Not sure about anxiety medication

[Lovebirdslovetea]

For some background, I’ve suffered with untreated anxiety, depression and sleep dysregulation since childhood, which developed into anxiety disorders, including CPTSD and panic disorder. I then developed chronic bowl issues and chronic pain. My anxiety has become a disability because I can’t live a normal life, so I definitely need medication.

I’ve been prescribed mirtazapine, but it causes excessive weight gain, thirst, and deep sleep and tiredness the next day. The thing is my appetite was never suppressed and I am chubby. I’m not skinny and I’m not fat but I’m on the verge of it and that would effect my self esteem massively. I also drink too much water already. I want to be awake because I need to cook and do things around the house. I also have commitments, and apart from one day a week I’m the only adult in the household.
should I take the medication anyway?

I would give it a go and have regular GP check ups and tweaks until things work well for you.

Mirtazapine is an odd choice for a patient that's already "chubby". While everyone doesn't gain weight on it many people certainly do. Is there any particular reason the doctor recommended Mirtazapine?

There are many antidepressants that can help anxiety. Perhaps you could speak to the doctor about your weight concerns and give one of the other medications a try?

It’s a sedative and I’m not sleeping when I should at night so I’m tired the next day even if I get out of bed at lunchtime and I can barely function. I may feel better if I’m sleeping when I should and getting enough sleep. The medication is supposed to take the edge off my anxiety. I don’t eat when I should, but I am still eating too much when I do eat clearly. A lot of the nutrients I eat gets flushed out with my IBS anyway, and I feel nauseous a lot so eat a lot of bread because of my anxiety; so maybe it’s a good thing. It all sounds good and I know I need it but I’m worried about the side effects. Apparently it can go the opposite way and cause suicidal thoughts which would be a disaster.

Does it actually cause those things for you, or are they just possible side effects? If the latter, take them. You might not get the side effects, but if you do, at least you’ll be less anxious about going back to the GP to say so. And chances are, you won’t get the side effects at all. It’s a sigh of your anxiety that you aren’t taking actual prescribed medication because you are worried.

Try it. Those are all potential side effects and you are very unlikely to experience all of them. Any you do get are often temporary and go away in a few weeks. If they don't you can come off it and try a different medication.

Ok I will take it starting from tonight

Good decision. Hope it goes well. Remember that the first couple of weeks can be hard but you have to persevere while your body gets used to it.

Sounds like a sensible choice. All medications have potential side effects, but generally the benefits outweigh the risks and it sounds like you've reached the point where you need to take some action. Remember, untreated anxiety has risks as well (especially regarding quality of life).

I'll keep my fingers crossed that everything goes well for you! And if Mirtazapine doesn't work out there are other medications that can be prescribed. Sometimes it does take a bit of trial and error to find what works best for you. Take care.

why would it be hard?

I had to stop mirtazapine because it made me unbelievably hungry. I don't have a sweet tooth and I was suddenly eyeing off every cake, biscuit or donut in sight. Also it interferes with metabolism so if you struggle with weight, it really isn't ideal. It does help with sleep though.

It affects people differently though, your experience might not be the same. Sometimes you have to try a few different anti-depressants (and there are loads of them) to find one that suits. Best of luck, anxiety is so debilitating.

Have you read the medication information for patients before posting that? Having anxiety does not negate side effects, and mirtazepine is not an easy drug to be in for a significant number of patients.

OP, you could ask your doctor about trying one of the sedating antihistamines to help you sleep:

www.nhs.uk/medicines/diphenhydramine/

www.nhs.uk/medicines/promethazine/

And have they discussed using beta blockers for anxiety?

Have you been referred to the CMHT?

As I said in my post, you can get temporary side effects for the first few weeks. It's worth it to persevere (unless you are one of the very rare people in which the medication can cause suicidal thoughts) but it can be a pain.