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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 16 of 16. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by jamesdean on September 3, 2002, at 22:09:35
My girlfriend has been taking remeron for 3 weeks now, and seems to be suffering a number of fairly bad side effects. She has already tried several AD's, and just switched from effexor XR.
She is VERY irratable and irrational, and is sometimes violent. She feels confused (things get "switched" in her head) in conversation etc. Just today she has noticible swelling in her legs and feet, which makes us both nervous.
She does enjoy the return of her libido and orgasms which have been absent for over 6 months. Should she continue with the treatment or not? If she does, will these side effects lessen to a tolerable level?
We have read posts stating that the irratability side effect will lessen or dissapear after 3 to 4 weeks. Has anyone experienced this, and what action did you take? Should she stop now, or try and ride it out? Her pdoc suggested she stop for one day to see if the swelling goes down.
Thanks for your replies.
Posted by Essence on September 4, 2002, at 4:41:58
In reply to Remeron side effects: continue or quit?, posted by jamesdean on September 3, 2002, at 22:09:35
The irritability does pass, it did with me and from what I've read from other people on another board it passed for them as well. She may be experiencing both effexor withdrawal symptoms as well as the start up symptoms of Remeron. I get occasional edema in my legs and feet but that's usually if I eat something salty like ham, it usually disappears overnight. I have gotten edema on all the antidepressants I've tried so I'm not sure if it's unique to Remeron or not. Good luck.
Ess
Posted by Roo on September 4, 2002, at 9:14:04
In reply to Re: Remeron side effects: continue or quit?, posted by Essence on September 4, 2002, at 4:41:58
I agree with the previous poster...i'll bet effexor
withdrawal is contributing...I was only on effexor xr
for a short amount of time (a month or so) at a very low
dose, and still the withdrawal has been hell, so I'd hang in
there and wait for that to pass...
Posted by J200 on September 5, 2002, at 21:27:59
In reply to Remeron side effects: continue or quit?, posted by jamesdean on September 3, 2002, at 22:09:35
I haven't tried Remeron, but I was on Effexor for a time, and it can be difficult to withdraw from it, so I would bet on Effexor withdrawal as the cause of the irritability.
Posted by ZH389 on October 13, 2002, at 0:40:55
In reply to Remeron side effects: continue or quit?, posted by jamesdean on September 3, 2002, at 22:09:35
> My girlfriend has been taking remeron for 3 weeks now, and seems to be suffering a number of fairly bad side effects. She has already tried several AD's, and just switched from effexor XR.
>
> She is VERY irratable and irrational, and is sometimes violent. She feels confused (things get "switched" in her head) in conversation etc. Just today she has noticible swelling in her legs and feet, which makes us both nervous.
>
> She does enjoy the return of her libido and orgasms which have been absent for over 6 months. Should she continue with the treatment or not? If she does, will these side effects lessen to a tolerable level?
>
> We have read posts stating that the irratability side effect will lessen or dissapear after 3 to 4 weeks. Has anyone experienced this, and what action did you take? Should she stop now, or try and ride it out? Her pdoc suggested she stop for one day to see if the swelling goes down.
>
> Thanks for your replies.
I must admit me too, been on Remeron for abit more then 3 weeks, felt the irritability and now memory blanks here & tehre. Was on nothing before (althought did tried teh Effexor which totally made me sleep and zombie for a whole year..arghh.). My question about the side effects is, I noticed since the last 2 weeks, I loose alot of hair, I mean an unusual quatity of hair....never happened to me with previous AD. Does someone knows about such side effects? Is it related to the AD I'm taking? Sleep is great w/ Remeron, had insomnia problems too. I would hate to quit this AD but this loss of hair worries me...Can anyone help?
Posted by Essence on October 14, 2002, at 7:08:35
In reply to Re: Remeron side effects: loss of Hair!!!?, posted by ZH389 on October 13, 2002, at 0:40:55
Hair loss is definately a side affect of Remeron that I am having as well. However, it's been 10 1/2 mos now and it's slowing down and I can see the new hair growth, my hair is long so now I have all these short hairs on top so I know it's coming back and that the Remeron doesn't prevent regrowth. Only other side affect that I have noticed in the past month is the "stupids", especially with spelling and trying to find appropriate words to describe something. It's like my mind has gone blank and it takes me a long time to map my way to the word I was looking for.
Ess
Posted by McPac on October 15, 2002, at 15:14:34
In reply to Re: Remeron side effects: continue or quit?, posted by Roo on September 4, 2002, at 9:14:04
I haven't been reading the board much lately...how are you doing? Are you taking Depakote now?
Posted by LyndaK on October 17, 2002, at 0:50:17
In reply to Re: Remeron side effects: loss of Hair!!!?, posted by Essence on October 14, 2002, at 7:08:35
You mentioned the "stupids". Are you taking anything else in addition to the Remeron? What you described sounds so much like what I experienced on Zoloft, but, so far, haven't had that problem with Remeron. (I guess I'm a little fearful reading your post thinking that maybe that side-effect is yet-to-come. It was a debilitating side-effect for me on Zoloft.)
Thanks,
Lynda
Posted by ROO on October 17, 2002, at 14:06:07
In reply to ROO Re: Remeron side effects: continue or quit?, posted by McPac on October 15, 2002, at 15:14:34
> I haven't been reading the board much lately.
..how are you doing? Are you taking Depakote now?Long Story....
So far all I'm taking is Topamax....it pulled me out
of my suicidal depression...I've only been on it for
3 weeks...the first 2 weeks were great...this past week
has not been great, but I've had a stomach virus and haven't felt
well, so it's hard to tell....I probably need to increase my dose
as well, but the doc said to hold off since I was queazy from the
virus...so that's basically it.I was pretty damn happy with the Topamax until I discovered it
had sexual side effects...I was really disappointed with that...before that
I was thinking "Great...I'm doing fine with just a mood stabilizer and no antidepressant...
I won't have to suffer any side sexual side effects from antidepressants", but guess what
topamax has sexual side effects! It's rare, but I got them! Maybe I will try depakote, but
you're supposed to gain weight on that one...Anyway, I AM glad to not be feeling suicidal, at least.
How are YOU...fill me in...
Posted by Essence on October 17, 2002, at 16:22:11
In reply to Re: Remeron side effects: loss of Hair!!!? » Essence, posted by LyndaK on October 17, 2002, at 0:50:17
Hi Linda
I am also taking clonazepam for anxiety. The stupids didn't start on the Remeron until about 9 mos into treatment for me. It's quite frustrating and embarrassing at times. In my work I have to be able to spell (especially medical terms) and when I review my work, I am floored by the stupid spelling mistakes. I also find I am having problems with numbers, when I'm filing away patient charts, the numbers get mixed up so I have to really be extra careful and dbl check and dbl check. I also find it hard to think of words during normal conversations, and sometimes I just can't think of the word I want. Take care.
Ess
Posted by ZH389 on October 18, 2002, at 1:10:25
In reply to Re: Remeron side effects: loss of Hair!!!? » Essence, posted by LyndaK on October 17, 2002, at 0:50:17
> You mentioned the "stupids". Are you taking anything else in addition to the Remeron?
No,not at the moment,I take Remeron at night before sleeping time.
I have my Clonezepam med for my 'panic attacks' as I suffer severe anxiety w/ panic attack and agoraphobia. So about 1 to 2mg per day if I have to go out...Hummm..not to mention also that I have a BDP disorder...which I think is why my doc suggested trying Remeron (?) Or is it more for anxiety? Not sure...
>What you described sounds so much like what I experienced on Zoloft, but, so far, haven't had that problem with Remeron.
Oh, I've been on Zoloft...it was worse...I was 'really' not there...
Many AD or related med did this kind of side-effects, 'the stupids' and the 'numbness' and 'weakness'. Zoloft, Celexa, Neurotin, Paxil, Effexor...tried all these and I find Remeron, at least for me, is better then all of the ones I tried in the past. I do not like the idea of 'mixing' too many medications at once - it scares me, the idea of it...I hope I wouldn't be on any AD but just an anxilolitic (sorry if that is not the right term here - I'm French)I mean only something that could control my anxiety.
>(I guess I'm a little fearful reading your post thinking that maybe that side-effect is yet-to-come. It was a debilitating side-effect for me on Zoloft.)I think all AD have these similar side-effects unfortunately but the 'intensity' of it varies. For now, I can live with those some small blanks and 'stupids' but soon I'll have my dosage getting higher because the panic are just worse these days....gee...now I am a little worry that I might sleep too much and end up doing nothing during the day and just like...spacing out...I am not working (because of this mixture of problems), so 'without' any 'obligations' , my med tend to make me feel really lazy, sleepy and simply 'unproductive'! I WANT TO FEEL ALIVE!!! =)
Weird to think that anti-depressant are making us...well, in a more depressing way opposed to the contrary!I thought it would give me a 'more happy' feeling, give me more energy and a sense of feeling alive...I just never experienced that with all the AD I've tried. I read alot in posts about Dekapote...how is it??? It is treating what exactly? What are the side-effects? I'm still curious to know about the med I haven't tried out.
Thanks for reading and I hope I don't sound to negative about all this. These are just my own experiences about these drugs.Isa.
Posted by LyndaK on October 19, 2002, at 20:52:11
In reply to Re: Remeron side effects and other AD effects » LyndaK, posted by ZH389 on October 18, 2002, at 1:10:25
Isa,
Thanks for your reply. I feel a little better now, like I'm not necessarily doomed to experiencing "the stupids" on this drug -- at least not as bad as with Zoloft.
I know what you mean about wishing the medications could "make me happy", but the truth is they don't. I believe they can help halt a worsening depression or can help restore some lost function (like tending to the needs of my children or meeting the demands of my job) but the "happiness" part is something I have to work on from more of a behavioral perspective -- that's where therapy helps. I think that's why so many studies show that treatment that includes medication AND therapy produces the best LONGTERM results. Of course, that's still a rather broad statement since there are SO many different medications and different types of therapy and the individuality of each therapist. It still feels like a crapshoot most of the time. But with the Remeron I definitely function better, and when I function better I feel better about myself. But I've been getting therapeutic support (off and on) for most of the time that I've been trying different medications and I think that support definitely has its value.
I feel like I've rambled a bit. Hope I've said something that might be helpful.
Take Care.
Lynda
Posted by lois on October 19, 2002, at 21:43:23
In reply to Re: Remeron side effects: loss of Hair!!!?, posted by Essence on October 14, 2002, at 7:08:35
> Hair loss is definately a side affect of Remeron that I am having as well. However, it's been 10 1/2 mos now and it's slowing down and I can see the new hair growth, my hair is long so now I have all these short hairs on top so I know it's coming back and that the Remeron doesn't prevent regrowth.
I have been on remeron 60 mgs for about a year.The wt. gain I got on 30 and 45 went away on 60. We increased to 90 to help more with the slight noradrenergic effect it has at higher doses, and it helped. About 2 weeks after the dose increase I noticed hair loss sudden and severe and now still coming out, even after backing down to 75. It is encouraging that your hair started growing again.Was it a sudden loss? Did it just come back in on it's own? How long did it take for you to notice regrowth?
I am hoping it will stop on the lower dose.But if it can be just a temporary thing, I really felt better on the 90mgs.
I hope so.
Lois
Posted by Essence on October 21, 2002, at 6:09:44
In reply to Re: Remeron side effects: loss of Hair!!!? » Essence, posted by lois on October 19, 2002, at 21:43:23
Hi Lois;
I noticed the hair loss about 4 weeks after starting Rem. It began suddenly, it seems almost over night. I am taking 30 mg. I hadn't noticed it was growing back until a cpl of months ago when I noticed all the short sprigs sticking out of my hair. It came back on it's own. It doesn't appear to come out in patches and doesn't/or hasn't left bald spots or anything like that, at least in my case. It's just been an overall even hair loss.
Ess
Posted by lois on October 21, 2002, at 14:28:27
In reply to Re: Remeron side effects: loss of Hair!!!?Lois, posted by Essence on October 21, 2002, at 6:09:44
Ess,
So it took about 8-9 months for it to start back? How long is it now, about an inch?
Lo
Posted by Essence on October 22, 2002, at 5:00:57
In reply to Re: Remeron side effects: loss of Hair!!!?Lois » Essence, posted by lois on October 21, 2002, at 14:28:27
Hi Lois;
I noticed the regrowth around 8 mos. It's different lengths, that's normal though as it didn't all fall out at once, it fell out over several months.
Ess
This is the end of the thread.
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