I don't think it's working...
Hi,
I went to the doctor yesterday and he prescribed me mirtazapine 15mg. Whilst this is only my second night taking it, I don't feel the sleepiness that I've seen everyone else go on about. Whilst I feel drowsy, I don't feel like I could go to sleep right now, I just feel very relaxed. I know it's only my second day but is it normal for this drug not to send you off to sleep? to just make you feel relaxed?
I also felt very rough this morning, like a hangover but without the headache and sickness :S and I felt a lot more depersonalized.
Is this normal?
Re: I don't think it's working...
Well I think you maybe jumping the gun a bit :)
Antidepressants aren't sleeping tablets so they wont always make you sleep, although they can make you feel sleepy and drowsy when you first start your treatment :)
It sounds like you're having a few side effects, which is very normal once starting on the treatment and this will settle down within a couple of weeks.
So I'd keep going and taking them as directed by your doctor at least until you have to report back to them how you're getting on :)
Re: I don't think it's working...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
AuntieMoosie
Well I think you maybe jumping the gun a bit :)
Antidepressants aren't sleeping tablets so they wont always make you sleep, although they can make you feel sleepy and drowsy when you first start your treatment :)
It sounds like you're having a few side effects, which is very normal once starting on the treatment and this will settle down within a couple of weeks.
So I'd keep going and taking them as directed by your doctor at least until you have to report back to them how you're getting on :)
Thank you, I do understand what you mean it's just my doctor said to me it will make me feel very sleepy but it's not :shrug:
Re: I don't think it's working...
Today is my second day on them, and while the first night I took them I was sleepy, the second time I felt like my normal self and woke up without feeling drowsy or anything. I wouldn't worry too much. Also, a lot of people that are not experiencing any side effects most likely will not come online and look for advice (just my own opinion). Don't worry. :)
Re: I don't think it's working...
Not sure about the depersonalization, it is not something I suffer with. When I started on Mirtazapine it was 15mg, increased weekly to the maximum dose of 45mg. That seems to work for most people. They made me feel angry for a week or two, but that passed. Stick with it, apparently they are really good for depression, I take them for anxiety and the sedative effect as I suffer with insomnia.x
sarah.x
Re: I don't think it's working...
Sleepiness is a common side effect of mirtazapine, but it doesn't affect everyone. Doctors should warn patients about possible sleepiness, as it may affect them driving or operating machinery.
Increased appetite and weight gain are other common side effects which affect many people, but not everyone. If you are worried about this, you should check your weight over the next couple of days and monitor it from there.
Re: I don't think it's working...
Greg,
Before you get discouraged, pull through and please read my Success Story on NMP. I was a gamer who had a head injury and suffered major anxiety and depression, with panic attacks. I felt alone and fearful. I was on Paxil, and had mirt as an addon to the Paxil. Once the Mirtazapine was introduced, my life started to shine in the biggest way. I used to never feel, never care, and would sit alone in my chair, and just stare at the TV, but no matter what I watched, the pain and lifelessness was there, 24/7.
Safe to say, I am now in a better place. Because of my friends, my family, my therapist and my medication, I am feeling great. I absolutely love my life and I feel the struggle has made me so much stronger. Medication, therapy and forcing the change of outlook, will help you. Feel better. :)
Re: I don't think it's working...
Thanks everyone, I think this medication is making me worse, I know all meds can make you worse before you get better but it is causing my anxiety to become extreme. My panic attacks are causing me to cry and shake because I keep feeling like i'm going to lose control of myself and I cant seem to calm myself down, I just have to 'ride it out'. Depersonalization seems to be at it's peak and so does anxiety. I have an appointment with my doctor tomorrow and I know he's probably going to prescribe me some sort of benzo? which I'm not really into. Anyone have any ideas?
Re: I don't think it's working...
greg123 how long have you been on them now? I do believe they take a while before they start to work, and I have heard before that they can make things worse before things start to get better. On day 3 for me I had a pretty bad anxiety attack, but looking back now I don't think it was the medication. I believe it was just my anxiety because I'm so anxious about taking the medication. I was prescribed Ativan by my Dr. to take as needed when I started mirt and I've only taken one since I've been on mirt, however it did help. Benzo's aren't necessarily bad, though they can be addicting, if you take one once in a while it won't do you any harm. Most of the times Dr.'s will prescribe a benzo alongside starting a medication because meds don't usually work right away. After my anxiety attack on day 3 I was ready to quit mirt, but I'm happy I didn't because I haven't even given it a chance. If you can you should try and stick it out, from what I've heard mirtazapine is one of the easiest medications to start in terms of side effects!
I hope you feel better. :)
Re: I don't think it's working...
Thank you dreambeliever, this is my 7th day on them, although I am having some side effects I think it's mainly anxiety causing me to panic not the meds. I suppose sitting at home on my own doesn't really help as I'm unable to go into work at the minute because of this I think it's making it worse. So I went to the gym after I wrote this and it seemed to take my mind off it. But thank you for your help, I hope you're doing ok :)