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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by ljc on March 15, 2001, at 9:28:07
Doctor prescribed Remeron 30 mg daily to reduce/eliminate xanax 3mg daily for past year for anxiety. Am also drinking 2 beers at night but going to stop as all it does is temporarily relieve anxiety. Read responses on Remeron which are mixed. Extremely stressful home and work life - 1 son, 10 with ADD and nephew, 15 (his mother - my sister, passed away 1 year ago.) Am in counseling with nephew who is abusing drugs and my son is not doing well - took him off ritalin as he developed ticks and tricotillomania (pulled hair out). He's on zoloft and tenex and behavior at school has deteriorated. Mother in treatment for cancer. Widowed and alone with overwhelming problems, but trying best to be positive. Please advise on Remeron experience - woke up crying this morning and can't take a lot more of this. Sorry for long message. Thank you.
Posted by allisonm on March 15, 2001, at 18:19:11
In reply to General Remeron ? new user, posted by ljc on March 15, 2001, at 9:28:07
ljc,
Gosh, you have an awful lot of stressors on your plate. As you may have read in some earlier posts of mine, Remeron helped me -- especially with sleep -- but not entirely and I'm off it now. Some people it helps a lot. I seem to be treatment resistant. Eliminating the beer should help because that's a depressant. I would ask your pdoc about going up to 45mg if you have been on 30 for awhile to see if it helps. You may also need something to augment the Remeron if you have given it a long-enough trial at a high-enough dose (it can take 6 weeks or more before you may know for sure).
You don't say how long you have been on the Remeron. I was on it when my marriage fell apart and my mother died. Drugs can only help to a point when you are grieving and/or under a lot of stress. They may help put a floor under your feet so that you don't drop farther into the depths, but won't bring you out of what you are feeling until you work or get through it, and only time will remedy that. When I was in the worst stage, my pdoc also gave me Ativan for anxiety because I had been roaming my house sobbing most nights. It helped till I got over some of the pain.
What kind of support system do you have? Friends? Relatives? Are you exercising? Exercise will help, although it can be the hardest thing to try to get yourself to do. What are you doing for yourself? Are you taking time out for yourself? Are you doing nice things for yourself? You mention counseling with your nephew, but are you in counseling/therapy by yourself? This can help you develop coping skills, or at least it helped me get through.
I don't know what else to tell you. I think the better your support system the more easily/quickly you'll get through this, and you WILL get through this.
Come back. There are lots of people here who will listen.
Good luck.
Posted by ljc on March 16, 2001, at 7:10:51
In reply to Re: General Remeron ? new user, posted by allisonm on March 15, 2001, at 18:19:11
allisonm,
Thanks so much for your message Haven't started Remeron yet - been on xanax 3 mg daily one year for anxiety. Your words about what I'm doing for myself and what support - answer - plate is so full with children's needs and job, don't have time to do anything but take care of business. Funny-Jason's counselor told me the same thing - do something for yourself, get some support, etc. Since my sister died (my best friend) - I have had no one. I'm trying to renovate my condo to sell and buy a house as we are on top of each other since Jason moved in. So much to do.
Thanks so much - reading your response really brings me up. Suggest any good support groups? Thought about Parents Without Partners but it's too far away. Live in North Dade so could go to one in Broward or Dade County. I know I need someone - trying to handle it all alone and just getting deeper and deeper into depression.ljc
Posted by reenie on March 16, 2001, at 19:30:41
In reply to General Remeron ? new user, posted by ljc on March 15, 2001, at 9:28:07
JLC, I know how you feel - my sister had been diagnosed with colon cancer/mets to liver in November 2000, she is my best friend. I won't be seeing her til mid-April, it's tough not being in the same city/state with her or my family. I was trying to handle it but I guess I didn't doo too good in that area. I was sad but sleeping every night and had no anxiety (at least I didn't have a lump feeling in my throat or be afraid each time someone at work asked me to do something for them) until one day in Jan. when I was at the dr's and asked for something to help me - he gave me Paxil 10mg. and told me to take one each night. I had taken Paxil in 1994 and it helped following a hysterectomy but not this time - I took it and went to bed and woke up with burning sensations all over me and could not sleep. That went on for 10 days, meantime this anxiety set in, guess in response to the insomnia. I went off of it for 7 days and then started Zoloft - same but this time I was on it for a month. I finally went to a psych doc and she put me on the Remeron. I've only used it for10 days now, 3 nights @ 15 mg. (yes I slept) and now for 7 nights @ 30mg. I might bump up to 45mg. because I still have the anxiety feeling in throat and am sad. I am at a loss cause all this started I think with the Paxil/Zoloft. I want to feel like myself again. Have you started the Remeron? From what everyone says it's really good if you stick with it so I guess I will. My biggest problem is that I don't think I need to be on anything and am so confused if I should be on this. I guess I will stay on it though. Take care, don't know if I helped but I know what you are going thru. Reenie.
Posted by cole on March 16, 2001, at 19:32:12
In reply to Re: General Remeron ? new user, posted by ljc on March 16, 2001, at 7:11:16
I'm currently taking remeron-- 60mg a night, and it's the best antidepressant I've ever tried. My problems with it are the hunger (and weight gain when I don't watch my calories), difficulty waking up, and the possibility that it may be contributing to some kind of attention deficit thing for me right now.
On a positive note, I think it does a great job for anxiety, and for depression. The first few days it might leave you a little foggy-- brain fade always hits me for the first 3-5 mornings after I up my dose. Be aware of the possibility that you might be a little foggy at first, and give it a week or so. I found that my depression starts to get better within only a week of taking the stuff. I hope it works out for you.
cole
Posted by reenie on March 16, 2001, at 19:33:32
In reply to Re: General Remeron ? new user, posted by cole on March 16, 2001, at 19:32:12
> Cole, has the fogginess ever gone away for you? How long have you been on it? Reenie.
This is the end of the thread.
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