mizfiesta
19-11-10, 12:10
Sorry if this post is a tad long but I really need some advice! I have suffered bouts of moderate depression for years and have been taking 20mg of Prozac daily for around ten years, give or take.
A couple of months ago, due to an ongoing period of stress, I got really depressed while still taking my 20mg Prozac. I was beginning to notice over time that I would have low periods but thankfully they never lasted more than a few days. Maybe the Prozac not working effectively for me anymore after such a long time taking it?
Anyway this recent bout of depression, my worst for years, meant I was too ill to cope with work so I have been off sick since the start of September. The doctor advised me to start taking a double dose of Prozac, so I started taking two 20mg tablets a day and waited on them working. I was very confident that after six weeks or so I would be well on my road to recovery as they had worked soo well the very first time I ever took the 20mg dose, all those years back.
Anyway, fast forward around 8 weeks and one failed attempt to go back to work - they had made no marked difference. Maybe my mood stabilised very slightly but my sleep became more difficult and I felt more 'jittery', 'on edge' and nervous. My mind raced continually. Was this the depression or was it the increased dose of Prozac? I have no clue.
I went back to my doctor around two weeks ago (I've been seeing her recently while she monitors my mood) and explained I still didn't feel well and certainly not well enough to return to work. My absence from work is a worry, naturally, as the local authority I work for are struggling financially are are making cut backs left, right and centre.
The doctor suggested we try another medication and gave me a prescription for Mirtazapine. Firstly though I was to reduce my Procaz intake. For the first week I was to cut down my Prozac from 40mg to 20mg daily. Then the second week (where I'm at now) I was to take a 20mg Prozac pill every SECOND day. I am due to start the Mirtazapine on Tuesday 23rd November.
This is where my dillema begins! The past few days, for no apparent reason I have started to feel a bit better! And I'm only taking 20mg of Prozac every second day! I was expecting my mood to plummet while I reduced my Prozac to start Mirtazapine and was a bit scared - but the opposite is true! I'm sleeping a bit better and feel quite good and my mood is the best it's been in weeks. What's going on?! I now don't know whether to start the Mirtazapine or not?! Should I just continue with the 20mg of Prozac every other day till I figure this out? I don't want to get lulled into a false sense of security. Maybe my dark cloud is waiting round the corner and is going to consume me tomorrow or the next day? I am confused! I need to get back to work before I lose my job so should I just start the 15mg Mirtazapine daily to enable me to do that - just in case? I know it will certainly help me sleep etc but I also know that along with every medication comes the usual side effects. Would it be crazy for me to try and go drug free and risk crashing at the first sign of stress at work for example? Any advice greatly appreciated!
A couple of months ago, due to an ongoing period of stress, I got really depressed while still taking my 20mg Prozac. I was beginning to notice over time that I would have low periods but thankfully they never lasted more than a few days. Maybe the Prozac not working effectively for me anymore after such a long time taking it?
Anyway this recent bout of depression, my worst for years, meant I was too ill to cope with work so I have been off sick since the start of September. The doctor advised me to start taking a double dose of Prozac, so I started taking two 20mg tablets a day and waited on them working. I was very confident that after six weeks or so I would be well on my road to recovery as they had worked soo well the very first time I ever took the 20mg dose, all those years back.
Anyway, fast forward around 8 weeks and one failed attempt to go back to work - they had made no marked difference. Maybe my mood stabilised very slightly but my sleep became more difficult and I felt more 'jittery', 'on edge' and nervous. My mind raced continually. Was this the depression or was it the increased dose of Prozac? I have no clue.
I went back to my doctor around two weeks ago (I've been seeing her recently while she monitors my mood) and explained I still didn't feel well and certainly not well enough to return to work. My absence from work is a worry, naturally, as the local authority I work for are struggling financially are are making cut backs left, right and centre.
The doctor suggested we try another medication and gave me a prescription for Mirtazapine. Firstly though I was to reduce my Procaz intake. For the first week I was to cut down my Prozac from 40mg to 20mg daily. Then the second week (where I'm at now) I was to take a 20mg Prozac pill every SECOND day. I am due to start the Mirtazapine on Tuesday 23rd November.
This is where my dillema begins! The past few days, for no apparent reason I have started to feel a bit better! And I'm only taking 20mg of Prozac every second day! I was expecting my mood to plummet while I reduced my Prozac to start Mirtazapine and was a bit scared - but the opposite is true! I'm sleeping a bit better and feel quite good and my mood is the best it's been in weeks. What's going on?! I now don't know whether to start the Mirtazapine or not?! Should I just continue with the 20mg of Prozac every other day till I figure this out? I don't want to get lulled into a false sense of security. Maybe my dark cloud is waiting round the corner and is going to consume me tomorrow or the next day? I am confused! I need to get back to work before I lose my job so should I just start the 15mg Mirtazapine daily to enable me to do that - just in case? I know it will certainly help me sleep etc but I also know that along with every medication comes the usual side effects. Would it be crazy for me to try and go drug free and risk crashing at the first sign of stress at work for example? Any advice greatly appreciated!