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Lexapro and Mirtazapine - Awful Side-Effects
Been taking 10mg Lexapro (Escitalopram) in the morning for 1 month for anxiety and depression, but I was not feeling like it making any better. I was feeling nervous and restless whole day with no motivation to do anything.
Doctor said to bump Lexapro to 15mg and added 15mg Mirtazapine at night. Did it for 10 days and I felt more anxious and restless.
Went down to 10mg again. It's been 5 days and I feel like I'm losing my mind. I'm having anxiety crisis, feeling hopeless, feeling like I'm losing control, I can't stop having negative thoughts in my head. I am also feeling tired and sleepy all day, but no matter what I do I can't calm myself down to sleep. I am also taking Xanax 0.25/0.5mg when needed, but even that is not working sometimes.
I could not find any info regarding Mirtazapine being able to cause this type of side-effects. Doctor is not really helpful to determine the problem. Could the restlessness be caused by Lexapro? Should I try a lower dose? I am also scared of lowering the dose having even worse side-effects.
Please, any guidance is welcomed.
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@odi
There are so many things that can be causing your anxiety and depression. It would be a mistake for anyone on MCC to try and diagnose you and give you the answers you want.
Every single drug will have a side affect. What it is suppose to cause is based on feedback from patients. It does mean you will get the side affects or that you won't have different ones.
I have been taking the Escitalopram for many years now. I was diagnosed back in 2015 with PTSD anxiety/panic disorder when I was shocked 5 times in 24 hours by my ICD/Pacemaker. It was not just this trauma but several other trauma (served in Vietnam and was a police officer) that all caused the body to develop it.
When recently my anxiety and depression went up my Physciatric medication specialist wanted me to up my does of Escitalopram to 15 mg (was taking 10) but would leave it up to me. I had not been exercising or doing things I really enjoyed for some time and went back to doing them. This change of activity and physical exercise helped and I did not up my dosage.
Did I read you are not sleeping well? That can have a huge impact on your both physically and mentally. My Psychiatric Medication Specialist when I was having so much trouble sleeping put me an ambiam (spell) but it did not work. She then put me on Trazodone. WOW! When I took it it was like something put a brake on my mind racing when I went to bed and I started sleeping really well. The only side affect I had to it was drowsiness when I woke up.
Talk to your doctors about sleeping problems and how you are feeling. Also do you like any exercises. If so try doing them with friends or by your self (I love water aerobics). If not into exercise (again check with your doctors on doing exercise) do you have any hobbies? Try doing something you like doing as it can have a big impact on your mental and physical health.
Good luck!
@odi
Are you working with a psychiatrist to help you manage your medications? Primary doctors have limited time and experience with mental health treatment and medications.
I tried mirtazapine but had to stop because it made me so hungry I wanted to eat everything around me. I stopped after one day.
1. https://www.drugs.com/sfx/mirtazapine-side-effects.html
2. https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/mirtazapine-oral-route/description/drg-20067334
3. https://www.goodrx.com/mirtazapine/common-side-effects
4. https://www.drugs.com/sfx/lexapro-side-effects.html
5. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-are-the-side-effects-of-lexapro-3522353
6. https://www.goodrx.com/lexapro/lexapro-side-effects
I'm sorry to hear what you have been going through. I found this info on Google. Everyone is so different. Make sure you talk with your doctor and make sure he listens to you. Some don't because it's not a common side effect. God Bless!
I hope you are working with a psychiatrist re your medications and getting some therapy. They really go hand in hand. Hope you feel better soon.
Obv. I'm not a doctor or profesional - but there are LOTS of medications, and if one isn't doing the trick, perhaps chat with your dr about trying another. I'm sure there's a medication (and CBT type stuff) that'll do the trick for you.
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1 ReactionI took both of these together in November of last year. It was a nightmare. (Mirtazapine is prescribed as a sleep aid as well as an antidepressant but quite frankly I couldn’t see any of that going on. I felt horrible I could barely lift my head of the table after breakfast. I got off it after about a month.
If I had to guess which medication is giving you trouble I would say Mirtazapine. I also realize that medication affects everyone differently but I haven’t spoken with anyone else that said otherwise. I was on Mirtazapine for 3 months and I truly felt that I was going insane, I am grateful to be off this drug. At the end of the day I’m not a doctor but you never know until you try it.
I took lexapro 20mg for 12 years and it got crazy on my thoughts and I quit. It took me 3 months to quit slowly getting off. I have a brother and sister who take propranolol so I went on that. It works for me. Try a different med.
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1 ReactionMy experience with Mirtazapine was bizarre and life-threatening. I had the most intense, ugly, violent, bizarre dreams by night and by day was the most suicidal I had felt in years. It had been prescribed by my GP.
To exacerbate the problem they were not available when I needed them most.