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BubbleBonce
16-08-10, 21:54
I've been on 30mgs of Mirtazepine for almost 3 months now & I am still crippled with alot of physical anxiety symptoms, sleeping too much etc. I am definitely better with this med but it's not the whole answer for sure.

Citalopram never did much for me so where the heck do I turn now?

Desperate. :lac:

Kerry B
17-08-10, 00:12
There are lots of different tablets out there its finding the right one to suit you as everyone is different but if I was you I would see my GP as ask to try another tablet. I know its a pain having to wait all over again to see if the new tablets works its just trial and error. Take Care

Vixxy
17-08-10, 10:08
Hi bubble. I found that mirtazapine helped me to be more positive and motivated, but it didnt help with my anxiety. So my Gp put me on seroxat. Im now taking 45mg of mirtazapine and 10mg of seroxat and the combination works well.
Hope this helps.

BubbleBonce
17-08-10, 13:21
Hmm, well really I have tried most SSRI's and found many made my anxiety worse. I doubt if my GP will prescribe Seroxat as I have asked before. That one did at least help me the most, although I had insomnia with it. Maybe at a fairly low dose it might be OK though.

You knlow this is why I don't bother going to the GP cuz they either laugh at me or any of their meds don't work. I just get worse and worse and there's nothing anyone can do. Not much to look forward to really. :weep:

Vixxy
17-08-10, 16:33
See if there is another GP in your surgery or another practise. Its very important to get one that understands you. My normal GP was a bit dismissive of me as Ive had this problem for 10 years. I went to see one of the female GPs and she was the one that put me on the seroxat aswell as mirtazapine.
I had a lot of problems on citalopram. (no sex drive, sleeping all day, exhuasted, up late, night sweats, bad dreams etc) and ive found that im getting a few of these problems with seroxat. however the mirtazapine still makes me go to bed and sleep at a decent time, so its not affecting me too much.
The seroxat has helped me no end, so find out if you can take both. Stay on the 30mg mirtazapine and then maybe 5mg of seroxat to take the edge off your anxiety.

OR have you tried propranalol? It helps me a lot too.

Deva
17-08-10, 17:17
Hello BB. I was on 45mgs of mirt which did help with depression but I still had lots of anxiety. In the end following a very stressful time at work I was signed off and the doc changed my med to Escitalopram (Cipralex). This has helped both my anxiety and also my depression - I go as far as to say that for me it's a wonder drug but I had to get through the side effects first. You could try this with the mirt - perhaps you could ask your GP to do that? Some GPs are reluctant to prescribe Cipralex as it's expensive but I think if you've tried a lot of other drugs it would be hard to refuse you.

Don't give up on your GP and try to access as much help as you can - the more fuss you make about how ill you are the more support you will get. I've got lots of support around me now but it only came after I admitted (following a nervous breakdown) just how ill I was. Be honest and keep telling the GP how you feel again and again and again.

Good luck and sending you good wishes.

nomorepanic
17-08-10, 18:04
Why don't you try some self-help and therapy rather than drugs?

You should ask the GP to refer you for CBT and Claire Weekes writes some excellent books that may help.

Kerry B
17-08-10, 18:33
Hi Bubblebonce I am on Seroxate funny enough. Why don't you see another doctor is ok for Doctors to say they don't want to prescribe medication, but they don't have to live with how we are feeling everyday. Do you not see a CPN?

JT69
17-08-10, 19:08
Hi Bubblebounce,

I too have found that mirtazipine helped with depression and sleep but did very little for my anxiety. I have now reduced to 15mg but have been taking pregabalin for the anxiety and that is what is helping me the most. I too had tried citalopram and it was sucessful for a number of years but this past time didn't hence the change.

I guess it depends on what all your symptoms are...as I wouldn't expect pregabalin to help with depression. The thing is also alot of GP's wont prescribe it as it is off label and expensive...thankfully my GP did and it has hepled me so much.

I am going back to discuss coming off mirtazipine or staying on a lower dose for a while...see what happens.

I think you should try and see another Gp, I cannot believe that your GP laughed at you either...that is truely unacceptable and uncaring!! Sometimes I think they should have a dose of anxiety and see how it feels!!!

I also start CBT/conselling tommorow so am hoping that will help too.

Go back and see someone else you should not have to continue suffering.

Take care
Jo.xx

ElizabethJane
17-08-10, 19:10
Dear Bubble I suggest that you see another doctor in the practice and ask for some CBT. It might be helpful to talk to someone about your difficulties and doctors surgeries have access to counsellors for short term therapy. This could be an option for you to pursue. If you are able doing some physical exercise this will improve your mood. Chart you moods with mindgym (can be found online) so that you have something to show the docs when you get to see them. Best wishes EJ.

BubbleBonce
17-08-10, 20:35
Thanks all you lovely people for your advice. I think part of my problem is of my own making in that I have steadfastly refused to accept that this is anxiety - at least to the docs.

Main reason being I am scared they won't take me seriously - which they don't any way, plus the GP seems to think I worry all the time which I am not aware of doing.

I used to have health anxiety and spent hours reading stuff on the internet. I then had CBT which I had to pay for myself and it did get rid of that at least.

I am starting doing self directed support through the IAPT tomorrow. This has only just become available through my GP recently and I hope will make some difference. I've been through the mill psychologically and suffered lots as a result.

My hubby couldn't cope with the anxiety so we got divorced, I sold our house, moved and now cannot motivate myself to settle in at the new house. Maybe coz there's noone to do it for. My kids are now at uni and at home now, but go back in a few weeks and I will be all alone again.

So it's kinda complicated but I hear what you're saying about the Seroxat. I think I have asked 2 female GPs for it and both said the same. I doubt they have the knowledge to prescribe 2 a/d's at once. The one I am seeing had to get her book out to check about going up to 30mg mirt. :ohmy:

I spose I really haven't come clean with the docs and I need to work on that. I tell anyone else I have anxiety and that doesn't seem to matter. Not sure how I can get over being open with the GP. Any ideas.

Thanks so much. Means alot.
X

ElizabethJane
17-08-10, 21:28
Hi again Bubble. It does sound as if your past history is quite complicated. I have been on two anti ds at once but this is usually something that psychiatrists prefer to monitor. Anxiety is very difficult to deal with. I have deal with it by taking the odd valium tablet. Anxiety was bad when I was withdrawing from mirtazapine so the dose was upped again. I find music very therapeutic anything that can distract from that horrible hollow feeling and anticipation and dread. I know that going off and trying another type of therapy isn't always the answer. I have had experience of my fair share of therapy. When I was depressed last Winter I was also seeing a osteopath for back and shoulder pain. I also talked to the therapist each week. This also seemed to help my anxiety and depression. Acupuncture is also something I will try if I become ill again. What I am trying to say is that the answer might not lie in conventional medicine. I have also had hypnosis but this is expensive and relies on you to practice self hypnosis techniques. I am not medically trained and these are my opinions based on my own experience.

Deva
18-08-10, 10:01
Hi BB your story sounds very similar to mine. I'm not a medical professional but I'd say that it sounds as if you have both anxiety and depression. I too got help through IAPT and saw a good therapist who actually spoke to the GP on my behalf and got me a referral to a psychiatrist. It's very hard in 10 mins in a GP surgery to explain all that you are experiencing. You need to spend more time with someone discussing what you're going through and how best to deal with it. I think the therapy will help with that.

I've found that the therapists I've seen recently have encouraged me to read a lot about anxiety and now I feel that I can articulate better what it is that I suffer from. I also have found that the drugs help me to feel normal but it's only with the help of therapy that I feel that I can build a toolkit of things to help when the anxiety strikes.

In terms of not believing that you are being taken seriously I think that that's a symptom of our illness. Often anxiety comes with a whole host of miserable friends like depression and low self-esteem. Low self-esteem will make you believe that you aren't being taken seriously or that you don't deserve the attention and help you need to get better. If you're like me you'll be saying to yourself that asking for so much help is being self indulgent when there are people suffering with cancer or dying in floods. In the end it was therapy that helped me see that depression and anxiety are serious illnesses and cause terrible suffering. I knew I was suffering but I thought I was being weak etc etc.

Keep plugging at it: you deserve to be well and to be in a position to be hopeful about your future in your new house making a fresh start.

BubbleBonce
19-08-10, 11:47
Great words and advice. Yes I do feel limited and struggle with the 10 min time constraint of GP appt. I had my IAPT appt yesterday and explained how hard I found that and getting my point across to a GP. That isn't helped by how ashamed I am which hasn't been helped at all by some Drs reactions.
After everything I said she said I might get stepped up to the next level of therapy straight away. She is also going to refer me to the employment specialist as I've been to a few job interviews lately and struggled with going blank/ not remembering things etc.

I was very pleased with it, was much better than I thought. I've got a few things to do like do myself a timetable of when I should do things as I've let everything go and haven't been able to get back on track.

I'm sure you're right about the depression too Deva. Trouble is my GP has steadfastly thought that it was just anxiety - like that's my problem and she didn't have much to offer - and said she didn't think I was depressed. Grrr.

I'll ask about adding meds at my next appt but am not holding out much hope. I think some docs know more about meds than others and are willing to try slightly different combos. For sure 2 at my practice won't do that.

Hugs

Bubble

edited to add: Oh yes and I ordered 2 of Claire Weeks' books. One just arrived with the post this morning so I have some good reading that might help too. Just looking at the titles says it all to me. This lady seems to know and understand.