Lexapro and Mirtazapine - Awful Side-Effects

My doc did a swab gene study to see which antidepressant would work best for me. I found the Prozac I was taking for a long time was not the best.
I'm on Lexapro 20 mg which is working, but took 5-6 weeks to really see the difference
This gene study was approved through Medicare, no cost to me.
It's merely a guideline for prescribing the right antidepressant.
My therapist doesn't think it's valid.
Oh well!!!

@odi
I really thought I had posted a reply to your post but couldn't find it.

I take escitalopram and has worked for. Having said that we are all different and what works for one will not work for another.

You posted about seeing a doctor. Is this a PCP? Have you considered going to a psychiatrist? I was referred to Mayo psychiatric department by my PCP. I devloped PTSD which evoloved into a anxiety/panic disorder. A psychiatric medication specialist can work with you on medication to help you. She/He might want to combine it with counseling.

You mentioned sleeping. A big part of mental and physical health is the ability to sleep. Without it you are really taxing your mental and physical health. There are many sleep aids out there. I could not sleep also and felt terrible like you. My psychiatric medication specialist prescribed Ambien but it did not work for me. She then put me on trazadone which did work. For me it stopped my mind from racing and was then able to get a good night's sleep. Being able to sleep really changed my mental and physical health.

The only con for trazadone for me was feeling groggy in mornings but have read on MCC this is a common side affect and not something specific to me. The ability to sleep far outweighed the con of feeling groggy in morning.

You sound exactly like me when taking Mirtazapine, I not only had everything from anxiety, restlessness in my legs and it didn’t help me sleep but when I did my dreams turned into nightmares like something out of a horror movie…to top it off my doctor who prescribed it for me was unavailable to the reach, eventually I just started tapering myself off weekly until I was done. I don’t want to put down a medication because even if I didn’t feel well from it I realize that for others it works well, the only good thing I got from the med was a well needed appetite.

I have been using 1/2 of an ibuprofen PM to sleep fo a long time....when I took a whole tablet I woke up groggy ( like drunk)
My doc prescribed Valium, it worked, but it's addictive. I stopped, since my gene study shows its not the best for me.
I now have an Rx for clonazepan, but only take it when I have extreme anxiety, and then 1/2 of 5 mg. tab.
It works, however I do not want to be totally dependent on this.
I am back to ibuprofen PM most of the time.

Is your prescribing doctor a Psychiatrist? I would definitely see them and sounds like some therapy may be helpful

I don’t think you’re supposed to mix the two medications that might be some of your issues

Ik slik ook deze combinatie. Ik ben er doodziek en suïcidal van. Volgende week afspraak bij gespecialiseerd ziekenhuis. Ik ben ook poor metabolizer Cyp2C19 3a5, één van de redenen dat ik deze medicatie niet verdraag.

@mammiecaro , I just wanted to know if you’re writing in Dutch? I was born in Amsterdam but left very young so I never learned to read and write but the language is familiar? I believe you are saying that the medication is making you very sick or rather a combination of the two drugs, you’re going to a specialized hospital. I hope that you get better soon with the help from the specialists, best wishes.

@mammiecaro and @frouke - I believe she was writing in Dutch, saying the following translated to English:
I also take this combination. It makes me deathly ill and suicidal. I have an appointment at a specialized hospital next week. I am also a poor metabolizer of Cyp2C19 3a5, one of the reasons I cannot tolerate this medication.

Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect, mammiecaro. That sounds like a rough time taking these medications. I hope they are able to prescribe you something alternative that will be effective for you. My person experience is that the road from one antidepressant/antianxiety medication to another can be an emotionally bumpy ride for a couple or more months, then things level out.

Are you hoping to be put on another medication combination instead, mammiecaro? If so, are you thinking of asking about any medications you've read about or heard about from others? Or are you hoping to do another type of treatment altogether?

@lisalucier I was barely able to make out what she was saying, I did get the basic idea but not enough to help her, also I didn’t realize that translation was available, I’ve only seen it with Spanish, thank you for letting me know.