General Anxiety/Mild Depression

As a bipolar, I take Mirtazapine anti-depressant (7.5 mg) and Lithium (600 mg) stabilizer which keeps the antidepressant from throwing me into mania.

These meds from my psychiatrist keep me level through life stressors. If you are being tossed about by life stressors, you may not be on the right meds or the right amount.

On the other hand, I never was able to work a full job, so I’m not sure how my meds would have held up during a full job, which to me would be stressor enough.

Are you dxed as depressed or anxious or both? Does it run in your family?

You (“GSierra”) said, “Because I sensed that I was headed for one of my reoccurring episodes or funk, I conferred with the doctor and double my dose to 300 Mg (You said, “I have been taking Wellbutrin XL 150 for the longest time”).

NAMI.org says Wellbutrin has the generic name of bupropion and is “an antidepressant” and describes depression as including:

“Depressed mood - feeling sad, empty, or tearful.
“Feeling worthless, guilty, hopeless, and helpless. Low energy.”

“GSierra” (above) described low energy as “my brain slowing down immensely, cognition and concentration levels diminished.”

You also said, “Yesterday, I also took Ambien to help me sleep as that had been an issue as well.”

For sleep I take about 3 mg. of Melatonin supplement from the health food store or grocery or drug store or over the net. You might want to try that rather than yet another doctor pill. It works for me and a lot of other people. You might want to start at 5 mg and go up or down. Try taking it an hour or 2 before bedtime.

You said, “I feel better than last week but don't feel like I am 100% like myself. I am starting to feel anxious about my return and at times have fleeting thoughts and doubts about being able to return at all.”

Having a good attitude, which I didn’t have for many years, can also help in that you look for ways to succeed.

I’ve been depressed and anti-depressants really helped me.

You say, "is the staying at home helping you or going to office makes u feel better?
does going outdoors help u besides the medication"

I think that is a very good question, and as for my views on that, I think going to work can be very theraputic: getting out of the house, being around people, doing a job, getting paid for it, having a routine.

The relaxation can come with the time after work and on weekends. This combination of work/rest/sleep.

There could come a time when the work is too stressful and we might have to back off. Judgement call along with perhaps our psychiatrist or counselor.

As a person of retirement age, I know I do much better when I can get out for a walk in the fresh air and see different sights like trees and the sky and think difference thoughts because I'm seeing different things.

Socialization also helps me much whether it's seeing somebody on the walk, talking to the yard person or seeing someone at the doctor's. I told some one, I sleep better if I've talked to someone that day.

I've seen the saying, "Laughter, the best medicine."

It was good that you got a psychiatrist and have an appt. for Feb. 15.

You said you have been taking Wellbutrin which net says is an anti-depressant.

Your new health care provider wants to add Mirtazapine to that which webmed.com says is an an-depressant also. Net says is also causes sleepiness which would help your anxiety.

I take Mirtazapine, as mentioned above, and it does take away my depression state. The Lithium takes care of my mania as a bipolar.

You said your health care provider was thinking of adding Mirtazapine anti-depressant to the Wellbutrin anti-depressant you are already taking.

I looked up that combination on the search engine on the net and got a mixture of reviews about that. I would urge you to look that up and see what you think. You can also talk with your pharmacist and see what they think.

Some of the websites also offer patent reviews on subjects such as that which you might want to also look for and read.

As noted in the question above are you doing better by staying at home?

I worked without meds and did OK in some ways and horrible in others. When on medicine and working a smaller type job, I did OK in some ways and not in others.

I would get dxed and put on the right medicine first, then try to do whatever job I could.

I would not rush to get back to work. I would be concerned to get on the right meds.

These are all my views as a bipolar.