New to mirt and changes

[warbaby71]

hi everyone.. ive been on mirtazapine for 6 weeks now.. after 4 my dr put the dose up from 30mg to 45mg. it was hell getting settled to the 30mg but i got there in the end after a major low. im now 2 weeks into the new dose and im feeling similar to how i was before with the anxiety and the overall feeling crap(ive been feeling the anxiety etc for the last 4-5 days). is this normal with a change in dose, i figure i need to come up again to be level. has anyone experienced this, does this seem normal i dont know. im sitting here and grrrrr.. i just need to know that im not going nuts and stuff. hope someone can help.
thanks

[hanshan]

An increased dose should reduce anxiety, not increase it.

[MardyBum]

I dont know what you mean by coming up again BUT I believe 45mg is the highest dose... I wouldnt worry too much 2 weeks isnt that long and maybe your just settling on the higher dose. I always found with my mirt every 4-6 weeks it would pop out on me and I had to be put up a dose im now on mirt and just starting cit as an add in x

[ElizabethJane]

Hi I have been taking mirtazapine, (and lithium for considerably longer) for about four and a half years now mostly at 45mg. It might be that your body needs to adjust to 45mg although I found it easier than increasing to 30mg from 15mg and less sedating. Anxiety can increase if you are withdrawing from the drug but not usually associated with upping the dose.You will need to stabilise on 45mg. If it does not settle within the next day or so then talk to your GP about it. Do you have any other meds or coping strategies to deal with the anxiety? It can be be extremely unpleasant I know. EJ

[warbaby71]

thanks for the advice everyone.. i went tot he doctors last night and explained my case, i have ongoing anxiety especialy health due tot he death of my mum from cancer recently.
this past year i have undergone all the normal tests such as endoscopy which revelealed a hiatus hernia (and the associated acid reflux disease), i was also diagnosed with ibs due to the stress etc. ive now been on mirt for about 6 weeks and about 3 weeks ago i had got a lump down in my throat towards the middle of my chest. although slightly sore form time to time it causes relativly little pain. the doctor is calling it globus which ive had before higher in my throat.
all the tests ive had say theres notthing wrong but my head runs riot and this lump is doing my head right in.
so as well as my 45mg mirt the doctor has also prescribed propranolol beta blockers as well at 40mg.
so the thing is now to see how it goes. im still very anxious and the feeling in the throat is horrible.
if anyone can share any expereience with similar issues id be so appreciative to know im not alone.
atm im also waiting for cbt as well to try and deal with these issues.. like at the moment is not nice.
thanks
simon

[ElizabethJane]

I'm sorry that your Mum has died. Any sort of bereavement can cause an increase in anxiety. My Dad died in April 2011. There is so much to do after a death as well as the coming to terms with the loss of the person. I definitely empathise with you. When my anxiety is bad I usually resort to my hypnosis cd and have diazepam for emergencies. I'm taking a fair bit of medication already and that usually takes care of the anxiety. If it was really bad my pdoc has said that he will 'add in' an anti psychotic. At the moment I try to take as little extra meds as possible. I have taken propanolol in the past and it will help to damp down the anxiety. Talking to someone close about your feelings will also help. I did not find CBT much help at all although I understand the principals so I wish you success with that. EJ

[warbaby71]

hey thought id do an update.. still feeling crap and anxious even with the mirt and propranolol. woke up with burnt esophagus again and wondering whats going on.. i took more omeprazole yesterday to lower the acid and then i get more burnt. well thats how it feels.. gastritis was diagnosed 4 weeks ago and ive been having the pains like ihad then so maybe my gastritis is stillt there, currently waiting for a helibacter pylori test to see if i have that, if that is the case then it would explain alot but still not go the the results.
think i might have to go to the doctor again on monday, the staff there must think im a hypocondriach as i go so much but when you are so anxious it gets bad..
not a good day today and feel at the end of my tether mentaly..

[karenp]

So sorry to hear about what you are going through too Simon. I've been on Mirtazapine 5 months but it's not helped my anxiety one bit, just got me to sleep at night. I also take Propranolol 3 times day if needed and it usually help. Really hope you feel miles better soon (:

[warbaby71]

Thanks for your kind words, well I went to the doctor and expressed that I donnt think the omeprazole is working as my throat feel burnt and as such we opted for a change from omeprazole to ranitidine and its only the second day and to early to say if its helping. But saying that I do feel sorta stable at the moment but think that's just my head. The anxiety is minimal and I'm thinking of asking doctor to lower me back down to 30mg mirt. Only been on 45 for 3 weeks. I will sEe what he says. Plan to go to docs friday to discuss and get more tabs. Gives a couple of days to see if the ranitidine to kick in properly. My throat does not feel as. Burned and any horrible feelings tend to
come and go so I tend to think they might be phantoms so to speak but they come back which is a worry of course. We will have to see how it goes. Anyone know much about ranitidine? Just interested to know more. Thanks for reading

[warbaby71]

I went to the doctor yet agian today with complaints of my stomach being uncomfortable and could it be linked tot he lump in my esophagus, the doctor turned around and confronted me, he asked me could this all be dow to anxiety, ive had a barium enema and an endoscopy and various blood tests and most recently and stool test and everything comes back negative and all clear.
So the doctor said i am somatized and upon looking up the term its not nice to see.
i have all these symptoms which are scary and im on various drugs to counter act the acid and my anxiety of which the doctor has now uppe the dose of propranolol to 120mg per day.
Im suffering all these symptoms and i dont know if they are real or not and i have to try and live with them untill i can get CBT again which the doctor is going to try and get me fast tracked onto it as he thinks im a needy case as im back to the doctors on a weekly basis.
all this started last march with a slight cough in my chest and a sore throat and now i have a hiatus hernia,gerd,ibs,anxiety and now somatization disorder.
mentaly this is all hell. what now?