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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 21 to 45 of 45. Go back in thread:
Posted by bissie66 on April 10, 2008, at 8:57:41
In reply to Re: Medication adjustment - Remeron, posted by undopaminergic on April 9, 2008, at 22:07:33
Remeron is different. I don't know what class it is. But it doesn't have sexual side effects that I'm aware of. Has anyone taking Remeron had sexual side effects from it? Is it even listed as a side effect? For some reason, for me (and others that I've read about) it negated the sexual side effects of Effexor.
Posted by undopaminergic on April 10, 2008, at 23:02:44
In reply to Re: Medication adjustment - Remeron, posted by bissie66 on April 10, 2008, at 8:57:41
> Remeron is different. I don't know what class it is. But it doesn't have sexual side effects that I'm aware of. Has anyone taking Remeron had sexual side effects from it? Is it even listed as a side effect? For some reason, for me (and others that I've read about) it negated the sexual side effects of Effexor.
>It's probably because Remeron is only weakly serotonergic, and because it's an alpha2-adrenergic antagonist much like yohimbine, which is used as an aphrodisiac.
Indeed, according to Wikipedia "Yohimbine hydrochloride has also been used for the treatment of sexual side effects caused by some antidepressants (SSRIs)".
Posted by bissie66 on April 11, 2008, at 6:35:36
In reply to Re: Medication adjustment - Remeron, posted by undopaminergic on April 10, 2008, at 23:02:44
Very interesting. That explains things. Thanks for the information!
Posted by pstrait on April 14, 2008, at 3:47:24
In reply to Re: Medication adjustment - Remeron, posted by bissie66 on April 11, 2008, at 6:35:36
I have been taking 30 mg of remeron for a few months now, and it has brought me completely out of depression. I had been taking zoloft, seroquel, and strattera, in addition to trileptal and lithium and adderall... now I take 30 mg of remeron, my trileptal, and adderall 3-4 days a week as needed.
Way less meds, and I haven't felt like this in almost a decade, when my bipolar disorder started to present. And I've been feeling great for the past several weeks -- but I've been sleeping 7-8 hours of sleep every night, so its not hypomania.
Remeron has really made the difference for me.
Posted by pstrait on April 14, 2008, at 3:50:15
In reply to I LOVE remeron, posted by pstrait on April 14, 2008, at 3:47:24
oh i was also taking around .5 mg of xanax every day, and when i started the remeron, my anxiety just went away. I can't remember the last time I took a xanax.
Posted by ClearSkies on April 14, 2008, at 7:20:16
In reply to I LOVE remeron, posted by pstrait on April 14, 2008, at 3:47:24
Me too. It's been by far the best medication for my depression that I've ever been on. And I'm encouraged that the increase to 45mg has been working. I did find it tough initially to adjust to, (when I first started taking Remeron) particularly at the lowest dosages - zzzz feeling so sedated! - but once I got up to a therapeutic range the fog lifted.
But the absence of side effects is the real godsend for me, and what has felt most that it gave my life back to me. I feel a full range of emotions, rather than a blunting of them as I have on other medications I've been on.
I'm still on a small daily dose of Xanax for residual anxiety (.5mg per day) but that hasn't changed in about 2 years.
CS
Posted by bissie66 on April 14, 2008, at 9:51:40
In reply to Re: I LOVE remeron, posted by pstrait on April 14, 2008, at 3:50:15
that's fantastic! that happened to me too, as far as anxiety. i was taking seroquel as needed for anxiety and i haven't taken it once since starting remeron. oh yeah, i was also taking it occasionally for sleep and i don't need help with anymore either.
Posted by bissie66 on April 14, 2008, at 9:54:56
In reply to Re: I LOVE remeron » pstrait, posted by ClearSkies on April 14, 2008, at 7:20:16
awesome! so, 45 mg. made a difference for you from 30 mg? less sleepy . . anything else? did you feel even better mood-wise too? i am considering upping my dose now from 30 mg to 45. thanks!
Posted by ClearSkies on April 14, 2008, at 11:25:53
In reply to Re: I LOVE remeron » ClearSkies, posted by bissie66 on April 14, 2008, at 9:54:56
> awesome! so, 45 mg. made a difference for you from 30 mg? less sleepy . . anything else? did you feel even better mood-wise too? i am considering upping my dose now from 30 mg to 45. thanks!
I needed the increase as an adjustment to my mood; my depression had deepened over the course of the last several months. While I had hoped it was going to resolve on its own, it didn't, and so I consulted with my doctor and he recommended the increase to 45mg. After 2 weeks I'm doing better and resuming more of my "normal" functions, as normal as I get, lol.
CS
Posted by bissie66 on April 14, 2008, at 13:31:20
In reply to Re: I LOVE remeron » bissie66, posted by ClearSkies on April 14, 2008, at 11:25:53
> > awesome! so, 45 mg. made a difference for you from 30 mg? less sleepy . . anything else? did you feel even better mood-wise too? i am considering upping my dose now from 30 mg to 45. thanks!
>
> I needed the increase as an adjustment to my mood; my depression had deepened over the course of the last several months. While I had hoped it was going to resolve on its own, it didn't, and so I consulted with my doctor and he recommended the increase to 45mg. After 2 weeks I'm doing better and resuming more of my "normal" functions, as normal as I get, lol.
>
> CS
>
>Good to hear! I'm glad your depression lifted! I'm also encouraged to hear that for myself since I am only at 30 now. Best of luck! I know what you mean about "as normal as I get". :)
Posted by brooke484 on April 15, 2008, at 11:52:27
In reply to I LOVE remeron, posted by pstrait on April 14, 2008, at 3:47:24
I took half a pill (forget what dose) and slept for 16 hours, so needless to say I never tried it again. Did you experience that kind of fatigue in the beginning? Maybe I should have started out on 1/4 of a pill instead.
brooke
Posted by ClearSkies on April 15, 2008, at 13:17:26
In reply to Re: I LOVE remeron - pstrait, posted by brooke484 on April 15, 2008, at 11:52:27
> I took half a pill (forget what dose) and slept for 16 hours, so needless to say I never tried it again. Did you experience that kind of fatigue in the beginning? Maybe I should have started out on 1/4 of a pill instead.
>
> brookeThe lower the dosage, the greater the sedation with Remeron - it's funny that way. I hated this medication at first because my starting dose was 7.5mg for 2 weeks!! and I was a complete zombie. Therapeutic dosage for me was (until recently) 30mg) - once I got there, the sedation decreased sharply; my mood brightened considerably, and I started feeling so much more like my old unmedicated self, sans depression.
CS
Posted by bissie66 on April 15, 2008, at 13:53:12
In reply to Re: I LOVE remeron - pstrait » brooke484, posted by ClearSkies on April 15, 2008, at 13:17:26
Not only that, but whatever dose you start at, it just makes you REALLY tired at first. But it DOES go away. My pdoc told me to start on a weekend bc I'd be sleeping in for the first couple days and he was right! Now I sleep 7-8 hours and I'm alert all day.
Posted by brooke484 on April 15, 2008, at 21:20:31
In reply to Re: I LOVE remeron - pstrait » brooke484, posted by ClearSkies on April 15, 2008, at 13:17:26
The reason I asked is because I'm running out of options. Do you know why you would be more tired on a lower dose? Maybe I could try it again during a week my husband is on vacation. I'm on Lithium and Marplan now but feel worse than ever.
Thanks for your reply,
brooke
Posted by undopaminergic on April 16, 2008, at 9:55:41
In reply to Re: I LOVE remeron - pstrait, posted by brooke484 on April 15, 2008, at 21:20:31
> The reason I asked is because I'm running out of options. Do you know why you would be more tired on a lower dose? Maybe I could try it again during a week my husband is on vacation. I'm on Lithium and Marplan now but feel worse than ever.
>
> Thanks for your reply,
>
> brookeI would be cautious about adding Remeron to a MAOI due to its adrenergic effects - there is at least some potential for hypertensive reactions. (I had continuous tachycardia while taking it, even in the absence of MAOIs.)
Posted by brooke484 on April 16, 2008, at 11:32:47
In reply to Re: I LOVE remeron - pstrait, posted by undopaminergic on April 16, 2008, at 9:55:41
Oh yeah, I would definitely stop Marplan before starting Remeron. I've been on it 6 months and it's done nothing for me. In fact, I think I feel worse!
brooke
Posted by clipper40 on April 18, 2008, at 2:51:53
In reply to Re: I LOVE remeron - undopaminergic, posted by brooke484 on April 16, 2008, at 11:32:47
What about appetite? I know that lower dose Remeron increases that a lot but are any of you finding a huge increase at doses of 30 or 45 mg.?
Posted by bissie66 on April 18, 2008, at 6:09:05
In reply to Re: I LOVE remeron - undopaminergic, posted by clipper40 on April 18, 2008, at 2:51:53
I have been fortunate. I have not had an increase in appetite nor weight gain at 30 mg or 45 mg. I know a lot of people do but I have not, thank God! I have found it helpful to be aware that the hunger will hit shortly after I take the med at night so I take it right before I go to sleep; and I fall asleep right after the drug hits my system. It makes me really sleepy and I just fall asleep and don't give into any hunger.
Posted by ClearSkies on April 18, 2008, at 7:03:28
In reply to Re: I LOVE remeron - undopaminergic, posted by clipper40 on April 18, 2008, at 2:51:53
> What about appetite? I know that lower dose Remeron increases that a lot but are any of you finding a huge increase at doses of 30 or 45 mg.?
I had increased appetite initially on this medication, but it tapered off on its own and I haven't experienced it whenever I have increased the dosage. (Yet another reason to do a happy dance over this pill.) I have since lost the weight that I had initially gained when I started Remeron, through no attempt at dieting, but it has just slowly happened on its own. I'm thinking that my body eventually has found its way back to its optimum weight.
CS
Posted by Phillipa on April 18, 2008, at 18:31:15
In reply to Re: I LOVE remeron - undopaminergic » clipper40, posted by ClearSkies on April 18, 2008, at 7:03:28
Congrats on the weight loss on it's own that is wonderful. Phillipa
Posted by DuckDuckGoose on April 19, 2008, at 20:11:01
In reply to Re: I LOVE remeron - undopaminergic » clipper40, posted by ClearSkies on April 18, 2008, at 7:03:28
I am glad you are doing well on remeron. have you experienced restless legs from it? - I seem to have trouble with this.
Posted by bissie66 on April 19, 2008, at 21:49:34
In reply to Re: I LOVE remeron - undopaminergic, posted by DuckDuckGoose on April 19, 2008, at 20:11:01
My husband takes Remeron and he experiences this (restless legs). It bugs him but not as much as feeling anxious and depressed did. I guess it's not intolerable for him. isn't there a med you can take for restless leg syndrome?
Posted by Phillipa on April 20, 2008, at 18:50:09
In reply to Re: I LOVE remeron - undopaminergic, posted by bissie66 on April 19, 2008, at 21:49:34
Yes there are a few can't remember the names now. I'll google and see what they are. Love Phillipa
Posted by Phillipa on April 20, 2008, at 19:01:00
In reply to Re: I LOVE remeron - undopaminergic, posted by bissie66 on April 19, 2008, at 21:49:34
Requip is one also limit caffeine, tobacco and it's very common. Many treatments some without meds. Phillipa
Posted by ClearSkies on April 21, 2008, at 7:30:49
In reply to Re: I LOVE remeron - undopaminergic, posted by DuckDuckGoose on April 19, 2008, at 20:11:01
> I am glad you are doing well on remeron. have you experienced restless legs from it? - I seem to have trouble with this.
No, I have not had this symptom. Thank goodness.
CS
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