Going it alone

[FaithLoveandGrace]

Hi all, I've been on and off various anti depressants and never really got on with any of them. I've just started taking mirtazapine and I'm absolutely exhausted. I've not even got out of bed today even though I've a huge amount of work to do. I'm tempted to just stop taking them and manage with just counselling. Has anyone ever done this and got through it? I really can't deal with this exhaustion and feel like it's a lose-lose situation.

Hi, there - can't advise on this, save to say don't go cold turkey with them and stop immediately (may be unpleasant side effects) - usually a phased stopping is recommended. However, maybe that's not the case if you've only just started taking mirtazapine.

Also - might be worth considering persisting with mirtazapine for a bit longer. With some ADs, the side effect wear off after a while.

Would also suggest re-visiting the GP - if only, for nothing else, to see whether they'll refer you to counselling and to find out the likely waiting time.

Hi aridane have been tapering sertraline from 100 mg and now on 25 mg and started taking mirtazapine 15 mg Wednesday night. Doc said to take 25 mg for a week alongside the mirtazapine but I'm wondering if I can just not take the mirtazapine. Know it's early days but I really don't want to be on ADs tbh.

Didn't see all your post. Am already seeing counsellor, hence why I'm thinking maybe I can just deal with things that way instead of through medication.

Have you tried changing the time you take it? Either morning/night opposite of what you're doing, or if you're taking it before bed and feeling shitty in the morning try taking it more like tea time so it'll give you good sleep but have eased up by the time you need to be up

I took mirt - one SE is tiredness and exhaustion - which did not resolve for the 6 months I was on it....I would just pass out in the evenings - also put on 2 stone - as it put my appetite thru the roof (it is used for anorexics to increase sensation of hunger)....take advice about cutting down to come off it.

Hi faith. Sorry to hear youre having a hard time.

I have no experience of that med and dont know what your diagnosis has been, but been 'self managing' bipolar for a year and it hasnt gone well, I'm afraid. I've had one hospital admission (last summer) and although I am much, much better than I was, it is still a struggle.

My problem is that all the meds I have tried so far have made me feel worse. Much, much worse. Which makes trying out new meds scary.

I decided to try a new med after a year off them just this week, but after just 48 hours of feeling like I had been poisoned, I stopped. I cant afford for my mental health to slide any further down and feeling ill/ being too tired to participate in life makes my depression worse. Its so tough. I know that you should give meds a good chance to work, but it feels like being caught in a catch 22 situation.

I'm going back to my GP next week to request a new psych appt to really thrash out the meds question. If you have been taking your meds for a while, rather than go cold turkey, I think maybe you should go and see your GP/psych preferably too, and talk it over.

Wishing you the best of luck x