So scared going back on mirtazapine

[ElizabethJane]

I have been advised by my psychiatrist to go back onto mirtazapine 30mg. I am suffering from recurrent depression and he thinks that this will help. I am so scared as I struggled last year to come off mirtazapine after suffering terrible withdrawals. I also put on a stone and a half in weight which I have recently shed. I have lost 20lbs in weight. I am determined not to put on any more weight. If I do I shall just stop taking the mirtazapine. I will take the first dose tonight with my other meds. Last year I tried duloxetine and was so ill with nausea sickness and giddiness. If this happens I shall just stop it. I have begun feeling bad again in the mornings and the paranoia is back. I'm irritable and my mood is black. So I really need to stop this. I dont want to feel all that anxiety and depression again.

[nomorepanic]

My personal opinion is that docs prescibe meds too easily as it is the easy option.

I would try it alone and no meds to be honest.

[ElizabethJane]

That wasn't the type of support I was expecting. You are entiltled to your opinions. I cannot afford to be ill with a full blown depression. I shall find support elsewhere.

[pollyanna]

Elizabeth jane

I am sorry you are having a rough time, medication is always a difficult descion, to take or not take, to change from one to another etc. I have been on the same meds now for a long time, ( Dothiepin) and maybe another med would be more suitable , but i am terrified to change them, i have had other things added in over the years but have never changed the dothiepin.
I know its a tough one for you given all the reasons you have stated, but i think you have to go with you gut instinct, whatever that maybe..
I know this is not much help, but i suppose just wanted to let you know i understand the difficulities you are facing at the moment.

I hope things start to pick up for you soon

Best wishes

P x

[ElizabethJane]

Hi Pollyanna I am on dothiepin too and like you for a very long time. Dr J tried to wean me off dothiepin last year by introducing dulolxetine but I was very ill with side effects. I have periods in my life when I haven't had medication but if it is the difference between being well and being so ill that I need hopsital treatment then I know which path I will choose to take. Hopefully this will be a temporary blip from which I will recover then I can come off the mirtazapine again. I am just going to take one day at a time at the moment. Today I am feeling a bit sleepy but apart from that and being a bit weepy ok. I appreciate that it is hard for people to understand how debilitating major depression is and I feel that with the way things were going I was going right back there. I would dearly love to be without meds but that is not going to be possible owing to the nature of my illness. I have to take meds when I am well too to stop me from becoming ill again.

[nomorepanic]

I was supporting you.

You said you had a horrible time on them last time so I was suggesting that you could try it alone.

The way I read the post was that you didn't really want to take this medication.

You probably won't read this now as you have gone somewhere else but I was not saying anything bad as far as I can see.

[ElizabethJane]

It was the withdrawals that I found so difficult and I appreciate that it might be the same when I come off them again. I am taking it one day at a time. Mirtazapine actually helped my depression when I was on it. If I start piling on the pounds then I shall have to come off them. I'm scared because I was acutally thinking Dr J was poisoning me. All paranoia and complete fantasy. I'm sorry if I have caused offence. I do visit other web sites but as people come on this one every day there is more scope for support and different opinions. I know I'm ill at the moment but I'm sorry if we have misunderstood each other.

[jo61]

I've been on mirtazapine for years (45mg) and it's really helped, along with lithium. Both cause weight gain and I'm up about a stone in the past year but am about to embark on a serious (well) fitness regime. I reckon some of it is middle age spread anyway!!

I'm resigned to being on meds for the foreseeable - I rattle when I turn over in bed. I'd rather carry some extra weight than to go back to the dreaded dark moods and cripp[ling anxiety

Keep posting and if you want to PM me do.

:hugs:

[ElizabethJane]

Jo thankyou so much for your post. I am on lithium as well and when I'm feeling low everything seems to come up as one great big panic. I am very glad that you are keeping well on your meds. Serious depression can quickly get out of hand. My sense of reality becomes distorted and yes black suicidal mood. For my families sake I just dont want to go there. With the weight thing I will just have to watch what I put in my mouth. Thanks for posting. I will PM you.

[ElizabethJane]

I am feeling a lot better today although I was still very dopey and drowsy first thing. Yesterday was dreadful. I was just glad that I wasn't at work as I wanted to sleep all the time. I still have mixed feelings about the drug. It will be my appetite that I need to control. I had forgotton about the insatiable appetite and craving for sweet things. I have made up my mind I will give it a try. I feel completely 'out of it' emotionally. I can't 'feel' things and I am irritable and snappy. Hopefully things will improve.

[pollyanna]

Glad you are feeling a little better today, hopefully it wont be too long until you are feeling a lot better..

Take care

P x

[jo61]

Go girl. Just remember I'm always here for you xx:D

[ElizabethJane]

Thanks Jo much appreciated. Jane

[ElizabethJane]

I have been back on mirtazapine for nearly a week now and I feel soo much better. I am sleeping better but still waking early. I feel very woozy when I wake up and it takes a good two hours to feel anything but normal and I'm so slow doing anything. The irritability has lessened which is good for people around me. I think that I might have put on a bit of weight. I shall know for certain tomorrow. I'm not sure how to deal with the weight gain. I still dont like being on all these meds and I will come off them at the earliest opportunity. I'm still really really tired (part of the problem) as we have been really busy at work. Busy means that I am still in a job and I dont think my performance at work has changed because of the mirtazapine.