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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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Posted by Ritch on September 30, 2002, at 22:19:37
In reply to Re: Zoloft +Neurontin to Remeron+Neurontin-HELP!!, posted by Justherself on September 30, 2002, at 17:44:18
> PS Ritch, did you use any aids to quit smoking, ie. the patch, etc. or did you "cold turkey" it?
> > >
> >
> >
>
>Cold turkey was the only way it has *happened* for me. The first time I quit-I got very seriously ill with bronchitis and *couldn't* smoke. When I felt better, I tried a light cigarette and had to go to the ER due to an asthma attack (when I was 24). I quit cold after that for several years. I started again after some stress. Smoked heavily for a couple of more years-then had a bad accident and lost my income. I quit cold the 2nd time because I ran out of money. There weren't any patches or anything back then... Nicorette gum-which I couldn't afford...
Posted by Deejay on October 18, 2002, at 1:50:44
In reply to General Remeron Questions, posted by steve on December 31, 1998, at 2:08:58
I just wanted to express my personal experience, and see how it compares to others'.
I started taking Remeron 2 1/2 weeks ago, after a five day attempt with Effexor (which just made me WAY too drowsy and killed my sex drive). Right now I am at 45 mg daily. Remeron made me pretty drowsy the first few days at each level (15, 30, 45) but that pretty much goes away. However, during the day, I tend to get a little woozy at various times, making concentration difficult. It is very difficult to get up in the morning, but once I do there isn't too much problem. Wierd things I notice: my legs get sore after exercise more frequently, particularly the tendons at the back of my ankles. Also, when drifting off to sleep, I get these wierd full body shivers that occasionally are quite unpleasant (but don't really bother me much).
The problem is that, while I am much better than when I started, I am not SUBSTANTIALLY better. My psychiatrist says I should feel much better taking the drug or I should try something else. I still have generalized anxiety, which I think is stronger than the depression (I've always been anxious). Thus I will be starting clonazepam to see what happens. If it works well I'll probably wean myself off the remeron.
Is anyone else taking remeron also taking clonazepam? I would be curious to hear the results.
Posted by Essence on October 18, 2002, at 6:07:11
In reply to my experiences, posted by Deejay on October 18, 2002, at 1:50:44
I am taking Clonazepam along with Remeron. This combo works well together in my experience.
Ess
Posted by BarbaraCat on October 18, 2002, at 12:58:14
In reply to my experiences, posted by Deejay on October 18, 2002, at 1:50:44
I was taking Remeron and clonazepam. Got up to 75mg Rem for a while but mainly coasted at 45mg. It worked well at first and then pooped out. My anxiety was not helped by Rem alone and the combo was helpful, but like you, I did not feel like it was helping all that much. I also gained 30 pounds which are proving very hard to lose. The tight tendons especially in the feet and ankles were my experience as well. I do have tight hamstrings as a rule, but notice that since taking the Rem it has intensified and not gone away. Of course, that could just be aging, but I've heard this side effect from others as well. I've tried all the other SSRI's and analogs. Currently I'm on Lamictal and lorezapam with a shaving of Rem but am not feeling all that great. Some days are better than others, but for the most part I just want to be done with this constant exhausting anxiety. I guess this doesn't help to bolster you up with Remeron encouragments, but that's how it is with me.
> I just wanted to express my personal experience, and see how it compares to others'.
>
> I started taking Remeron 2 1/2 weeks ago, after a five day attempt with Effexor (which just made me WAY too drowsy and killed my sex drive). Right now I am at 45 mg daily. Remeron made me pretty drowsy the first few days at each level (15, 30, 45) but that pretty much goes away. However, during the day, I tend to get a little woozy at various times, making concentration difficult. It is very difficult to get up in the morning, but once I do there isn't too much problem. Wierd things I notice: my legs get sore after exercise more frequently, particularly the tendons at the back of my ankles. Also, when drifting off to sleep, I get these wierd full body shivers that occasionally are quite unpleasant (but don't really bother me much).
>
> The problem is that, while I am much better than when I started, I am not SUBSTANTIALLY better. My psychiatrist says I should feel much better taking the drug or I should try something else. I still have generalized anxiety, which I think is stronger than the depression (I've always been anxious). Thus I will be starting clonazepam to see what happens. If it works well I'll probably wean myself off the remeron.
>
> Is anyone else taking remeron also taking clonazepam? I would be curious to hear the results.
Posted by Latinlover on October 28, 2002, at 21:44:17
In reply to General Remeron Questions, posted by steve on December 31, 1998, at 2:08:58
I have been on Remeron for 2 weeks and a half. I'm taking half a pill every night before going to bed. It knoks me down inmediately. That is not so bad. But there are times (I'm in University) when I need to stay awake studyng a little while longer, and with this medicine it is a little impossible. Besides, it is always very hard for me to wake up in the mornings, and delaying the time of the dose will make it even harder. I have also a lot of anxiety and that makes me to be nervous, irritable, hyperactive and paranoid all the time. My doc prescribed me either Rivotril or Tegretol for the anxiety, but that will make even more sleepy, interferes with sex (I have been on Tegretol in the past), interacts terribly with alchohol and overall I hate those mood stabilizing kind of drugs.
Besides, Remeron is working for the depresion but I think that a little higher dose MIGHT be better. I am not depressed, but I am not sure if the depression has gone away completely, since I understand that anxiety always comes with depression and I feel very anxious. I don't know if the answer is to take a damn mood stabilizer or to augment the Remeron dose a little more, let's say a quarter - pill more. I told my doc I have no depression, but I'm not really 100% sure.
I think he's not so sure himself.But here is the big question: I'm taking 1/2 pill per night and I don't want to be knocked out so bad and so quickly when I take the pill. So if I distribute the dose throughout the day, let's say, taking 1/4 pill in the morning and 1/4 at night or if I take 1/4 every eight hours (one third of a day), will I get more used to the drug and not sleepy at all?
Thanx.
Latinlover.
Posted by Essence on October 29, 2002, at 6:13:09
In reply to HELP!!! Remeron, Sleepiness and Anxiety, posted by Latinlover on October 28, 2002, at 21:44:17
Remeron in smaller doses causes more sleepiness. At higher doses it's more activating. I am on 30 mg a night, sleep well and wake refreshed with no residual sleepiness during the day. You haven't been on Remeron very long, sometimes it takes several weeks for the sedative affect to go away. As for your anxiety, Remeron does not help mine, I had to add a benzo. Taking both has caused no problems with regards to being sleepy during the day time.
Ess
Posted by Dr. Bob on October 29, 2002, at 18:16:25
In reply to HELP!!! Remeron, Sleepiness and Anxiety, posted by Latinlover on October 28, 2002, at 21:44:17
> I have been on Remeron for 2 weeks and a half.
I know you just want your question answered, but please don't post it multiple times, thanks.
Bob
PS: Follow-ups regarding posting policies, and complaints about posts, should be redirected to Psycho-Babble Administration; otherwise, they may be deleted.
Posted by Dr. Bob on October 29, 2002, at 18:18:21
In reply to HELP!!! Remeron, Sleepiness and Anxiety, posted by Latinlover on October 28, 2002, at 21:44:17
[Posted by wcfrench on October 28, 2002, at 22:11:21]
> No, it's more sedating at lower dosages. How much are you taking (mg) ? Taking at higher dosage often results in less dreariness because of its activating effect.
>
> -Charlie
Posted by Dr. Bob on October 29, 2002, at 18:20:37
In reply to HELP!!! Remeron, Sleepiness and Anxiety, posted by Latinlover on October 28, 2002, at 21:44:17
[Posted by Ritch on October 29, 2002, at 10:05:29]
> > But here is the big question: I'm taking 1/2 pill per night and I don't want to be knocked out so bad and so quickly when I take the pill. So if I distribute the dose throughout the day, let's say, taking 1/4 pill in the morning and 1/4 at night or if I take 1/4 every eight hours (one third of a day), will I get more used to the drug and not sleepy at all?
>
> Remeron is so antihistaminic that even very tiny doses results in a grogginess akin to taking sedative cold medicines or allergy products. But Remeron has about a 35 hr. half-life, so it hangs around for a long time. Increasing the dose works to help relieve the grogginess in some people because it enhances norephinephrine. That combination just made me jittery as well as stupid, unfortunately. I think you are the one that commented about Remeron being, "Forest Gump and caffeine". Fits the description of my experience with it to a T. :-)
Posted by deejay on October 29, 2002, at 19:09:13
In reply to my experiences, posted by Deejay on October 18, 2002, at 1:50:44
Just wanted to update on the clonazepam. I guess my big problem was with anxiety... the clonazepam has worked amazingly, even at half a tab dose. So much so, that I'm weaning off remeron (about 7 days each step down, 15mg right now) and almost out. The clonazepam - hope I'm spelling that right - hasn't really made me dozy in the slightest.
Now that I have almost quit the Remeron, sleep isn't coming quite as easily. But that shouldn't be too much of a problem - valerian works well for that. I'm not putting Remeron down, either; I think it works, it's just that I was more anxious than depressed.
Posted by Latinlover on October 29, 2002, at 19:16:26
In reply to HELP!!! Remeron, Sleepiness and Anxiety, posted by Latinlover on October 28, 2002, at 21:44:17
I am currently taking 1/2 pill during the nights. It knocks me out so badly that I feel afraid every time I take the medicine. I don't like to be so drugged. At which dose does Remeron mekes you to feel less sleepy and drugged? And how good is the Remeron - Rivotril (or Tegretol) combo known to be? Does Rivotril has any known sexual side effects at all? And how sedated will I be after taking both Remeron and Rivotril and is it recomended to take the Rivotril in the mornings? That cocktail sounds scary. Should I give my current Remeron dose more time?
Lots of questions, but I hope they can be of much good use to everyone if answered.
The problem is that sometimes pharmaceuticians (is it correctly spelled?) know very little about actually working with people and doctors often know how the medicine works with their patients, but know little about the whole of the properties of the drug. That is why the official reports about the drugs are sometimes entirely not complete and/or accurate.
Forums like this one are a good place to investigate and get second opinions.Peace.
Latinlover.
Posted by BarbaraCat on October 30, 2002, at 23:49:34
In reply to Re: HELP!!! Remeron, Sleepiness and Anxiety, posted by Latinlover on October 29, 2002, at 19:16:26
Hi LL,
When I was taking Remeron at higher doses than the 12.5mg I'm currently on I was also taking Ambien 10mg for sleep and Klonopin or lorezapam during the day and sometimes even at night along with Rem and Ambien. This combo did not knock me out as you might expect and there were times when I couldn't even get to sleep. Remeron left me very groggy at first but wore off after 2 weeks. I was groggy for a week or so with each subsequent increase until I hit the 45mg mark. After this point it was very energizing all day long with no additional problem in waking up other than the normal I hate to get up thing. This was too much for my tendency towards wired-ness and I've backed down but still take the anti-anxiety and sleep meds. I'm having great success so far with Lamictal for severe depressions but it doesn't address my anxiety.I seem to be on a contrary sleep schedule and get wired in the evenings. This is when my anxiety really kicks in as well. We're all so different. Are your depressions of a slowed down muddy type or more agitated? I think this question is pertinent to whether or not a med like Remeron will lose it's histamine effects. Perhaps your doc could put you on a stimulant until you're used to it. Maybe Remeron isn't the drug for you? I found it disappointing for countering anxiety and lacking in sustained AD effect. - BarbaraCat
Posted by Latinlover on October 31, 2002, at 12:19:20
In reply to General Remeron Questions, posted by steve on December 31, 1998, at 2:08:58
I have a deppressive history of both insomnia, trouble to get up in the mornings, weakness and nervousness and sometimes even angry hyperactivity. I tend to respond quickly to the medicines, though.
Should I increase my Remeron gradually to 45 mg.?
I really hate taking Rivotril or any other antianxyolitic.
If I take Prozac I get very nervous and anxious, I am unable to eat, I can't sleep and my sex performance is awful.
Effexor doesn't allow me to sleep almost anything. Makes me tired in the afternoons, makes me feel horrible after missing only 1 dose, delays orgasm until I get tired trying and after drinking amounts of alchohol as small as one beer feels like if I missed the dose and then the next day I don't have libido at all.}
On Remeron I don't have any sexual side effects and I can sleep well (too well!). But I get very irritable during the whole day, I get knocked out 1 hour after taking the pill and overall I look like a crazy paranoid while I'm talking. After I drink small amounts of liquour, I feel like I'm going to have an attack of St. Vitus desease (if you know what I'm talking about). Also, I'm feeling a little more cold, cruel and "evil" lately, if you know what I'm talking about. Apart from that, I have been aphonic during the last say, 7 days. People say my voice is changing. I am also eating like a pot smoker, but a few extra kilos will be good for me. I also feel a little imprudently dishinibited. There is maybe a couple more side effects that I may forget to mention.
So, in your opinion, should 45 mg. of Remeron alone be good for me?
Thanks.
Latinlover.
Posted by BarbaraCat on October 31, 2002, at 17:05:25
In reply to Re: General Remeron Questions, posted by Latinlover on October 31, 2002, at 12:19:20
Dear LL,
You might be greatly helped by adding lithium to your Remeron. It acts as an augmentor, helps with anxiety and smooths things out alot. The fact that you're having anger and irritability as well as anxiety suggests that you might have a bit of bipolar disorder. That was the case for me and I found lithium made Remeron work much better on much lower dosage. In fact, adding a mood stabiliser to an antidepressant is a good idea in general. I think you might find that going up to too high a dose with the Rem would not help your anxiety. Lithium in a smaller dose than is usually given for bipolar (I was taking 600mg) does not make you sleepy or have any other ill effect, at least in my experience.
Posted by Ritch on October 31, 2002, at 22:09:15
In reply to Re: General Remeron Questions, posted by Latinlover on October 31, 2002, at 12:19:20
I would second Barb's comment about the Lithium. You might ask your doc about flipping from Remeron to Serzone. It has some similar pharmaco activity, but less likely to cause nervousness, hostility, hypersomnia.
Posted by Barica on November 20, 2002, at 13:49:41
In reply to Re: Zoloft +Neurontin to Remeron+Neurontin-HELP!! » Justherself, posted by Ritch on September 29, 2002, at 9:52:41
Would like to know how I can just READ posts without necessarily posting. Only place I can get to is where I post something.
Barica
Posted by Dr. Bob on November 20, 2002, at 19:42:00
In reply to Re: Zoloft +Neurontin to Remeron+Neurontin-HELP!!, posted by Barica on November 20, 2002, at 13:49:41
> Would like to know how I can just READ posts without necessarily posting. Only place I can get to is where I post something.
Try this (and bookmark it if it works):
Bob
Posted by lima7676 on November 28, 2002, at 20:48:55
In reply to my experiences, posted by Deejay on October 18, 2002, at 1:50:44
Je dois débuter la prise du Remeron
Ça fait la première fois de ma vie que je vais prendre un tel médicament
Ça me fait peur en plus que j'ai lu souvent dans ce forum qu'il y a prise de poids
Je suis une personne très sportive - genre 3 x sem au Gym
Je ne voudrais surtout pas que tout mon corps change pour cette petite pilule
Je mets beaucoup d'effort avec le Gym, ça me fait décompresser,
Je ne voudrais pas que tout à coup, que mon corps en forme physiquement, se laisse abattre par ce médicament....
J,ai hâte de vous lire - je vais débuter avec 15mg/jour
merci
Posted by deejay on December 2, 2002, at 15:29:31
In reply to General Remeron Questions, posted by steve on December 31, 1998, at 2:08:58
I was just wondering if anyone here has taken remeron in conjunction with any natural remedies like st. john's wort or kava. I have wiggled myself down to 15mg remeron and .5mg clonazepam and want to totally get off both, but am wondering if I can use the "natural" stuff to taper off.
Also, has anyone here experienced any difficulties getting off remeron? I've been at 15mg for almost a month, but still am 10 pounds overweight (which is fine) and am wondering what will happen if I quit.
Posted by BarbaraCat on December 18, 2002, at 17:03:54
In reply to combining with natural remedies?, posted by deejay on December 2, 2002, at 15:29:31
Depends upon what your brand of mood disorder is. There are things that will help, primarily high quality fish oil. There's another amazing substance called Indium, element #43 I believe on the atomic chart, which is helping my husband and me immensely. It's pretty cutting edge stuff that you won't hear much if anything about and I'll be posting on it as soon as I can get my thoughts together after my Mom's recent death.
For me, I finally just stopped Remeron and feel much better for just doing it. Went slowly from 75mg to 15mg and then just stopped with no problems except 2-3 days of yecch. I'm still taking lorezapam as needed and am on low doses of Lamictal and lithium so it's not been a total loss of chemicals. But this new combo is working for me. You'll need something though to naturally build your receptors back up. B vitamins, lotsa water and sleep, maybe SAM-e depending upon your dx. Might want to stay away from kava and St. John's Wort. You need to flush out the excess serotonin but still heal your receptors and liver. In other words, yes, you can be helped with nutritional support and might want to consider seeing a good naturopath with experience in this matter. Good luck. BarbaraCat
> I was just wondering if anyone here has taken remeron in conjunction with any natural remedies like st. john's wort or kava. I have wiggled myself down to 15mg remeron and .5mg clonazepam and want to totally get off both, but am wondering if I can use the "natural" stuff to taper off.
>
> Also, has anyone here experienced any difficulties getting off remeron? I've been at 15mg for almost a month, but still am 10 pounds overweight (which is fine) and am wondering what will happen if I quit.
Posted by unsure on March 11, 2003, at 10:40:18
In reply to Re: Does anyone not gain weight on Remeron? » SalArmy4me, posted by sweetmarie on April 5, 2001, at 16:11:24
hi i've just started taking Zispin ( as its called in scotland ) its kinda weird, all i want 2 do is eat which is maybe not a bad thing for me as i'm a fairly thin guy! was on venlafaxine b4 which was an absolute killer, i felt so nauseated all the time.The 1 question i would like 2 post is - is it commen 2 be awake in the middle of the night on zispin - initially in my first couple of weeks i was sleeping right thru not any more sleeping as soon as i take my 15mg at night then awake in the middle of the night.this is my 4th week on zispin
anyways good luck unsure from scotland
Posted by BarbaraCat on March 11, 2003, at 14:21:10
In reply to Re: Does anyone not gain weight on Remeron?, posted by unsure on March 11, 2003, at 10:40:18
I'm assuming Zispin is Remeron? Did you have sleep problems before starting zispin? The extreme sleepiness decreases after a time, so you could be just getting used to it and back to your normal sleep schedule. But waking in the middle of the night, hmmmm, that's a little weird. Remeron has a short half life but not that short. Waking early and not getting back to sleep is a symptom of depression, so could it be you're still depressed? 15mg Remeron (zispin) is a very low dose.
About the eating - all I can say is 'watch out'. If you're a thin guy now, enjoy it while you can. If you're not exercising, by all means force yourself. Absolutely everyone I know of who'se taken Remeron has gained alot of weight. For some, it's been good cause they needed it. I gained 30 pounds which I didn't need. I stopped taking it about 1 year ago and only now am dropping the weight because I'm exercising like a maniac.
> hi i've just started taking Zispin ( as its called in scotland ) its kinda weird, all i want 2 do is eat which is maybe not a bad thing for me as i'm a fairly thin guy! was on venlafaxine b4 which was an absolute killer, i felt so nauseated all the time.The 1 question i would like 2 post is - is it commen 2 be awake in the middle of the night on zispin - initially in my first couple of weeks i was sleeping right thru not any more sleeping as soon as i take my 15mg at night then awake in the middle of the night.this is my 4th week on zispin
> anyways good luck unsure from scotland
Posted by Essence on March 12, 2003, at 5:35:36
In reply to Re: Does anyone not gain weight on Remeron?, posted by unsure on March 11, 2003, at 10:40:18
Hi, I've been on Rem, 30 mg for 15 months. For the first 10 months I didn't gain any weight, in Oct of last year I had a personal family crisis and started binge eating, my way of coping with stress and did gain about 15 lbs. In Mid-January I started seeing a Dietitian and have lost half of the weight. So, it is possible to go on this drug and not gain weight, it's also possible to gain weight, but the good news is that you can also lose the weight, at least in my case.
Ess
Posted by ahc on March 13, 2003, at 12:52:29
In reply to Re: Does anyone not gain weight on Remeron?, posted by unsure on March 11, 2003, at 10:40:18
I've been taking mirtazapine (Remeron) for about 2 years now. I was started on 30mg, then increased to 60mg after 6 months or so, and am currently at 75mg. Initially, I freaked out about the appetite-stimulating side effect and the 10 pound addition it brought to my hips and butt. Seriously considering discontinuation, I just couldn't do it... mirtazapine has been the most effective pharmacological tx I've tried thus far, so I picked real "happiness" over potential body dissatisfaction. In addition to the weight gain, the sedation was also a significant problem because I'm a college student... so if I actually managed to get to class on time, I would be a zombie anyway. But about a year ago on this site I found out about modafinil (Provigil), which has both stimulant and antidepressant properties, and have since been taking it to get me going in the morning. And because it's a stimulant, it counteracts the appetite/weight gain from the mirtazapine. I've been on this combination for awhile now and have no complaints. Hope this helps.
Posted by LaRay on April 26, 2003, at 13:35:35
In reply to Re: General Remeron Questions, posted by paul on February 24, 1999, at 21:19:12
> i have been on this stuff when i was younger,and have had very intense dreams,so intense in fact,
> i try to scream out and the words just dont come out.well i just recently started taking it again,and the same dreams come back like before.first my body feels like its getting electrocuted and the whole house shakes,and im half awake when this is happeningis this normal?it is nightly now.
> paulI have a idea I have read Mirtazapine (Remeron) is a antagonist (fights/blocks) of Histamine (H1) receptors. When I take a drug albuterol at night just before I sleep {its a inhaler type drug to help breath} it does the very same thing you describe they may do the very same thing. Just an idea.
LaRay
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