Mirtazapine to aid alcohol redcution

[PretendingToBeAMuggle]

Hey, I've been in mirtazapine before when I was at my lowest mood and it acted like a wonder drug, I was low weight, poor appetite, insomnia, anxiety, alcohol abuse and depression.
I feel like I'm heading in all these directions again, and mirtazapine I feel would help, I use alcohol as an anxiety coping strategy and really wouldn't want to outline how much I drink needles to say it's sometimes in the day and often alone. I'd really like to stop but finding it so hard (I know it's not meant to be!)
The only real con to mirtazapine is weight gain, I gained 3 stone in 3 months before!!!! Food was just AMAZING!! I couldn't get enough and really really enjoyed it, but I'm now at a normal BMI and would prefer not to gain weight.
I've self referred to IApT and and am seeing my GP on Tuesday.
Just wondered if anyone had any pearls of wisdom, pebbles of insight or just any experiences they'd like to share.

Many thanks (fighting the urge to put a kiss)

[PretendingToBeAMuggle]

Bump

[Lizzy1980]

Hi there.
I took it for a while last year and have mixed feelings. I took it to help with depression and insomnia. It worked well, in fact I only experienced one nasty side effect......huge increase in appetite, and I mean huge. This was the reason I stopped taking it. I know there must be people who think that I'm really vain to stop taking a medication that really worked for me just because it made me gain a few pounds (about 2 1/2 stones actually) but I have always struggled with my weight and it takes a lot of hard work at the gym and a lot of discipline for me to stay at the size I am happy with. Gaining weight just added to my anxiety and lack of self confidence. My GP suggested I try to resist my constant urge to eat which I normally can but this drug made me seriously hungry.
Sorry I can't really give you any advice but I wanted to share my experience with you. I guess it's just a case of deciding wether to put up with the weight gain and enjoy the benefits of this medication or try an alternative. I'm now on Citalopram which has worked really well for me as an antidepressant but doesn't help with insomnia so I also take sleeping tablets.
Depression,anxiety, insomnia and addiction have such a detrimental effect on your life (talking from experience) and on top of that you have to deal with the stigma that still surrounds mental illness.
All the best to you and I hope that you find something to help.