Posted by LyndaK on January 14, 2004, at 2:58:03
In reply to Re: Remeron - new user, posted by justamom on January 13, 2004, at 19:37:19
Hi Kim. Glad to meet you.
The WORST of the start-up side-effects (feeling VERY sleepy and VERY dizzy) began to get better in 3 to 4 days. My doctor warned me, so I expected to be really "out of it" for a few days. I started it on a Friday night so I would have the weekend plus a day or two to get back on my feet again. I did NOT drive during that time. It then took several weeks and a gradual increase in dose for the daytime sleepiness to resolve (coffee helped, but I know coffee isn't a good mix with anxiety problems). Of course the other side-effect being mentioned here is . . . hunger and weight gain. This drug makes you hungry at first (watch your calories). With time and increased dose, my hunger eventually normalized again. I still gained 20 lbs. on this drug, but I have not continued to gain weight.
I still have periods of increased anxiety usually (appropriately) in response to stressful situations. I have not had any panic attacks for at least 9 months (probably longer). This drug helps me keep my anxiety down to a manageable level -- I am able to still think and problem-solve and still sleep at night. I can definitely identify with your description of "what if" and "worrying all the time" -- that was definitely me. To be realistic, those are still very strong "habits" that are easy to fall into, but at least the medication keeps me out of the "sheer panic" mode that clouds my thinking and prevents me from working through the problem(s). Therapy has helped too, but only after I got an effective medication working for me.
Hope I answered all your questions. Feel free to ask more.
Lynda
>
> Lynda, reading your response was very helpful and I am glad to hear that it is working for you. I was just wondering about how long it took, days or weeks, before the side effects began to disappear? Have you had anymore anxiety attacks since taking Remoron? This is hard to explain, but did you feel as if you were a normal person that never had an anxiety problem? Or are there still some lingering feelings of anxiety or fears?
> My main problem dealing with daily life are the constant "what if" thoughts, and just worrying in general. I was just wondering if you had this same type of anxiety?
> Thank you again, I really appreciate it!
> Kim
poster:LyndaK
thread:1924
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040109/msgs/300492.html