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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Conundrum on June 27, 2010, at 16:27:49
So I saw my pdoc and she suggested mirtazapine since I have not tried it yet. She said to start at 15mg, but I have heard that it is more sedating and that many people do better starting at 30 mg which is more activating. So she said it was ok to start at 30mg. I took it at night and the next day I had some trouble getting up. Once up I was pretty much ok. I did end up taking a nap later in the day, but went out with a friend later and didn't feel tired or anything. Last night I took it and then had some trouble getting out of bed this morning. Once again I was fine and went out shopping.
So what I haven't experienced so far are leaden paralysis and never ending munchies like many have mentioned. Sure I'm a little drowsy, but that will probably go away with time or when I increase to 45mg. Oddly I have had no increase in hunger. I felt more hungry when starting lexapro and wanted to eat everything around me for about 2 days. Pristiq also made me voraciously hungry. Its funny that mirtazapine hasn't.
I also had my blood drawn yesterday to test plasma levels of lamictal to see if I am at the right dosage. I take 300mg and am probably a slow metabolizer so I doubt the dosage is too low, it probably just doesn't work for me.
Also I have stopped the 2.5 mg of prozac I was takinga couple weeks ago. I can see now that it was having some effect in interest. I started playing the guitar and piano again. It wasn't as pronounced as 2.5 prozac + 10 mg buspar.
I'm hoping that mirtazapine will have a similar effect but stronger than prozac since it is a 5 ht2c and alpha 2 adrenergic antagonist.
Posted by Phillipa on June 27, 2010, at 19:18:17
In reply to Just started mirtazapine; leaving prozac, posted by Conundrum on June 27, 2010, at 16:27:49
I took 15mg for 30days for sleep. Also at the time was on chloral hydrate and benzos and not sure of ad. But no increase in appetite, no weight gain, and it didn't help with sleep or make me sleepy so stopped it and no withdrawl. I'd personally think prozac would be more activating. Phillipa
Posted by SLS on June 27, 2010, at 20:43:17
In reply to Just started mirtazapine; leaving prozac, posted by Conundrum on June 27, 2010, at 16:27:49
> I'm hoping that mirtazapine will have a similar effect but stronger than prozac since it is a 5 ht2c and alpha 2 adrenergic antagonist.
Good luck. It would have been interesting to have left the Prozac in place. You can always add it back, of course.
- Scott
Posted by g_g_g_unit on June 28, 2010, at 1:04:54
In reply to Just started mirtazapine; leaving prozac, posted by Conundrum on June 27, 2010, at 16:27:49
good luck dude!
Posted by linkadge on June 28, 2010, at 7:15:19
In reply to Re: Just started mirtazapine; leaving prozac, posted by g_g_g_unit on June 28, 2010, at 1:04:54
prozac has a *very* long half-life. This means for the next 1-4 weeks you will still have fluoxetine in your system.
You will need to wait and see how you feel over the next few weeks to know for sure.
Linkadge
Posted by Conundrum on June 29, 2010, at 8:45:53
In reply to Re: Just started mirtazapine; leaving prozac, posted by linkadge on June 28, 2010, at 7:15:19
I don't even remember why I stopped prozac. I stopped a couple weeks ago. I guess I thought it wasn't helping but it was, its just very subtle. More interest in things in general. Not as strong as with buspar which makes me wanna clean my room which is a massive undertaking.
Now you got me wondering if I should go back to low doses of prozac with mirtazapine, especially since I've noticed numbness in my left arm and a feeling like I am getting sick for that last few days. If I have to stop it at least I'll have some interest from prozac. I hope my arm numbness is from sleeping on it and the sick feeling is just from germs. I'm getting discouraged and thinking these effects could be some of mirtazapine's rare freaky side effects, peripheral neuropathy and agranulosis. I wonder if starting on 30 mgs was wise? Ugh I hate this confusing sh!t. I just hope this goes away and I can give this med a fair trial. I hope nothing gets worse.
Maybe my arm will feel less tingly as the day goes on.
Posted by Phillipa on June 29, 2010, at 19:50:18
In reply to Re: Just started mirtazapine; leaving prozac, posted by Conundrum on June 29, 2010, at 8:45:53
Well how you feeling now any better? Phillipa
Posted by Conundrum on June 29, 2010, at 21:34:41
In reply to Re: Just started mirtazapine; leaving prozac » Conundrum, posted by Phillipa on June 29, 2010, at 19:50:18
Well the sick feeling went away. I looked up some of the side effects and its not uncommon to have a feeling of flu like or infection like symptoms on remeron. Paresthesia is also a symptom. I looked on askapatient.com and saw others had this pins and needles symptom and one person said their doctor told them it was peripheral neuropathy. It sucks cuz i had high hopes when i didn't get the more common side effects of sedation and increased appetite, but paresthesia sounds bad.
Also I remembered why I stopped taking prozac. My g/f is visiting me on a break from Uni for awhile and I wanted to be able to function *ahem*. Unfortunately this results in a decrease in emotion in general even towards her. I think I will stay on it. The sexual side effects only seem to effect function not desire so I guess for her it will be ok. I'd rather have better emotions than being horny all the time. I'll just have to deal with the headaches for now.
I hope the combo of prozac+mirtazapine+Lamotrigine works synergistically. I've heard of combining SNRIs with mirt and lamotrigine is a common augmenter. I hope to be stopping lamotrigine soon anyway since it doesn't do anything.
Posted by Phillipa on June 29, 2010, at 22:00:11
In reply to Re: Just started mirtazapine; leaving prozac » Phillipa, posted by Conundrum on June 29, 2010, at 21:34:41
You know I'd forgotten but when a long long time ago a doc suggested remeron I remember reading something about white blood count or liver or something I didn't like. Good luck with the combo. Phillipa
Posted by Conundrum on July 6, 2010, at 23:09:48
In reply to Just started mirtazapine; leaving prozac, posted by Conundrum on June 27, 2010, at 16:27:49
Well I was wrong. I have experienced weight gain and sedation with remeron, it's just very subtle. It sort of feels like needing a 4th meal after dinner. I've been trying to control myself and exercise. At first I noticed I went from 200lbs to 207. Tonight after I've exercised the last two days and been careful it was 203.
Also there is still some sedation in the moring. I might have to start taking it sooner so I don't get up late. I went to sleep last night around 1 and had to be up for work at 8:30. I thought I would just lay back down for 10 mins. I woke up again and it was 9:25. Luckily I had everything I needed for work done the night before, so I was only a few minutes late. The side effects from remeron are subtle but they're there. I'm still waiting for some good effects from this med.
This is the end of the thread.
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