For several years now my medications have remained the same, barring a few alterations in dosage for various reasons here and there. In March I was away for 10 days on holiday, and somehow shorted myself on the number of Remeron/mirtazipine pillls I brought along. As the dosage had been adjusted a bit in the past, I felt ok backing off and taking half a pill for some days rather than a whole one, in order to make them last.
Interestingly, and to my pleasant surprise, I did fine and there were no ill effects (normally I'm very touchy with med changes). After coming home I carried on with the lessened dosage and continued feeling fine.
Let me mention here that my pdoc and I have been through a lot over the years, and he trusts my judgement on dosage changes (although not the type of meds) if I feel one is warranted, as long as I am reasonable and let him know what I've done the next time I see him. I did exactly that a couple of weeks ago, and got the go-ahead to take 7.5 mg instead of 15 mg daily. I have to split the pills in two because 15 mg is the smallest available.
So far, so good. In fact, I feel brighter in the morning than I did before (I take the pills at bedtime due to a minor sedative effect). Plus, I once came across info that Remeron can increase cholesterol levels. I have elevated cholesterol and now take a low dose of Zocor/simvastatin for it. Call me Pollyanna, but wouldn't it be nice if this helped?
Of course, there is more daylight now, so that may be a factor, and feeling brighter on awakening may also have to do with the dread of going to work gone. I used to feel better on weekends and worse on Mondays (I have a simple calendar method of keeping track). I have to wonder if the removal of my job stresses since retiring has made a positive difference to the point of needing less medication. It's so hard to know how much of my depression over the years has been biochemical and how much has been situational. I've taked the shotgun approach and blasted it with medications plus counselling.
Anyway, we'll see how things go for a while yet because I never count my chickens when it comes to meds - too many bad experiences in the past. Anybody else have experience with this drug?
Interestingly, and to my pleasant surprise, I did fine and there were no ill effects (normally I'm very touchy with med changes). After coming home I carried on with the lessened dosage and continued feeling fine.
Let me mention here that my pdoc and I have been through a lot over the years, and he trusts my judgement on dosage changes (although not the type of meds) if I feel one is warranted, as long as I am reasonable and let him know what I've done the next time I see him. I did exactly that a couple of weeks ago, and got the go-ahead to take 7.5 mg instead of 15 mg daily. I have to split the pills in two because 15 mg is the smallest available.
So far, so good. In fact, I feel brighter in the morning than I did before (I take the pills at bedtime due to a minor sedative effect). Plus, I once came across info that Remeron can increase cholesterol levels. I have elevated cholesterol and now take a low dose of Zocor/simvastatin for it. Call me Pollyanna, but wouldn't it be nice if this helped?
Of course, there is more daylight now, so that may be a factor, and feeling brighter on awakening may also have to do with the dread of going to work gone. I used to feel better on weekends and worse on Mondays (I have a simple calendar method of keeping track). I have to wonder if the removal of my job stresses since retiring has made a positive difference to the point of needing less medication. It's so hard to know how much of my depression over the years has been biochemical and how much has been situational. I've taked the shotgun approach and blasted it with medications plus counselling.
Anyway, we'll see how things go for a while yet because I never count my chickens when it comes to meds - too many bad experiences in the past. Anybody else have experience with this drug?
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