Mirtazipine and Quetiapine

[LadyBallsUp]

Hello, hello. I've namechanged for this because apparently I'm even ashamed of my online self.

I've had depression on and off since I was a teenager. It seemed to have reached a delightful peak while I was pregnant (I didn't feel like I could take any drugs while pregnant) only for it to get worse after my daughter was born (when I didn't feel like I could take tablets either because I was breastfeeding).

Having tried citalopram previously,
I eventually started on Sertraline when she was about six months. My doctor kept increasing it, then when I was on the maximum dose and wasn't getting any better she switched me onto Mirtazipine. I'm now on 45 mg (? 45 something!).

I saw my psychiatrist a few weeks ago and he wants to add in quetiapine. A tiny dose for a week, then 200mg.

I'm so stuck. I don't want to hurt myself - I don't feel I could because of my daughter. I couldn't do that to her. I quit my job at Christmas because I wasn't well and something had to give, so I am dependent on my husband. I feel desperate, useless and beyond sadness but I can't make myself take these extra tablets. They seem so 'next level' and I just can't make myself do it.

I don't know why I'm writing this really.

Does anyone else take these two? Does anyone else feel like they can't take their prescribed tablets?

Thanks for reading.

you are not useless, you are ill. The psychiatrist is prescribing medication they feel will help you get better. Theres no shame in taking medication. If you needed to increase your medication for another condition such as diabetes would you feel the same, because its the same thing. DH has to take a combination of psychiatric meds, and they allow himnto function day today, his life is much better on the meds than without them.

It takes a lot of getting your head round... but having depression is an illness in exactly the same way as diabetes... I know because I am manic depressive and my wife is diabetic...

We both have to take meds. She to stay alive, me to function. Some may say it's crap, it possibly is, but it is far better than the alternative. Please don't be hard on yourself.

My ds had to take quitiapine last year along side his anti depressants.
They helped with his psychosis.
He stopped taking them in January and has been ok.
It may not be for long op, why don't you try them and see how you get on.

Thanks everyone for replying. I feel really lonely with this. I sort of want to tell people in real how I'm feeling, but it never comes up in conversation and would be odd coming out of nowhere. I don't want to burden my husband with any more than he already has.

I've had a really bad day. I think it's shown me that I need to at least try the quetiapine.

Thanks for your support. I really do appreciate it.

What's happened today, if anything to make your day bad?
I'm here if you want a chat 💐

Thanks ihatethecold. I don't think it was anything specific but I was looking at my daughter (she's 3 now) and thinking how she deserves so much better than me. She's so kind and funny and beautiful and I just feel like I let her down in every way. Just thinking that now has made me cry. The other day I was thinking how I would go about running away, because I have just had enough of living like this, but then my heart breaks at the thought of leaving her.

So yeah. Just a proper downer of a day.

We all feel that sometimes.
To your dd you are her world whether you are in a good place or not.
Can you put today to bed later and do something small tomorrow to make it a better day?
You're not a bad mum, you're having a rubbish day. Don't let it define you. X

You so kind ihatethecold. I really, honestly appreciate you taking the time to reply.

I guess one of my biggest worries is that she ends up like this. My mom has depression, so did her mom. I would give everything I have for my daughter not to and I worry that if she's around me too much she's think this is normal. If that makes sense.

But yes. Today's almost done. Better day tomorrow. Thanks again

i take quetiapine, mirtazapine and venlafaxine. oh, and pregablin and tramadol and an arthritis thing and a heart thing (needed because of all the other things!) it's quite the cocktail.

take your quetiapine at night is my advice. i take 400mg and along with mirtazapine it knocks me out for about 4 hours. without my meds i hardly sleep at all.

oh, and i take them once i am in bed, as otherwise things get weird and my legs don't work.

i hate being on all these meds but i take them as it keeps me alive. i hate that i am so broken. but, i keep on trucking. i'm seeing a psychiatrist this week to talk about ECT so i get that next-level feeling.

hope you're doing ok.

Bloody hell exWife that is a full-on mix you're on there. Thanks for replying. I'll take the quetiapine at bedtime.

I read an interesting article on BBC a few weeks ago about a woman with post partum psychosis who had ECT and it made a world of difference. I hope it helps you if you end up having it.

You are doing ALL the right things and proactively addressing thing - if anything, that's a setting a fantastic example for your little one. Quetiapine is a funny drug in that side effects are always (if any) more noticeable v.small doses and tend to lessen considerably at the higher doses, hence a little while on a small dose and then a big leap. Be mindful of that. Also, don't forget that as well as immediate release, it's also available in modified release so you have some scope to play around until you get it right.

Have some and my best wishes.

Has your doctor explained exactly why they want to try you on quetiapine? I take it for psychosis in bipolar, so I'm curious about what else it's used for.

Thanks mrssmith for your kind post.

Keema I don't remember much of my appointment, but from looking online since - trying to weigh up whether or not to take them - I've seen it mentioned several times that it's used in small doses to treat depression and then higher doses for bipolar.

Thanks, I knew it worked with bipolar depressison, bit I didn't know about unipolar depression. I'm on 200mg along with mood stabilisers and other stuff.

It's not too bad a drug to be on compared to some of the other antipsychotics and if it helps you get through this shitty patch then it's worth taking.

I'd consider asking for a slower titration though as 200mg is a big jump if they're going from 25mg. 25 mg made me a bit sluggish when I started, 200mg was like being hit by a freight train at first.

I've been prescribed Quetiapine for anxiety; 50mg / night, long term. I think it helps keep it just about manageable.

50mg quetiapine is a standard dose for someone with depression.

Give it a few weeks (probably at least 6) if you don't feel any better ask for mood stabilisers.

I have Quetiapine and Venlafaxine. I do find the Quetiapine helps as a mood stabiliser and does help me sleep.

Please try it.

Quetiapine saved my life. Literally.

I take sertraline and quetiapine. Quetiapine can increase how effective the anti- depressant is and helps me sleep.

shitgibbon your name really made me smile

Thanks everyone. Sorry for not replying for a while.

So I started on the small dose and moved up - I think it's 150 not 200. Even now I can't remember! - and I honestly feel so much better. It's quite miraculous. I haven't even been as tired as I anticipated - I was knocked out much more by the mirtazipine when I started on that.

Thanks so much to all of you for your advice and for taking the time to answer me. You really helped me when I was in a very bad place and I'm very grateful.