I'm just finishing being weaned off sertraline due to excessive bruising which my GP believes was caused by it. He said that the excessive bruising/clotting problems is something that can be a side effect of all SSRIs rather than just sertraline itself so he doesn't want me to take any other ADs in that range. He also doesn't want me to take venlafaxine as bleeding disorders can be a side effect of it.
So I'm now on mirtazapine. I'm on 15mg which is the lowest dose and I only took my first one last night. My understanding is that it can be quite sedating at first but I feel awful! I took it at 10 last night, went to bed at midnight and I've been asleep on and off since then (mostly on). It's nearly 4pm and I'm still in bed as I feel so zonked. My limbs feel really heavy and I feel like I've been whacked round the head with a frying pan a few times. I know it's something that might wear off but it's worrying me. I work 12 hour shifts and have a dissertation to write, I don't have time to feel so sleepy! I've read that upping the dose can decrease the sedative effects but the potential weight gain is something that worries me as well.
I know I should give it time to settle down but like I said, I really do feel rubbish. I had diarrhoea and nausea the first few days on sertraline which was horrible but this comatose feeling feels much worse to me! If I did come off mirtazapine, I don't know what other options are available to me. It seems like there are only the older and harder ADs that aren't going to be suitable. I feel like my only other option is taking St. John's Wort. 