Mirtazapine..any advice please?

[Bronwen]

Had our CPN and PSY. Dr here this morning..the dr. was reviewing Trevor's health care and was concerned that he sleeping so much in the day...which led to her saying he needs more structure in his life and we must seriously consider day care, art classes etc...unfortunately I took this as a slight criticsm that perhaps I wasn't doing more things with him....which ended in me in tears.

The Dr.asked me if i was feeling low and how often did I have a cry and I said probably every day I shed a few tears as I miss all the good things we had together etc. The Dr.was fairly certain I am in a depression and I told her my GP had given me anti depressants two months ago but I tried not to give in and so didn't take them.

Apparently I will feel a lot better about things if I do take the Mirtazapine tablets but I would like to know if anyone else has experience of these please, before I start taking them.

I just felt so inadequate with the Psy.Dr.this morning and probably because I am low felt I should be doing more...but like all other carers I try to be one step ahead of the game all the time and seem to be on the go all day (and a lot of the night if he has nightmares)

And I know I am not alone in crying a lot as it does give vent to our feelings.

So fed up with the whole thing...and goodness knows how Trevor felt this morning..I just hope he didn't think it was all his fault..bless him he has enough to contend with.

Don't tell the dr but I feel a few more tears coming on!!

love
Bronwen x

 

[Notwaving]

I suffer from depression and am on anti depressants.I don't know why people don't want to take the tablets. It's not a sign of weakness , if you were a diabetic you would'nt say I try not to give in and take them.
Try and give them a go. It takes about two weeks to start feeling a difference. I find it just lifts me out of the black hole.If they don't suit try another. I have taken them on and off for years. People would be surprised as I am normaly an extrovert, life and soul type.The doctor has seen you need them.Hope you feel better soon Ann x

 

[AllyB]

Bronwen, the doctor really seemed to care about you, and know that you need to be as well as possible to do all you need to do.

There is nothing to feel bad about if you need to take antidepressants for a while, and if they help, why not!

It can be a good thing to shed a few tears, and I'm sure most carers will have done so.

I'm sure CPN's vary, but ours was very difficult to cope with at times. For some reason they seem to forget the carer may be finding it hard as well. BUT I think she did come up with some good possibilities for you to consider.

Don't worry about Trevor's feelings about the meeting too much. If he is anything like my dad he will have forgotten it by now anyway.

Chin up!

Thinking of you - best wishes

Alison.

 

[Grannie G]

Hello Bronwen.

My husband took Mirtazapine for a couple of years and they helped him a good deal. He was very low and the deep depression did go. The only thing is they made him quite sleepy, but he was also taking an antipsychotic at the same time and they were sedating too.
They are worth a month`s trial to see if they help.

The doctors should not be making you feel inadequate. All this talk of structure and activities is their way of trying to help. It works for some but not for others and no 24/7 carer can be expected to provide this in addition to the hours of care they give.
That`s why they try to persuade people with dementia to have day care.

If your husband will go it will certainly help you. It will give you some free time during the day.

 

[alfjess]

Hi Bronwen

My mother took mitrazapine for a couple of years.

I was told to give her then at night, because they had a slight seditive effect.
Maybe this was because Mum didn't sleep well.

It was hard to tell if it helped depression, but then it was hard to tell if she was depressed However she seemed to be OK and in good spirits earlier on in her illness.

Sorry not to be of more help.

Alfjess

 

[alexyk295]

mirtazapine

hi!any tabs with "pine" at the end of it,does have a sedative effect,quiteapine,is normally dosed BD,(morning and night)mirtazipine is normaly at night,relaxant and anti aggro!can have the usual side effects explained on patient leaflet.amm sure you have been px'd the right one for now

 

[jenniferpa]

Bronwen: I can't speak to this specific anti-depressant, but I can tell you, as a long term well-medicated depressive I wouldn't be functional without them. Now my depression is primarily due to an inherited tendency and/or a lack of certain neurotransmitters, rather than what you are experiencing - situational depression where you are depressed for good reason, but I can tell you, there is no weakness it accepting that you may need this chemical help at this time. If your thyroid wasn't working properly, you'd take medication for that, wouldn't you?

Be aware, though, that this specific drug may not work for you, but if they don't, tell your GP and they can try something else.

I'm not saying you'll be happy go lucky, skipping through your days with joy, but if it helps you get through your days without "flooding" or feeling like jumping of a cliff, then you're ahead.

 

[Haydar]

Dear Bronwen,

Tendency to take things personally is very normal for the people especially ones who have depression. Crying in front of doctor during your husband checkup will definitely lead the doctor to think you have depression and therefore prescription for an antidepressant required.

I did use doctor prescribed Mirtazapine with a brand name Remeron? in one of my recurred depression 4 years ago for 6 months. That time my appetite so low I lost a lot of weight. After learning my condition the doctor wrote this drug to take at night in addition to my morning antidepressant which was different than it. Mirtazapine helped me to increase my appetite as one of its side effects. I am not very sure if it helped to my depression. Mirtazapine has sedative effects so when you take it at night you can sleep better.

If you wish to learn other people?s experiences with Remeron? (mirtazapine) you may click on the link below:

Link: http://www.askapatient.com/viewrating.asp?drug=20415&name=REMERON

Best wishes, Haydar
________

 

[Nebiroth]

Hi I've been taking mirtazapine for some years after three depressive episodes.

This particular medicine is usually prescribed for someone who has anxiety as well as depression, they often go hand in hand.

It can also help you sleep, and people are often advised to take it last thing at night because of this.

Of course, ideally one only takes tablets for what is called endogenous depression - that is, depression that has no obvious or discernable cause. It is thought this most likely has a purely physiological basis and comes about through an inbalance of chemicals within the brain.

Someone who is depressed through external causes is best treated by dealing with those causes. However in many circumstances this is simply not possible and in this cause the drug treatments can help the person cope with circumstances which cannot be changed.

In either case my suggestion is that you take the doctor's advice and try the tablets. You could also ask for counselling or to talk to a psychiatrist.

It has been shown that talking therapies can be at least as effective as the drugs, and that a combination works even better.

However, you may have to wait a long time to see a counsellor through the NHS.

As ever, "mental health" remains the Cinderalla of the health services, not least because of the stigma that still surrounds it and the astonishing ignorance of at least some of the public who either regard it as some sort of character weakness or not a real illness.

It is my view that a broken mind is every bit as deserving as a broken body.

 

[Bronwen]

Thank you everyone for your helpful and kind postings.

I took half a tablet of mirtazapine last night and didn't funcion properly until mid day. I can't possibly be in that position with Trevor to look after. Have to say I had a good night's sleep, but i could have stayed in bed all day..and it was a horrible feeling of not being in control and so muzzy.

I will have to go back to GP to discuss with her...but not yet..I feel I don't want to know now..it has frightened me off them again!!

love
Bronwen

 

[jenniferpa]

It can take a while to become accustomed to them. Do speak to your GP - perhaps even a quarter tablet might be the best way to start.

 

[Nebiroth]

It depends on the dose. If the tablet is one of the lower doses (the maximum one is 45mg) and has such a dramatic sedating effect then you should consult your GP.

However, generally speaking, the sedating effect tends to wear off after a while.

It could also be that the first tablet promoted a deeper sleep on the first night, and ironically this can leave you feeling woozy the next day.

It;s also possible that it is taking the edge off your anxiety, and you aren't receiving the constant stream of stress induced adrenaline you have become used to over time.

But personally I;d be inclined to speak to your doctor about it. For such things many GP's are willing to talk about it on the phone rather than demanding a consultation. This depends on your surgery though.

 

[Whiskas]

Hi

I'm a former carer for my parents who both had dementia. I have suffered depression for a long time which appeared to be reactive to my situation as a carer. Now I'm not so sure as it hasn't actually gone now I'm no longer caring (nearly 5 years since Dad died,18 months since Mum died) I started taking mirtazapine last July having taken prozac for 7 years. My GP's retirement meant starting with a new GP who suggested mirtazapine

It takes time to get the dosage right and time to discover the right time to take it before you go to bed. I started on 15mgs for the first month and varied the time I took it before I went to bed. The dosage was gradually increased to 45mgs which I take 90 minutes before I go to bed. The sedative effect was quite strong at first but much less so now. I also have counselling which has been extremely helpful possibly more help than the medication but it's impossible to know.

Even with this support every day has to be worked at, there is no miracle cure but anything is worth a try. The medication isn't a quick fix it took several months to get the dosage right but I have managed to go back to work after 5 years and although I've had to reduce my hours from 37 to 32 I appear to be coping.

So it's worth giving it a go. As others have said taking medication for other things isn't as much of an issue as anti depressants. It's hard for people who haven't experienced depression to really understand. It's not something you can see like a broken leg. You would probably get more help and support if you had a broken leg. Just because you can't'see' depression doesn't make it hurt any less.

Look after yourself you are worth it.

Cathyxx