Hello everyone
I've been on antidepressant for a very long time, and not working so well After speaking to my GP recently, it was decided I should try another one. Very apprehensive. I also have to take at night which is to help me sleep better. Just wandered if anyone else has been in this situation and did it work?
You haven't said which anti depressant's you were / are about to take so it is very difficult to help support you through this. Personally, I have switched several times and have never had any withdrawal symptoms. Starting a new medication will take a few weeks to get into your system so prepare to feel worse for a few weeks before feeling better, although this doesn't happen to everyone.
Thanks for your reply. Sorry for not mentioning. I just wasn't sure if we were allowed to mention medication on here. It's an SSRI that I've have been taking for 19 years. The new one is Mirtazapine 15g to start with, then increase in a few weeks. The other one worked pretty much straight away.
I was switched from Venlafaxine which is an SNRI to Mirtazapine in January 2018 and had no problems. At the lowest dose (15mg) it is definitely better to taken in the evening as they have a sedatory effect. However, weirdly as the dose increases this particular side effect diminishes. When my dose was increased to 30mg I would take 2 x 15mg so that it would still help me sleep. On the whole I have found Mirtazapine to be an effective anti depressant but a lot of people (myself included) have found that they gain weight on this medication. Personally I chose weight gain over depression.
Thanks so much, your info has been very helpful. When I first took Citalopram I gained weight. That's why I went to the gym etc which did help. I don't reckon I can stay on 15gm be too low as this is help me wean of the Citalopram. I know I have to take something, as I know I haven't been right for a while now.
I am on 45mg now which is the maximum dose. I take as a single tablet with additional medication as needed to help me sleep. I would say do it and stay in touch with your GP (and us on here) xxx
Whatever we need to take, to help us get through it, I agree with that. Thank you, yes I will keep in touch, I'm pleased I joined HealthUnlocked. Take care xx
I was also given mirtazapine for a short while. Really gave me good sleep as I was struggling with pain and numbness. But the weight gain was too much for me and the numbness didn't go away. So I switched again.
It is fine to switch meds. Need adjustment days or weeks and may suffer from some unpleasant side effects or withdrawal (depends on individual body, dosage etc) but definitely will still work.
I am more than week 3 into a new medicine. The last one (brintallix) was too expensive and didn't work well for my anxiety symptom. And very very gradually, those suicidal thoughts and lethargy are going away.
I tell myself, this is to train me to be patient and to be grateful for people who are supporting me through this dark episode.
We can do this together!!!
Thank you for your reply, it all helps. I have been taken off now, and hope to wean off anti-depressants which will probably take me months to do.
So happy for you!
Yes we all go through something similar every so often, I have just been through something similar, I am getting old and now they have reduced my medication. It is also quite normal to move patients on to a new treatment regime. Allow yourself upwards five weeks to get used to new treatment
BOB
Thank you Bob for your helpful reply on this. I reckon eventually (as I'm moving up the ladder a bit now!) GP might want me to cut down. But in the meantime, I will see how they go. Also The other ones, I took in morning, the new ones (at the moment) are before bed time.
Sometimes we need to change the time of day, just allow some time to see how you go
BOB
Very true, will see how I go, thanks again.
All my past antidepressants I took in the mornings. If taken at night I couldn't sleep.
But this new one, escitalopram, I take at night, late afternoon as it makes me so sedated and sleepy during the day time when taken in the mornings.
Listen to your body and pay attention to the effects of the drug. That's all I can share based on 18 years of good and bad experiences.
Yes, that's what I have been taking since July 1999. I have tried to wean off them before, but it seems it wasn't the right moment.
It takes a lot of holistic efforts to wean off antidepressant. I also tried and the best record was a couple of years medicine free but relapsed.
Yes that can happen I expect. I need to wean off for a number of reasons. But I have had a lot of therapy in the interim.
Just do the things that the doctor says
Did you change generic ? I was taking the generic for Lexapro manufactured by Mylan and recently my pharmacy switched to Cipla , I have not felt well recently. I don't think all generics are equivalent
I have been on SSRI's but the new one is not (it seems). I have had a bad reaction to the new one and will be contacting my GP tomorrow.
What did u r Dr say ? Am trembling and shaking on Sertaraline 100 mg I am going to cut down to 50 and try and get off it
I’ve had many situations where I have to switch medications and mess with the mg ... I’m still struggling with finding the right combo. Very hard. I have a night time one it helps but idk if it helps with my mental
Same problem here.
Changing meds 
Depression Medication-Citalopram 10mg
Relapse, Medication and Unhelpful Doctors
Medication and self help
Medication
