EnglishDave,

I too am suffering from depression since I was a teenager. My depression started at 17. I had fallen grades at school. Not able to concentrate and memorise my studies. I am 41 now.

Why do you take Mirtazapine when there are so many good SSRI antidepressants available ?

I have been on all SSRIs before - sertraline, Fluoxetine,citalopram and escitalopram now.

Sertraline was good but it caused me severe GI upset and diarrhea.

Fluoxetine is good to reduce your appetite. So it is good if you are overweight but it has a long half life of I suppose 2-4 days. It causes severe insomnia. I had been on fluoxetine for 6 months 8 years ago. I was never able to sleep on it because it remains in your system for an unusually long time.

I am on Escitalopram since 2008 - the perfect one for me. Absolutely no side effects. I am actually on a taper schedule .Because I have been on it for a long time,my taper would be long. I told my psychiatrist,if depression were to relapse,I would start it again. But enough of it now.I want to
live on my will power. I have tapered from 10 mg to 5 mg and plan to remain on it for another 2-3 months to stabilise myself.

In fact depression is linked to obesity as well. The more overweight you are,the more depressed.