No one should be alone in this. We can help. View New Content

[Trace]

Welcome to the remeron room! Please feel free to post a bit about yourself so we can get acquainted.

We are looking forward to getting to know you.

Trace

[Girly]

Just a reminder that if you are new to remeron that you can post a little about yourself here.

Girly

[Trace]

Well I'm very new to this website & hope that coming here will help me cope with my depression & anxiety attacks. I'm currently on Ativan (genric form) & on 15 mgs. of genric remeron. Which I'm on day 10.

I'm a suffer of mainly panic disorder but in the past 30 years I have had mild to major bouts of depression. Though I must say this has to be the worst round of it I have ever dealt with. Feels like I'm totally dying to say the lease.

Normally I have been able to not have to use meds for depression throughout my life. But since Nov. 2009 I've been on almost everything in the book with major side effects. (Which reading a lot of your blogs many of you know what I'm saying)

So far the remoron has not done anything for me yet. I was told by my pshrink that it would help me sleep. No can do for me as also I have seen others talk about.

We talked by phone today & he said I could go to 30 mgs. But I have to wait till I fix my cooler this am. Want to be alert while on my roof. I always play things wise with meds.

I must say I'm very scared I'm going off the deep end. I do-not believe in doing myself in. Life is the only way. Afraid of dying to be honest. I guess a lot of us feel that way.

Today was a very hard one for me and I'm sure I'll be up till 4/5 am b4 I get to sleep. Do hope to talk back & forth with you guys for time to time for support & give support back.

So thankful to see this site out here ^5's to whoever start this website. What a blessing this place seems to be. Ok I hope I didn't say too much here, but thought y'all would like a bit of background on myself.

I'm normally a jibber-jabber but this depression has left me less talking which is way not me. It has also left me home-bound as well. Totally afraid to go outside at all. :(

Hi and Welcome Eagle21

Good luck for your increase, I hope that it works well for you. It may take time, but in the long run, it will help a fair bit.
You can definitely lean on us for support.
Please make yourself feel at home.

Trace

[popsicle7]

Hi
I took my first dose of mirtazapine last night, I'm taking it with 150mg of venlafaxine as well. (taking the ven in the morning) Feeling pretty spaced out right now and hoping this will pass after a few days. Would welcome any feedback and experiences that others have had.

Thanks

popsicle7

[Trace]

Hi
I took my first dose of mirtazapine last night, I'm taking it with 150mg of venlafaxine as well. (taking the ven in the morning) Feeling pretty spaced out right now and hoping this will pass after a few days. Would welcome any feedback and experiences that others have had.

Thanks

popsicle7

Hi and Welcome popsicle7

It may take a few weeks for all the start up side effects to work, but in time, it should make a difference. Good luck, I hope that it works for you. Feel free to start your own topic.

Trace

[itsamadworld]

Hello!

i'm gonna just get right into it:
im pretty sure i've been battling with Depression for most of my life, first round my parents didn't think i was depressed.. just young and having a hard time trying to fit in.. well little did they know, now i am 25 and trying to figure out how to get myself into normal (whatever normal is) thinking.

They have been changing my pills around like it's going out of style, starting me on 150mg Zoloft right away (WOW, my poor head was just a fog) for 6 weeks, and not feeling any difference beside's feeling in a fog all the time... i found myself crying all the time. Switched me over to Prozac, which i found was just like Zoloft, i actually thought they were the same thing. To now putting me on Efexor. Now switching over to the Efexor was hard; i was upped right to 225mg, been on it since September and i am angry ALL the time and once the anger subsides im so sad, so they put me on PMS-Mirtazapine which i was told was a mood stabilizer. It Stabilizes my moods alright, it puts me right to sleep.
I am like clockwork, 3pm turns around and BOOM, out like a light..

I don't feel better, if anything i feel worse.. i mean, i love sleeping, who doesn't (the dreams are crazy, some can't handle them.. but for me i quite look forward to sleep.. sometimes it seems better than real life, yah know?) soo i go back to the Dr's on the 21 and i have all intentions of telling him how its going.. but i am so tired or the switching and of the feeling that nothing is ever going to make sense to me. it's driving me crazy and the people who are close to me.. not so close anymore.

not quite sure what im looking for here, but it feels good to write about it.

i am just confused as what i am going to say to him about how i feel.
they listen as best they can but it seems like he gets annoyed.. i go in, i feel okay.. i think its working!! then 2 weeks later im back to the same low.. then they try to take me off the antidepressants because im not depressed anymore.. and i go down to 75, and low and behold.. here i am depressed again!
i am starting to feel like i am crazy... for reals.

[Trace]

Hello!

i'm gonna just get right into it:
im pretty sure i've been battling with Depression for most of my life, first round my parents didn't think i was depressed.. just young and having a hard time trying to fit in.. well little did they know, now i am 25 and trying to figure out how to get myself into normal (whatever normal is) thinking.

They have been changing my pills around like it's going out of style, starting me on 150mg Zoloft right away (WOW, my poor head was just a fog) for 6 weeks, and not feeling any difference beside's feeling in a fog all the time... i found myself crying all the time. Switched me over to Prozac, which i found was just like Zoloft, i actually thought they were the same thing. To now putting me on Efexor. Now switching over to the Efexor was hard; i was upped right to 225mg, been on it since September and i am angry ALL the time and once the anger subsides im so sad, so they put me on PMS-Mirtazapine which i was told was a mood stabilizer. It Stabilizes my moods alright, it puts me right to sleep.
I am like clockwork, 3pm turns around and BOOM, out like a light..

I don't feel better, if anything i feel worse.. i mean, i love sleeping, who doesn't (the dreams are crazy, some can't handle them.. but for me i quite look forward to sleep.. sometimes it seems better than real life, yah know?) soo i go back to the Dr's on the 21 and i have all intentions of telling him how its going.. but i am so tired or the switching and of the feeling that nothing is ever going to make sense to me. it's driving me crazy and the people who are close to me.. not so close anymore.

not quite sure what im looking for here, but it feels good to write about it.

i am just confused as what i am going to say to him about how i feel.
they listen as best they can but it seems like he gets annoyed.. i go in, i feel okay.. i think its working!! then 2 weeks later im back to the same low.. then they try to take me off the antidepressants because im not depressed anymore.. and i go down to 75, and low and behold.. here i am depressed again!
i am starting to feel like i am crazy... for reals.

Hi and Welcome itsamadworld

You are not crazy at all. Sometimes it just takes a while to find the right med for you. Talk to the doc if you are not happy. He is there to help you.

Trace

[ressa]

Hi guys I'm finally posting it took me a long time I felt like I didn't have a right to post here I suffer from Depression very minor anxiety and social anxiety hence why it took me so long to post afraid of being rejected. I was terrified of taking medication I didn't want it to change my personality I didn't want to wake up and be a different person then I was before this all started. I finally gave in and just started remeron about 4 days ago and before I took it I didn't like leaving the house and I have not been to work in a while but other then that I was pretty okay the crying spells had sorta stopped and the anxiety over dying was very little. The first day I took the remeron I slept like 10 hrs and was groggy/fuzzy for most of the next day but it wore off the second day I didn't sleep as long and no grogginess but I was hungry as all get out which is fine. The third day was a little worse I started crying for no reason and had all these weird sensations my body kept telling my mind its warm out go drive down to the beach (it was 15 degrees outside with a wind chill of 3 degrees there is still snow on the ground) I applied for jobs outside the state and wanted all new clothes. Its like my worst nightmare come true this drug made me want to be a different person. I still took the medication and today I just keep crying sometimes there is a reason and sometimes there isn't. I am seeing my pdoc tomorrow and will discuss all this with them but I wanted to get a perspective from everyone who has been on this drug. Did it get worse before it got better for you guys? Should I call my pdoc right away? What do you guys think?

[Trace]

Hi guys I'm finally posting it took me a long time I felt like I didn't have a right to post here I suffer from Depression very minor anxiety and social anxiety hence why it took me so long to post afraid of being rejected. I was terrified of taking medication I didn't want it to change my personality I didn't want to wake up and be a different person then I was before this all started. I finally gave in and just started remeron about 4 days ago and before I took it I didn't like leaving the house and I have not been to work in a while but other then that I was pretty okay the crying spells had sorta stopped and the anxiety over dying was very little. The first day I took the remeron I slept like 10 hrs and was groggy/fuzzy for most of the next day but it wore off the second day I didn't sleep as long and no grogginess but I was hungry as all get out which is fine. The third day was a little worse I started crying for no reason and had all these weird sensations my body kept telling my mind its warm out go drive down to the beach (it was 15 degrees outside with a wind chill of 3 degrees there is still snow on the ground) I applied for jobs outside the state and wanted all new clothes. Its like my worst nightmare come true this drug made me want to be a different person. I still took the medication and today I just keep crying sometimes there is a reason and sometimes there isn't. I am seeing my pdoc tomorrow and will discuss all this with them but I wanted to get a perspective from everyone who has been on this drug. Did it get worse before it got better for you guys? Should I call my pdoc right away? What do you guys think?

Hi and Welcome ressa

You certainly won't be rejected here at all. The first few weeks on new meds can be really difficult, as they have severe start up side effects, but they will wear off after 4 to 8 weeks and the med will settle into your system. It is hard starting up, but give it time and you will be ok.

Trace

[ressa]

I feel like I have less motivation before does any of this sound like normal start up side effects?

[Trace]

I feel like I have less motivation before does any of this sound like normal start up side effects?

Hi Ressa

It does sound like common start up side effects. They will pass. I hope they pass quickly for you.

Trace

[ressa]

thank you. I talked to my pdoc yesterday about everything that is going on and we decided to switch to Effexor. so I guess I'll give that a try. my mom says that if the Effexor doesn't work then I shouldn't take any other medication after that, that I gave it a try and it didn't work so I'll just have to live with it and learn to deal with it.

[Sangdataroi]

Greetings,

I'm a sixty-seven year old American man. Currently not obese, physically strong, exercise regularly. Never smoked, or drank, and do no recreational drugs, and did them very rarely back in the hey-daze of the 1960's.

fyi: for some fifteen years of my life I was involved in pyschiatric social work, and then academia, so have some research, and critical evaluation, abilities in terms of psychotropic medications. I believe that two out of my three younger siblings share with me a strong emotional reaction to winter months, and a tendency to depression in that time frame. I have a strong, perhaps exceptional, emotional response to dark or rainy weather (I almost instantly seem to want to sleep a lot, am lethargic, and have a higher frequency of 'negative' thoughts, and memories).

I have been on Prozac 20mg. for over twelve years for what I now (with hindsight) believe is a life-long (possibly genetically based) tendency to a low-level depression, and that's one, among many, reasons I moved to a tropical country, nearer the equator :)

Currently I am very mentally active, in no way retired. And in addition to remaining active as a computer programmer, also devote many hours per day to reading, and to my own creative writing.

Survived cancer of the lower tongue four years ago very well, and have had no recurrence, but do have permanent impairment of salivary function, and loss of most of my sense of taste (except for sweet), and natural appetite. Because of a now permanent inability to swallow anything hard or larger than a pea, I have, it seems, naturally gravitated to a diet which is vegetarian, and whose main ingredient is soy milk to which I add infant's milk powder. Fortunately, where I live, every-day-fresh-made soy-milk only costs about US $1 for four liters ! At my age I am not concerned with the debate about the "estrogenic" aspects of high-intake of unfermented soy as some of the gym-rat males I know are.

This radical change in diet (no ideologies, or 'religious' sentiment involved) seems to have increased my mental abilities in some ways: I think some of a sense of improved short- and long- term memory, and concentration, post-cancer, has to do with not being slightly obese any more, and from the switch to a mainly liquid and vegetarian diet (that's a hypothesis).

During the intense period after chemotherapy and radiation treatment, and, after discontinuing the very necessary use of fentanyl patches for pain control for about six weeks, as I rebuilt my weight and strength, I also seemed to develop a real problem sleeping, and "got into" Xanax (tried Valium and it did not seem to have any effect on me).

This last six months, the insomnia aspect has worsened, and has not seemed to respond to the things I usually do to get a good night's sleep which may include: exercising to exhaustion in some way, and/or, hatha yoga, followed by pranayama and/or followed by meditation

At one point, when I tried stopping taking Xanax "cold turkey," (I was taking 1mg. per day, maybe once per week 2mg.), I had very definite withdrawal symptoms including occasional dis-orientation, kinesthetic feelings that were very strange, extreme insomnia, etc. So I decided that was a sign of dependency, and that I should "get the hell out" of using Xanax for sleep, asap.

On the advice of a local psychiatrist (American educated and board certified) I switched from using Xanax to Zolpidem, and that seemed to facilitate an immediate improvement in sleep for the first three weeks, and, because of the improved sleep: I think: less daytime mental fatigue. And, I did not seem to have any major withdrawal from dis-continuing Xanax, and felt, although this is very subjective, a "brightening" of my "normal subliminal mood" in the day.

But, then, this last month, the insomnia seemed to return, along with some low-level depression. The psychiatrist suggested adding in .5mg. of Valium, but that seemed to make no difference.

So, the psychiatrist suggested a change to Remeron, 30mg. per day, which seemed to me, from my web research, to combine in one both a sleep-aid and anti-depressant. And, if Remeron also created some sense of increased appetite, and eliminated the sexually de-sensitizing aspect of Prozac: I thought that would be a great bonus !

So, now, on the eighteenth day on Remeron, having discontinued Prozac, I am having reasonable length of sleep, but still do not wake up feeling rested in the way one does when you have "deep sleep."

I well understand it takes weeks for Prozac to leave your system, and weeks for Remeron to have its anti-depressant effect, and I'm certainly willing to put up with "whatever," to see if I can combine sleep aid and anti-depressant in one medication. If my dreams get weirder, that would be fine with me; perhaps I'll get more ideas for short-stories, or my second novel :) Being a meditator for many years, I am not "knocked off balance" by unusual mental states, although my characteristic low-level depression, dammit, never really had a satisfying manic side to it :(

So why am I here ?

1. am having an unusual episode of peripheral edema in foot and ankles. From my scan of the clinical trials of Remeron, my take is edema side-effects were only seen in 2% in the group receiving the drug, and 1% in the control group. So, an unlikely side-effect ?

2. although I am eating about as much as I have, per day, as usual for the last year: I feel like I'm stuffed, even bloated (related to edema ?), and having acid reflux, which is not common for me.

And that's my motivation for seeking your advice on:

1. what might be the implications of stopping taking Prozac, and starting Remeron, when one has been on Prozac for years, at the same constant dose per day: is it, perhaps, a mistake to completely stop Prozac ? Perhaps: I should reduce the Prozac slowly over time while adjusting the dosage of Remeron ?

2. I have read on the web of some reports of an inverse ratio of side-effects of dosage level of Remeron in its initial phase: with the claim made that those on 60mg. per day had less side-effects, initially, than those on lower dosages. Any thoughts on this ? In the scant material I read on inverse-effect of dosage level of Remeron, I saw no mention of anything specifically about edema, peripheral, or otherwise.

3. Just curious if anyone else has had edema symptoms in the initial phase of starting Remeron.

4. any ideas about using ... or experiences you've had with taking ... both Remeron and Zolpidem at the same time ?

fyi: I've had my various hormone levels checked six months ago: all in normal ranges. But I do plan to consult an endocrinologist this week out of concern that the broad-spectrum radiation I received in the neck area, in addition to the primary focus on the lower tongue, may have had some side-effect on the thyroid function, or other hormonal functions not covered in a "general" physical-exam.

It's a beautiful sunny day outside here at 84F: where I live is now full of blossoming flowers and trees. And, the early monsoon this year is dramatically cleaning the air every other day or so.

Wish all of you in colder and darker places could share that !

I thank you in advance for sharing your wisdom and experience around Remeron with me.

regards, Bill (the translation of my 'screen name' here means 'sunshine is delicious' ... perhaps you can guess from that what country I live in :)

[lindahurt]

Greetings,

I'm a sixty-seven year old American man. Currently not obese, physically strong, exercise regularly. Never smoked, or drank, and do no recreational drugs, and did them very rarely back in the hey-daze of the 1960's.

fyi: for some fifteen years of my life I was involved in pyschiatric social work, and then academia, so have some research, and critical evaluation, abilities in terms of psychotropic medications. I believe that two out of my three younger siblings share with me a strong emotional reaction to winter months, and a tendency to depression in that time frame. I have a strong, perhaps exceptional, emotional response to dark or rainy weather (I almost instantly seem to want to sleep a lot, am lethargic, and have a higher frequency of 'negative' thoughts, and memories).

I have been on Prozac 20mg. for over twelve years for what I now (with hindsight) believe is a life-long (possibly genetically based) tendency to a low-level depression, and that's one, among many, reasons I moved to a tropical country, nearer the equator :)

Currently I am very mentally active, in no way retired. And in addition to remaining active as a computer programmer, also devote many hours per day to reading, and to my own creative writing.

Survived cancer of the lower tongue four years ago very well, and have had no recurrence, but do have permanent impairment of salivary function, and loss of most of my sense of taste (except for sweet), and natural appetite. Because of a now permanent inability to swallow anything hard or larger than a pea, I have, it seems, naturally gravitated to a diet which is vegetarian, and whose main ingredient is soy milk to which I add infant's milk powder. Fortunately, where I live, every-day-fresh-made soy-milk only costs about US $1 for four liters ! At my age I am not concerned with the debate about the "estrogenic" aspects of high-intake of unfermented soy as some of the gym-rat males I know are.

This radical change in diet (no ideologies, or 'religious' sentiment involved) seems to have increased my mental abilities in some ways: I think some of a sense of improved short- and long- term memory, and concentration, post-cancer, has to do with not being slightly obese any more, and from the switch to a mainly liquid and vegetarian diet (that's a hypothesis).

During the intense period after chemotherapy and radiation treatment, and, after discontinuing the very necessary use of fentanyl patches for pain control for about six weeks, as I rebuilt my weight and strength, I also seemed to develop a real problem sleeping, and "got into" Xanax (tried Valium and it did not seem to have any effect on me).

This last six months, the insomnia aspect has worsened, and has not seemed to respond to the things I usually do to get a good night's sleep which may include: exercising to exhaustion in some way, and/or, hatha yoga, followed by pranayama and/or followed by meditation

At one point, when I tried stopping taking Xanax "cold turkey," (I was taking 1mg. per day, maybe once per week 2mg.), I had very definite withdrawal symptoms including occasional dis-orientation, kinesthetic feelings that were very strange, extreme insomnia, etc. So I decided that was a sign of dependency, and that I should "get the hell out" of using Xanax for sleep, asap.

On the advice of a local psychiatrist (American educated and board certified) I switched from using Xanax to Zolpidem, and that seemed to facilitate an immediate improvement in sleep for the first three weeks, and, because of the improved sleep: I think: less daytime mental fatigue. And, I did not seem to have any major withdrawal from dis-continuing Xanax, and felt, although this is very subjective, a "brightening" of my "normal subliminal mood" in the day.

But, then, this last month, the insomnia seemed to return, along with some low-level depression. The psychiatrist suggested adding in .5mg. of Valium, but that seemed to make no difference.

So, the psychiatrist suggested a change to Remeron, 30mg. per day, which seemed to me, from my web research, to combine in one both a sleep-aid and anti-depressant. And, if Remeron also created some sense of increased appetite, and eliminated the sexually de-sensitizing aspect of Prozac: I thought that would be a great bonus !

So, now, on the eighteenth day on Remeron, having discontinued Prozac, I am having reasonable length of sleep, but still do not wake up feeling rested in the way one does when you have "deep sleep."

I well understand it takes weeks for Prozac to leave your system, and weeks for Remeron to have its anti-depressant effect, and I'm certainly willing to put up with "whatever," to see if I can combine sleep aid and anti-depressant in one medication. If my dreams get weirder, that would be fine with me; perhaps I'll get more ideas for short-stories, or my second novel :) Being a meditator for many years, I am not "knocked off balance" by unusual mental states, although my characteristic low-level depression, dammit, never really had a satisfying manic side to it :(

So why am I here ?

1. am having an unusual episode of peripheral edema in foot and ankles. From my scan of the clinical trials of Remeron, my take is edema side-effects were only seen in 2% in the group receiving the drug, and 1% in the control group. So, an unlikely side-effect ?

2. although I am eating about as much as I have, per day, as usual for the last year: I feel like I'm stuffed, even bloated (related to edema ?), and having acid reflux, which is not common for me.

And that's my motivation for seeking your advice on:

1. what might be the implications of stopping taking Prozac, and starting Remeron, when one has been on Prozac for years, at the same constant dose per day: is it, perhaps, a mistake to completely stop Prozac ? Perhaps: I should reduce the Prozac slowly over time while adjusting the dosage of Remeron ?

2. I have read on the web of some reports of an inverse ratio of side-effects of dosage level of Remeron in its initial phase: with the claim made that those on 60mg. per day had less side-effects, initially, than those on lower dosages. Any thoughts on this ? In the scant material I read on inverse-effect of dosage level of Remeron, I saw no mention of anything specifically about edema, peripheral, or otherwise.

3. Just curious if anyone else has had edema symptoms in the initial phase of starting Remeron.

4. any ideas about using ... or experiences you've had with taking ... both Remeron and Zolpidem at the same time ?

fyi: I've had my various hormone levels checked six months ago: all in normal ranges. But I do plan to consult an endocrinologist this week out of concern that the broad-spectrum radiation I received in the neck area, in addition to the primary focus on the lower tongue, may have had some side-effect on the thyroid function, or other hormonal functions not covered in a "general" physical-exam.

It's a beautiful sunny day outside here at 84F: where I live is now full of blossoming flowers and trees. And, the early monsoon this year is dramatically cleaning the air every other day or so.

Wish all of you in colder and darker places could share that !

I thank you in advance for sharing your wisdom and experience around Remeron with me.

regards, Bill (the translation of my 'screen name' here means 'sunshine is delicious' ... perhaps you can guess from that what country I live in :)

Hello Sangdataroi and welcome to DF.

Thanks for sharing so much about yourself. I must say that you are a survivor and many will be encouraged by your experiences. I don't have experience with Remeron but wanted to welcome you to our community. Please make yourself comfortable and we look forward to seeing you on the boards.

Lindahurt

[karin]

I started to take Sertraline five weeks ago. It worked very well for my anxiety but didn't help my depression so four days ago I started taking 30mg mirtazapine at night. Today I saw my doctor and she raised it to 45mg. So far I haven't noticed any side effects or positive changes. That is surprising because I have always had side effects and felt worse when starting a new medication or raising the dose. Maybe its to soon. I hope it will help my depression if I give it time.

[funktional]

Hi, I am a 38-year old woman, diagnosed at various times with PTSD, Major & Acute Depression at times, Post-natal depression (not currently).... I have settled in with Zoloft about 15-17 years ago after 3-4 others, and have been off and on it since... I have taken myself off and doctors put me back on... I am American, but living in Ireland now and find that my doctor knows less than I do about meds.... recently saw a psychiatrist who added on Zispin (Remeron) when I was reluctant to try something different. So, taking 200 mg Zoloft and 15 mg Zispin now. With Zoloft I have always had sleep problems- disturbed sleep, very vivid dreams leaving me exhausted all day, but after bad experiences and an OD prior to Zoloft I never wanted to switch again.... so I put up with it.
I tried Zispin for about a week, but was comatose the whole time-- sleeping 12+ hours at a go--- crazy for me, so I stopped taking it. Here I only see the Psych every 6 mos., so am only trying again now-- on 3rd night.
I see people saying side effects 'should' pass-- but can anyone attest that their sleepiness actually DID subside?
I know I am impatient, but hate feeling like I better just get in bed when my 5 year old does, or I will never get out in the morning. I need more WILL to get up, not less.

Hopefully it will, and we will all be well-rested after our bodies adjust...

[funktional]

I started to take Sertraline five weeks ago. It worked very well for my anxiety but didn't help my depression so four days ago I started taking 30mg mirtazapine at night. Today I saw my doctor and she raised it to 45mg. So far I haven't noticed any side effects or positive changes. That is surprising because I have always had side effects and felt worse when starting a new medication or raising the dose. Maybe its to soon. I hope it will help my depression if I give it time.

Good luck! It is crazy how these doctors work out the combos--- What is your sertraline dose?

[karin]

Im on 150mg Sertraline

[Zosouk]

hi

Im sean, 36, live in cambridge Uk !

ive been on the board about 18months but im more a reader than a poster !

was previously on prozac, on & off for 10yrs !!! up to 60mg!

last summer i went thru a divorce and everything that goes with it , i instigated it & wanted it but its tore me to pieces!
im trying to move on but i appear to sabotage any new relationships and my depression & anxiety is worse than ever!



im extremely down and very anxious and i feel very very detached ! honestly, im struggling big time!

im currently waiting for C.B. T

ive held down the same job for the past 8 yrs but a month ago i went sick as i could no longer face it
and was struggling to get up anyway , i will have to return in the nr future though!

ive now been on remeron 5 months (45mg) im not liking it at all, too many side-effects !
my dr seemed to only have 2 answers, prozac or remeron and i figured id done my time with prozac !

[Trace]

hi

Im sean, 36, live in cambridge Uk !

ive been on the board about 18months but im more a reader than a poster !

was previously on prozac, on & off for 10yrs !!! up to 60mg!

last summer i went thru a divorce and everything that goes with it , i instigated it & wanted it but its tore me to pieces!
im trying to move on but i appear to sabotage any new relationships and my depression & anxiety is worse than ever!



im extremely down and very anxious and i feel very very detached ! honestly, im struggling big time!

im currently waiting for C.B. T

ive held down the same job for the past 8 yrs but a month ago i went sick as i could no longer face it
and was struggling to get up anyway , i will have to return in the nr future though!

ive now been on remeron 5 months (45mg) im not liking it at all, too many side-effects !
my dr seemed to only have 2 answers, prozac or remeron and i figured id done my time with prozac !

Hi and Welcome Zosouk

Divorces are not pleasant and I'm sorry that you are struggling. After 5 months if Remeron does not feel right for you, going back to your doc may be an option and if he does not want to give you anything but Remeron or Prozac, perhaps you may want to look for another doc.

Trace

[Zosouk]

thankyou Trace for the kind wishes & the reply

i did in fact go to my docs today, though i saw a different dr who in fact did turn out to be much more sympathetic
and kind and we mutually agreed i would change over to citalopram!

im really not sold on mirtazipin. the side-effects alone are driving me nuts!
so im going to finish the Mirt i have & cross-over onto citalopram , hopefully ill have more success!

thanks

[Trace]

Hi Zosouk

I am so glad that you got to see a different doc and that they are letting you try citalopram. Good luck with it and I hope that it works for you!

Trace

[addoaddo]

Hi everyone!,

My name is Adrian and I am 19 years young I joined this forum because I was recently put back on Mirtazapine 15mg. I was prescribed Mirtazapine for mild depression that arose from anxiety issues I had been having. I came here because I do not know anyone, friends or family who take Mirtazapine and I felt kind of alone in a way.

I think my anxiety issues come from the troubled childhood I had (abusive father) Lucky his choice of weapons were only words. Growing up I didn't feel to different or sad about the life I had. Only recently (last 4 or so years) have I felt the anger I had been holding inside for so long regarding my father.

I am lucky in one way. My depression has never really gotten to the point where I attempted to end it (my life) although I did have very negative thoughts. I have had 3 major bouts of depression, one of which was my own fault ( abused a particular drug that is known to bring on depression). The other two came on without notice following two major changes in my life. One was moving out of my parents house at age 18. I just woke up one morning and thought I was hung over but when it didn't leave after a week (the feeling) I went to the doc and was told I was suffering a severe anxiety attack and was prescribed Mirtazapine 15mg at night. I stayed on mirt for about 4 months and eventually stopped taking it as I felt strong and happy. I was working out a great deal and I really think this is why I felt good enough to stop taking mirt. The third time I relapsed was only about 2 weeks ago when me and my gf broke up. I had been feeling sever anxiety for many weeks before and I thought that me and her should seperate so I could get my head together. So she came over and I ended it. The next morning I woke up feeling like I had when I moved out of home. Down, lifeless, not hungry, nothing really (this is how i feel when im depressed, not sure about others). She came over and we talked and I decided that I do love her. We are back together. I went to the doctor and was put back on Mirt and was advised that I should take it for as long as the script lasts (nearly 12 months if I stay on 15mg a night).

Right now I feel good. The mirt is doing its job. Now that was a huge rant ! lol. I will try and help out other forum members as best I can.

REGARDS!, ADRIAN =-D

[WolfieKate]

Hello

My name is Kate, I am 42 and live in South west England.

I started on Mirtazapine 4 days ago after 11 years on prozac.

I have had a long history of things which have caused me problems - anorexia, bulimia, codependency, alcoholism, depression, anxiety, and self harm.

I started on prozac 11 years ago for the bulimia and compulsive exercise disorder. It worked miracles and the bulimia was kicked in to touch with the help of CBT and a dietician.

But since then my depression has got really bad, not helped by being stuck at home with little kids for last 6.5 years and my Mum dying. I have recently "divorced" my father who is a domineering controlling bully and who recently described my issues as "pseudo". I have lost all confidence and I really want to get back out there and get a job now my kids are finally in full time school.

So I went to see my GP and she said I had to face the fact I have had a depressive disorder with addictions for probably my whole life. I started drinking to escape life when I was ten. So she said it was time to try a new medication,. I pay privately for a counsellor who I see about every fortnight.

Not sure what I think of the mirtazapine. I am 4 days in on 30mg. I didn't want to try it when I read about the side effects but I self harmed on Saturday morning which I haven't done for years so I gave in and took it. I am groggy and tired and very depressed. It so hard when the side effects male me feel so miserable. I am also very worried about gaining weight as I have a history of eating disorders and I already think my stomach feels bloated and fuller.

I can cope with the side effects until I see my GP in about ten days but if I think I am gaining weight I will have to stop taking it or I will go bonkers about that.

Edited to say my GP also offered me Effexor (venlafaxine as its called in the UK), citalopram and sertraline. I chose mirt but if it doesn't work Effexor is my next drug to try.

Anyway, that's me.

Kate

Edited by WolfieKate, 28 September 2011 - 02:32 AM.

[Zosouk]

Hello

My name is Kate,

I can cope with the side effects until I see my GP in about ten days but if I think I am gaining weight I will have to stop taking it or I will go bonkers about that.

Kate

hi Kate and welcome to the Forum,
its a great place full of info & like minded souls and i hope its off some use to you!

sounds like you've had a rough ride, i hope things improve for you!

i would like to say that ive just finished up around 6months of Mirtazapin,
I started @ 15, then onto 30 & 45mg, i also had small periods of 60 & 90mg!

i will say this, you wont directly gain weight, HOWEVER
you will most likely get extreme sugar cravings, I CERTAINLY DID & i mean extreme -

mine was related to anything sugary, stuff i generally like but avoid for body & health reasons,
within about 2 wks of starting it i was craving fizzy drinks, chocolate,
peanuts (especially the honey covered type)and copious alcohol-gums, along with chocolate !
ive never known such a thing ! any sweet of any kind !

the worst thing is nothing seems to quench it,
so i can eat peanuts, then go onto choclolate, then go onto alcohol-gums etc etc

so, obviously thats going to cause weight gain,
however had i not felt a burning desire to consume these things i wouldnt have put on ANY weight,
its only giving-in to the cravings that has affected me, else i would have been exactly the same weight !

as it is, im a regular kick-boxer AND gym goer so the damage has been acceptable but im still not happy
about it - in fact its quite a big part of why i changed meds !

you may have far better will=power than me and it may not be a problem , my will-power couldnt beat the cravings!

without wanting to put you off or sound dramatic, i had plenty of other side-effects too so i find it hard to
recommed Mirt - in fact the only good thing about it is helping with sleep & thats not consistant either!

just my experiences! not trying to put you off at all

i wish you the best of luck !

sean