remeron withdrawal

[dgottschalk]

Hi all, im new here and i am wondering if anyone has ever completely tapered off remeron and recovered from it. i have been on it for over a year now and have tapered from 45mg to 22.5 mg i went from 45mg to 30 mg then to 22.5mg, it seems to take around 2 months to get over the withdrawals. the thing that scares me the most is after all the different threads that i have read is that i never come across anyone who has recovered from this drug, it seems to be one of the hardest to get over, i have come off effexor, zoloft and ativan and i would have to say remeron is the worst of them all. so if anyone has anything to share i would love to here from you, i have heard alot of good things about this sight, so hopefully someone can help me

[pax80]

HI!
I don't believe remeron can be the worst of them all. what i believe is that remeron is covering up the withdrawal from the previous meds you've taken and now you're getting hit by it.

could you please tell us your story for us to suggest you a reliable taper schedule

[LCrawford67]

TCG is completely off of Remeron and Palm is presently tapering. You may want to PM either of them.

[dgottschalk]

Originally Posted by pax80

HI!
I don't believe remeron can be the worst of them all. what i believe is that remeron is covering up the withdrawal from the previous meds you've taken and now you're getting hit by it.

could you please tell us your story for us to suggest you a reliable taper schedule

yes i was on effexor for around 3 months and could not tolerate the side effects, was on37.5mg then was put on remeron and ativan. i have been off the effexor for one year now, and six months off ativan, the ativan i was taking was 1mg twice daily, i have been tapering the remeron since late may, any suggestions on how i could taper better?

[Rachelina]

For SSRIs we recommend tapering by 10% of your current dose every 3 - 6 weeks, and I imagine it would be the same for Remeron. So if you are on 22.5 mg now, maybe your next dose could be 20 mg, then 18 mg, then 16.2 mg, etc. Though some people do need to go slower. You should also get the opinion of the people who have tapered Remeron.

[Tcg]

Originally Posted by LCrawford67

TCG is completely off of Remeron and Palm is presently tapering. You may want to PM either of them.

Almost, a week to go at 1/16th of 15 mg. I am however all but completely recovered. I was on Paxil for 10 years and Remeron for 7+ so recovery is possible even with those numbers. For me the Remeron has been the toughest, but it is the last and I suspect that pax80 is right that it may have been covering the other withdrawal. I had to go very slowly, it took at least 2 months after each drop and I never felt "right" during the drops only more functional towards the end of each one until very recently. As we have learned though, each indivdual's experience is unique to some degree. I don't know what it would have been like if Remeron had been the only med.

I couldn't remember things like my phone number and driving directions and such for a long time.

"Trent, how do you get home from here?"

Tcg - "Well you take a... you go uhhh that way... on that street there and then turn... at that uh red light thing or green... then you take that other... um road. Do you have a map?"

"It's a half mile from here right?"

Tcg - "Yeah, it gets uh... comp... compli... ca... sion?... what's that word?... it's hard is what I'm trying to uh... say!"

That's not completely gone, but I'm more of a landmark guy instead of a road name and cardinal direction guy anyway. My memory has improved drastically however, and I can remember my phone number pretty quickly unless I'm real tired. I can even remember most of the words to songs I've written. That's a big plus and a great joy. Music was dead to me or rather I to it for years. It became a mechanical excercise. No longer, and I am feeling everything now, well almost. That was a key to my recovery as well.

[danray0069]

I am in recovery from Valium addiction 1 year ago and was put on Remeron the day I started the detox. 6 weeks ago I reduced Remeron from7.5mg to 3.75mg and I feel terrible. I think my symptoms may be underlying Valium WDs cos theyre so BAD. Has anyone experienced muscle tension, muscle twitching/spasms, cramps, tinnitus or severe pins and needles coming off Remeron? If no then I will know that my symptoms are from the Valium. Please reply here as I'm very ill and desperate! danray0069

[Tcg]

Originally Posted by danray0069

6 weeks ago I reduced Remeron from7.5mg to 3.75mg and I feel terrible.0069

That's a 50% jump, one my body could never tolerate. A 10% drop felt huge at times. I don't feel qualified to give direct advice to anyone, but if I were in your shoes (I have been in similar ones) I'd slow down a lot. Check my signature for more details. If I remember correctly, I did a 25% drop once and couldn't handle it.

Edit: Yep, right there the first one on 2/21/07, had to go back up on 3/02/07.

[danray0069]

I really did not know how bad coming off Remeron would be. I came off Valium 1 year ago and was put on REmeron the day I began a rapid detox of the Valium. I reduced from 30mg Rem to 22.5mg then to 15mg then to 7.5mg over last 7 months and my symptoms were bad for 3 weeks each time but my last drop from 7.5mg to 3.75mg (6 weeks ago) has been horrific! What are your symptoms ? Do you get muscle twitches, cramps, pins needles or muscle tension? Please be specific as i'm trying to distinguish between underlying Valium WDs and new Remeron WDs. ANY IDEA HOW LONG YOU WERE ILL AFTER EACH DOSE DROP? THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO READ AND REPLY. YOU ARE WONDERFUL People!!!!!!!! Regards danray0069

[danray0069]

ALSO MY TINNITUS SYMPTOMS(CAUSED BY VALIUM WD)HAVE GOTTEN WORSE SINCE THE REMERON REDUCTION.

[danray0069]

TCG how do you manage such small dose drops. Smallest can cut mine is in quarters (3.75mg)Remeron

[Tcg]

Originally Posted by danray0069

I reduced from 30mg Rem to 22.5mg then to 15mg then to 7.5mg over last 7 months and my symptoms were bad for 3 weeks each time but my last drop from 7.5mg to 3.75mg (6 weeks ago) has been horrific!

For whatever reason, the last half of the taper seems to be harder for many than the first half. It sure was for me. Again read my signature for details. I'd procede very slowly at this point if I were you.

Originally Posted by danray0069

What are your symptoms ? Do you get muscle twitches, cramps, pins needles or muscle tension? Please be specific as i'm trying to distinguish between underlying Valium WDs and new Remeron WDs.

I had much of that stuff even before withdrawal. I was also on Paxil for many years so its all but impossible for me to detemine what syptoms were related to which med. Don't worry about which symptoms are from which med. Concentrate rather on what you need to do now to mantain some level of health.

Originally Posted by danray0069

ANY IDEA HOW LONG YOU WERE ILL AFTER EACH DOSE DROP?

It varied widely based on the level I was at and on other hard to determine variables. For the second half, 6 weeks was almost the standard minimum, some drops much longer. The best you can do is learn to read your own body to determine the timing for the next drop. You can only "science it out" to a minor degree and most of this is really more of an art. A delicate one at that, you will get better at it as time goes on. Good luck and hang tough.

[palm]

Hi,

I have twice tried to respond to your private messages but they haven't worked. Here is my response.

I tapered Remeron by crushing it and putting it in an empty gel cap. I had to get a baseline measurement with the starting dose.

This was measured with a digital jewelry scale at .001g and tapered very slowly once I got below 5mg at 5% of current dose.

After I finished Remeron taper, I still had Doxepin to do. Unfortunately, I am suffering severe rebound insomnia and haven't been able to get below 4mg.

Palm

[danray0069]

I am attempting to cold turkey from last of the Mirt (no dose as of last night). I wondered if my symptoms have been related to strange interaction of valium WDs and still taking the Remeron still. Gonna see how I get on. If unbelievably bad I will reinstate at 3mg to 3.75mg. Any comments or advice?

[palm]

Originally Posted by danray0069

I am attempting to cold turkey from last of the Mirt (no dose as of last night). I wondered if my symptoms have been related to strange interaction of valium WDs and still taking the Remeron still. Gonna see how I get on. If unbelievably bad I will reinstate at 3mg to 3.75mg. Any comments or advice?

Danny,

The usual recommendation is to wait until 2.5mg to drop a med.

Also, you tapered Remeron pretty quickly from around 7mg to 3mg right? That is a pretty steep drop.

Of course, your strategy may work but I would observe very carefully.

I know when I got below 5mg, I had to taper it at 5% of current dose.

Palm

[danray0069]

Hi Palm, I will only persevere if I don't get much worse cos I was feeling very ill even before stopping altogether yesterday. Can you rember how long your WDs lasted coming off Remeron? I am so tired of all this. Had 1 year of Valium WDs just before THIS Remeron WD! Please if you have details of how long before improvement. Sorry if I repeat anything only I am corresponding on a benzo WD site too. Thank you Palm and best of luck and health to you.

[Mixter]

Remeron withdrawal was very very nasty. I was on 30 mg for 2 months and had 10+ months of severe withdrawal (beginning with akathisia) off it.

And it affects 4+ receptor systems and 8+ receptor subsystems (more than many antidepressants) and it induces sleep, and causes severe rebound insomnia in withdrawal.

It has reuptake, agonist, antagonist actions against different neurotransmitters.

It also affects the thermostate of the amount of neurotransmitters.

Remeron SHOULD be tapered very very slowly, 5% is the norm I believe.

Remeron is a very very nasty awful drug. It can cause pancreatitis among other severe side effects.

[pboy]

My mother is on Remeron, and recently I noticed she has had problems getting names mixed up. I worry for her. I doubt she'll ever come off it though, but I've told her that withdrawal must be slow if she ever does.

[palm]

Originally Posted by danray0069

Hi Palm, I will only persevere if I don't get much worse cos I was feeling very ill even before stopping altogether yesterday. Can you rember how long your WDs lasted coming off Remeron? I am so tired of all this. Had 1 year of Valium WDs just before THIS Remeron WD! Please if you have details of how long before improvement. Sorry if I repeat anything only I am corresponding on a benzo WD site too. Thank you Palm and best of luck and health to you.

Unfortunately, my memory is hazy as to what happened which may be due to the med. PBoy, I definitely remember mixing up names and still do that to some extent.

Don't forget, I tapered Remeron while still on Doxepin so I am not sure my example is the best one.

I hear you about being tired of this. It is exhausting.

Palm

[roy100]

I cold turkey remeron 3 years ago.

It was very painful, ( if you want do a search of my posts...) .

I am a lot better, than the hard to think, hard to speak, swollen, eating like a horse zombie I was.

It was like a curse having taking it. I do believe PD do prescribe AD as if they were an aspirin, not realizing that the person who is taking will never be the same again, it would be an uncertain outcome.

Its dealing with this new me hard to deal with.

I am a different person, peopple I knew or interests I had ,are complety gone . I could care less if I saw an old classmate , to me he would be a stranger, ( not that I dont recongnize him or her , just to me is somebody that I met in another life, couldnt care less what he thinks or has happened in his life).

Now I am trying to meet new people, and find new interests.
I am pretty well recovered, ( see my signature), just in stress situations old WD would be back.

My sensitivy to medications has been reduced a lot, I was even able to take Cipro with no major side effects.I can even take many supplements without anxiety.

The only weird thing is my allergy to cheese.
I never had it , of runs in my family, its something that suddenly came 7 months ago.

I am having to get to know my self and limitations now, as I consider my self been born again. My previous history before AD is something that happened to somebody else.

Just wanted to give you some output 38 months after cold turking Remeron.
Good Luck.

[pboy]

A question to those who have been on Remeron - does it poop out? Does it have similar withdrawal symptoms to Paxil?

I am really concerned for my mother who is on it, she's been on it for years now. She's always been a very 'negative' and 'angry' person and recently complains a lot of back pain. Of course that could be from anything but I can just see her going downhill because of it as she gets older. Knowing my luck I'll be the one who has to pick up the pieces.

[roy100]

Originally Posted by roy100

I cold turkey remeron 3 years ago.

It was very painful, ( if you want do a search of my posts...) .

I am a lot better, than the hard to think, hard to speak, swollen, eating like a horse zombie I was.

It was like a curse having taking it. I do believe PD do prescribe AD as if they were an aspirin, not realizing that the person who is taking will never be the same again, it would be an uncertain outcome.

Its dealing with this new me hard to deal with.

I am a different person, peopple I knew or interests I had ,are complety gone . I could care less if I saw an old classmate , to me he would be a stranger, ( not that I dont recongnize him or her , just to me is somebody that I met in another life, couldnt care less what he thinks or has happened in his life).

Now I am trying to meet new people, and find new interests.
I am pretty well recovered, ( see my signature), just in stress situations old WD would be back.

My sensitivy to medications has been reduced a lot, I was even able to take Cipro with no major side effects.I can even take many supplements without anxiety.

The only weird thing is my allergy to cheese.
I never had it , of runs in my family, its something that suddenly came 7 months ago.

I am having to get to know my self and limitations now, as I consider my self been born again. My previous history before AD is something that happened to somebody else.

Just wanted to give you some output 38 months after cold turking Remeron.
Good Luck.

Just a correction: I cold turkey Remeron 2 years ago, or bit longer 26 months ago. ( Counted wrong, I wish it would be 38 months ).

[roy100]

Originally Posted by pboy

A question to those who have been on Remeron - does it poop out? Does it have similar withdrawal symptoms to Paxil?

I am really concerned for my mother who is on it, she's been on it for years now. She's always been a very 'negative' and 'angry' person and recently complains a lot of back pain. Of course that could be from anything but I can just see her going downhill because of it as she gets older. Knowing my luck I'll be the one who has to pick up the pieces.

Yes you do poop out, when you have a disaponting event or sadness , you poop out, and then they increase your dosage, until, it becomes to high, and then they swich AD, that is the game.

Remeron side effects: one of them is rage.
Back pain is another side effect, but in WD from Remeron, the pain is worse, you even go through Restless Leg Syndorme, (RLS).

[pboy]

The rage thing would explain my mothers, well, "*****iness" then. I don't know what to do, I want to explain all this to her but I just don't think she will understand or believe me. She comes from an age where people trust their doctors and don't check things out for themselves or research it online.

She's complained of weight gain for years that can't be shifted through exercise or dieting, I've told her that's because of the Remeron.

[roy100]

I do undestand your problem.
I suggest to you opening a new post with your mothers situation.
This is an old post relating to many situations now.

This why many more people would read and give advice.
Good luck