Posted by Toby on October 12, 1998, at 8:06:56
In reply to Progress?, posted by DL on October 11, 1998, at 21:43:41
The increase in the startle reaction sounds like what I've heard other people with PTSD describe when they get on an antidepressant and it starts to work: part of them is waking up and as the world starts to get more "real," i.e., not in a fog anymore or blotted out by the depression, some of the need to be "on alert" picks up, and in other ways the concentration wanders, making one less sure of oneself for awhile which may increase that feeling a little. They do tell me also that once the world has reached a peak of being "solid," and they feel grounded again, that that feeling fades to a manageable level (or at least back to what it was before the antidepressant) and they can start working on whatever needs working on.
I've had several patients tell me that the best thing for the increased hunger on Remeron is a banana and a rice cake (one that is flavored with cinnamon seems to be the most satisfying to the hunger, but maybe other flavors would work,too). I recall rice cakes tasting like styrofoam, but my patients tell me it's not so anymore with the new flavors. Since I heard about it I've been recommending that and checking with patients about it and those that try it are telling me it works and they aren't gaining weight.
I wouldn't worry about having offended your doctor or anything just because the office had to track him down to correct his own error. Doctors are used to that (hopefully not the error part, but the being called part) and he will probably have forgotten it by the time you see him, unless you remind him of it. And when you tell him 'how good you are doing on this medicine he was so good to give you,' all should be well.
poster:Toby
thread:827
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/19990601/msgs/858.html