Posted by Sad Panda on March 16, 2004, at 17:18:52
In reply to Re: replacing nortriptyline with remeron? » Sad Panda, posted by zeugma on March 16, 2004, at 16:42:04
> > I take Remeron. It's the most potent H1 blocker available. It's nearly double the strength of Doxepin, 10x the strength of Amitriptyline & 50x stronger than Nortriptyline. 15mg is heaps for sleep, a lot of people get by on just 7.5mg. The amount required just for sleep probably means that it doesn't have much affect on any other receptors. If you are looking for H1 + 5-HT2A for sleep, you may be better off with low dose Trimipramine or Doxepin.
> >
> > Cheers,
> > Panda.
>
> The potency of Remeron for H1 is staggering (literally!). 75 mg nortriptyline = 15 mg amitriptyline = 1.5 mg Remeron. I already am fighting constant fatigue, feel a lot of weakness, have residual ADD symptoms, etc., and nortiptyline is practically a stimulant compared to Remeron.
>
> since remeron is only slightly more potent than nortriptyline for the 5HT-2A receptor, and I can certainly tolerate a much higher dosage of nortriptyline than Remeron, I might stick with my favorite secondary amine TCA for the time being. I can't deal with a higher level of sedation than I already have, and I feel that my brain chemistry is precariously balanced as regards the sleep/arousal continuum. Remeron, or even amitriptyline, might tip it too far in the direction of somnolence.
>
>
>After a couple of months of Remeron it doesn't make me dopey anymore, but when I lay down, I go directly to sleep & wake up refreshed. It still makes a nice change after 30+ years of endless tossing & turning. 15mg makes me sleep for 8 hours & I awake refreshed. 30mg takes me up to 9 hours of sleep & I awake refreshed. It truely has been a miracle drug for me.
OTOH, I still have this constant idea of doing the opposite of you, switch Remeron for Nortriptyline, so I can get a big boost of NE in the morning. Things that stop me from trying this is Remeron blocks 5-HT3, which fixes the nausea that Effexor gives me & I'd hate to give up Remeron & then go back to it & find out that it doesn't work for me anymore.
Cheers,
Panda.
poster:Sad Panda
thread:324271
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040313/msgs/325005.html