Low Dose Elavil Or Mirtazapine?

[Johnniboy123]

Hello, i am new to the forum but ive been following RP recomendations for over a year. My carbohydrates are mainly from well boiled tubers and some fruit in between, i like well cocked rice with steamed veggies, my proteins mainly i would say are from eggs, tuna, milk and some ocassional muscular meat, i try to supplement gelatin as much as possible.

And lastly for fat... Not much.... I really dont measure it i only try to avoid PUFAS... I must be under 40grams per day....

I take a multivitamin..

But the question I have is the following; I am suffering from some mild depression lately, not severe or anything... But more a lack of the motivation and enthusiasm I need to have and it was inevitable for my doctor to not notice it (i try to hide it as i know today's antideppressants are garbage, most of them) but this time I have no choice but to accept a prescription... I immediately mentioned to my Doctor about Mirtazapine, as I have read on this site, From the member Haidut i Believe that its one of the least harmfull ones.... But I also have the option of Elavil 25mg... I asked him...

My question would be, being these two probably the least harmful ones out there, as i have read they share some resemblace to Cyproheptadine... That ive taken in the past and is indeed wonderful.

Wich would you recommend? Mirtazapine 7.5mg (he wants to start me there and then "see how it goes") or low dose Elavil wich is a tryciclic, with good reputation in low doses but has the downside of being highly anticholinergic.... Yet at the same time i have read Rameron can cause constipation even at 7mg.., and that, for me with some past colon issues is a big nono...

What are the weak points of these two medications? Wich has an antiserotogenic or at least more neutral effect, and effect more like cypro in increasing Dopamine.. weighting in the pros and cons wich would you choose? I dont like the anticholinergic nature of elavil, i dont know how strong that would be at 25mg... But also im afraid of constipation... Please help...

 

[bluewren]

I have found Mirtazapine fantastic for depression and insomnia. I was on it for 6 weeks, 7.5 mgs at night. I take it only occasionally now. It truly helped me.
All the best.

 

[DaveFoster]

I've taken up to 22.5 mg mirtazapine chronically. It works alright, but 7.5 mg is a low dose. It's going to be more sedating than anything. If you choose mirtazapine, use cascara to combat the constipation.

Mirtazapine treats depression more effectively than amitryptyline, and it's a bit safer with regard to the QT interval prolongation and torsades de pointes. It's significantly more expensive.

 

[bionicheart]

Mirtazapine has helped my depression and learned helplessness a lot, my doc wants me on 45mg but I'm staying at 15-30mg right now... and like Dave said, cascara really helps with constipation. Also, high doses of progesterone (30-60mg) seems to help me as well..

 

[jyb]

For me, mirtazapine is a bad combination with lack of motivation. The sedation could worsen it. On the other hand a few other anti-serotonin recipes discussed on this forum (lisuride, tianeptine, specific amino acids,...) can dramatically boost mood and creativity, without any sedation.