From my post below, "I'm finally going to the dr today", I did go yesterday and she has given me remeron. She acknowledges the anxiety and says this is an anti-depressant that also works on anxiety, also since I tend to lose weight, this one she says opens appetite.
I guess what worries me is the possibile (rare) sight effect of agranulocytosis.
I'm scared of this happening and me getting sick and then having to stop suddenly taking it?
I would love to hear from everyone on it, what your experiences have been both good and bad.
thanks

I took this for about 2 months in July/August. I was prescribed it specifically because I suffered from insomnia and a complete loss of appetite thanks to my anxiety. I will say it helped in the sleep department, but a little too much. At 15mg, I could sleep for 10 hours and still wake up exhausted. As for increasing appetite, it didn't do a darn thing for me in that department. It's been almost 4 months since my anxiety started and I still don't feel like eating. I'm forcing myself though and have miraculously managed not to lose any weight...probably because I was sleeping so much and not burning as many calories. Given that I was on it for such a short time, I can't really say whether it's a good or bad drug. Having been off it for only a week, there are moments every day when I think I should be back on it. I'm hoping I don't have to resort to that, but it is a possibility. What dosage have you been prescribed? I've read that the sedative effects are actually less the higher you go.

i was on it and it did help me sleep and it took away my Anxiety.
but my appetite was off the wall. i could eat 24/7. i gained about 15 pounds from it and i didnt need to gain any weight. that was the only reason why i stopped taking it.
i lost all the weight i gained from it and would never take it again because of the weight gain.

Hi bmcm,

I've been on Remeron since the end of May. My major problem was severe anxiety/panic, although they say depression goes with it & I've had a lot of health problems which for sure are making me depressed.

It increased my apetite immediately. In fact I woke up during the night after I took my first dose & was looking for a midnight snack. Previous to that I had no apetite at all for a couple of months & had lost a lot of weight.
Since May I have gained about 7 lbs & really don't want to gain any more. I like my size 4 jeans..

I was very worried about the white blood count issue also as I have Lupus, but I just had lab work done & all was ok. If you really are worried ask to have labs done periodically if you decide to stay on the Remeron.

As far as how it has worked-- I'm not sure.... I frequently think of asking my doc to let me try something else but I'm afraid I may be worse. I am not in the severe state of "terror" as I call it, but I do get that feeling of anxiety creeping over me several times throughout the day. I've also been feeling a little depressed but I know it is because I have had a lot of personal stress lately. I've have never taken meds before this so I'm not sure what to expect, but I was hoping it would be better than this. I am on 22.5 mgm taken every night-- it will help you sleep like a log. The groggy feeling in the morning will go away after a while & gets better with increased dose ( weird I know). I am also taking Buspar 7.5 mgm 2 x day for the anxiety but I'm not sure about this drug either.

I'm not being of much help.
But- I would say go for it- I don't think you have to be afraid of it. If you suffer from anxiety you should have something to take on as needed basis for first few weeks as anxiety can increase when first taking Remeron or any anti depressant. My doc told me to take up to three .25mgm Xanax a day during the first few weeks. In fact she told me not to wait for the anxiety to kick in but to take a dose in the AM & then see how the day went. I did use the Xanax a few times in the beginning. I still get the urge to take a Xanax frequently, but I am avoiding it because of the Buspar. This whole thing is becoming too complicated for me with all the other meds I take, but I am trying to hang in there.

Good luck & let me know how you do-- maybe I am expecting too much...

anxiousinnj

I swear I must be the only user of this drug on the face of the planet who still did not want to eat while on it. I find that a bit amusing given that that's one of the major reasons I agreed to take it in the first place. Sooo, take my experience with a grain of salt. If you're like MOST people, it will probably make you hungry.

Kate (anxiousinnj), good to see you're still hanging in there, but not so good to see you're still struggling with the anxiety. The two losses I mentioned a while back made me stay on the Remeron for another month, so I can definitely relate to your depression. My *major* anxiety passed quite a while ago (I haven't touched the clonazepam) but the depression is still lingering. Will I ever feel normal again? I'm starting to doubt it.

I'm going to see how I adjust to being off the Remeron for the next week. I've been experiencing bouts of all-night insomnia again without it (usually fueled by me worrying about something), but it was just becoming WAY too sedating for me. I felt like I was sleeping my life away. I don't know what's worse: no sleep or too much of it. In any event, have you found the 22.5mg dose to be less sedating than 15mg? My doctor had suggested that I try the 30mg before I came off it, but I was really reluctant. Then I knew I'd really "be on it" and would have to take a much longer time tapering off it. I'm anti-med to begin with, so I'm not exactly a doctor's dream. I do, however, worry that I came off it too soon. I'm not feeling 100% better yet, and I've read articles that say if you come off an anti-depressant before you're ready to (they recommend at least 6 months after you're feeling normal again) that you have a high chance of experiencing depression again. It's kind of a no-win situation, eh?

Kathy! I didn't realize that was you.
Yes, I'm still sticking it out with the Remeron although I honestly came very close this week to calling the doc & saying let's try something else....or nothing--like you, I just want off these meds-- I have sooo many other meds & this is just adding to me med paranoia.

Anyway-- the 22.5 mgm is not a problem with grogginess at all. I sleep through the nite & I'm fine in the morning. My problems start around 11-12 noon-- when I feel the anxiety stuff happening. She added Byspar for that reason , but I'm not so sure about this one eityher. She wanted me to take 15 mgm 2 x day but it made me way too weird & more anxious. So on my own I cut back to 7.5 mgm 2 x day & I'm thinking of doing the 7.5 mgm 3 x day which I know will be fine with the doc since she wanted me to take 30 mgm per day & she didn't care how it was divided.

If you decide to try the Remeron again I would say go for the higher dose-- I'm even thinking maybe I should go back up to the 30 mgm. I was pretty groggy with the 30 mgm, but I think that may have subsided. I had major constipation at 30 mgm which was another reason she cut it back to 22.5. But I am now taking fiber supplements which work like a dream.

I don't know what to do about this feeling depressed-- I wasn't like this before-- just more anxious--at least that's how I thought I was. I don't see how meds can help when it's situational things that are causing the problem-- can't make the situations go away-- that's why I feel depressed.

I'm just such a chicken to try another med all over again..... I know you can relate...lol

Take care,

anxiousinnj

i was just put on remeron last night for insomnia, panic attacks and depression. since i am med sensitive the dr. thought we would try this. it is one of the only anri-depressants and anti-anxiety drugs i haven't taken. klonopin was the only one i had no problems with. with the weight issue i just gained 25 pounds being out of work and a thyroid problem so don't need anymore. we agreed that i would get weighed everday for a while an dif i gain 5 pounds to stop taking it and call him immediately. took it last night around 10:00 and was asleep within an hour BUT was up by 4::00 as usual then dosed off and on until i finally got up around 7:00. feel like i could lay here all day. in my experience with elavil i had to take it 6:00 p.m. in order to get up in the morning. i will play with the time a little and watch the weight and see what happens. :wave:

ICC,

If the Remeron doesn't knock you out for the night, be careful as you will raiding the fridge-- not for healthy foods either. I've been eating chocolate ice cream out of the container-- I never did that-- always thought that was disgusting ! Hopefully it won't affect your appetite the way it did mine. It wa fine in the beginning as I had lost so much but now I need the appetite to slow down.

Let us know how you feel on the Remeron-- not oo many people on here take this one. It's supposed to be such a good drug, but still have these terror like feelings that creep in throughout the day.

ANXIOUSINNJ------SECOND NIGHT BETTER THAN THE FIRST. TOOK IT AT 9:00 ASLEEP BY 11:00. TOSSED AND TURNED A COUPLE OF TIMES BUT IT WAS PHYSICAL PAIN THAT WOKE ME UP. WAS ABLE TO GET RIGHT BACK TO SLEEP UNTIL 7:00 THIS MORNING. HAVE BREAKS OF ANXIETY DURING THE DAY BUT IT'S ONLY MY SECOND DAY. I HOPE IT WORKS SINCE I HAVE SO MANY BIG PROBLEMS RIGHT NOW THAT I JUST COULD'NT PULL MYSELF UP THIS TIME. AS FAR AS THE EATING GOES I EAT THE ICE-CREAM OUT OF THE BOX WHEN I'M ANXIOUS SO THAT'S NOT FOREIGN TO ME. I HAVE FOUND MY APPETITE AND SMOKING HAVE BOTH DECREASED IN THE PAST DAY. IF I'M UNDERSTANDING YOU RIGHT YOU WENT THROUGH THIS AND THEN APPETITE CAME BACK WITH A VENGENCE? I'LL HAVE TO BE AWARE SINCE I AM A DIET CONTROLLED DIABETIC AND NOT THAT I DON'T HAVE THOSE SWEET AND CARB CRAVINGS I AM REALLY CAREFUL MOST OF THE TIME. THAT WAS A BIG PROBLEM FOR ME IN THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS. SO UNHAPPY, STRESSED, ANXIOUS AND THEN THE DEEP DEPRESSION SET IN THAT I PAID NO ATTENTION TO WHAT I WAS EATING. NOTICED YESTERDAY THAT I HAD A NORMANL APPETITE AND COULDN'T EAT AS MUCH IN ONE SITTING AS I WAS. I ALWAYS SAID BEING MED SENSITIVE IS SOMETIMES A BLESSING . I TEND TO HAVE THE OPPOSITE REACTION TO DRUGS. HERE'S HOPING FOR US.:wave:

Please do not type in all caps.

Thank you for your cooperation.
Ms_Mod

I took Remeron for 2 months. The 1st day I was like a Zombie, the 1st week after that felt great and after that it did nothing but helped me sleep better. I also gained 12 pounds and I never ever gain weight. I stopped taking it and lost the weight in 2 weeks. I hated it but I hope it works for you guys.

Always use REAL words in your posts.
Not text message or chat room 'words'

Ms_Mod

I took my 6th dose of Remeron tonight. I have gained 5 lbs. since being on it. I have never had a problem with gaining weight and could always eat whatever I wanted. I hate this side effect. I am going to talk to my Dr. next week about switching me. As for the anxiety/panic, I have not had one ounce of it since being on this. The first few days I felt dizzy and groggy but that went away. My dose was increased to 30 mg. today. My Dr. said it works more like an appetite suppressant when the dosage is upped - we'll see!

ok----i took my 3rd dose last night. have gained 2 pounds and have no idea why since i have no appetite. had a horrendous one before i took the remeron. haven't had an anxiety attack since i took it and am not down in the dumps anymore. sleeping is erratice first night i didn't, second was great and then last night i tossed and turned alot. dr. told me at 5 # to stop it and call him. see him again oct. 31st. don't know if he will up it or even if i'll still be on it by then. taking one day at a time. have to admit my mood is more stable and i think tha's onw of the biggest claims to fame it has. keep in touch i'm really interested in this. in taking drugs before that have caused about a 15 # weight gain as soon as i stopped taking them the weight fell off. i am wondering if some drugs cause fluid retention and that;s the weight gain. i find it hard to believe any of us can gain that much weight that quickly and lose it that quickly unless it's fluid retention. :confused:

ICC, how many mg of Remeron are you currently taking? Are you finding that it's helping your anxiety/depression?

I'm glad to see the Remeron is helping some of you.
I've come to the conclkusion that it is not giving me the help I need right now.
I've had yet more medical diagnopses dumped on me & I am having severe anxiety again as well as feeling very depressed- just want to sleep, no interest in doing anything I need to be doing. I guess that means depression right?
I am calling my p-doc tomorrow- I just don't like this combo of Remeron & Buspar- it's not helping me cope with the frightening health issues that keep coming at me. Do any of the anti depressants really make that much of a difference ?
This is the first time I have taken meds....
My apetite has slowed down, in fact I'm not that interested in food the past few days but I'm sure its because of worry & anxiety.
I am taking 22.5 mgm of Remeorn at night ( & I do sleep like a log).
Buspar 7.5 mgm 2-3 times per day-- I don't feel it doing much for the anxiety.

anxiousagain----dr. started me on 15 mg. right now i am depression and anxiety free. it is a great mood stabilizer but not a great sleep aid. still tossing and turning alot during the night. getting a couple more hours than i was though. and the weight thing i don't get. it looked like i gained about 2 pounds in 5 days. got weighed yesterday and lost 4. i still think it's fluid retention. don't know if dr. will up it the end of the month. i believe remeron's claim to fame is being a mood stabilizer and it has definitely done that.

Hmmm, that's interesting, ICC, because once my major anxiety subsided, I found the 15mg dose to be extremely sedating. After months of on and off insomnia, I was sleeping 10 hours a night and still waking up exhausted. That's the main reason I decided to stop taking it. I also didn't feel like it helped with depression at all at that dosage. However, it probably did curb some of my anxiety. I was depressed on it and I'm even more depressed off it. What to do? I feel like anxiousinnj does. If your depression is partly to mostly situational, how on earth is a pill going to help? It's not going to take the situations away. Oh, but no weight gain for me either, although I do suspect it either slowed my metabolism or caused me to retain fluid because I maintained my weight while on it despite eating less than normal. Keep me posted on your progress. I'm still mulling the idea of calling my doc and asking to be put back on it, perhaps at a bit higher dose. I've heard that sometimes lessens the sedative effects. I'm not sure I gave it enough time to work properly on me. Glad to hear you've had immediate results with it.

hi all----i agree that if depression/anxiety is situational a pill won't help. in my case since i suffer from both and also have PTSD i couldn't think straight to change anything goin on with all of my problems right now. too many. though in my case it is situational the remeron has helped me think more like myself. i couldn't make a desion for months for anything. i still get upset and some of what going on but not half as bad as before. i feel a little down late in the day but it passes quickly. i just feel more like me now.

Well, my p-doc is on vacation so unable to reach her. Wonderful...
I am having severe back pain & spasms that believe me feel like 20 minute labor pains. I'm going to a pain management doc on Thursday but I wanted to ask my primary doc if she could order me a muscle relaxant or something to help these spasms-- it's unbearable !
I wanted to ask my p-doc what I can or can't take with Remeron & Buspar-- God I hate taking all these meds & now needing more for pain.....
Has anyone taken any other pain or muscle relaxant meds with anti depressants & anti anxiety meds ?

This is like a bad dream.....

anxiousinnj------i just started remeraon a week ago. have a long list of meds i take regularly. also was injured at work so i do take flexeril and tylenol3 for pain. i don't like the effect pain killers have on me and also they don't work well for me but will take them if the pain is really bad. asked the phsychiatrist if i could take the pain meds and a klonopin if needed and he said yes. also asked the pharmacist when i picked the remeron up if there were any drug interactions and he said no. i wish you luck. the remeron has really stabilized my mood.:wave:

Thanks ICC- that's a big help. I have problems with pain meds also-- they make me sick. But was hoping a muscle relaxer type med like the flexeril or skelaxin might help.

I'm trying to look at the whole picture here & I suppose if I didn't have this back stuff thrown at me, maybe I would be in a better frame of mind-- I'm just really frightened as I was told I need fusion at at least 3 levels. I know I cannot tolerate surgery like that right now. A silly lap chole threw me into major panic attacks last spring !
HOPing for the best with pain management so I can buy some time & get my mind in a better place, if that's possible...:dizzy:

thanks for your help !

anxiousinnj--------any time. i have multiple surgeries looking me in the face right now. that's what brought my depression on in the first place. messed up neck, shoulder impingement, DDD and 4 bulged disks in lumbar and a bad tendonitis in ankle. so i can't walk, sit , lay, or use my left arm. in the meantime i started having trouble swalloing. thyroid biopsy was benign but surgeon still thinks it should come out if it's pressing on a nerve and that could be the swallowing dilemna but he isn't sure. have a large bon spur in my neck that could also be the problem. 8 dr.s in 6 mos and no one will commit to anything. it was my decision to go into counseling and on some sort of med because i couldn't get through a day without crying, couldn't go out alone, driving made me borderline nervous breakdown. i'm sure you know the rest as you are in a similar position. i feel i have to do whatever it takes to heal mind and body. best of luck in your journey.:wave:

Hi: I am usually over in the Depression area but tend to pop over here every once in a while. I have been On Remeron a year next month at 60mg. I also take a lot of other meds such as Effexor, Zyprexa, Lithium,Trazodone. I have Severe Major Depression Disorder with psycotic features, GAD, and sleeping issues. The Remeron does not do anything for sleep as I still have to take a sleeping med mind you I do sleep over 12 hours a night but that is probaly caused by the depression. Weight gain is a factor and I have found the only key is to take it right before bed and that seems to lessen the sugar desires.

take care
trg247

trg247----thanks a million. so far so good with the remeron. still not sleeping great everynight but a couple of nights a week i sleep better than others. my husband told me after a couple of days that he was glad to see me again. remeron has really helped stabilize my mood and brought me back to being me.:wave:

Hi trg-- it doesn't matter that I take the Remeron right before bed-- I have sugar cravings all day, but am working on how to control it.
You are on 60 mgm huh? Maybe I should go back to the 30 mgm. I have so much anxiety thorughout the day- even with the Buspar.
My p-doc's covering doc called me back as I had left a message to see what types of pain meds would be ok. She was very nice-- told me it can take 2-3 months for Buspar to become effective- so maybe I need to give this med thing more time. I started on the Buspar mid August.

ICC- I'm sorry you are going through so much ....and yes I can totally relate.
When I had the gallbladder out in april I got sicker & sicker-- had every test imaginable, ER trips & now they all have me pegged as a nut case. The pain in my side never went away & I just got more & more frightened & exhausted-- anxiety /panic big time. I was even put in the hospital in May for a few days for some work ups-- thats when the panic really kicked in- I was crawling out of my skin. It continued when I came home & I was afraid to be alone-- driving was not even an option- was a total mess, still in pain with no answers. So I agreed to go to a p-doc as I knew I needed help handling whatever was wrong, thus the meds.
Fasr forward to now-- back out of whack-- 3 more new docs- most likely the gall bladder pain was not the gall bladder but coming from my spine mess.
Health stuff can wear you down .
Wen the doc last week said I defiitely needed fusions at at least 3 lrvrls I truly thought I was having a nervous breakdown. I couldn't handle the little gall bladder surgery-- 3 fusions would mean majopr surgery & major recovery time-- I know I cannot handle that. Saw a doc today who feels with aggressive PT I should not need surgery-- time will tell I guess.

I hope you are feeling better.
What dose of Remeron are you on at this point? And do you take anything right now for anxiety ?

anxiousinn i thought we had similar stories. you are so right about the health issues. that's what finally made me whacko. too many all at once and no answers. i take 15 mg. of remeronabout 10:00 p.m. it has truly stabilized my mood but i still don't sleep great. i did last night but i think it's because i took a klonopin with it. don't see the dr. until oct 31st so i won't know until then if he'll up it. so far my weight is either the same or 4 pounds under. can you believe that? i always gain on these drugs. have had a couple of very mild anxiety moments but it was becasue something happened to bring it on and it went away within minutes instead of lasting endlessly. I took buspar years ago. from what i remember it's very subtle and did take awhile to kick in. had no side effects to it. buspar and klonopin are probably the only 2 drugs i have taken for depression/anxiety that worked for me and gave me no side effects. i have 3 dr. involved with my work injuries. probably need shoulder surgery first. when the spine specialist even mentions surgery on my neck i panic and run. will try everything and anything before i have it done if i have it done.:wave:

ICC-- I wanted to give you a hug, here you go (( ICC)). I read on the other thread about your losses & I"m so sorry.
YOU have "earned " your anxiety, which I know sounds crazy- but I mean you have real reason for it- post traumatic stuff.

I think health issues & family deaths, particularly unexpected as you have had cause tremendous legitimate fear. And we struggle to be free of fear & pain & when we can't, thus anxiety/panic-- loss of control......oh it all stinks !

On the Remeron-- 15 mgm is low, you will probably have it upped to 30 which is considered the minimum effective dose. I was put back down to 22.5 because I had major constipation & felt sedated through the day at 30 mgm. I do not feel sedated during the day on the 22.5 mgm which I take at night & sleep straight through.

I don't know , I still think I just need an anxiety med, not an antidepressant- if I wasn't panicked I wouldn't be depressed. But it seems they like to put you on these antidepressants...I still have a lot to learn !

Anxiousagain-- have you gone back on the Remeron yet ??

anxiousinnj-------i'm sorry but sometimes my mind can't remember anything. i know you're taking buspar now. did the remeron help? i've noticed the past two nights i took a klonopin about an hour before the remeron and i have slept soudly for a good 7-8 hours which is so odd for me. i'm assuming the dr. will up the dosage and hope since i have no adverse side effects now that i don't start to at a higher dosage. appetite is normal, still have a little anxiety at times but it's only when something has happened to upset me. goes away in a few minutes and is not constant as it was. you know iwish you the best. thank you for your kind words of support. life has not been easy and i have always been able to go on in the best way i could. the past 6 months have really beaten me. it a combo of a long list for the past 10 years that have finally come together and whipped my butt. i'm sure i'll come out of this too but a different person which is ok as long as i still like me.:wave:

Hi Kate,

No, I have stubbornly resisted the Remeron but am thinking about calling my doctor and asking to be put back on it as I write this. I just have not been doing well at all lately, but unfortunately it's mostly situational. I just got a call from my cousin, saying that they were taking my aunt to ICU (she has leukemia and took a turn for the worse this week). So, it appears as though I may very well be dealing with the loss of a third close family member very shortly. I don't think ADs are designed to help in my kind of situation, but I'm a wreck. I wake up with morning panic every morning. I still struggle to eat every day because I have all-day nausea (although miraculously I have not lost any weight) and I'm trying to hold myself together as best I can to help my cousins (who are losing their mom on top of our other recent family losses) as much as I can. I feel helpless, hopeless and self-absorbed. Anxiety makes you focus on yourself when you should be focusing on other people and I hate that. If I thought the Remeron would help my situation I'd be on the phone in a heartbeat.

anxiousagain------i have to agree. depends on what is bringing on the anxiety and depression. i ahve suffered so many losses as you have. i don't feel anything but time has healed those wounds. through all of the grief i have never taken anything that worked. my prayers are with you.:)

Kathy(ansiousagain),

Well, here's m,y 2 cents worth- you didn't have anynegative effects from the Remeron right? And...you really never got up to that minimum recomended dose of 30 mgm right? And you really didn't have a hard time coming off it when you stopped right?
So, I say give it another try & get up to the 30 mgm & stay there for a month. Listen to me giving advice when I'm a mess myself. It's easier to analyze others than yourself I guess.

NO, I don't think it will make everything you're going through easy- but it will probably take the top[ off that edge - specifically the morning panic. Whenever I really think it has done nothing for me I have to stop & remember that morning panic-- it is horrible. I used to wake up in terror ! I'd feel like "oh no-- I don't want to be awake again". That did stop after I started the Remeron-- if I remember right it was just a few weeks. I kow it was before the Buspar was added, so the Remeron must have helped that. My anxiety creeps in through the day-- like twinges.
I think you should try it-- what you are going through now is only going to exacerbate the anxiety. And, you know you can take a Xanax if you get increased anxiety that first week or two-- which I don't think you got last time. PLus if anything it will keep you from losing weight--I know it didn't do wonders for your appetite, but you weren't on it long enough & at high enough dose.
Don't try to sweat this out on your own- I am working hard on the stubborn thing too !
I split my Buspar into 7.5 mgm doses thinking I just don't want lots of all this stuff in my system.

ICC- yes I'm taking Buspar 7.5 mgm 3-4 times througout the day. When I take 15 mgm at once I feel way too weird for an hour or so, then anxiety would creep in. I thought by splitting the dose up & taking 3-4 times per day I won't get that initial weird feeling & maybe the anxiety will stay away. But I am still getting breakthrough anxiety. But I think it is all do my pain & fear of my health problems - fear of being disabled with this back mess. Afraid of more pain & not being able to handle it & going crazy. Afraid of not being able to work & being in worse financial messes than I already am & leaving a mess to my kids-- on and on and on....mostly just afraid of not being able to live life anymore. Yeah, I think this has to be depression-- certainly isn't normal !
Oh well- here's hoping we all have an anxiety free weekend !

anxiousinnj

Xanax as a long term solution is the absolute best drug for anxiety and panic. I would suggest trying that or another form of Benzidiazepine. This class of drugs is specifically for anxiety problems and have minimal side effects. I got drowsy for the first week and then I have had none. Try it. What is the worst that could happen. I have tried SSRI's, Buspar, Remeron... etc. and most gave me horrible anxiety as a result. Buspar was the exception. I didn't have bad effects from that one, but I also didn't find it very effective.

Good luck.

good morning all-------i have to oagree about the benzo's. i have been taking klonopin off and on for about 4-5 years. worked wonders for the anxiety when i was going through PTSD counseling. this time the anxiety is accommpanied by a bad depression. klonopin was doing nothing for me. that's where the remeron came in.

anxiousinnj------iuntil you said it i didn't realize the morning anxiety i was suffering is gone. used to wake up in a panic and it wouldn't subside for hours. my daughter mentioned to me one day that she thought it was because i wasn'tn working due to the injuries and since i. used to getting up at 5:00 a.m. and running that something felt wrong to me. made sense. the remeron has removed that first thing in the morning. i also have break throughs of anxiety and depression during the day but it subsides much more quickly than before the remeron. i take it about 10:00 p.m. and have noticed about dinner time i start going down. i think i'll call the dr. instead of waiting until the 31st. maybe i need to be upped to 30mg.at this point. going to ask him if i can take 15 in the morning and 15 at night instead of 30 at once. seems not to be making it the full 24 hours. what do youthink?

anxiousagain-----it sounds like it might be worth a try for you to start remeron again. what were your side effects and how long did they last?:wave:

anxiousagain-----it sounds like it might be worth a try for you to start remeron again. what were your side effects and how long did they last?:wave:

Well, you and anxiousinnj are seriously making me reconsider the Remeron. My aunt passed very early this morning and so now I have yet another funeral to face. It's all just become too overwhelming for me at this point.

There were two main reasons I came off the Remeron (besides just hating the fact that I had to resort to meds to get through this thing called life). Number one was that I felt like the pills had numbed me and thus were not allowing me to grieve properly. I still think that was the case because I've been wallowing in crying misery since I stopped taking them. I think it's important that I allow myself that kind of emotional release, painful as it is.

The second reason I stopped them was that they were becoming WAY too sedating. I could sleep a good ten hours and still wake up exhausted, although if I'm being honest, I'm still waking up exhausted without them...just not spending quite as many hours in bed. I cannot even imagine splitting doses and taking half in the morning and half at night as you suggest. That would probably have me sleeping round the clock. I suppose I could work myself up to a little higher dose and see if that eliminates the fatigue, but I'm leery.

I just want my life back. I want to wake up happy and excited about life. I want to enjoy all the things I used to enjoy doing before the anxiety and subsequent depression set in. I'm still pretty certain a pill can't do that for me. It scares the living daylights out of me that I might never feel the way I used to. I've never felt this way in my entire life. Having watched so many people die lately, I'm also back to obsessing about my own health. I have to go in for routine bloodwork soon and I'm terrified that they are going to find something deadly wrong with me. Yes, I'm a mess.

I still have clonazepam/klonopin available as needed, but I haven't touched it. First of all, I don't think it does much for me (at least at the .25mg dose I was prescribed). Second, I fear the rebound anxiety that might materialize when I come off it. And third, I've read that benzos can actually cause depresion. That's the LAST thing I need right now!

ocdengineer,
Yes i agree ther's nothing like good old Xanax. I have used it sparingly in the past, like 1/2 of a .25 mgm tab with excellent results, except the rebound anxiety can be a killer.

My p-doc did give me quite a generous supply of Xanax with refills- but her plan was for me to get onto an anti depressant along with the Buspar. She didn't want me to take Xanax for the long term as you tend to need a higher & higher dose.
I think once you know the relief you can get with a Benzo, Buspar doesn't cut it...I'm just guessing here. I'm still playing with the dosing & timeing of the Buspar though to give it a fair chance.

ICC- hmmm 15 mgm of Remeron in the AM & 15 mgm in PM-- do you think it will make you groggy through the day ?
It's interesting though-- my p-doc called me back just yesterday & I was telling her I was playing with the Buspar & hoped she was ok with that. She said she gives the patient times to take the meds merely for convenience- BUT if a patient finds a better way, then that is fine- she said whatever works for your situation. Because the Remeron can be sedating that is why it's usually prescribed at nite- BUT-- I have noticed lately that let's say I take my Remeron ( 22.5 mgm) maybe around now ( 10:30 PM), I'm still on the computer or working or writing bills or whatever at 12:30 or so. When I stay up after taking the Remeron rather than going right to bed- I have noticed that that time is the best I feel- mentally & even with my physical aches & pains. So,that's something maybe we should look into-- splitting the dose. Guess we would have to give it a few weeks as even if we are groggy at first, that may subside with time.

It really helps to have people here to talk to doesn't it?

anxiousinnj

I have tried to take the Remeron half in the morning and the other half at night, so 30mg at each dose. It did not seem any different then when I took the full 60mg at night. I have been at this dose close to a year now and I am not really too sure if it is helping or doing nothing at all.

trg247

I went on Remeron and gained 50 pounds... Then it took 2 months to lose 10. i was hungry all the time. Finally i went on something else that worked much better.

feefiefofum,
And was was it you took that worked better ?

thanks

anxiousinnj-----i'm going to ask the dr. if he thinks this will work the 15 mg twice a day since i am having no negative side effect to the remeron it just doesn't seem to last the 24 hours. i am so med sensitive that it makes more sense to me to balance it out through the day instead of taking the whole amount in one sitting and since it doesn't help me sleep or make me groggy i don't have a problem with taking it in the morning. i'll leave it up the dr. since he was very good at listening and trying different things. :wave:

Well, I just broke down, called my doctor's office and suggested I be put back on the Remeron. I gave myself a good month without it to try to struggle through this on my own, but I'm not feeling any better and that scares the living daylights out of me. I am so afraid I will never get my life back. Still forcing food, still hating to get out of bed every morning, still deriving absolutely no pleasure from all the things I used to love. Life looks really hopeless right now and I can't even bear the thought of facing the upcoming holidays feeling the way I do. So, my doc has left the office for the day and I was told she'll call me back tomorrow. I'm thinking I'm going to try moving up to 22.5mg to alleviate the overwhelming sedation I felt at 15mg and to hopefully achieve a stronger antidepressant effect (which I really didn't get too much of at 15mg). I suspect she'll recommend I go up to 30mg but I worry that I might experience constipation at that level (I already have hemorrhoids and don't need that particular side effect), but we'll see how it goes. How are the rest of you faring on the drug and what dosage are you currently at? Any side effects? Other than sedation, I had no side effects at 15mg, which is why I'd like to give this drug another go rather than try another one. Also went in for general bloodwork this morning to see if anything there (like thryroid) might be contributing to my mental disorders. Now, of course, I'm fretting over all the things that might show is wrong with me. Health anxiety is what fueled this (my first) bout with depression.

Hi Kathy,

I've been thinking about you & was going to post "where are you post"...loL?
I'm sorry you're still feeling like you do & here I was thnking I bet she's fine now.....
Misery loves company as they say-- I feel everything you wrote in your post. It really hurts to not get pleasure from things I used to be passionate about- taking care of my home & garden- Halloween-- I used to LOVE Halloween. I don't have one fall decoration up.
Part of all this is my back pain & fear of what's coming down the road with that....I am petrified of surgery & what will become of me with that.

But, I think you did the right thing asking to go back on the Remeron. The sedated feeling will get less- I promise. I am, still at 22.5 mgm at night & still sleep solid through the night-- my only escape from myself & this back.
But I am very awake during the day.
I see my p-doc next week & for once I am eager as she said she had some ideas to help me but she didn't want to change meds when I last spoke to her as I was going for facet injections in my back & she didn't want to interfere with that.
I now want something to make this depression feeling go away !!!!! I will eagerly try whatever she suggests. I can't believe I have gotten to this point, but I so desperately want to feel happy again that I'll try anything. Perhaps going up to the 30 mgm on the Remeron might make a difference - if she thinks it might I will try.

As for worries about constipation-- get yourself right on a fiber supplement is you docs say it's ok . I use fiber tablets & they work great-- just make you normal. That will alleviate that worry for you.

Maybe we can get through these holidays together....I am dreading it soo much & used to plan Christmas in September.......sigh....just make it all come & be gone.

HOpe I didn't depress you more.....just want you to know you aren't alone.
I know if my health would clear up for just a while I'd be good, but it doesn't look like that's going to happen, so I guess drugs it is, which I was so against before.

Let me know what your doc says & how you are feeling ok ?

anxiousinnj (Kate)

Hi Kate,

Thank you for the response. I do feel like I've found a kindred spirit in you (albeit under less than desirable circumstances) given that we started the Remeron right around the same time. I hear you on the lack of motivation to celebrate Halloween. Autumn always used to be my favorite time of the year. Now I'm dreading the shorter/darker days.

I'm so sorry to hear you are in physical pain on top of the emotional pain. I guess I'm fortunate in that regard. I will pray that you feel better before you have to face the prospect of surgery again.

Yes, much as I hate to admit it, I know I did the right thing in calling the doc. I remember when I first went to see her and she prescribed the Klonopin "as needed," she told me that there was no point in forcing an AD on a patient until they came to the conclusion that they really needed to be on one. Although it goes against everything I believe in, I think I've finally come to that conclusion. I still don't know how (or if) ADs work, but I do believe my brain chemicals are out of whack thanks to all the trauma I've been through in the past 4 months. I've also read that the longer depression goes untreated, the harder it is to treat. So, I'm going to have to pray REALLY, REALLY hard that I give it a fair try and the Remeron works this time, because honestly, I don't know how much longer I can keep pushing myself to do all the things I need to do (eat, drink, etc.) to survive. It's just so exhausting. I don't expect a miracle from the drugs, but I hope to at least be able to function again.

Please do keep me updated on what you p-doc has in mind for you. Like you, I am desperate for any kind of relief I can get at this point...and I too NEVER thought I'd see the day I'd feel like that. There were times in my life when I thought I was depressed, but now I know what true depression really is. It's so true that someone who has never experienced it firsthand could never understand. I've tried explaining it to a lot of people in my life and most of them think I just need to change my outlook on life and get out and do more (as if I wouldn't be if I could!).

Regarding the fiber tablets, are you on a prescription brand or OTC? I've seen those fruit-flavored ones advertised on TV and think I could handle them if I have to. If I work up to the 30mg, over a few weeks, perhaps it won't even be a problem.

Happy or still depressed, I will most definitely be here to help you through the holidays. While I was still on the Remeron, I did a little Christmas shopping so I know I felt a little better then than I do now. It's gotten to the point that on the rare occasion I do go shopping I only buy the bare necessities. I'm so convinced that I might not survive this ordeal that I can't even imagine splurging on anything. That's not to mention that I derive no pleasure from shopping these days either.

I'll post again tomorrow after I talk to my doc or her assistant.

anxiousagain (Kathy)

anxiousinnj and anxiousagain*******i'm so sorry you are both having so many problems and are so sad. i am still taking the 15 mg. of remeron with no side effects at all. i did call the psychiatrist last week and haven't gotten a call back. have an appt. with him on the 31st. will seee at that point if he wants to raise it or stay the same. as far as sleeping goes i have good nights straight through 8 hours and some night i just can't fall asleep. the depression has eased up considerably. still have an occassional anxiety attack but they don't last half as long or are half as bad. i am assuming it is the remeron. been on it about a month now with no problems. don't want to rock the boat by upping it and creating any side effects. my prayers are with you both. it is so difficult having no interest, being in pain physical or mental and not being able to help yourself. i too have been to you know where and back and at times felt down for a week or two. this was something totally different. no interest in anything, crying all the time, eating non-stop. just couldn't go out alone without crying or panicking. just horrible for months. glad i started the ball rolling and found a psychiatrist that listened when i told him about all the problems i've had over the years with AD's. holidays are just sad around here. my daughter is missed so much by me and my other 2 daughters that the emptiness is always more prominent at the holiday table. sometimes my youngest doesn't even eat with us. it's just too difficult. along with so many others who aren't here. i started years ago trying to bring it back to a happy season and avoiding all the bull. spend less and try to enjoy what's left of my family more. i am here for both of you and hope you will both feel you can share. Prayers:angel:

anxiousagain,
I do share one of your symptoms, the one where you lose your appetite. No one can understand when I tell them my anxiety and depression take away my desire to eat. I feel your pain in that area, because I know what it is like to try and keep eating and drinking when your stomach does not send the message to the brain, feed me... My stomach can be growling like crazy and yet I could care less about eating. I do have breakthroughs and this usually happens when I am away from home. I was at a wedding reception over the weekend and with all the bright lights and chatter going on and laughter, I suddenly found myself hungry and was able to eat dinner when it was served and I actually found I was looking forward to each course. The next day, nothing.....my appetite was gone again. I think it's the depression and when it finally heals then our appetites will come back normal again. Don't give up, I have been this way for 4 months now. I am on medication and I keep thinking things should be turning around soon.

cecropia, I'm so sorry to hear you've lost your appetite as well. That's my most disturbing symptom. Like you, when I tell people this they just don't get it. I too sometimes hear my stomach growling and yet I interpret hunger as nausea. What medication are you taking and at what dosage? Most ADs are supposed to increase appetite and/or cause weight gain. Through sheer willpower (and total lack of motivation to exercise like I used to) I have managed to maintain my weight for the past 4 1/2 months. So, while I'd really like to enjoy eating again, I'm not really looking to gain weight. I'm positive the loss of appetite is a byproduct of my anxiety/depression. In fact, it happened to me once before. I also think I've figured out the reason for it: When I'm severely anxious and depressed, I lose interest in eveything I once loved doing and eating just happens to be one of those things.

anxiousinnj, my doc called me back today and we've decided to start me back on the Remeron at 15mg for one week. Then we'll try 22.5mg for 4 weeks. If I'm still not feeling better by then, she said we'll possibly work up to 30mg. She also suggested Lexapro as an alternative, but I was reluctant to try that because of the nausea side effect. With not wanting to eat and all, I thought that might be too much for me to handle. I don't know. I just hope the Remeron does it for me this time around. I'm just feeling miserable all around these days. I've had a pretty bad cold for a month and last night I awoke to a bad case of indigestion that lasted for several hours. It was pretty intense, to the point that I thought I might be having a gallbladder attack, but it tended to ease up some as I shifted positions and gradually subsided as the hours went by. It seems to be gone now but I fear it will return over night. See, I told you I obsess about every little health problem!

ICC, I'm so glad the Remeron is still working for you. Given all that you've been through, you serve as an inspiration to the rest of us.

anxiousagain****thanks for the vote of confidence. it feels good. i am wishing you the best with starting the remeron again. keep in touch. i took lexapro once at 10 mg. and hated it. it made me sick to the stomach and more anxious than i already was. for some odd reason remeron is the only med i have not had ugly side effects fro, don't know what will happen if it's upped. but i 'm willing to try anything not to feel like i did for so many months. prayers are there. try to keep your chin up. i know it's hard:dizzy:

anxiousagain,
I am on buspirone(buspar) like anxiousinj. I take 20mg. split into 4 doses. I tried the ssri's and couldn't tolerate the side effects. I have tried wellbutrin also, didn't last only a week on that one. I asked my dr. about remeron and she said no, because I have problems with dizziness too much. No one here has mentioned being dizzy on remeron so I don't know where she is coming from on that one. I was on xanax 14yrs. ago for about a month and I will never forget the side effects of coming off. I have not taken any benzos since then. I would take the benzos again if it meant saving my life because nothing else was working, but I would also want some guarantee that I could stay on it forever so I wouldn't have to go through the withdrawal again. Anyway as a last resort I have been taking St. John's Wort for my depression for about a month now and have just upped my dose to the allowed 3 per day about two weeks ago. It might be all in my mind but I feel it is working or else the buspirone is also finally working which also has some weak anti depressant qualities. I have been on the buspirone since July 1st, so I'm thinking it is also starting to work. It can take 4 to 6 months for buspirone to really take effect.

ok ladies ----- here's the update on my remeron use. after about 4 weeks the 15 mg wasn't doing anything for me. i started eating non-stop and just laying around all day. went to see the psychiatrist on the 31 st of oct. and he said he was going to raise it to 30 mg. and added deseryl since i still wasn't sleeping good. only took the deseryl twice as he said to use it as needed for sleep. after taking the 30 mg. of remeron 5 nights i ended up as depressed as i was and laying in bed thinking constantly about what i could eat next. i don't no why it was great for 4 weeks and then this happened but i didn't take one last night and slept pretty good and will start today to wean myself of of them. am switching back to my PTSD counselor this wed and hope we can help me together without meds. I know w=once i start having side effects like this it will get no better until i am free of them so i am really hoping i can get it together through therapy and avoid going through this with meds. I have always had a horrible reaction to AD's and am just not willing to keep trying more since i have taken every class and multiple ones in each class. someone wrote and i can't remember who it was the remeron caused her to eat chocolate ice-cream out of the box at night. that's exactly what i felt like for the past 2 days.:eek:

ICC,

OH boy-- I am sitting here laughing- yes- i am STILL eating ice cream right out of the container & it MUST chocolate !! MY jeans are getting tight & this has to stop.
My doc just increased me to 30 mgm as I'm having health isues that really have me down. But if I continue to gain weight- that is going to get me down, so I'm not sure where I'm headed here either.
I hope you do well with counseling because I am not hoooked on the iodea of these meds- I just don't know what else to do as I feel like I'm caught in the middle of it all.

I will write later as I'm at work & need to run....

anxiousinnj

anxiousinnj****i thought it was you but wasn't sure. i was laughing at myself yesterday. laid in bed all day thinking about what i could eat next. have a trmemdous appetite for cake. i know it's the drug and being a dibetic i have to stop taking it beofre it creates problems i don't already have and believe me i have enough right now. hopefully i can wean myself off by tapering the dosage for a few days. i didn't take one last night and have had no reaction so i'll take a 15 mg tonight and then skip 2 days and take another 15 mg and then skip 3 days and take the last 15 mg i have. i hope that does it because as i said after a month the 15 wasn't doing anything i was back to befor i took it and after 6 days on the 30 mg all the horrible things i have going on were worse. when i first started it i had almost immediate positive results. don't know what happened but it's not new to me with AD. i saw my PTSD counselor for almost 2 years so i'm sure i'll get further with her than the new counselor they put me with. she was nice but very young and i did all the talking unless she was comparing her father's problems to mine. i felt like i was helping her at times. my PTSD counselor reads between the lines with me and if i can't come up with what's going on she helps. plus i think everything that has happened to me in the past 6 mos. is registering in my mind as a trauma so she would be the best to help me deal with it all. here's hoping i will stop eating. i started to become obsessed with it. always thinking about what i wanted next. could just lay there all day and eat. looking forward to hearing from you.:wave:

ICC, If you are a diabetic you should never have been put on Remeron. This tells me that the docs really don't understand how real & serious an appetite stimulant it is--especially for sweets. You are doing the right thing getting off of it- but go slow...

When I discussed the apetite problem with my p-doc she gave me this looking down at me like I'm a child look--and said "Now you have to make wise choices-- have carrot sticks and drink lots of water". I wanted to hit her. I wanted to sceam..."Woman ! I'm talking I will go through a brick wall & sell my soul to get to a Dunkin donut!". She did not seem to understand at all.
Now she is a bit over wieght-- I am not, but will be soon. She said to me you have to decide do you want to feel mentally better & be a little over weight or do you want a perfect body & feel anxious & depressed?

I spent all last year losing weight & for the first time in many years got into a size 3-5 jeans. I was happy, felt energetic & definately not depressed. If I gain that weight back I will be mentally sicker on top of being on these drugs which in itself makes me depressed.

so, do what you have to-- you know the counselor has helped you before? Go for it ! I don't have any other options right now- I am afraid if I go off the Remeron right now I may feel worse & I can't afford to feel worse because I have some intense health issues I am trying to cope with-- not a time for any big changes.

Do let me know how long it takes for you appetite to calm down. I need to know how permanent this is, or how long it takes to go back to a normal appetite without the sweet cravings.
Let us know how you are doing.

Anxiousagain-- are you back on the Rmeron? Up to 30 mgm yet ?
Thinking about you...

anxiousinnj

aniousinnj********you do make me laugh. that's how i felt for days. i would sell my sould for a Krispy Kreme in a heartbeat. I haven't taken the remeron for 2 straight nights and appetite is normal. i'm curious to see what effect it has on water retention since my hands and feet are swollen. you're right with diabetes and HBP i should never have been put on it but i think since it's the only drug i haven't tried he was grasping at straws. i took the last one (30 mg) on sat night and don't have any withrawal syptoms. i remeber stopping elavil cold turkey after taking it for years and had a horrible time within 2 days. i have 3 15 mg. left so if i start to feel funny i will span them out until i'm over it. i just don't think i'm meant to be chemically altered because i have horrible side effects to all AD's. going to stick to my klonopin as needed since it's the only one that hasn't created problems for me and spend another year or two with the PTSD counselor. God willing i will put this all behind me someday. i really have to learn how to deal with unbearable stress. i'm not talking about the day to day stuff. you know what i mean. the stuff that really beats you down and you can't find a way out of. with me right now it's my health and the work injuries all happening at once. I know aht you mean about the weight. I was a sixe 2-4 until late 40's. hurt my back and had to take oral steroids and had many injections. gained around 50 pounds almost over night. and then the elavil for pain didn't help. I finally was able to lose 35 pounds and keep it off for two years. felt great and hubby said i looked great. could wear jeans with a zipper again LOL diabetes under control, HBP under control. felt great and then was injured at work. back to square one with the oral steroids and the injections. gained 25 pounds in a couple of months, feel like crap and think i look it too. all i want is to get well physically and mentally get the 25 pounds off and get on with my life. dr. after dr. and no answers to certain problems. even the work injuries are hanging. surgery on neck and shoulder?????? maybe but no definite answers. go to physical therapy 3 xs a week and one of the girls when she measures how far up i can get my arm pushes it higher. i told her never to do that to me again. i am so sick of arguing with people and having a fight everywhere i go. no i don't hurt as much as i did when i was first injured but am not even 50% better. people just don't listen MY PCP does but i have had so much aggravation with the staff in certain dr.s offices that i have started to do their job just to get it right. no one that doesn't feel well wants to put up with this but i have felt i had to at times to avoid more aggravation for me. i have since stopped worrying about it all. if i get treament great. if they don't know what they're doing to pull it together i tell the dr. i'm not doing anyone's job for them anymore. that's how i got injured in the first place. doing everything i could to make it work while others were on break. i;m fed upwith it all and have been telling people everywhere i go that i am sick of incompetent people taking care of things that pertain to my health. turning into a real "B". the girl who does my evals at physical therapy told me last week that maybe i should try focusing on the positive. i was so offended so when i see her again in 2 weeks i intend to tell her . she knows nothing about me except my work injuries and i will tell her i was offended in that there are times that i have no positive in my life. maybe if she knew all the losses i have suffered and they were hanging on me that day she would watch what she says to people she doesn't know. thanks for listening as i guess i have alot of pent up anger right now. be well.:wave:

ICC,

It's really good to type & vent-- get it out !!!!
You sound like me & I know how horrible it feels. You don't want to be this witchy woman- but situations make you that way.
I go to PT 3 x week also- trying to see if strenghening the back muscles can help avoid surgery. One day I'm thinking I can beat this- then the next the pain is so bad I feel it's all a waste of time- & what I have to shuffle in order to get to PT is a nghtmare in itself. And then it's all the phone calls & health insurance nightmare- our plan stinks I I have put out over $11,000 now this year out of pocket. I don't make that much because I am working part time & having difficulty doing that- so it's a big viscious circle.

Sometimes I get so frightened thinking of what will happen to me if I have to have this back surgery-- they are talking triple level fusions. I don't think I can handle it. No one that can help me at home & my house woud be impossible to navigate wile I'm recovering-- AND there's no guarantee the surgery would help & may even be worse !
Just want my life back.....so I know how you feel. It's like a bad dream.
Then there's all the normals tresses- kids, sick parents, financial mess-- you know the drill I'm sure.

I really would like to get off these AD's & just take something for anxiety as needed like you said.But I was in such a bad state in May I keep remembering how I was- it was terror- only way I can describe it. Every momement felt like terror. I still get anxious & frightened, but it doesn't seem to get to that out of control degree. So that's why I keep plodding along on this Remeron & Buspar.

Sigh............let's hope better days are coming for us all ;)

anxiousinnj

anxiousinnj((((((((hugs))))))))) we do have alot of parallels in out llives. i went to PT today to be told i can't do aqautic therapy anymore since i have the routine down pat. i asked the therapist why i awas being penalized for having a good memory. no answer. so i can continue at my own expense. just started to pay my own health insurance premiums $1100 a month and they think i can afford anything else. so her i sit with the painful neck, back, shoulder and no one seems to want to listen. they took my blood pressure today at therapy and sent me to my dr. it was 140/85. by the time i got to my dr. it was 175/92. all of this BS is really taking it's toal on my health. they asked today why my dr. can't put me out on disablity. i told them he could but since it's a WC case i stand to lose alot of money. hubby and i have been talking about me just retiring on disability from my pension and giving the WC cae up. it would be economic suicide but all the stress involved with dr. who don't listen and attorney's who blow you off i am starting to believe economic suicide would be better than what this is all doing to my health. who needs the money if your half dead?:eek:

I just started Remeron (60mg) added to the already xanax I have been taking for about the past seven years. I must say I am having the strangest side effect ever from a medication. Health wise I can handle it, it’s not making me sick like most other medications I have tried Paxil and almost every SSRI.

The only problem is I am having a very strange food craving. I know this sounds weird but I just can’t stop eating pickles! The weird thing is I’ve never really been a big pickle eater. I would only average about 4 to 6 pickles a year. I would never in the past even order a hamburger with pickles.

Now I can sit down and eat a whole large jar of pickles at one sitting. Last night I woke up at night to use the bathroom and went to the kitchen and ate 5 pickles and had to force myself to quit and go back to bed. I went to the store and bought 6 jars. When there I actually opened up a jar and ate one. I could not help myself. The worse thing is I put that jar back on the shelf. I just couldn't buy the 6 jars knowing one was missing.

A few days later my wife bought me 4 more very large jars. (Sam’s Club) She also bought me bananas. I could hardly eat the banana the whole time thinking about those giant jars of pickles that seemed to be calling my name from the pantry.

I need to talk to my doctor but not sure how. How do I tell his receptionist that I’m having bad side effects from the Remeron and eating pickles non-stop?

I have a major health concern about eating a diet strictly of pickles. I started taking a multi vitamin but consume between 20 to 25 pickles a day. Is that unhealthy? Will the acidic juice hurt my stomach after awhile?

I’m thinking of just stopping the Remeron but I've taken many medications with much worse unbearable side effects. So I eat a lot of pickles. Maybe they are healthy?

I heard Remeron takes a week to really work. Maybe I will try it for a few more days and see how it goes. Anyone else have any strange food cravings from Remeron? This is so weird. strange. Will these side effects just go away? Thanks Dave

hi dave*****that's what made me stop taking it. i was obsessed with food. just certain foods. but i couldn't get my mind off it. there are a couple of us that would sell our souls for certain foods. it stopped as soon as i stopped taking it.:wave:

Hi Dave,

Forgive me but I can't stop laughing. Yours in the funniest post I've ever read.
But believe me I totally understand what you are saying.
For me it is sweets-- I tell myself to stop & it is like I am a robot that just keeps opening that cookie jar-- it's disgusting !!!
Everyday I say to myself--this is it! Protien, no carbs--- as I start nibbling anything sweet.

But pickles is just too funny. I am picturing you with the 6 jars of pickles , eating one out of the jar & putting it back-- this is like a comedy movie !
I am not a pickle eater at all, but recently we went out for lunch & there was lrge pickle on my plate. Myhusband always takes my pickles-- but I wanted this one. Weird !!!
But generally it's sweets that I can't resist.

Something that comes to mind is that you were started right off at a high dose. Most of us started at 15 mgm & worked up slowly. I've been on Remeron since May & I just went up to 30 mgm this past week.
Maybe starting at a lower dose won't have quite as drastic effect--- watch out for the Krispy Kremes though...:D

anxiousinnj

Hi anxiousinnj I’m glad someone finds my side effects humorous I certainly don't and am 100% serious. Someone else told me that was a very high dosage I ‘m cutting it down to 15mg or nothing until I can see my P-Doc.

Why pickles of all things? I usually crave sweets normally I would think if this happened I would be camping out at our local Krispy Kremes.

Whenever I get bad side effects I usually worry that they will stay even when I go off the medication. This always put me in a panic whenever I've tried SSRI’s I’m so worried that this very strange side effect won’t go away. Is Remeron very long acting? When will it be out of my system if I stop today? I need relief Thanks Dave

Oh Dave-I'm sorry-- I know you are serious & completely believe you & understand why you are concerned. But for just a minute, step back & read your post- you gotta laugh.
I'm sure you will alright & doubt you will over dose on pickles, but I realize this isn't a healthy diet. There's just something in those pickles satisying a craving---.
I have not gone off Remeron since starting it so I don't know how soon the cravings go away. But ICC said her sweet cravings went away quickly.

Why don't you try a lower dose first before giving up completely ?
Again, I didn't mean to offend you-- I was laughing at all of us with all these cravings- sometimes you just have to laugh at your situation just to lighten things up a bit & make it more bearable. Does that make any sense?

I understand your worry about the cravings lasting even after going off a med- I do the same thing, but I really think #1, if you stay on a while some of the side effects get less- like although I still have sweet cravings, I am not gaining more weight- things are leveling out. #2, the groggy effect of Remeron goes away the longer you are on it- I was just upped to 30 mgm & I'm doing ok with it. I tried 30 mgm a couple of months ago & couldn't handle it at all. So if you had trouble with other AD's & are really wanting to give Remeron a try, go lower & stay with it a while...& watch for pickle sales ( only kidding with you..)

anxiousinnj

I took it for 4 months and hated it. I never gain weight but I did with Remeron, about 10-15 pounds. The 1st day I took it, I walked around like a Zombie. The 2nd-5th day I felt great and after the 2nd week, I saw no difference none what so ever. I hope it works for you guys. I have tried it all and none worked. I just excercise, try to eat and sleep well and I take Xanax and/or Ativan on as needed basis :)

No need to be sorry anxiousinnj I stopped taking the Remeron for now and back to eating somewhat normal. My normal diet isn't the healthiest either but this is not the forum for that.

I showed my wife my original post and asked if she thought it was funny? She said “Well sort of” I think some people think subconsciously it is sexy for a woman to have an insatiable urge to eat pickles. Therefore a male with the same urge would have the opposite thoughts possibly even comical.

Although I don’t think Remeron will be able to help my own Panic disorder or Gad, I find it a quite a remarkable medication. It should be able to help those with anorexia and its side effects should be studied to hopefully better understand other eating disorders like bulimia or just overeating.

I hope Remeron continues to work well for you anxiousinnj helping your anxiety with minimal side effects.
Takes care Dave :)

I hope you feel better too Dave.
And I truly didn't mean to offend or upset you. It wasn't so much the pickles but they way you wrote it- I don't think it's a female or male thing.
True we do associate pregnancy food cravings with pickles- although I never had that.
You're right the effect Remeron has on appetite & food cravings should be studied.
The reason my p-doc chose Remeron for me is that I had lost a lot of weight & had no appetite- I was down to almost 100 lbs. I am now 112lbs & seems to have leveled off.
I definately think there should be a warning about giving this med to a diabetic - seems downright dangerous to me.

Take care,

anxiousinnj

good morning all*****dave i'm glad #1 that stoping the remeron helped with the cravings. i didn't crave one particular food. it was anything sweet and non-stop one after the other. as anxiousinnj said it should never be prescribed for diabetics which i am. have never been a big sweet eater. i like a good steak and baked potatoe but on the remeron i wanted nothing but sweets and lots of them. anxiousinnj wasn't laughing at you but with you as we have had our laugh about each of us selling our souls for a dunken donut. no it's not funny, it's upsettting but if you picture a couple of ladies wanting to go out in the middle of the night for some choc ice-cream it's got a funny side. also to start at 30 mg is too much.
as edz61 said i started on 15 mg. and was great for 3 weeks. appetite diminished slept pretty good, no anxiety attacks and then BOOM got up one morning 3 weeks later and was back to square one. the dr. upped it to 30 mg. and that made me really eat so i stopped taking them. tried to cal the physchiatrist who prescribed them twice and never got a call back so i planned on weaning myself off them with a 15 mg every other night for a week or so. i stopped cold turkey and had no withdrawal.

anxiousinnj--------how are you?:wave:

Hi ICC,

I'm ok-- just hungry !! hahah-- see I have to laugh- maybe the increase to 30 mgm is helping my mental state a little.
I',m of course still worried about what will happen with the spine issues, but I'm trying not to over obssess too much. Trying to force myself to think about other things. I have about 4 more PT visits & I'm getting 2cnd roound of diagnostic facet injections of wednesday, so I have to take one step at a time & hope maybe I'll be one of the lucky ones who can get by without surgery. I don't mind living with "some" pain if it doesn't thjrow me flat on my back, but I will mind tremendously if I have surgery & it doesn't work & I am stuck with a fused, immobile spine--that's my big fear....

Well-- I guess this is the wrong place to discuss that-- but it has a big impact on my anxiety , that's why I bring it up.

I hope you are having a better time of it lately- how are you feeling off of the Remeron? I hope I can get off of it & be ok. I don't like taking all of this medicine -- I take Buspar also- so who knows what is doing what ?

anxiousinnj

Anxiousagain, are you out there ?????

anxiousinnj-----i totally understand about your spine issues. that's a big part of what brought this on right now for me. possible neck surgery, possible shoulder surgery, posssible ankle surgery, possible thyroid surgery ??????????no answers for anyof it in 6 months. dr. after dr. and no answers. have been doing PT for 6 months and am maybe 20% better in all injured body parts but i just don't see how a year of therapy will "fix" them. now ith the mental stuff going on i am at my wits end. still have to have dental work finished but since i can't swallow when laid back i don't see how i'm going to do this and no one has any answers as to why i can't swallow. the last test was a modified barium swallow with a speech therapist present. she said everything in the throat area is fine but i have delayed emptying. everything seems to get hung up in my lower esophagus and that gives me the feeling in my throat. 2 dr.s orderd this. had it done on Oct 25th and don't have an answer yet. physical health concerns do a real # on your mind. i don't feel any different off the remeron. i might have been a little more mellow on it but the side effects i couldn't stand anymore. i took buspar years ago in my 30's for quite awhile and don't remember any adverse side effects. with everything i have going on i don't want to be on anything right now but my occassional klonopin so i am alert to what's going on. wishing you the best as always.
i still have to laugh everytime i think of you in the freezer eating the choc ice-cream out of the box. not being a sweat eater to begin with and being diabetic now i spent a couple of days obsessing about what junk i could eat next. i even started hiding from the family so no one knew. used to laugh thinking of you as i was standing at the kitchen counter shoving cupcakes in my face while everyone else was in bed. i wished i ahd a dog who could alert me if anyone was coming. LOL felt a little like a crazy lady.:dizzy:

Well here's one for yiou if you need a laugh :
Got my usual pang for something sweet this afternoon- opened the freezer thinking I'll just have a spoonful- and there was NO ice cream ! Just some peanut butter yick stuff. Has to be chocolate-- Edy's Slow churned !
I frnatically ( and I mean frantically) ran out to the garage to the spare freezer -- nothing !! I went into a panic-- so now I am thinking about pickles which made me nauseous- I finally settled on a chocolate grham cracker- but I am furious that there is no Edy's Slow churned Choc Fudge ice cream to be had. This could be a rough night.....although I did some some of thos mini frozen eggclairs...

Yes we are in the same mode with fright of what surgery may be next or worse-- the pain will go on forever. With your esophagus- it sounds a bit like reflux. They can diagnose that with a barium swallow, but may need to do the long version. Have you had an endoscopy done? That may be wise if it hasn't been done & is a piece of cake test-- conscious sedation, miracle of modern medicne. I will be getting some on Wednesday with my facet injections.

I hope you're feeling better soon. You're lucky though to have insurance pick up PT for 6 months! I've only had almost 6 weeks & I don't believe they will allow more, although I think if I had more time I would have a lot more improvement. My abd & back muscles are much stronger & I can feel things being held in better. I am working very hard to try to avoid surgery-- because I know I will end up with panic attacks again if I have surgery & I just can't go through that again !!! Plus I am petrified of rods & screws being in my spine...ugh.

anxiousinnj

anxiousinnj((((((((((((hugs))))))))))))) ) you are too funny. i remember one night i knew there was this little piece of a large candy bar left. woke in the middle of the night and ran for it. well it wan't there. i stomped my feet back up stairs to bed, slammed doors you name it. hubby asked what was wrong and when i told him he didn't believe me. the next morning he asked again and still can't believ i flipped out like that over one bite of a candy bar. since then i make sure i'm safe and there's something LOL ;) my acid reflux which i've had for years has excalated into alot more. need an endoscopy to see how bad my esophagus and stomach are. the work injuries have created havoc with my personal health. aspirin for my BP which has been way up since the injuries and steroids have torn my stomach apart. the stress has reactivated my PTSD full=blown. i see my PCP today adn will tell him he has to coordinate my treatment with all dr.s. the counselor, the spince specialist, PTetc. i can't take anymore. i got a bill yesterday from my ENT saying the insurance co . wouldn't pay it. when i called the IC they said i had a work injury. what in the good Lord's name does and ENT have to do with a neck,back,shoulder, knee, ankle injury? this has become common place.they are paying all of the WC dr.s until my case is settled but noe of my regular dr. have paid for all MRI's realted to work injuries but denied my barium swallow. need to see my attorney again. i can't handle this and it's what he gets paid for. need to sit back and get well. I have two PT session scheduled this week that i think i will cancel since i have 3 dr.s appt. and can't seem to handle too much at one time.be well my frined and i am sending the prayers your way. i know the fear of the surgery questions. i get the same way when i even think of neck surgery and fusions, plates ad God knows what else they do to you.:wave:

I have the same nightmare with coordinating docs, plus all the paperwork-- I have folders all over the kitchen counter with EOB's, what has been paid , what hasn't. there isn't a day I'm not on the phone w the insurance co to argue about something & that alone is wearing me down. And tha appt schedule--- ugh. There's always a minimum of 2 docs a week, next week it is 3, & fitting in PT, plus working 2 jobs from home.

I desperatley want to eliminate some of these meds-- that also makes you feel sickly to have to take so much stuff. The increase in Remeron ( 30 mgm) may have calmed my mental a state a wee bit-- but now constipated bad ! And that's with eating lots of fiber, water & taking those fiber pills. They weighed me before they did the facet injections yesterday & I was 116-- I almost died. I know that's not over weight, but my comfort zone is no more than 110. I just want off all these meds, but at the same time petrified of the panic. I am wondering if just the Buspar would do ok for me now ? More to discuss next round with the p-doc. My goal for 2007 will be to see a psychologist to see if I can work this out without meds- just can't handle another "appointment" right now.
The spine business is what's freaking me out so badly-- I don't see a happy ending to this. The pain management doc is very kind & oprimistic, and wants to do the radio frequency business on the nerves. But in my heart I realize this isn't solving the anatomical mess that's causing the pain-- that isn't going to go away & I feel like I am trapped in someone elses body.
The nurse at the surgi center yesterday said "Oh my, you have so many things wrong with you & you are so young"-- thanks-- I fought back the tears & just wanted to run.....

Here's to better days if there is such a thing..
( There's still no Edy's Slow Churned choc fudge ice cream in the freezer...)

anxiousinnj----you are too funny. how are you dealing with the absence of the Edy's? i understand what you mean about getting it all together without meds. they all have side effects and i feel make us more uncomfortable. i have to take something for my stomach, BP, asthma and allergies but i don't want to take anything else. dr.s prescribe pain killers that i don't even fill. yes they would help but i don't want to be drugged all day or take more pills. i am sending some prayers up for you. i know the spine issue is frightening. my spine specialist told me i wasn't having surgery any time soon even if it takes years of PT to get relief enough to live a good life. i was very happy with that news. i can only say that the nurse was cold. people in that profession really need to think before they talk. i don't know what to say about the remeron. i loved it for 3 weeks and then it made me nuts and even worse when it was upped to 30. i only took the 30 for 5 days. maybe had I given it longer it might have worked but i couldn't stand it. i think i told you i took buspar years ago for years. never side effects and no withdrawal going off it. my PCP wants me on something to help me cope while going through counseling. my counselor and I have a lot of work to do and he doesn't want me walking around feeling sad or anxious all the time. plus my quality of sleep stinks. so i am of the the phsychiatrist on tuesd. hopefully he will come up with something since i don't look forward to paying co-pay after co-pay and throwing all sorts of meds out. be well my friend and let me know what goes on with you.:wave:

This thread has gone way off the topic of Remeron and is now closed.
If you want to start a new thread to discuss your experiance with Remeron that's fine, please do so...BUT stay on topic.

Thank you for your cooperation.
Ms_Mod