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View Full Version : 45mg mirtazapine helping?



pmrob1
12-07-10, 20:14
Hi Peeps i am trying to find out if anyone has had a similar experience to myself whilst taking mirtazapine. I am currently on 45mg a day and have been taking it for 6 weeks. In total i have been on mirt for 17 weeks and have gradually had my dosage increased to where it is now. I am being treated for severe depression and high anxiety. I feel at the moment that my anxiety is getting better, albeit with episodes of intrusive thoughts which are abhorrent to me, but that although my depression has lifted somewhat from being down for the whole day to now feeling as if i am down for the first six or seven hours after waking,it is still a large problem. I am not sure if the mirtazapines effect has now plateaued out or wether the mirt may continue to help but very very slowly. I will have an appointment with a junior doctor from the local community mental health team in the next few weeks and would like to go armed with some information. I know of course not to stop taking the medicine except under doctor advisement but would be grateful if anyone who may have been in a similar position can tell me what they think.

bexy1970
13-07-10, 12:57
hiya,
i was on 45mg zis for a long time, i too like u felt you that i didnt feel that they were working as well as a high dose should do!! i woke up feeling down etc, and i put on sooo much weight too that, that was getting me down too, ne way im down to 7.5 mg now due to my weight thats y im stopping them, but they are a good med!! so praps try staying on 45mg for a while longer and see how you get on

ps, i cant take things like cit or prozac,thats y i was on zispin becca xx

pmrob1
13-07-10, 14:47
Hi Becca, thanks for that hopefeully things will work out on mirtazapine i definitely like them for the sleep quality it brings but get stinking headaches all the time, and not sure if they are doing the job they are designed for. I know how you feel about cit as i am also intolerant of it. What will you be taking instead of the mirt? You said you are now on 7.5mg how long has it taken you to get down to that?

rambler
13-07-10, 14:54
I was also on 45mg of mirtazapine for a while but I found I could do nothing but sleep and eat. They really didn't agree with me at all. I now take Lyrica and have found it amazing.

bexy1970
13-07-10, 15:00
hiya, i did it by doin 30mg for 4 weeks then 15 for 3 weeks then onto 7.5,and to be honest that dose makes me sleep better!!! im going to have a word with doc about ahat to take instead! i used to take dothiepin, but ive heard immiprimine are ol ones but good to, ive never heard of lyrica has it got another name????id like to try nething thats good! xx

rambler
13-07-10, 15:05
Lyrica is Pregabalin. I've found it to be brilliant. Even from the first day of taking it my anxiety improved. By day three I was less anxious than I can ever remember being. Things are beginning to even out a little now though...but a little anxiety is healthy right?
I also found the lower dose of mirtazapine more sedating..odd!

ElizabethJane
13-07-10, 21:28
Hi Pmrob1 I'm sorry that you are still experiencing high levels of depression on 45mg mirtazapine. As you might already know I am also taking 45mg mirtazapine. Initially I was also taking 150mg of dothiepin as well. Thankfully I was weaned off that. Dr J my psychiatrist used mirtazapine as an 'add on' as I had relapsed and also upped my lithium. What I am trying to say is that mirtazapine can be used in addition to other anti depressants and other ssris as mirtazapine is an snri and works in a different way to other anti depressants. I wouldn't give up on mirtazapine too quickly though. When I increased to 45mg from 30mg earlier this year I felt dreadful. It seemed to take ages for the increased dose to kick in and get into my system. It took about six to eight weeks. It was horrible waiting for my mood to lift. Fairly recently I thought that I would need something in addition to the mirtazapine because I was suffering from bad anxiety attacks. Fortunately they have left me now. Dr J would prescribe pregabalin but I know that locally doctors are reluctant and it is only used for pain relief. My weight remains stable and when I am not manically busy I do exercise so the mirt has been a success for me. I hope that by seeing the doctor/psychiatrist? they will be able to prescribe the right combination of drugs to get you back to being well again. Often though it is really trial and error.

pmrob1
14-07-10, 11:32
Thanks for the reply ElizabethJane. Yes i will be seeing a doctor in the cmht on friday and hopefully we can come up with some sort of plan to try and help with the anxiety and depression. One of the drugs suggested by the company doctor is risperidone which is why i am being referred to the CMHT as my GP is very reluctant to deal with mental health problems as she feels she doesnt have enough experience with them. My biggest challenge at the moment are two fold 1: Intrusive thoughts - the what ifs, like "kill myself" "hurt myself" or "hurt my children".These are very upsetting and even using the techniques learnt through CBT iare difficult to let go of.
2: The low mood and sadness that lasts 5 to 6 hrs after waking even though i dont really have anything to be down about.
I am hoping that the doctor can start me on the long road to full recovery and that my experiences that i have encountered for the last 3 years will make me a better person.:wacko:

ElizabethJane
14-07-10, 19:00
Pmrob1 I have had intrusive thoughts too in the past and they can be very upsetting. It will be better for you to see someone from the mental health team. Dr J has mentioned risperidone for me in the lower doses but I haven't needed it. I am fortunate as I have direct access to him via his secretary if I have any anxieties. It hasn't always been like that with psychiatrists though. Dr J making himself accessible must be unique. I hope Friday goes well and keep posting. EJ. Sorry I do experience low mood when waking but I'm usually clear of that in a few hours. I'm sorry yours stays with you.