Is 15mg a good idea?

Dear fellow anxiety-depression sufferers (this is aimed at you)

Some suggestions for anybody new to this condition, and a question about Mirtazapine. But first of all, thanks to you all, and to the NMP managers, for all the useful stuff that I have read thus far myself - I am new to NMP.

I was on 30mg Seroxat for years but the effect seemed to wear off. Anxiety levels began to vary again and increase. A pending major life change sent levels right up, and so a major depressive episode kicked in with high anxiety states about five weeks ago, following a couple of moderate ones.

Through revamping and working hard at my ongoing CBT based self-help programme, family support, supportive senior colleagues, and a very good NHS team here in NE London which changed my main drug to this Mirtazapine stuff, I am much improved. I hope to start work again soon. I am doing loads to support my wife who has a busy and full work schedule, and lots of DIY etc*, as therapy (but pacing myself). If you are suffering at the moment, IT WILL PASS MATE (or MATE-ESS). It is lying to you.

I hope that the above is helpful to someone. In a nutshell, if you combine drugs with CBT (via counselling or self-help) and a bit of exercise and stress-free distraction, you'll beat your condition and keep it at bay for long, sometimes very long, periods. Avoid very big changes if you can but it isn't always possible and in any case, some things are better once faced (but not when you are in a state which will pass).

My question is about Mirtazapine. Will 15mg do the trick? It seems to be working but the mental health doctor, through my GP, wants me to go up to 30. I did after a week but the tiredness and spaced out feeling with those "brain shakes" were too much and I have been back on 15mg for a couple of days. I have told my GP but not seen him yet.

Any thoughts/comments welcome. Cheers.

Lloydi

Lloydi

Welcome to no more panic, Glad to hear that you are getting better. I can only speak from personal experience, I started on 15mg of Mirtazapine and it took me about 6 weeks to finally make the move to 30mg at first I think it made me feel very agitated although that could just have been the anxiety.

I'm now in the process of moving from 30mg to 45mg its not been easy as the docs are not tremendously understanding. I wanted a pack of 30 mg and a pack of 15mg so I could half or even quarter the 15mg and move up slowly. At first my phych gave me a weeks supply of 15's which I added to the 30's that I already had. Then last week they run out and they wont give them to me like that again. So I've ended up with 45mg tablets that are round and not scored in anyway so very difficult to break up. I took the full 45mg last night (I've been taking 37.5 for the past 4 weeks) and I feel unhuman today.

The only advice I can give is that if you have noticed no improvement once your up to 30mg then dont go any further as it's unlikely to help but def worth perservering and taking the 30mg. It sounds like they are helping you though - the only thing they really do for me is help me sleep.

keep up the good fight!!!!