Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 285407

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Remeron Prosexual? What is the starting dose?

Posted by Gidon on December 1, 2003, at 0:41:39

Please help. I am new to this board. I want to start remeron because I heard it is prosexual. True? I tried 15mg and it knocked me out. Sedation was too much. When you are too sleepy there will not be any sexual feelings. So I left it. Recently I noticed some posts that remeron in high doses will not be sedating. True? Is the prosexual effect will be there at 45mg? Can I start with 45mg? Or should I start with 15 mg again and sleep a lot and increase the dose after one week? What is the problem in starting with 45mg? Please help.
GR

 

Re: Remeron Prosexual? What is the starting dose? » Gidon

Posted by Clayton on December 1, 2003, at 1:41:51

In reply to Remeron Prosexual? What is the starting dose?, posted by Gidon on December 1, 2003, at 0:41:39

I've had experience with Remaron for about the past six months. It has been overwhelmingly positive. I'll gladly respond to any questions you have, if you are interested in my personal experience.

Libido: I do NOT find Remaron prosexual (and that IS a shame!). Rather I find it NEUTRAL when it comes to sex drive. Of course this is far better than the SSRIs that almost all reduce or eliminate sex drive! (PS: I started at 15 mg Remaron, too).

Libido at High Doses: I currently take 45 mg of Remaron at bedtime. I still find it to be sexually NEUTRAL. I have read the posts of others who find it prosexual at this dose and do not dispute their experience, but it is not so for me.

Sedation: Remaron IS sedating. It seems to be a lot more sedating for you than me but we're all different. I find the sedating effects to be dose dependant; that is, the higher the dose, the greater the sedation. 45 mg is more sedating than 30 mg which is more sedating than 15 mg. Again, I don't dispute others experiences, it just doesn't work that way for me.

What Have You Got To Loose? If you ordinarily have a normal sex drive -- whatever "normal" is -- and it has been getting killed off by an SSRI, why not try Remaron? Some people develope a tolerance to the sedating effects and this might happen for you if you stick with it long enough. I'd follow the docs advice on dosing. Probably start at 15mg and work up to 45 (I've read that 60 mg is a permissable dose in the pharmacology literature). Give it some time. If you develope a tolerance to the sedation, Great! you've got your normal sex drive back. If not, you're no worse off than with an SSRI. And you'll find out if Remaron is an efficacious antidepressant for you. It's been a miracle for me...sustained for 6 months.

Wishin' and Hopin': There are medicines and suppliments that are alleged to act as an antidote to SSRI induced loss of sex drive or just flat out enhance your sex drive if that's what you want. I have no comment on their efficacy but will send links to reasonably reputable sources and reports if you like -- just post and let me know


> Please help. I am new to this board. I want to start remeron because I heard it is prosexual. True? I tried 15mg and it knocked me out. Sedation was too much. When you are too sleepy there will not be any sexual feelings. So I left it. Recently I noticed some posts that remeron in high doses will not be sedating. True? Is the prosexual effect will be there at 45mg? Can I start with 45mg? Or should I start with 15 mg again and sleep a lot and increase the dose after one week? What is the problem in starting with 45mg? Please help.
> GR

 

Re: Remeron Prosexual? What is the starting dose? » Clayton

Posted by Gidon on December 1, 2003, at 3:09:19

In reply to Re: Remeron Prosexual? What is the starting dose? » Gidon, posted by Clayton on December 1, 2003, at 1:41:51

Dear Clayton,

Thank you very much for being so kind to me. I am on 100 mg of zoloft and as you noted it is killing my libido. That is why I need a prosexual antidepressant. Wellbutrin and serzone are not for me. I tried both of them and they didn't work for me at all.
When I tried remeron 15mg it made no difference than zoloft in the department of sex. I was dysfunctional on both medicine. I stayed on remeron 15mg for three weeks and finding it no better than zoloft I left it. According to clinical manuals remeron has an interesting pharmacological action. It works as an ssri with antihistaminic properties in low doses but at high doses noradrenergic actions overtake antihistaminic and serotonergic actions. It says it is the reason why remeron is not sedating to many at higher doses. I don't know what is the fact. I desperately need an antidepressant without sexual side effects. Zoloft is destroying my sexual life. Can I just experiment with 45mg of remeron? 15mg is the same as zoloft. If I use 45mg as a starting dose will it harm me?
GR

 

Re: Remeron Prosexual? What is the starting dose? » Gidon

Posted by Clayton on December 1, 2003, at 4:50:56

In reply to Re: Remeron Prosexual? What is the starting dose? » Clayton, posted by Gidon on December 1, 2003, at 3:09:19

Dear GR,

Well, what are you doing up at this time of night? Glad I'm not alone. I'm going through a personally terrible time right now -- no chance of sleep -- now and it's wonderful to hear from anyone. Thanks.

Anyway, now you're asking me to play doctor and I am not a doctor but a software engineer. I'll give you my OPINION (because I'm too stupid to keep my mouth shut), but I MUST point out that you are foolish to take it without the advice of a doctor. Be careful, my friend. Especially with your brain.

So first off, why are you in such a hurry? My doc took me from 15mg thru 30 mg to 45mg in two weeks. Can you wait two weeks and do it the safe way? No offense intended, but it sounds like you're looking for an aphrodesiac more than an antidepressant. That's okay. If you find a good one, please let me know!!! But two weeks is not all that long, is it?

Now I'll give you my best GUESSES...

I would think that going directly to 45 mg of Remaron would not harm you physically...i.e. it's not toxic. You can check the pharmacology on that. Now, what will it do to you mind? Who knows? If you experienced NO adverse psychological side effects (other than sleepiness) when you took 15 mg, chances are that 45 mg won't make you crazy or take you to a very bad, hellish place.

Did you experience any adverse psychological side-effects (anxiety, insomnia, nightmares or vivid dreams, abnormal thinking) when starting other classes of antdepressants? Zoloft especially? (Wellbutrin is a very different animal as you no doubt know.) I never did but many do. If you did, there is more reason to be cautious of going directly to 45 mg of Remaron. If not, well, here's my best GUESS (Aside to Dr. Bob here: Sir, am I out of line? Should I avoid this sort of unqualified speculation?): Taking a 45 mg dose will either put you to sleep without significantly harmful side-effects or will make you feel mentally energized from the norepinephrine...more drive, motivation, and mental energy). I don't know if it will tweak your sex drive. No idea. As I said, it's sexually NEUTRAL for me. But, the bottom line is I don't think it will harm you. I don't KNOW, but I really doubt it will do any harm. Needless to say, doctors increase doses gradually for a reason and you are making a concious decision to ignore that reason if you do this.

Have you thought about trying 30 mg as a little test to see if it is safe. Try 30 mg for ONE night. If there are no adverse side-effects, 45 mg is very unlikely to harm you.

Dopaminergics have a very pro sexual effect on my libido but not norepinephrine. There have been two SDRI sold that I know off. Both have pulled from the market. One was a French product made by Survector and was purportedly excellant but had a small, yet non-negligable, abuse potential. The other, I believe, may have caused some blood disease in a small per centage of those who took it. Wellbutrin has a weak dopamenergic effect but, as you said, was not for you.

Research topics you might find interesting:
The effects of apomorphine on females (controversial but interesting)
Provigil (Modafinil): I have had a very positive experience with this one. It's mechanism of action is very unclear but it seems to produce some effects similar to norepinephrine. It is a [mostly] non-dopamiergic stimulant that could conceivably counter the drowsy effects of Remaron. The abuse potential is quite small but not zero. It permits many people to sleep if they wish or remain awake and focused as necessary. It has this property for me. It is often prescribed "off label" as an adjunct to a primary depresssion medication. It works well in this regard for me, too. I find it complements Remaron wonderfully. Anyway, I've strayed too far.

Again, good luck. Hope it all works out.

 

Re: Remeron Prosexual? What is the starting dose?

Posted by crazychickuk on December 1, 2003, at 18:23:59

In reply to Re: Remeron Prosexual? What is the starting dose? » Gidon, posted by Clayton on December 1, 2003, at 1:41:51

Strange, because when i started remeron at 15 mg, never knocked me out i am now on 30 mg and it has seemed to of pooped out on me... been on 30 mg for 6 mnths.... stick with it.. after first week of being on 15mg raise to 30 mg.. the reason why it is sedating is cus u r getting more of the antihestamine affect the higher the dose the more norphadine or what eva it is called... i have the flu at the momenet and STEP THROAT.... i have not taken any remeron for 2 days.... as i am taken strong pain killer's and antibiotics.... good luck : )

 

Re: Remeron Prosexual? What is the starting dose?

Posted by shadows721 on December 2, 2003, at 0:10:04

In reply to Re: Remeron Prosexual? What is the starting dose?, posted by crazychickuk on December 1, 2003, at 18:23:59

I was wondering if the ones that are still on Remeron gained a lot of weight. My doc says remeron is the worst for making patients gain a lot of weight. He said that it doesn't affect the sex drive like the ssri's do.

 

Re: Remeron Prosexual? What is the starting dose? » Clayton

Posted by Gidon on December 2, 2003, at 0:22:09

In reply to Re: Remeron Prosexual? What is the starting dose? » Gidon, posted by Clayton on December 1, 2003, at 4:50:56

Dear Clayton,

Once again thank you for staying up late at night to give me a wonderful post.
I have a very hectic schedule now and maximum alertness is required. That's why I am hurry to jump to 45mg. Anyway I am not going to try it. Let's have some off days and I am going to do it conventionally.
The reason for not going to doctor is I left my psychiatrist because I didn't want to stick with remeron at that time. She was insisting I should wait for the tolerance to occur which was not acceptable for me. Now my GP gave me zoloft which makes wonders in my personality except that sexual downfall. Anyway it is all about give and take. I give my libido and take a sense of well being.
Frankly I am not looking for an aphrodisiac. I am suffering from chronic depression and depression itself is destroying my sexuality. If I am not taking any medicines I can have orgasms but still the low sexual drive persists. If I am on medication there will be low sexual drive plus inability to climax. If there was a medicine to treat depression without sexual side effects it would have been much helpful for me. But nothing looks promising at the moment..
Thank you clatyton.
GR

 

Re: Remeron Prosexual? What is the starting dose? » Gidon

Posted by Clayton on December 2, 2003, at 6:13:19

In reply to Re: Remeron Prosexual? What is the starting dose? » Clayton, posted by Gidon on December 2, 2003, at 0:22:09

And thank you GR. I hear you loud and clear. I suffer from Chronic Depression ("Mood Disorder") also and I know what it does to ones sex drive. Ironically, I think that your epiphany that there is no magic bullet is the start of something very good. I don't believe in psychics so don't misunderstand me. I just have this gut intuition that you are now headed in the right direction and that everything will work out for you in a way that probably surpasses your highest hopes.

I think that your decision to reach 45mg the conventional way is very wise.

Odd Thought: If it's norephinephine you're after, have you considered Reboxitine or Strateta? (SNRIs).?

Foisting drugs on people is wrong, but if Remaron works for you as an anti-depressant, but is overly sedating, consider Provigil. Research it. It works marvelosly for me without side-effects. Great for those hectic schedules. Most importantly, it might counter the "drowsies" from Remaron. That leaves you with an antidepressant that is at worst sexually neutral (unlike SSRIs), so you are better off than you were. I recently had to take Zyprexa, a mood stabalizer, a modern verson of lithium, for a limited period of time. It made me so sleepy at work, I was falling asleep at my desk. I called my pdoc and he prescribed Provigil. It worked. It conquered the "drowsies". And it improved my mood, drive, memory and cognitive functioniing.(No kidding) My Doc has continued it as an adjuct to the remaron and they meld wonderfully (for me).

By the way, there are some improved antidepressants a couple years down the road. Who knows?

Once again, best wishes and good luck.

I am not pushing this at all, but should you wish to discuss our medical situations privately, you can email me at TheoryQuery@aol.com. No Obligation. I have no alterior motive. I am not an Internet wierdo or stalker or someone who intrudes on people who want to be left alone. So who am I? I'm a software engineer who has struggled with depression and SAD for years. I've recently suffered a major tragedy and that's why I'm up late at night. Sleep is irrelavent and unattainable at the moment. I'll live! Anyway, once again, best of luck.


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