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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by cole on October 12, 2000, at 10:33:12
i posted for the 1st time a few days ago but no one replied, perhaps my post was too long?
anyways i am on remeron and it is the only med that has worked (i've tried reboxetine, wellbutrin, serzone, serzone and ritalin, prozac, trazodone, zoloft, and celexa >celexa seemed to work but made me aggressive just like zoloft)
it is giving me terrible joint pain, i hate being knocked out for 10 hrs a night, and this is the 2nd time i've taken it, i'm trying not to gain all the weight that i gained last time. is there anyone who has had similar successes/ failures who has any ideas? thanks
Posted by Greg on October 12, 2000, at 11:08:57
In reply to remeron works, but are there any other options?, posted by cole on October 12, 2000, at 10:33:12
Hi cole,
It would be helpful to know the nature of your depression (Bipolar, OCD....?). I'm sorry for missing your earlier post. I have taken Rem and can tell you a little bit about it and some of the other meds I've taken. But I'd like to know your dianosis so I can focus on the right ones.
Greg
> i posted for the 1st time a few days ago but no one replied, perhaps my post was too long?
> anyways i am on remeron and it is the only med that has worked (i've tried reboxetine, wellbutrin, serzone, serzone and ritalin, prozac, trazodone, zoloft, and celexa >celexa seemed to work but made me aggressive just like zoloft)
> it is giving me terrible joint pain, i hate being knocked out for 10 hrs a night, and this is the 2nd time i've taken it, i'm trying not to gain all the weight that i gained last time. is there anyone who has had similar successes/ failures who has any ideas? thanks
Posted by cole on October 12, 2000, at 14:06:29
In reply to Re: remeron works, but are there any other options? » cole, posted by Greg on October 12, 2000, at 11:08:57
greg, thanks for replying quickly!
i am a 24 y/o female. i got depressed right about when my hormones got screwy (12-13?)my depression is unipolar, atypical. i sleep more (want to spend my life in bed) eat more but irregularly, self mutilate (usually picking on cuticles, chewing at lips, and cutting). my depression definitely worsens in the winter, but is present year round. i recently bought a light box for the SAD component. i get suicidal, have attempted probably 5 times, hospitalized 2x. i haven't attempted in the past 6 yrs, no hospitalizations since either, although i still get the urge. i am somewhat of a perfectionist, but when i'm not depressed it doesn't cause problems. i think that norepinephrine plays a strong role, as i have never really felt "right" with other meds. remeron makes me feel totally normal mentally, but it wreaks havoc on the rest of my body. if you have any ideas, i'd love to hear them. i am also going to go to a natural health clinic to see if this can be taken care of w/ herbs or supplements. thanks,
cole
Posted by Greg on October 12, 2000, at 20:04:22
In reply to Re: remeron works, but are there any other options?, posted by cole on October 12, 2000, at 14:06:29
Hi cole,
Sorry to take so long in responding, got real busy at work and then had a pdoc appt this afternoon.
I took Rem for awhile for depression but really had no positive results from it. It did however help me to sleep better, as you've already noticed. Are you the person who posted they they were taking 60 or 70 mgs a day of it? If so, that would certainly explain some of your tiredness and any weight gain you might be experiencing. Rem is notorious for weight gain.
I looked over your list of meds and the one I didn't see was Effexor XR. I have a few friends who use it and they say it's really turned things around for them. I took it briefly, and while it did help my depression a bit I also had very bad memory loss with it. So it might be an option for you assuming you haven't already tried it.
I was also wondering about the Wellbutrin, was it the regular WB or the SR type? WBSR worked the best for me until it pooped out after about two months.I started at 150mgs daily with no results, then went up to 300 and that really made a difference. Some people take 400. What dose were you taking? Of the "activating" ADs WB and Prozac are probably the most promising. I've heard many people here talk about trying an AD the first time with no success, but then trying it again several months later and having it work wonders. Might it be worth trying again? Our body chemistry can change so rapidly that meds can have very different effects over periods of time.
My SO wanted me to warn you about the herbs and supplements. She recently saw a news segment about them where they talked about how some of the "naturals" have been causing liver damage, heart failure, renal failure, stuff like that. They said that no one should assume that just because something is natural that it is good for you. Check everything out first before you take it.
I had a couple more questions for you. Do you have any other symptoms like manic episodes, rages or mood swings? I'm just curious if there might be something else going on with you that might need to be treated. Have you had your Thyroid checked? That can cause major havoc with a person's system and cause depressive-like symptoms. Also, are you having any trouble with concentration, focusing your eyes, headaches or anything like that? If you are there are some other things we can talk about. What does your doc say about your resistance to the meds? If you have a history of suicidal thoughts and/or attempts, a mood stabilizer like Tegretol might help.
If it makes you feel better, you're not alone about the weather. I DETEST wintertime! I hate the rain (love a good thunderstorm though) and the cold. I flood my house with extra lighting in the winter in the hopes that it will stave off some of the added depression. Give me a hot summer day anytime! Oh, and I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one who does the cuticle thing, I pick at mine until they are raw and bloody.
Well, I wish I could be more help, but maybe this will give you a few things to work with anyway...
Talk to you soon,
Greg> greg, thanks for replying quickly!
> i am a 24 y/o female. i got depressed right about when my hormones got screwy (12-13?)my depression is unipolar, atypical. i sleep more (want to spend my life in bed) eat more but irregularly, self mutilate (usually picking on cuticles, chewing at lips, and cutting). my depression definitely worsens in the winter, but is present year round. i recently bought a light box for the SAD component. i get suicidal, have attempted probably 5 times, hospitalized 2x. i haven't attempted in the past 6 yrs, no hospitalizations since either, although i still get the urge. i am somewhat of a perfectionist, but when i'm not depressed it doesn't cause problems. i think that norepinephrine plays a strong role, as i have never really felt "right" with other meds. remeron makes me feel totally normal mentally, but it wreaks havoc on the rest of my body. if you have any ideas, i'd love to hear them. i am also going to go to a natural health clinic to see if this can be taken care of w/ herbs or supplements. thanks,
> cole
Posted by shellie on October 12, 2000, at 20:46:11
In reply to Re: remeron works, but are there any other options?, posted by cole on October 12, 2000, at 14:06:29
> greg, thanks for replying quickly!
> i am a 24 y/o female. i got depressed right about when my hormones got screwy (12-13?)my depression is unipolar, atypical. i sleep more (want to spend my life in bed) eat more but irregularly, self mutilate (usually picking on cuticles, chewing at lips, and cutting). my depression definitely worsens in the winter, but is present year round. i recently bought a light box for the SAD component. i get suicidal, have attempted probably 5 times, hospitalized 2x. i haven't attempted in the past 6 yrs, no hospitalizations since either, although i still get the urge. i am somewhat of a perfectionist, but when i'm not depressed it doesn't cause problems. i think that norepinephrine plays a strong role, as i have never really felt "right" with other meds. remeron makes me feel totally normal mentally, but it wreaks havoc on the rest of my body. if you have any ideas, i'd love to hear them. i am also going to go to a natural health clinic to see if this can be taken care of w/ herbs or supplements. thanks,
> coleCole, you might want to try sam-e--starting it with the remeron and if it helps, then tapering off the remeron. Its a great natural antidepressant if it works for you. Actually, I tried it and it didn't work for me, but the psychiatrist who wrote the book STOP DEPRESSION NOW, uses it a lot in his practise and says it has about a 70% rate. You can look through the archives of PB and also theres a sam-e board at http://www.delphi.com. People are on doses between 400 and 1600. Anyway, you might want to give it a try, but I would maybe cut down on the remeron and add it, rather than go off the remeron since it is working for you. I wouldn't want you to crash.
Just an idea, Shellie
Posted by cole on October 12, 2000, at 20:57:36
In reply to Re: remeron works, but are there any other options? » cole, posted by Greg on October 12, 2000, at 20:04:22
thanks again.
my pdoc says she doesn't like to prescribe zoloft, paxil or effexor due to the withdrawl problems many people have. i took zoloft for about 7yrs because my old pdoc was terrible, didn't really seem worried that the meds weren't making me all that much better. . . now i recognize what happens with SSRI's-- i get a little better, but not fully, and i get very aggressive.
when i tried wellbutrin it was the SR and i started low, titrated up. i had to go off it because i felt like my head was full of cotton candy-- i was completely spaced out and dopey. i felt absolutely goofy, and i took it for 2 weeks! i tried it 2 different times, and had the same results both times.
the last time i took remeron i was on 60 mgs because i had begun to gain weight and both my pdoc and another pdoc who runs a weightloss clinic said that there is less weight gain with remeron at higher doses. if that is the case, i can't imagine how big people must get on the lower doses! i gained 30# in 3 months. i am now at 45mg the past few nights, i'm considering taking it lower. effexor might work for me, it stimulates all the same receptors as remeron and more. i am just afraid of the withdrawl if i was ever to go off it-- i've seen some horror stories.
as for other mental illness stuff, i also have significant anxiety with my depression (it leaves when my depression does), and my moods do fluctutate some, but i don't think i ever get manic. my suicidal feelings are a bit of a rage response, i get angry, but then totally take it out on myself. my self injury usually happens when i am angry also, i cut when angry, pick when stressed. i am going to see my doc tomorrow, so if you have any other ideas feel free to share them :) i did have my thyroid checked last year, it was normal. my doc and i have figured out that the depression is norepinephrine based, but haven't figured out much else in terms of what might work other than maybe the tricyclics. well i need to study now, but thanks so much for replying.
cole
Posted by cole on October 12, 2000, at 23:06:44
In reply to Re: remeron works, but are there any other options? » cole, posted by shellie on October 12, 2000, at 20:46:11
shellie,
thanks for mentioning the SAMe, it's funny, because i have actually been taking it for the last two weeks. i was thinking about doing what you advised, in a few weeks or so. i am recovering from a major crash right now. i titrated off the remeron onto reboxetine about a month and 2 weeks ago. i wanted the reboxetine to work so badly, i ignored all of my warning signs and found myself completely suicidal a couple of weeks ago. i think the reboxetine actually brought me down faster than i would have been with no meds! i've been taking 600 mg SAMe 2x a day with 45 mg remeron at night. i'm feeling pretty darn good right now, but since i'm back in school another episode could really cause trouble grade-wise. i may need to wait until winter break to go off the remeron completely so i have room to err in case i go down again. i'm going to stick with the SAMe though. it would be awesome if i could treat my depression that way. thanks!
cole
Posted by JaneST on October 15, 2000, at 12:38:00
In reply to Re: remeron works, but are there any other options? » shellie, posted by cole on October 12, 2000, at 23:06:44
Cole:
Your depression/anxiety sounds very similar to mine. I, too, currently take Rememron but I don't feel it's the best med I've ever taken that makes me seem like myself...though I have to admit it's close. Because it is so sedating one problem it causes me is that I never want to get out of bed..but once I do, I feel better. I gained about 20 pounds in 4 months at the 30mg level. I'm finding that if I take 15msgs every other night, I'm feeling better...less cloudy.
I have been in treatment for the past 10 years and the 2 meds that worked best for me were Tofranil (trycyclic) and Nardil (MAOI) but they both eventually pooped out on me.
Good luck and let us know how you are.
Jane
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