1. Community
  2. Brain and nerves
  3. Mirtazapine

Mirtazapine and Citalopram

Posted , 7 users are following.

vikki85100
vikki85100

Hi, I've been on Citalopram for anxiety since 2005, 30mgs initially but went up to 40mgs in 2016. I then had terrible anxiety last year and my GP added 15mgs Mirtazapine. It worked really well for 2 weeks then the anxiety came back and it wasn't until nearly 3 months after first taking that it finally went. However, about a month ago it returned and my GP put me on 30mgs and reduced my Citalopram to 35mgs initially with the aim of cutting down to 30mgs after a few weeks. Now the new dosages of my meds have made me feel awful, I still feel anxious and additionally feel depressed, I can't think straight and can't get out of bed in the morning. I feel really weird, it doesn't feel normal. I hate this feeling. I usually feel better as the day goes on but I dread waking with the awful feeling every morning. I have a GP's appointment tomorrow. Wondering if anyone can advise?

0 likes, 17 replies

17 Replies

Next
  • dawn47518
    dawn47518 vikki85100

    Posted

    Get off the mitrazepine as soon as possible there horrible made me very anxious and angry
  • drew17
    drew17 vikki85100

    Posted

    My first advice would be  don’t go near Mirtazapine.

    I have been on 40mgs of Citalopram for  about 6 to 9 months and  I am doing well although wake up time can be unpleasant. So why did things start going wrong on Citalopram for you?. Besides the drug, I have found a new purpose to life by taking hot drinks to the homeless in the town where  I live. As I am retired I have now found  this new reason for my life. I know it may sound trivial and smug but this new sense of   purpose has really made a massive difference. I still would not dare to stop take my antidepressant but   - drug + purpose together is what has worked for me. Finding this purpose is the hard thing to find. You mention finding it difficult to get out of bed. Did the citalopram failure coincide with retirement or being unemployed..i.e lack of purpose or some other life style change?

    • ann55375
      ann55375 drew17

      Posted

      Why do you say dont go near mirtazapine.  I was given it for a time and never felt well. Have tried to ditchit slowly but side effects are bad.  How do imget it away?
    • drew17
      drew17 ann55375

      Posted

       I am very anti mirtazapine because of my experience with the drug and because of all the horrendous stories in this forum about withdrawal and other issues.
    • vikki85100
      vikki85100 drew17

      Posted

      Hi Drew, thanks for your advice. My partner who I live with gave up work nearly 3 years ago and since then he has been ill. Now it's taken its toll on my health. I agree about finding a purpose and so am seeking some additional work to help with that. Voluntary sounds great but sadly I need the money.

    • drew17
      drew17 vikki85100

      Posted

      good for you Vikki, I know new jobs can be stressful in themselves but with the mental health stuff one has to do something purposeful so we feel better within ourselves.
  • caroline91081
    caroline91081 vikki85100

    Posted

    Vikki,

    You need to get back to the doctor straight away.  I was on Citalopram for years and never had any side effects, it just stopped working.  The combination obviously doesn't suit you.  Good luck xx

     

  • vikki85100
    vikki85100

    Posted

    Thank you everyone for your advice. Just wondering if anyone knows of any other drug that is good for anxiety other than Citalopram and Mirtazapine and, of course, Diazepam? I am going back to my GP this afternoon.
  • vikki85100
    vikki85100

    Posted

    Additionally, it seems I may have got used to Citalopram due to being on it for 13 years.
  • james87669
    james87669 vikki85100

    Posted

    vikki, the only drugs that I found work are any of the benzodiazepines. I have been dealing with GAD for better than sixty years and no other drug has worked for me. Unfortunately these drugs are prescribed only short term for fear of dependency. More research needs to be done since the drugs that are being prescribed are no way near as effective and have terrible side effects. I am now taking 30mg mirtazapine and 10 mg escitalopram and am still at square one. God help us.
    • vikki87350
      vikki87350 james87669

      Posted

      Hi James, 

      How can they prescribe us Mirtazapine, a mind altering drug with wicked daily side effects but not benzodiazepines. So what if there addictive when your living with Anxiety there needed at times, end of. 

      I think the b******s are cruel. Giving out Mirtazapine that immediately gives you Anxiety, inside tremors, brain zaps, it doesn't seem right. 

    • ann55375
      ann55375 vikki87350

      Posted

      I agree. Mirtazapine has taken my life away from me. It was ok at the start but have ended up with stomach problems and feel enerally awful.  Dr has taken me off it but i feel,even worse now.  I believe its from withdrawal effects but drs say no theres no such thing.  How can they not see that?
    • ann55375
      ann55375 james87669

      Posted

      i have had mirtaz and diazepam for four years and dr has taken me off mirtaz but i am still having to use the diaz as the withdrawals from mirtaz are so horrendous, anxiety sky high. I dont know how long i can take this alongside the stomach problems it brought too.  Where to go from here is a real problem.
    • caroline91081
      caroline91081 ann55375

      Posted

      Hi Ann,

      I saw my GP yesterday and asked her to take me off Mirtazapine.  She looked it up and said I have to come off it slowly,  3 weeks on 30mg 30 weeks on 30mg one day and 15 mg the next.  Then 15 mg or 3 weeks.  Hope this helps. Good luck x

    • caroline91081
      caroline91081 ann55375

      Posted

      Ann,

      Just had a thought if your GP wont listen have you got a branch of MIND where you live.  If so go and talk to them.  They could put your GP right xx

    • ann55375
      ann55375 caroline91081

      Posted

      No branches in scotland.

      gp very good getting me off mirtaz just wd is bad and then i have to tackle diazapam which shes aware of but very slow taper

Back to top
Next

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.