Switching From Prozac To Mirtazapine - What To Expect?
Jul 25, 2014
I have been signed off work for the last 6 months with depression. I was prescribed Prozac, the dose of which was doubled after a few weeks, but I didn't find it helped with my anxiety.
A trip to Morrisons puts me in panic mode, I recently had to renew my passport at the Post Office and was sick on the way home as it caused me so much distress.
I stopped taking the Prozac cold turkey a few weeks ago and didn't have any problems. I didn't feel and better or any worse.
I have now been prescribed 30mg Mirtazapine - my first tablet will be this evening. However, I have read bad things about the side affects, I don't want to put on weight or feel any more down and sleepy than I already do.
Are there any positives to this medication - surely there must be!
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I've been on Prozac about a week and a half and it isn't agreeing with me. My anxiety is the worse at ever been and I can't leave the house. My doctor wants to switch me to Zoloft. The main reason her and I agreed to try Prozac first was because I'm terrified of gaining weight. I'm 23 and already have a major weight issue. I took lexapro as a teen and gained tons of weight. So, I am wondering, does anyone notice any significant weight changes on Zoloft? Also, how do people find Zoloft to help with anxiety?
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I've been on citalopram for 11 days and I've just come back from doctors she has taken me off these and put me on mirtazapine 15mg can anyone give me the heads up on what to expect as I'm quite worried someone please help
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I would like to ask anyone who has withdrawn from Mirtazapine to explain what sort of symptoms you have experienced with withdrawal.
I have reduced from 15 mg to 12.5mg 4 weeks ago and have had a constant trembling/ shaking feeling predominantly in the mornings with an underlying anxious feeling, nausea, gastric upset, sweating, aching lower limbs and pressure in my head. Can anyone relate to any similar effects please?
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Ok so I am now off the mirtazapine after being on it in total just over 8 weeks..... When should I expect withdrawal to kick in and when will it peak before it starts to get better?
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Told him that after 12 weeks, the Citalopram, even at 40mg per day is not working. :blue: He's told me to reduce my dosage of Citalopram for a week and then start taking Mirtazapine which he says should help with my sleeping also.
Wants to see me in a fortnight to check side effects and signed me off another month.
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i've been diagnosed with GAD and OCD and my doctor prescribe me prozat 20mg/a day and xanax 1mg split; 0.25mg...0.25mg....and 0.5mg before bed
this is my second day and it seems everything fine unless some side effects..(drowsiness; dizziness; headache; nausea...if someone had/has on this medication?? share with me your experiences
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I am really struggling with sleep at the moment .... i am finding that i get off ok, but then wake up at around 3 am and then find it really hard to drift off again.
I went to the GP this morning as the lack of sleep is really affecting me - I can't concentrate, my memory is shocking and I feel so lethargic. I did wonder if it was my depression but the doc explained that I have 'Prozac Insomnia'. Great, I thought - I'm not imagining this! I had hoped that she might prescribe me something to help me sleep - but no, i came away with some leaflets and the ever welcomed suggestion to 'hang on in there'.
I have been on Flu for about 5 weeks and although i do feel slightly better, this not sleeping is knocking me back. Feel like all my progress has been undone and I'm at my wits end ....
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I'm currently trying to wean myself of gabapentin was given them for my hip op, nerve pain but i have been taking them now because of the high i get and that they seem to make my depression and general state of well being much better....but i was prescribed flux 5 days ago now and wondered if it is ok to take both? i take flux at night and gabapentin through the day. My only side effects with the flux is nausea/sick feeling and feeling spaced out and a bit disconnected but the are seeming to help me cope better with the depression/anger issues i have.
just wanted to know about the gabba as they are addictive and im finding that withdrawing off gabapentin is making my depression state of mind worse?
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I've decided to document my journey starting prozac/fluoxetine as a way to cope and record my progress, as well as possibly help others!
Day 1 (Wednesday, Oct. 28):
I was prescribed 10mg of prozac this day and took it early, around 8:30. I had been suffering depression and anxiety which came out of nowhere for 5 weeks and decided to start medication. This was a normal depressed day, but it faded 80% at 6:00 like usual. I went to dinner with a friend and felt somewhat good
Day 2:
Bad morning anxiety. I think I was depressed most of the day, it did gt better around 6:00pm.
Day 3:
I woke up with my usual morning anxiety and bad diarrhea. But on this Friday I had an exam and noticed after that my intrusive thoughts had started to fade! They were still there but didn't scare me (fear of death, fear of time running out). I went home to visit my family this day and felt happier, though tired at times.
Day 4:
I was very busy Halloween day. Me and my siblings drove all around town to find last minute details for their costumes.I noticed around 2 that I was feeling down again. By 6:30, I had forgotten my worries and was in the moment! I enjoyed my night
Day 5:
Struggled to eat in the morning. Felt like gagging when I tried to take a bite, but I forced it down anyways. I was at a park trying to relax but the anxiety/butterflies feeling was strong. Throughout the day I had bouts of crying and hopelessness. At 4 I felt great again, not perfect but good!
Day 6:
Monday morning I had to go back to my apartment and say bye to the family. I have to increase to 20mg on Wednesday so I did around 13mg today. Bad morning anxiety like usual, and around 10:30 I had a complete breakdown and cried driving back. My mom talked with me over the phone for awhile to help me get through. I went to class and around 2:30, I noticed something weird. I wanted to listen to my music! I love music but haven't been able to listen to anything these past few weeks. I felt 99%! I was so happy, I actually went out to my favorite restaurant alone for the first time in awhile. Great day, no relapse!
Day 7:
Today the morning anxiety was pretty bad. I took 15 mg to prepare for the 2 tomorrow. I had a major, major panic attack as bad as my first one ever, I started crying uncontrollably. It lasted 1 minute because I stopped myself and asked "Am I going to let anxiety do this to me?" I took .5mg of xanax (which never helps me) and much to my surprise, I felt soooo normal at 1:30! I even danced around the room. Later that night I went to a movie with a friend and noticed a small amount of anxiety, like a slight gagging feeling. It strangely didn't go away at night like usual, but today was still pretty great! No depression today.
Day 8:
Increased to 20mg today. I had really bad morning anxiety and went for m CBT, we did a meditation exercise where you breath and imagine an ocean and I literally was having more anxiety! SO around 10:45 I took a xanax... I thought I was going to pass out. I just wanted to sleep all day. It was very hard to go to class after being in bed so long. At home I just tried to watch TV and distract myself. Didn't feel better in the evening like I usually do which was strange. Heightened anxiety all day!
Day 9:
Horrible day. Morning anxiety and bad, bad diarrhea. I could barely eat today, I had a small piece of pizza, and later on a smoothie. I stayed in bed most of the day which is very strange for me, but luckily my friend came around 5. I still had low anxiety, but had a better time a night.
Day 10:
I was on the verge of a panic attack in the car today, but I wanted to stay calm for my friend. I couldn't eat so I drank half of a smoothie. My friend left today around 10 am. When I got home, I had bad diarrhea and started crying. I took .25mg of xanax. So I climbed in bed and started writing this which has helped, I do feel less anxious. But the intrusive thoughts are starting to depress me again, although they are manageable.
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I have been on lexapro and latuda for over 2 years. I have been completely stable with my anxiety and depression.. my husband n I decided that we wanted to have another baby.. the doctor told me the best thing to do was switch to prozac.. I withdrew from latuda n lexapro within 2 weeks .. and started 30mgs of prozac.. I had every side effect known to the prozac where I had to be hospitalized for 5 days .. I went thru hell for 3 weeks hoping the prozac would kick in and the side effects would go away but that never did.. while in the hospital they stopped the prozac and put me back on latuda n lexapro .. I'm still having alot of anxiety .. nausea .. sleeping issues.. I just started the lexapro and latuda this monday and stopped prozac fully sunday.. does anyone know when this anxiety and depression will stabilize again.. I can't take the fear.. panic.. n anxiety anymore.. will I be normal again?
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how long does it take prozac to kick in?
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anyone else who finds it hard to come off Prozac?
My last attempt to come off Prozac lasted almost a year. I have tried so hard...but I am finally admitting defeat. I am going to ask for a new prescription tomorrow. It feels like this little capsule that twenty years ago was my savior has now become my captor. It is with feeling of utter failure and slight despair that I take these pills again. I feel I have no choice. The worst thing is, I don't understand why I hate it so much.
I was on Prozac for almost twenty years until I weaned myself off almost a year ago. This was one of many attempts. During those twenty years, I was never completely comfortable taking it. I was grateful for how it worked, how it changed my life, but for some reason that I could never shake off, I just didn't like the the idea of being on medication every day. I was not at ease with the idea of having to be on a prescription - of being dependent on this little green and cream capsule - simply to feel normal like everyone else. My GP could never understand when I talked about coming off it. He would more or less say, its working for you - why change things? Just take it, and forget about it. I still don't understand why I am so uncomfortable about taking it.
I thought in the beginning, that I would be cured of my depression and anxiety, and go back to the happy person I was, then when I was 'fixed' I would stop taking it. I was told then it was not 'addictive', and it WAS only for the short term. So how come, every time I came off...I not only suffered the most awful symptoms..I also felt 100 times worse than I did before I started taking it? It is like Prozac has changed my brain, so I am dependent on it simply to have any quality of life.
With Prozac, I am relatively content, I enjoy socializing, I can run a house and 'look after' my family and my ageing parents. Simply, I just get on with my life which is a good one.
Without Prozac, I am anxious and irritable all of the time. I feel far, far worse than I EVER did in the before I went on on it. I thought I was depressed then....but from what I remember it was never as bad as this. Its hard to explain, but it is like it is self fulfilling... like Prozac itself is causing my mental health problems. I panic at the thought of having to do anything that involves social evenings, sometimes I can't even cope with trivial or ordinary things like organizing meals, or making lists. It all seems too overwhelming so I just don't do it. I get completely worked up about nothing. I fly into rages and feel awful afterwards. I wake in the morning with a nervous tummy and terrible anxiety about the day. When I physically get up and get on with it I feel better...but I can lie for an hour in bed in the morning feeling sick with nerves, and cannot find a 'place' to go in my head that is pleasant. It is always doom and gloom, and anger and sadness....and recently I have been contemplating all sorts of ways of leaving it all behind me. I can't live like this any more.
I guess it is just a case of getting my head to the point where I can see Prozac as a friend and not the enemy. I guess I blame it for getting me where I am in the first place - totally dependent on it. It's like, I have no choice in the matter. This is not how I usually live my life. I feel defeated and overpowered, even though the outcome is to my benefit. Its hard to explain. I mean, what if they find out it causes tumors, or my doctor just decides to stop prescribing it down the line. I feel trapped, no matter how I look at it.
I guess I would tell anyone thinking of going onto this drug that it is like a pitcher plant. Once you are in, you are in it forever no matter how much you try to scramble up the sides. It is not just a case of take it till you get well, then thank it, and move on. Prozac has you in its grip forever. From my experience.. I would say only start it if you can accept the fact it probably WILL be for life.
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My downfall is my dizziness / lightheadedness
I'm 22 with no life. I would love it back.
Been on them 2 weeks.
Can you take calms magnesium with it? As I want to try it?
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I have been on Prozac 4 months and 2 of them were better and now I'm going back to the way I was before. What do I do now? I'm so miserable and don't understand why this is happening plus I'm pregnant.
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I was prescribed Prozac and and have been on 10 for 3 weeks then went up to 20 2 weeks ago. I've been so nauseous,feeling like I'm gonna throw up and worsened anxiety and depersonalization. So my doctor told me to stop and switched me to lexapro 10 mg when will I notice a change?
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I have just started on the 30m Mirtazapine and it's my 3rd night taking them ans i have read up on a lot of different forums that there are patients gaining weight off these? well i would like to know what the odds are of gaining weight because i have always had problems with weight gain, i can never put on any weight, no matter how much i eat, i have a fast metabolism and i am wondering, will the mirtazapine surpass my high metabolism. also in some cases i've heard it slows your metabolism down too.. but it would actually be a benefit for me to gain some extra weight.
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For the first time in a very long time, I'm finally in a good enough place to make the step in coming off my Anti-depressant. I've been on Mirtazapine 45mg for the last 4/5 years and before that a string of various of medications.
Despite my anxiety been kind of excessive at the moment, after a discussion with my GP, he was happy to let me begin tapering down the dose. The problem is with my anxiety I feel it mainly physically rather than mentally so it makes me a little oversensitive to any changes that take place in my body.
I guess what I am searching for is some reassurance so I can stop driving myself up the wall, exhausting google search on mirtazapine withdrawal. 6 nights ago I started my first reduction so 45 mg to 30mg. In all honesty it's not been that bad, a few waves of nausea, headaches and random aches and pains. Those I was expecting so don't mind too much. The trouble is that for the last 3 days, I've found myself a little short of breath for most of the day. It's nothing that's outwardly noticeable at the moment, but it's there and is slightly concerning. Has anyone else experienced this when tapering?
I'm kind of freaked out a little because one of my fears that's arisen since the mirtazapine is the that i will develop random allergies and my brain is wondering if I've suddenly developed an allergy to my meds (ridiculous, I know!) The other thing is that the rest of my family has had either viral chest problems lately so maybe I've just picked up that and it's a coincidence? Or it could just be the anxiety.
I'm totally spinning myself in circles at the moment so any wise words are most welcome at this point. If I know it is just withdrawal and nothing that can actually hurt me then I'm fine with whatever effects it throws at me.
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Came off Lexapro 40 mg bout week and a half ago and have been on prozac 20mg for 2.5 weeks. Dr upped it today to 40 mg.
First week and a half on prozac 20mg i felt agitated and really really anxious...panicky often...racing thoughts, felt like i was going crazy.
But this morning just woke up totally depressed..cried all day pretty much, no motivation, huge brainfog, extremely tired, low concentration, not interested in doing anything- not enough concentration to do anything. Don't feel like eating.
I am wondering if it is too low dose after coming off Lexapro 40 mg...or maybe it just hasn't kicked in yet all....can anyone, from their own experience, shed some light on this....i am feeling completely lost!
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3 days ago I decided to stop taking mirtazapine 45 mg but since then I have not had any appetite for any foods at all. Is this a normal symptom.
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So I saw my GI doctor today. Did a rectal exam, went over all of the testing I had done. She does not think my symptoms are anything serious (yay!) but she does want to do an endoscopy on Monday to see if there is an ulcer or anything.
I am SCARED! I have never had any sort of sedation or medical procedure. Anyone been through this? What can I expect? I have classes the next day and I am hoping I will be able to function fine the next day. Any input helps
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