Positive Mirtazapine stories please

[Bev62]

I got over an awful bout of depression/anxiety during lockdown & life went on with many happy events since.
However - for reasons unknown it’s creeping into my life again & back with a vengeance & I don’t know if I can deal with this s**t again.
saw Doc before Xmas who has suggested Mirtazapine as I’m not eating or sleeping. Did Venlafaxine before & the side effects were horrendous for a good few months so would rather not go down that route again.
just waiting on the mental health crisis team to contact me as I can’t go another night without sleep!
Felling desolate right now & some words of encouragement/advice would be much appreciated.

I have been taking it for years. Started on a relatively high dose for angry depression and anxiety.

I also suffer from chronic insomnia, so I have other medications on top of that to help me sleep.

A new GP saw me for something unrelated and wanted me to stop all of my night time meds, because I refused they referred me to a Psychiatrist, they reduced my mitrazipine to 30mg to help with anxiety, and insisted I was left on the rest.

i did gain a lot of weight but used WLI to lose 10.5 stone with another 4to go

That’s incredible weightloss, well done.

It transformed my adult DS giving him his appetite back and gave him back a semblance of a normal life. He is now starting to taper off

Do you mind me asking which Priory you went to Imsolonely

Chelmsford. Where are you going?

Ticehurst. Did they sort your meds out ? What are you on?

I didnt want to be on meds but I was suicidal so my psychiatrist suggested I went in there to keep safe.

so are you still on no meds? I reduced my Mirtazapine to 15mg last night & the anxiety has def dialled down. But it could also be due the fact I took Zopiclone & clonazepam & got 8 hours sleep! So hard to know what to do for the best.

I’ve tried various meds since then but still trying to find one that works for me.
I’m sure they will be able to adjust your meds while you are in there. Hope it goes well for you x

Hi @Bev62, how are you getting on?

Pretty scared tbh. Nice people. 2nd day on escitalopram but taking it with clonazepam to dampen the anxiety. Hoping & praying it will work. The food here is awful!

It’s early days at the moment so give it time. That’s terrible about the food, maybe you could say something about it at the ward meeting. x

Yes early days, which are so hard! That’s rubbish about the food. So glad you are there - what a courageous act of self care. Thinking of you xx

I hid in my room for the first three days so you are braver than me!

I started Mirtazapine 2.5 years ago (15mg) it was amazing for me to get some sleep finally as that was the issue for me. Have found recently it’s not as effective and anxiety is ramping up again and sleep isn’t as good. I put on around 5kg in the first 6 months but that’s evened out now and I’ve lost 2kg of that since Christmas. Things that I have found do help me are vitamin d (daily) and magnesium. Maybe worth a look into those.

How are you getting on @Bev62 - I hope you’re ok x

Not brilliant tbh. Have just spent a week at the Priory - home for good behaviour this weekend. Meds changed to Escitalopram with clonazepAm to dampen down the anxiety. No improvements yet but hopeful they will kick in soon. All very scary

That’s better than staying for the weekend though if there isn’t much therapy going on. Well done for getting through the first few days, it will get easier from now on xx

How are you doing? I’ve been thinking of you.

I’m having a rubbish week mood and anxiety wise. My husband is away for the week for work which always unsettles me. I had a much better week last week. I know this is the way of things but it would be nice if it was all smooth and linear!

Healing and growing can be quite messy I guess.

Anyway, sending you lots of love ❤️