Remeron

Does anyone here have any experience with Remeron. I have a new internist and he knows about past benzo use and is supportive of not wanting to take them again on a regular basis. But I have been complaining to him of constant persistent fatigue from protracted benzo WD plus I am trying to get off doxepin which I have been on for 30 years. He has suggested I try Remeron but I told I was not convinced a different pill would be a silver bullett to my fatigue, insomnia and malaise, that it would just be another pill with its own set of issues. He thinks it would do a better job of helping me sleep and feel more rested. Thoughts anyone???

Pokey

Remeron is a good medication. It really hits sleeping and anxiety pretty well. Though I did gain 20 pounds while I was on this.

After being on the med-go-round with xanax, diazepam, zoloft,  geodon, buspar, lorazepam, and probably a few more I have forgotten, I was put on Remeron and it  literally save my life!  I got immediate relief from my sleep problems, and soon got relief from my disabling anxiety. 

 

I took 22.5-30 mg/day for about 3 years, with no significant side fxs.  When I stopped, I did a 2 week taper (15mg/7 days, 7.5 mg/7 days, then off) .  No withdrawal sxs at all.

 

Good med!

Builder. How long were u on the benzos and other drugs. I'm in protracted benzo Wd and I take doxepin which is a tricyclic AD. I have been on that for 30 years but am tapering. I'm wondering what will happen if I just stop the doxepin and start the remeron? Also wondering if the remeron will mitigate my benzo wd sxs.

Pokey

My experience is it will help and it is a lesser evil. But watch out for discontinuation. I had a bad time trying to get off 30 mg in 3 weeks. Your mileage may vary as with all things. You may feel ravenous when youre on it. You may want to take it in small amounts as needed. I have found that all effective drugs start to become habits while I'm in Benzo hell. Then it's a question of keeping the dose down, and as needed, and how I'm going to experience the discontinuation. But that's later.

I took 7.5 mg. for a year and a half.  It was a godsend for helping me sleep during benzo withdrawal.  It made me gain weight and eventually stopped working.  I was able to wean off of it and stop taking it in the last month without too much of a problem.

Hi,

 

Just jumping n to say it's very reassuring to hear the positive reports about Remeron! 

 

I'm literally just back from a GP appt - she wouldn't agree to a switch to Vallium and wants me to go on 15mg a day Mirtazapine/Remeron to help get me off the zopiclone.

 

I'm a bit wary because a) she said don't read the leaflet!  and b) the liver issues people have mentioned elsewhere. I know mine isn't the happiest and am waiting to do more liver flushes once i'm off the zopiclone.

 

But... if it helps me sleep and taper off the zopiclone, it sounds like it would be worth it. I've been having a lot of heart pounding in the night and some pretty scary palpitations due to lack of sleep and anxiety, so it's a question of prioritising I suppose.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hi,

 

Just jumping n to say it's very reassuring to hear the positive reports about Remeron! 

 

I'm literally just back from a GP appt - she wouldn't agree to a switch to Vallium and wants me to go on 15mg a day Mirtazapine/Remeron to help get me off the zopiclone.

 

I'm a bit wary because a) she said don't read the leaflet!  and b) the liver issues people have mentioned elsewhere. I know mine isn't the happiest and am waiting to do more liver flushes once i'm off the zopiclone.

 

But... if it helps me sleep and taper off the zopiclone, it sounds like it would be worth it. I've been having a lot of heart pounding in the night and some pretty scary palpitations due to lack of sleep and anxiety, so it's a question of prioritising I suppose.

 

The lower the dose you take, the more effective it is for sleep.  If it was me, I would start out taking 7.5 mg. and see how that works.

So does anyone have any experience with using Remeron during protracted WD. I am constantly battling lack of sleep, fatigue and the snowballing anxiety associated with all three. I have read here and in many reviews that remeron puts the kibosh to people's insomnia and anxiety. If I could do the same perhaps I would not have the fatigue and malaise associated with my protracted WD?....which makes me feel like s--t!!!

Pokey

 

 

The lower the dose you take, the more effective it is for sleep.  If it was me, I would start out taking 7.5 mg. and see how that works.

 

Thank you jc215. I appreciate you replying. 

I've tried it twice now - the first time about 2mg got me 2nights sleep. Last night I took around 1mg and got a reasonable night.

I'm a bit wary - am aiming to keep it low and not take it every day.

some nights I get by on 7.5mg, then a night or two without any, then I might have to take 15 to get some sleep. My doc prescribed it to be taken prn, so I dont want to take it every day.

Had a really bad night last night. Took 15 mg at bed time. Still awake at 1:00. Doc said I could take up to 30 so I did. Did not sleep more than 2-3 hours total. Felt anxious, maybe cause I couldn't sleep. The  first 3x I used remeron I slept well but seems like my sleep has gotten progressively worse.