Mirtazapine not working....

[Wilburis]

Hi

I came off Clomipramine as its no longer being made and GP put me on Mirtazapine.

Since this change Ive had restless legs and my skin feels tight and sunburnt but its not.:wacko::wacko:

The GP said the new meds would not have these side effects.

Im on the max dose of 45mg and my anxiety is worse than ever.

I dont know what to do now.:shrug:

Im seeing him tomorrow - I want to ask to try Pregabalin as nothing else work for me.

ALl he ever says is that anxiety is a learned habit. Yes doc, I know that but I need help.

x

[hanshan]

Hi Lizzie,

I don't know about this doctor. Anxiety is a learned habit if you learn that a certain situation will lead to something dangerous (including social dangers like examinations and interviews for our complicated species). But for some people, the system malfunctions for no discernible reason.

Also, restless legs is a side-effect of mirtazapine. Only a small percentage of people get it, and it may not last all day, but it's definitely there. You can try splitting up your dose through the day as much as possible, or taking some immediately before bedtime to sleep through the "legs".

However, if you've tried everything and it's not working, I'd ask for pregabalin. I'd even photocopy out the NHS guidelines on pregabalin for anxiety if you think the doctor will tell you it's "not for anxiety".

[Wilburis]

Hi

Just back from the GP.

Im coming off Mirtazapine, my choice.

I asked for Pregabalin, he said he cannot prescribe it as its too expensive, but when i see the psychiatrist and if they prescribe it, then my GP can continue giving it to me!

In the meantime, waiting for my psych appointment, the GP has given me Phenergan.

SO fed up......

[Benjammin69]

I had a really bad time with pregabalin... have you tried therapy?

[Wilburis]

Hi

Ive tried CBT - didnt work.

What problems did you have with Pregabalin?

x

[Tony52]

I am on Mirt and not sure if it is working or not.
Here is my story, cut as short as I can.
Back in January 2013,I was at my lowest ebb when on week 15 of Venlafaxine and just feeling worse.
Dose was upped and bought down in that time but feeling really , really bad in first week or so in January.
Ven had worked twice in the past,but not this time .
GP took me off Ven 187.5 mg completely for 5 days and then started on 15mg Mirt.
No withdrawal symptoms from Ven and was already feeling much better when I started Mirt.
Within 10 days I felt back to my normal self and had no feeling that I was taking an AD from the very first Mirt 15mg dose.
No answers to be had ,but it was just a miracle cure to me.
Maybe too much serotonin in my system. Who knows.
Been fine since then and with agreement of GP, came of Mirt after about 6 months.
Back in mid June 2016 I felt slight anxiety and depression coming on, but not till mid July that I started on 7.5mg Mirt.
I knew I was taking an AD straight away, with the way my head was feeling.
Since then I have been between 7.5 mg and 30 mg, but just not feeling any better.
Yesterday was my worst day since starting and just felt really bad all day long until late evening.
Been on 15 mg for past week and this morning when I woke up, I felt not too bad ,and still do in mid-afternoon.
Nothing like I would feel in my normal state, but not bad for just recently.
I just feel every day on whatever dose, that it could, and it does change at any time of the day.
It is a horrible feeling not knowing how you will feel in an hour or two or getting up in the morning.
I look at my diet and keep thinking , could it be that, but I know I eat and drink the right things and try my best to get a nice bit of exercise every day.
Can anyone relate to any of this, as tomorrow morning I am very hopeful I will wake up feeling good, and will eat the same meal as I had last night.
Normally that is not my way of thinking at all, but this awful thing that we suffer from does not make us think in a rational way at times.
So many things I want to get on with in my life, but just can't do them, although I am full of positive thinking.

[hanshan]

Hi Tony,

Maybe coming off mirtazapine when you first did was not such a great idea. Ideally we all want to be med-free, but sometimes that is not possible.

Now you are taking it again and it's not working as it did before, but you must give it time. Also, meds are never more than 50% of the answer - the rest comes from new mental strategies, changes and adjustments.

[Tony52]

Hi hanshan, I hate the thought of being on meds and being able to be med-free after 6 months made me feel great at that time.
I do realise that some people need to stay on meds, but if my GP agrees, I can't help but go for that option.
I had three and a half years of leading a full and active life, but would it have been longer if I had stayed on Mirt ? Who knows.
I have been on this rollercoaster before with different meds ,and I just don't know what to do at times when my brain isn't thinking in the normal way.
When I get over this one, which I will do soon I'm sure, I will think more seriously about the future consequences.
You are right about meds never more than 50% of the answer and I have done CBT, counselling, therapy etc. and the closest thing it can possibly be is Endogenous Depression I have been told by mental health care professionals, but that is just a theory.
I will give it time and all the positive thinking I can put into it, but it can be such hard going at times when you just can't get your head round it all.
This is the first time I have managed to even post on this forum for a while and everything is such an effort, but I know it will get better. :yesyes: