Mirt Diary

[kynkari1]

I was worried about going up to 30 mg because I'm a terrible insomniac and didn't want to mess with what little sleep I was getting. I tried it, though, because 15 mg wasn't touching the depression (and usually won't at that dose), and I was pleasantly surprised. My sleep is even better on the 30 mg. It seems that dose has regulated my sleep to a more normal pattern. My anxiety also lessened but unfortunately it hasn't completely gone. Still bad in the mornings especially.

I do think, after nearly 3 weeks @ 30 mg, my mood is much improved. I was really hesitant to try the 30 mg but I'm glad I did.

[anxiousjomo]

Glad to hear that! I am doing ok - still ups and downs, and also struggling with bad jet lag (8 hours time difference flying east), which is not helping.

At present I have no plans to increase, purely because I know I have a tendency to get obsessive and anxious about taking meds, so don't want to increase the problems.

I tend to experience sensations that I am sure are totally normal, or caused by all sorts of things, and immediately assume they are related to the meds and a sign something terrible is going to happen....

very silly.

Just have to keep telling myself not to worry.

[anxiousjomo]

12 Weeks

All good - lost the couple of pounds I gained, so back to the weight I was when I started. No real side effect issues - I am tired, but would be anyway with a busy job, a small child and all the rest! Anxiety and depression are still there - just muted enough to mean that my other techniques (meditation, exercise etc) keep them manageable and much less intrusive.

Still have the odd bad day (or few days), but these have not yet ever got as bad as they did off the meds.

I still worry a bit from time to time about having the drug in my system - what the long term effects are, whether it will stop working, whether my brain is not functioning as well on it etc etc....But I have committed to this route, and I guess I keep going down this road until something happens that is dramatic enough to mean I have to change paths.

To anyone else considering this drug - I would say certainly give it a go, give it time (and expect a few days at the start feeling like you are half asleep all day).

[anxiousjomo]

Interestingly had a rough night last night - did not feel that bad but just could not fall asleep at all...was awake for pretty much the whole night. First time that has happened since I started on Mirt. Hope it is not a sign that things are stopping working....To be fair to myself, and the meds, I am in the midst of an incredibly stressful period at work - with a pile of pretty impossible deadlines - so it may be understandable that I am having trouble sleeping...

[anxiousjomo]

Had a good night yesterday, and then another bad night last night of about 1hr sleep or so. Partly can blame noisy neighbours having a party, as well as work stress, but am getting a little concerned that the mirt is stopping helping my sleep.

I would be reluctant to go up to 30, not least because when the 15mg is at its highest in my system about an hour after I take the pill, I get restless legs, which suggests to me that if I go up a level, those sort of issues are going to increase.

Anyway. Hopefully this is just a temporary blip. I am not feeling that anxious - though my chest is tight and I am obviously a little stressed, on edge and very very tired....

[anxiousjomo]

Well - had magnesium and turmeric before bed, wore and eye mask and ear plugs and slept for a straight 7.5hrs without waking once...So hopefully all is ok

[anxiousjomo]

So I had another brutal night last night. I think I maybe got 1hr sleep in total, but maybe not even that. I think the mirt has stopped having its sedative effect. Maybe what is happening is my body is used to that histamine like effect, and now it has worn off, it is like withdrawal? I dont know. But I just could not fall asleep at all.

I took a Valium at about 2.30am to see if that would help, but as usually happens with that med, it just made me depressed and full of suicidal thinking. I need to remember never to take it again...

I don't know what to do. I dont feel that anxious, so don't know if the mirt is still helping with that, but this week I have had brutal insomnia one night, then being so exhausted I pass out the next, then insomnia again. And the insomnia is from 10pm to 7am.

I don't think going up on the dosage is the right idea. It is apparently more activating at the higher dose. Plus, what if it just gives me another 3 months of sleeping ok, then cuts out again, but this time it is even worse because I was on a higher dose?

And I don't think I want to stop taking the med - it does feel like it is helping a bit with the anxiety.

I don't know. I just have to find a way to sleep again. Everything is manageable when I have slept.

[anxiousjomo]

More potential issues emerging, which I will ask about in a separate thread. But about a month ago I had severe abdominal pain for about 10hrs, but I put it down to having gone for a run on an empty stomach. Then last night I had really brutal pain, all around my abdomen - very sharp stabbing pain - lasted all night and was getting worse, so went to the hospital at about 6am. They did blood tests and urine tests that came back fine, and the Dr said he could not feel anything wrong etc. They gave me codine but even though only dulled the pain. It is now 12pm and the pain is still there, but dulled a lot, which may be the codine or it may be going away.

My concern is that abdominal pain is one listed side effect of Mirt...
What with this and it no longer helping with sleep (or doing that much for my anxiety and depression), I am starting to think it may not be working for me...

[anxiousjomo]

14 weeks

Still struggling with insomnia. Managing a couple of hours sleep a night, which is really taking its toll. I am exhausted and full of anxiety that I know comes primarily from the lack of sleep. Chest tight, body jittery, hard not to obsessively think about how I am feeling and what I am going to do. Hard too not to feel down about the future, and how this is all going to progress.

I think we can safely say that any sleep impact from the Mirt has now gone. It has been about 2 weeks now of insomnia - difficulty falling asleep then, if I do, waking up quite soon afterwards and rinse an repeat. Ranging from no sleep at all, to about 4-5hrs if I am lucky.

With the anxiety, it is hard to tell whether I would be worse if it was not for the mirt, or if it has just stopped working. I am reluctant to come off in case it is the latter, or in case this is just a blip. But if the former, and I have already determined that going up a dose is not a good idea for me, then the sooner I start to withdrawal the better.

I have an appointment with the Dr next week, so will discuss with her then. However she, like most GPs, has no real idea about these medications. I suspect she will recommend going up a dose.

It is so frustrating to have had a month or so of feeling really good, and sleeping well, only to have it all taken away from me.

[Maca44]

It goes like that for me but im glad I didn't rush in and come off the Mirt thinking it had stopped working because I pick up again.

Rotten when we feel well then back it comes again, cruel almost.