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[CrispyChick]

I won't go into my full story, but I'm now sitting on cerazette mininpill to try and control my peri fluctuations.

It's helping that.

It's leaving me in low E pain. I've tried hrt. Triggered one of my awful stomach symptoms. So had to stop.

Now, along with the pain, I'm dealing with extreme anxiety. Aggitation, shaky, jumpy. I've been trying pregabalin (not doing anything helpful)

I think I need the big guns. Ssri are too stimulating - had a horrific experience earlier in the year.

I tried mirtazapine in march. I only lasted a week. I hated the zombie feeling. I felt very dizzy on it.

But I think I now need to try again. I need to break through those initial side affects.

Can anyone help me here??? I've been through so much. But I need to keep trying. 

[dangermouse]

I would definitely stop the Pregabalin Crispy, as it can cause agitation. Same with Gabapentin.

Have you also considered FSH levels? FSH may go up as you use the different methods to reduce ovarian function. High FSH can cause alot of what are sometimes assumed to be low oestrogen symptoms, along with anxiety.

I honestly think that trying to manipulate hormones is like trying to herd cats, but appreciate that the POP is giving you some relief which you are, understandably, desperate for.

[CrispyChick]

Thanks DM.

My FSH is holding very low as the POP is supressing me. So can't be that.

Pregabalin can cause agitation? Yet it's licenced for anxiety. To be honest, this is no different to how I was before both the pop and pregabalin. So it's just it's not working.

I'm not going to touch hormones now. That's done. But I'm a mess. Hence going to retry mirtazapine. 

[Gnatty]

So the zombie feeling does last maybe three week but then it lifts. You could try taking it earlier in the evening so the side effects wear off earlier the following day. I used it for twelve months and found it very helpful. I started and stayed on 15mg. I found the zombie feeling was infinitely preferable to how I felt prior to taking it.

[CrispyChick]

Thanks Gnatty.

That's what I need to hear. It wasn't so much the zombie that made me stop, it was extreme woozy, dizziness. Felt like it was getting worse at the end of the week.

But actually, I feel like that today. And my anxiety is sky high today. So it could well have been hormonal.

I'm now on cerazette, hoping to balance a bit. Although today is suggesting otherwise.

Ok. So zombie lasted 3 weeks. And did it help a lot with anxiety and mood??? And you found 15mg helped enough - so just stayed there?

Can you recall how quickly it helped you? X

[Gnatty]

From day 1 i slept through the night and woke up hungry! I had hardly been able to eat with the anxiety and extreme nausea and I was unable to sleep. So it was amazing. Yes I remember feeling a bit dizzy and foggy but it gradually lifted as time went on and I was able to function properly i would say within two weeks. By that l mean I was able to work. I never needed to increase my dose. Nor did I reduce it. Some say less is more where sleep is concerned but when I dropped down the sleep wasn't so good. While on it I was able to stabilise my hrt and then came off the Mirtazapine a year later. Just halved the dose for a couple of weeks then I think a half every other day. No problems.

[bombsh3ll]

I have recently come off mirtazapine due to weight gain and no longer getting the benefits for insomnia - the highest dose I ever took was 15mg.

Initially I started it for intractable nausea and vomiting with resultant severe weight loss in the early weeks and months following my brain injury, and have continued it on and off for sleep.

I would suggest starting at the lowest achievable dose, which for me was quarter of a 15mg tablet cut up with a sharp knife, and get used to this before increasing.

It didn't help with my mental state as the intense fear and grief that I was experiencing were appropriate trauma responses to a catastrophic life event, but I did appreciate the sleep and being able to get food down whilst so unwell, and it hasn't really given me any noticeable side effects other than weight gain that has exceeded my needs.

It also comes in a liquid if you were looking to do even smaller increments.

[CrispyChick]

Thanks folks.

This is one I'm not going to start slow on. When I came off after my week on 15mg I dropped to 7.5mg - never been so sedated in my life.

So, for me, less really is a bigger histamine hit, hence greater sedation.

So I'll go in at 15mg again. I know I'll sleep in it - bit that's the only problem I don't have.

And yes, I was instantly starving. Which will be quite nice as I'm off food a bit again, cant face cooking etc.

Does the starvation settle down a bit???

So those will both come. I know.

I am concerned as today I am like a zombie - my own body does this to me. My brain fog is currently immense. But I guess I just need to accept even more for the greater good (I hope!)

[Michelle46]

So the zombie feeling does last maybe three week but then it lifts. You could try taking it earlier in the evening so the side effects wear off earlier the following day. I used it for twelve months and found it very helpful. I started and stayed on 15mg. I found the zombie feeling was infinitely preferable to how I felt prior to taking it.

Can I ask how you tapered off. I'm on 10 mg now. I've been on it 8 months but it's not helped anxiety at all for me

[Gnatty]

Re tapering off, I just halved the dose for a couple of weeks and then did alternate days for maybe another couple of weeks. It was four years ago so I can't remember precisely.
However are you sure you are on an optimum dose for you? Or have you already tried a higher amount?

[Clovie]

So the zombie feeling does last maybe three week but then it lifts. You could try taking it earlier in the evening so the side effects wear off earlier the following day. I used it for twelve months and found it very helpful. I started and stayed on 15mg. I found the zombie feeling was infinitely preferable to how I felt prior to taking it.

Can I ask how you tapered off. I'm on 10 mg now. I've been on it 8 months but it's not helped anxiety at all for me

I had mirtazepine for a while for anxiety, like you it didn't help. It made me feel zonked out at the start I remember.
I was gaining weight on it too quite quickly, without me eating more and my GP said it is renowned for weight gain. I reduced my dose gradually over a couple of weeks. I didnt suffer withdrawal symptoms but I did it because I didn't want to. I did it gradually, I remember that. good luck x

[Nas]

I tried mirtazapine for a bit, mainly for sleep issues. It wasn’t
for me. I felt very sedated and whoozy in the morning and just couldn’t wake up. It wasn’t conducive with getting up at 6.45am for work either. I had read about the weight gain and decided I didn’t want that, so I stopped it after a couple of weeks.