New to Mertazipan

[phil6]

I tried SSRIs earlier this year and gave them a good try for 12 weeks but my experience was nothing short of awful with extreme anxiety especially in the mornings.
However, even though I was quite determined not to go any further with meds as I have recovered from spells of GAD several times in my life, I did get very low and desperate about a week ago and the doc has asked me to give Mertazapine a try.
I am on day 5 of 15mg which the doc intends to increase to 30 in a few days.
I have felt very drowsy and found it difficult to rise in the mornings but I knew this was likely to happen so it was quite nice to get some better sleep. This morning I woke early again and with some high anxiety. It was a little disappointing and I did start to worry about the medication. Anyway I have exercised today ( I go to the gym and swim as this really helps with my anxiety) and I have calmed down a bit.
I know I shouldn't take too much notice of bad posts about Mertazipan as there will always be odd horror stories, but I just want a bit of reassurance aBout their effectiveness. I am 61 and retired and really struggling with anxiety this year. If a medication is going to help me recover along with CBT which I am in the midst of then fine... I am willing to stay on them. But I have a really bad habit of worrying that it will help in the short term then will cause problems later, especially withdrawal.
I have to say that so far apart from tiredness they seem quite gentle, but I am not feeling any positive effects yet. I still get spells of feeling that I want to do this on my own, without medication, but without the distraction of work, it has been difficult this time around. Silly really as I have no real stressors now!
Phil

[Sands]

Hi Phil. I too am on mirt and I remember that drowsy feeling in the morning and at the time I rather enjoyed it. I had just switched over from an ssri which I took for 3 weeks so I was very grateful for a good night's sleep and still am. I also don't like the fact that I am taking them I've never needed medication before but like u I too was so down I felt like I needed them. I worry too about withdrawing cos u hear so many horror stories but I guess we will have to cross that bridge when it comes to it.
The pills never took anxiety away totally for me they just sort of perked me up and got me on the road to feeling better. I have a lot of responsibility so I have always had to just carry on regardless of how I felt and I think that with the mirt has helped. I am definitely loads better than I was. I know u have retired so I would say getting a routine going something you can do every morning so u don't waste time fretting about how u feel. It must be hard being retired, so much time to think. Sometimes I do still feel that horrible feeling but that happens more on the weekend when I've nothing to do.
So keep busy and u will give your mind the rest that it so craves

[loreen]

Sands, what a great reply.

I am on day 7 of mirtazapine 15 mg. I too am enjoying having a decent nights sleep, after months of anxiety and insomnia .

My doctor is likely to increase me to 30 mg next week. Can I ask, does 30 mg still give you a decent sleep ? I know the higher the dose the less likely you are to have help with sleep. I don't want to trade in my sleep for less anxiety, if you see what i mean.

Loreen x

[Sands]

Hi loreen. I take 30 after a week of 15. I still sleep very well perhaps a little too well. Honestly didn't notice too much difference with the change so I would say stick to 15 if it has helped you. I wish I had stuck to 15 but I know u get so desperate to feel well quickly that u would try anything. I think time will heal or at least in my case it has and of course carrying on regardless taking all the horrible feelings with u and u will get over this. All the best x

[Mark13]

loreen

I've been on 15mg since 2007, but twice tried 30mg under GPs supervision.

At the very least my insomnia returned, at worst the increase made me wired and irritable.

I was glad to go back to 15 and take another drug (amitriptyline) for the anxiety.

Obviously your experience may differ, but 15mg works well for me as a sleep aid. You may be able to agree, as I did, with your GP, to drop back to 15mg if 30mg doesn't agree with you.

[phil6]

Thanks all for your replies....
Yes, being retired is a problem for me, not that I want a job!
It is strange how anxiety finds a problem somewhere. When I was working, I couldn't wait to retire and get rid of all the work stress. When I was younger, my anxiety caused me to worry about losing my job, or house and the worry of those who were dependant on me, my kids.
All that has now gone... I am in the situation now that I used to dream about.
And what happens, I worry about boredom, loss of social contact, too much time on my hands.
I am addressing this and doing some voluntary work in the new year along with staying active with swimming and gym, but I think whatever I do, when I am feeling anxious, I will find a problem to worry over. That seems to be the way anxiety works.
I think my dose will be upped this week to 30mg, and the only thing I am struggling with is wanting to go back to sleep in the mornings. I too am happy with the good nights sleep.
Phil

[loreen]

Phil,

Hope 30 mg agrees with you. Let us know how you get on.

Sands and Mark, thank you for your input. I think I should maybe give 15 mg longer before deciding on an increase. My doctor will probably let me experiment with an increase,but I am wary of making things worse.

The sleep thing is so important to me that I may just accept some anxiety,knowing that I deal with it better as a result of having a decent nights sleep.

Loreen x

[hanshan]

Hi Phil,

I think that is the essence of GAD, that your anxiety will keep finding new things to worry about - it's like the cart (anxiety) pulling the horses (stressors and triggers).

Don't be afraid to vary the dose of mirtazapine to find what works best for you (in consultation with your doctor). It does work differently at different doses.

I find a combination of mirtazapine and pregabalin works best for me, to the extent that I can pretty much say that I am in remission from distressing levels of anxiety, for the first time in decades.

[phil6]

Just an update....
I took my first dose increase of 39mg last night.
I woke early but kept going back to sleep even though I felt a little anxious, so not bad.
However, I did feel uncomfortably nauseous when I did rise, but was able to eat some breakfast. I do feel a bit agitated but drowsy aswell. I will be going to do some exercise later this morning which feels like it is going to be a big effort at the moment.
phil

[phil6]

Update,
Just for those starting on Mertazapine.
This med seems to be quite gentle compared to some SSRIs. In my case anyway.
Day 3 on 30mg and still sleeping quite well. If i do wake I return to sleep quickly. It still feels hard to get up in the mornings as I feel like I need to sleep more, but this is early days. The sedatory effect has calmed my anxiety, especially in the mornings.
I am not feeling any particular mood changes yet and still feel quite down, but a little calmer.
Phil