warning ...or atleast put it in a RED BOX and have it delivered by armed guard!

      Love to know if your doctor put you straight onto 45mg? ...If he did ..hmmm wow!

      Its not to be underestimated in my opinion ...a tiny pill but with a serious punch!

      That said, one must be fair and not forget or ignore the fact that 'some' people do report positive effects. Make sure you decide what's BEST FOR YOU and not be blindly influenced by me and others who are not fans of the med. Consider always the bigger and whole picture and liaise closely with a good knowledgeable and truly caring doctor.

      Wishing you and everyone much peace!

    • alisha1984
      alisha1984 Calmer

      Posted

      Hi calmer

      I was started on mirt pacifically for depression and for sleeping i was on 15 for a couple of weeks but was not working so the doctor put me on 30 at the time i was an excessive active drinker which my doctor knew of when i detoxed from the alcohol the mirt was not having any effect anymore so doctor put me on 45 in jan 2015 but since i have been on 45mg i have been suffering with bouts of anxiety whilst talking to people it comes and goes as it please so im never prepared when it happens outside i panick even more

    • Karl_-_UK
      Karl_-_UK alisha1984

      Posted

      Alisha hi ...hope as this short msg reaches you it finds you experiencing a period of peace and contentment (even if but a small amount ...yes as sometimes small positives mean so much when we're down etc).

      Anyway, I think I've misunderstood something ...can you please clarify for me..

      You wrote previously: ..."I started to develope anxiety i mentioned this to the doctor and he said it is social phobia as it only happens when i talk to people. This i do not get as i have no problem at all talking to strangers"...

      The two sentences seem to suggest YOU DO have anxiety when talking to others ..but then that YOU DO NOT.

      Can you help me with my confusion?

      Many thanks!

      Really n truly hope your evening and weekend is settled and sees you in finer spirits...

      Best wishes to ALL!

  • Karl_-_UK
    Karl_-_UK alisha1984

    Posted

    Alisha I doubt you'll get much better (caring) advice than that from Calmer...

    I TOTALLY agree that MIRTAZAPINE should come with a serious health warning ...or atleast put it in a RED BOX and have it delivered by armed guard!

    Love to know if your doctor put you straight onto 45mg? ...If he did ..hmmm wow!

    Its not to be underestimated in my opinion ...a tiny pill but with a serious punch!

    That said, one must be fair and not forget or ignore the fact that 'some' people do report positive effects. Make sure you decide what's BEST FOR YOU and not be blindly influenced by me and others who are not fans of the med. Consider always the bigger and whole picture and liaise closely with a good knowledgeable and truly caring doctor.

    Wishing you and everyone much peace!

    • Calmer
      Calmer Karl_-_UK

      Posted

      Thank you Karl ...   ...   ...   I feel for each and every one of you struggling with anx & depression, being on Mirt' and whatever else the doctors are dishing out.

      Mirt' has been very good for me so far,  apart from the fatigue I have no complaints (ggrrrrr) ... however, I have yet to withdraw (after the summer) and am simply learning the best route.

      Like yourself I am arming myself with all the ammo' I can find - knowledge from this forum, I have completed a course in CBT, also Mindfulness and now Meditation.  I don't think the rough journey ends once we stop taking the medication.

      Namaste

    • Karl_-_UK
      Karl_-_UK Calmer

      Posted

      Your approach is a sensible one ...and I think when the time comes for you to say your goodbyes to Mirtazapine hopefully you'll be in a strong position...

      I am relieved come glad to hear Mitazapine has for the most part been favourable for you! I wouldn't wish poor mental health (no matter how it presents itself) on anyone.

      Stay well Namaste/Calmer

  • craig2828
    craig2828 alisha1984

    Posted

    Hey Alisha, I can certainly share a little experience with you with regards to Mirt. I have been on mirt for 3.5 years, reaching a dose of 45 at one point. A couple months ago my anxiety levels started to become overwhelming and i couldnt understand it as i was taking medication (mirt) to counteract this. I tried upping my dose after the doctor recommended it but all i found was i was waking up with a hangover effect that lasted pretty much all day. My anxiety levels were increasing to the point i was having panic attacks. I spoke with the Doctor and explained all this and was told to keep going. In the end after speaking with a few different Doctors, one believed that because I had been taking it for so long, i was probaly overdosing on it. I was told to drop down to 15 and see how i felt. I dropped the dose to 15 that night and the next day was one of the best i'd felt in months????. I though gees whats that all about, however after 15 again the next day I felt quite rough. After lots of diary entries and advice i am not coming off mirt. I am down to 15/7.5 rotating and have to say for the first time in three years I feel like me again. Can't believe I was just going on and on with the higher dose and suffering. The biggest hurdles are withdrawal and they can be so demoralising some days it almost causes you to reach for the higher dose, but then the agony starts again. What was the turning point for me in my battle was, a doctor said to me, when you have been on medication for a long time (6 months plus) the medication builds in your system and thats how it helps you. If you were to miss just one dose, you would barely feel any different as its in your system. So I thought if thats true missing just tonights dose that i have took religiously for over three years, wont make a difference? Missing one dose made me feel like the old me the next day, where i almost cried with relief just to feel like me again...Now currently rotating on 15/7.5mg my anxiety levels are a little above normal, proving more is not always the right way... Hope this has been of some help as i know only too well the suffering we have to go through with this illness, all the best
  • Calmer
    Calmer alisha1984

    Posted

    Hi Alisha

    How are you getting on?  Lots of replies for you to digest but maybe we digressed a little ... hope you're ok?  

    Best wishes,

     

    • Karl_-_UK
      Karl_-_UK Calmer

      Posted

      Hi Alisha ...I'll second that msg from Calmer/Namaste...how are you? (hope you are feeling better).

      Just to further illustrate just how we (who struggle or have struggled with issues of the mind etc) can be hit from nowhere with a bout of anxiety/depression ...I was feeling quite settled (say 70%) the past days but then this morning I awoke without warning to crippling anxiety (reducing me to say 20% or less). Its been a all day struggle to TRY and lift my mood, motivate myself and banish what are unrelenting miserable energy sapping happiness killing thoughts going over n over in my mind. Even now I'm only partially improved in terms of how I have been feeling up until this morning (say 55%).

      Really reminds me of just how precarious life can be for those who are never far from, and are disproportionately more at risk of and susceptible to dreaded poor mental health.

      Hope whilst you and others read ..you/others can draw some small comfort from the knowledge your're/they ain't alone ...there's many of us that have their demons to do battle with.

      Much peace and sincere best wishes to you Alisha ..Calmer/Namaste and everyone else!

      Regards Karl

    • Calmer
      Calmer Karl_-_UK

      Posted

      Sorry to read your struggling today Karl, not the "weekend" expectation effect is it ... I struggle with that sometimes ... be mindful, stay in the present moment, have you checked out the mindful org website?  I can't put the e-mail addy on as the moderator will possibly take me off again; google it and it might help you a little.  

      Karl, Namaste is my greeting or saying goodbye, not my name - in some contexts, namaste is used by one person to express gratitude for assistance offered or given, and to thank the other person for his or her generous kindness; or from one spirit to bow to the spirit within another.

      Best wishes, Calmer wink

    • craig2828
      craig2828 Karl_-_UK

      Posted

      Was sorry to read about your experience today Karl, I too am in a similar boat today, feeling absolutely lousy with head ache and nausea, just a joke really, get over depression and then have these withdrawal effects to deal with, today is another bash to my confidence
    • Karl_-_UK
      Karl_-_UK Calmer

      Posted

      Thankyou for your kind sentiments Calmer (you too Craig)...no Calmer nothing related to the weekend ...I think (THINK in capitsls) I will forever have a susceptibility towards anxiety; like a redhead is more at risk of getting sunburn (excyse the wild analogy). What I believe is a realistic goal for me to aim for now and in the future is to TRY and live most days with its effects under control or even it (anxiety) hardly noticeable by finding ways that suit me to reduce it. (Luck or divine providence, even a shift in my hormones etc or even the position of the moon in the nights sky may influence things too). That said, I think the brain is something no one fully understands plus unforeseen upsetting circumstances/pressures of life/tragedy can be unpredictable and just around the corner so occasionally (only occasionally I pray n hope) I guess I have to accept I will have a bad day or week or chapter in my life. Not sure if that makes sense?

      Another way if illustrating what I'm trying to say can be seen in the following words of wisdom by Reinhold Niebuhr...

      ..."God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change (substitute 'anxiety' here), the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference"...

      Wishing you a peaceful and enlightened weekend Calmer...Take care!

      p.s. Thanks Calmer ..Thanks Craig (really)

    • Karl_-_UK
      Karl_-_UK craig2828

      Posted

      Maybe while we both travel down a difficult part of the path we walk ..we can gain a little comfort that we're not alone today atleast.

      Goodnight ..strength ..peace Craig!

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