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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
[email protected]Shown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Racer on May 15, 2004, at 12:53:41
I know some people have mentioned this as a side effect that passed for them. It's frightening me a lot, and I don't know whether to stop taking it or keep trying to stick it out. On the one hand, I've just started the drug, and I do recognize that a lot of adjustment phase side effects pass once you stabilize on a drug. On the other hand, I've had this on 7.5mg (first six days) and now on 15mg for the past few days. The agitation lasts from about the time I get up in the morning, until late afternoon, after which I'm calmer, but very low in mood and get out of control hunger to replace it. If the evening relief is a sign that this drug might help me, then I want to keep trying, but if the agitation is a sign of what a therapeutic dose might do to me, then there's no point. I know there's no way of knowing which it's going to be, but if anyone who experienced the agitation and uncontrollable anger and low tolerance for frustration and sudden rages and sudden drops into tears and all the rest of the rollercoaster ride could tell me how long it took for this to pass -- or that it didn't pass -- could tell me about it, it would help me decide what to do.
Thank you very much.
Posted by Sad Panda on May 15, 2004, at 14:03:44
In reply to Agitated out of my mind (Remeron ???), posted by Racer on May 15, 2004, at 12:53:41
> I know some people have mentioned this as a side effect that passed for them. It's frightening me a lot, and I don't know whether to stop taking it or keep trying to stick it out. On the one hand, I've just started the drug, and I do recognize that a lot of adjustment phase side effects pass once you stabilize on a drug. On the other hand, I've had this on 7.5mg (first six days) and now on 15mg for the past few days. The agitation lasts from about the time I get up in the morning, until late afternoon, after which I'm calmer, but very low in mood and get out of control hunger to replace it. If the evening relief is a sign that this drug might help me, then I want to keep trying, but if the agitation is a sign of what a therapeutic dose might do to me, then there's no point. I know there's no way of knowing which it's going to be, but if anyone who experienced the agitation and uncontrollable anger and low tolerance for frustration and sudden rages and sudden drops into tears and all the rest of the rollercoaster ride could tell me how long it took for this to pass -- or that it didn't pass -- could tell me about it, it would help me decide what to do.
>
> Thank you very much.
>
>Did the agitation die down on 7.5mg? It could be you are very sensitive to this med & don't actually need much, or, you could be having a pardoxial reaction & maybe you shouldn't take it.
I had a bad reaction to Prozac, extreme agitation & my mild social anxiety zoomed up to something boardering on paranoia, so I stoped it & moved on to Effexor. With Remeron it gave me a feeling of irritation, but it passed & was worth while putting up with it. So it depends on how bad the agitation was.
Cheers,
Panda.
Posted by linkadge on May 15, 2004, at 14:39:22
In reply to Agitated out of my mind (Remeron ???), posted by Racer on May 15, 2004, at 12:53:41
I experiecned side effects like you did. For me it did not pass after 8 weeks. I had to discontinue and change drugs. I don't mean to discourage but this is my experience.
Linkadge
Posted by kittencat on May 15, 2004, at 15:24:40
In reply to Agitated out of my mind (Remeron ???), posted by Racer on May 15, 2004, at 12:53:41
Hey Racer...
I'm bummed to hear that your side effects are so bad, 'specially the out of control hunger. I know that is a big issue for both of us, & I know that most everyone who has replied to your posts has indicated that Remeron is almost certain to put weight on you. I admire your courage in giving it a go anyway, & am sorry about the agitation. I had a thread going last period about Abilify, & despite my saying I wasn't going to take it anymore after the fourth day, I have continued. Today is my eighth day, I think. I know they are different drugs, but they have some similar side effects. My agitation is "somewhat" controlled, since I am microdosing myself based on the recommendations of others, but it's still there. I mean, sleep? What's that? And that can make your irritability skyrocket. Do you take Xanax as well? Helps immeasurably for me. In terms of weight gain...if you can force, force yourself to drink your 64 oz of water a day, it will help your cravings like nobody's business...sounds daunting, but buy one of those teeny, tiny, baby Arrowhead 8oz bottles, drink& refill one every hour, on the hour, 'till you've had eight. Very easy that way, also extremely good for your body in all other ways. Also, I hate to suggest, 'cause I hate when others (family & friends) suggest it to me, but what about exercise? I know it's frustrating when you feel like you can barely do anything to have someone suggest exercise, like that's all you need, but...it really is sooo helpful for agitation (& other things). Helps you release it. Even just playing a great cd & rocking out (if no one's watching) for 20 minutes at home can help.I hope you are doing ok otherwise...
Posted by Racer on May 15, 2004, at 19:04:15
In reply to Re: Agitated out of my mind (Remeron ???), posted by kittencat on May 15, 2004, at 15:24:40
Thank you all for your responses. I'll try to answer the individual points all in one:
Sad Panda: Actually, the agitation started the first day. It changes so much and so rapidly that I can't say whether or not it's gotten better at the higher dose. Earlier today, I thought it had gotten a bit better, then I fell apart entirely, then I sank even further, now I'm just worn out with trying and scared out of my wits. My situation is certainly contributing to it, as well. From what you said, though, it sounds as if you only had moderate irritation, which I'm betting is not the same animal as what I'm going through right now. And if the irritation gets worse on higher doses, then all bets are off.
Thank you very much, by the way, for helping. It has helped -- at least, this two minute phase, it's helped. Who knows what'll come next, eh? ;^b
Linkadge: Thank you for telling me that. I think that's enough to make my decision. (Of course, see above. I may decide to try one more day and go to the psych emergency room if it doesn't improve. I may not. I wish I could just make up my mind, but I change it again within minutes every time I do.)
Kittencat: thank you. The out of control appetite is weird, because sometimes I can tell I'm not really hungry, sometimes I can't. Sometimes I can control myself and hold off eating, sometimes I can't. It really varies. The only partial solution I have found is not force myself not to eat until a specific time and force myself only to eat something I've planned in advance. That is doable, though, although it kinda means that I have to give up my usual planned snacks -- if I eat a little, I just keep eating, you know?
And I do drink a lot of water -- exacerbated by the dry mouth, right now. We buy two cases per week of the 24 oz Arrowhead bottles and I drink most of it most weeks -- average 6 to 8 of them per day, so more than 64 oz. I don't know that it helps with appetite for me, but I'm a thirsty sort, I guess. ;-)
Posted by Sad Panda on May 16, 2004, at 0:55:36
In reply to Thank you all, posted by Racer on May 15, 2004, at 19:04:15
> Actually, the agitation started the first day. It changes so much and so rapidly that I can't say whether or not it's gotten better at the higher dose. Earlier today, I thought it had gotten a bit better, then I fell apart entirely, then I sank even further, now I'm just worn out with trying and scared out of my wits. My situation is certainly contributing to it, as well. From what you said, though, it sounds as if you only had moderate irritation, which I'm betting is not the same animal as what I'm going through right now. And if the irritation gets worse on higher doses, then all bets are off.
>
>Hi Racer,
It does sound like a bad reaction like my Prozac experience, I would be inclined to dump it.
Cheers,
Panda.
Posted by ravenstorm on May 16, 2004, at 10:02:39
In reply to Re: Thank you all » Racer, posted by Sad Panda on May 16, 2004, at 0:55:36
My physical anxiety increased and my irritation.
I would actually hit a period mid morning where I would shake. I work 1pm-8pm, so I started going for a really brisk 40 min walk every day and that helped to burn off the shakiness. For me though, it was nothing compared to the extreme shaking, crawling out of my skin, unable to stop moving affect I had with celexa. I had to stop the celexa after three days. If you feel on remeron like I felt on celexa I would not blame you at all for discontinuing.
It took about three weeks at 15mg to get rid of the irritability and at a little over four weeks almost all of my anxiety VANISHED. Before that time I had not had much relief from anxiety at all.
The increased hunger sucks. I have a mild version of it now. from weeks two to four it was insane. I felt like I was starving myself all the time even though I wasn't. Now, instead of feeling ravenous, I just never feel full after I eat. So, I have to cognitively tell myself to stop eating even when I'm not full. So far, the drug has helped me so much that I won't quit it based on that. Before the med kicked in, however, I thought about dropping it everyday!!!
Good luck in whatever you decide to do.
Posted by Sad Panda on May 16, 2004, at 11:08:14
In reply to Re: Thank you all, posted by ravenstorm on May 16, 2004, at 10:02:39
> My physical anxiety increased and my irritation.
>
> I would actually hit a period mid morning where I would shake. I work 1pm-8pm, so I started going for a really brisk 40 min walk every day and that helped to burn off the shakiness. For me though, it was nothing compared to the extreme shaking, crawling out of my skin, unable to stop moving affect I had with celexa. I had to stop the celexa after three days. If you feel on remeron like I felt on celexa I would not blame you at all for discontinuing.
>
> It took about three weeks at 15mg to get rid of the irritability and at a little over four weeks almost all of my anxiety VANISHED. Before that time I had not had much relief from anxiety at all.
>
> The increased hunger sucks. I have a mild version of it now. from weeks two to four it was insane. I felt like I was starving myself all the time even though I wasn't. Now, instead of feeling ravenous, I just never feel full after I eat. So, I have to cognitively tell myself to stop eating even when I'm not full. So far, the drug has helped me so much that I won't quit it based on that. Before the med kicked in, however, I thought about dropping it everyday!!!
>
> Good luck in whatever you decide to do.
>
>Hi Ravenstorm,
I'm glad it's working OK for you. I am still looking for info about Zantac for curbing the the Remeron induced munchies, but I'm not having much luck. Zantac is from the group of drugs known as H2 antagonists, there is a few different ones. What they are primarily used for is slowing acid secretion in the stomach to reduce heartburn, indigestion, etc. caused by peptic ulcers. How they work is your stomach has Histamine-2 receptors in it & Zantac antagonises(blocks) them & this slows acid secretion down. Remeron is thought to increase appetite because of it Histamine-1 antagonism abilities & a H-2 blocker may reverse this. I guess you could buy a packet(they are OTC here) & give one a test if the increased apetite was truely bothersome.
Cheers,
Panda.
Posted by ravenstorm on May 16, 2004, at 13:25:37
In reply to Re: Thank you all » ravenstorm, posted by Sad Panda on May 16, 2004, at 11:08:14
Yeah, I would like more information about the zantac too.
I read somewhere that the zantac research was actually with zyprexa or something. (Someone please correct me if I'm wrong). And that the amount of zantac was quite large (800mg????????)
I think I also read on this site of someone having some luck taking 300mg of zantac (150mg twice a day) to curb appetite. I think that buying the over the counter to do this dosage would be quite expensive, so I might contact my pdoc about this issue in a couple of weeks to see what he thinks about prescribing it for me so insurance will pay for it. I take prilosec for GERD currently, so getting zantac RXed instead shouldn't be a problem.
Please, anyone with personal experience or who knows of any studies with remeron and zantac please post.
Posted by Racer on May 16, 2004, at 19:37:00
In reply to Re: Thank you all » Racer, posted by Sad Panda on May 16, 2004, at 0:55:36
Yeah, it took a lot of handwringing, but I stopped it. Today, while I'm still in pretty bad shape, it's nothing like what the last week and a half were like. I don't know what to do now, lots of big life changing decisions to make, but at least I'm not so out of control while trying to make them.
Thank you so much for your support through all this. This is the second most frightening reaction I've ever had to a medication. The first most frightening landed me in the physical hospital for almost a week, and took more than a year to recover from, so it's mild compared to that one! Still, it's one of those things: I always feel as if I failed the medication, not the other way around. And the after effects of this are pretty bad for me, too. I'm still feeling pretty close to suicide, but at least I'm feeling more in control of my actions, if not my emotions.
My solution, which I don't like, is that I'm popping xanax today, and probably will tomorrow, too, until I can get somewhere near an even keel.
Posted by ravenstorm on May 16, 2004, at 22:41:40
In reply to Re: Thank you » Sad Panda, posted by Racer on May 16, 2004, at 19:37:00
Please don't feel like you failed the drug. I know what you mean. I second guessed my decision to quit the celexa, but I know I couldn't have made it another day (and my husband concurs!)
Before remeron I tried prozac and got seriously suicidal. I stayed on that way too long (eight weeks) and came seriously close to doing myself in. You've probably saved yourself a bunch of trauma by stopping now. I know its scary though, because now you have to figure out what to do next. I tried three AD's including a tricyclic before remeron. Keep hanging in there!
Posted by gardenergirl on May 17, 2004, at 8:16:34
In reply to Re: Thank you » Sad Panda, posted by Racer on May 16, 2004, at 19:37:00
(((((Racer)))))
One of these days, you will find that perfectly wonderful pdoc who can figure out what will work for you. In the meantime, take care.
"talk" to you soon.
gg
This is the end of the thread.
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