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Remeron HELPS benzo withdrawal.


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I'm 2 months and 3 weeks out, and decided to go to the doctor for antidepressants a few days ago. I know many people here are shamelessly anti-medication, and I respect that. Personally, I felt like I needed to go on something. I went on Remeron, and I am extremely glad I did.

 

I'm less than a week into taking it, and already I feel miles better. I do believe this is more than a placebo effect, seeing as, physically, I feel much different. The edge has been taken off the anxiety, intrusive thoughts, and despair. My suicidality has lifted and I can fall asleep much easier than before. I don't wake up with racing thoughts about killing myself anymore. Granted, I took Remeron a few months ago during my taper. I thought it wasn't helping because I felt like crap all the time, but I should have kept in mind that nothing will 'cure' benzo w/d per se. To those still on antidepressants, thinking they are not doing anything, I'd recommend staying on them at least til benzo w/d is over. They are probably helping a lot more than you think, and you would probably be worse off of them.

 

Remeron normally takes 2-4 weeks for its full effects, so it will probably even get better as time goes on. There might be a chance I'm just in a window, but physiologically this is a new sensation all together. I went for a walk in the park today and enjoyed it immensely. The smells, the sensations, the hints of nostalgic thoughts, the weather was all very good. This is a departure from the normal anhedonic misery that I normally feel. I also don't feel the social paranoia and phobia anymore. I go into a public place no problem anymore. The agoraphobia is almost completely gone.

 

On another note, I don't want anyone to think I've adopted a Pollyanna attitude temporarily, and will crash later. I could end up feeling terrible again later. I don't feel 'cured.' I would say the buzz of despair has been tuned down to 3 from a 10. The mornings are still tough, but not wanting-to-jump-off-the-bridge tough.

 

I'm interested if any other buddies have had luck with Remeron or any other different meds for benzo w/d?

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I went through Xanax, diazepam, zoloft, buspar, Geodon, lorazepam,  and back on diazepam for GAD.  None helped me, some made me worse.

 

My pdoc finally put remeron.  My sleep improved immediately, and after about 2 weeks, my anxiety abated.  I took 22;5 mg for about 3 years, with no significant side effects (did not gain weight)

 

When I went off, I did a 2 week taper (15 mg for a week, 7.5 for a week, then off...no WD sxs.

 

Great med, IMO.

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It helped me tremendously, too. Without Remeron, I would not have made it.  I was unable to sleep more than 5 hours  even on the benzos in tolerance.

I cold-turkeyed and did not sleep AT ALL.

 

One week later they gave me a 15mg Remeron pill. I took it at night and slept 10 hours. That is how I healed and made it thorugh the first year off benzos. Then I tapered it and was off.

 

Very helpful.

 

:)Parker

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Hi JC90 and a a very big hi to fellow buddy Parker :)

 

I've taken small amounts of remeron for 7 years now. This was THE only A/D my CNS could handle.

 

It's been a life saver for me in several ways.

It initially helped me because the 3 months of Klonopin use my doctor prescribed me was causing me insomnia. This was probably due to a loss of seratonin and nor-epinephrine because of the influence of the benzos.

Currently, I still take small amounts, usually 4 mg. It helps me with the jet lag I go through because of a work/sleep schedule. Two nights a week, I have to stay awake until 3:00am. Other times, I work an early dayshift. I've never handled sleep changes well. The remeron helps to brighten my moods a bit on those groggy days.

I also use small amounts of melatonin, about 1.5mg.

The plan is for me to be on a permanent shift in 2 months. I'll first cut back the melatonin and then make a decision about the remeron later.

Best of luck to you. Like Parker and others here we are so glad that you have helped to find a med that is working for you.

Any further help you need with this one, I'd be glad to provide... Congratulations on being benzo free! :thumbsup:

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I'm 2 months and 3 weeks out, and decided to go to the doctor for antidepressants a few days ago. I know many people here are shamelessly anti-medication, and I respect that. Personally, I felt like I needed to go on something. I went on Remeron, and I am extremely glad I did.

 

I'm interested if any other buddies have had luck with Remeron or any other different meds for benzo w/d?

 

I think that is fantastic.

I can see why people get anti-meds but personally to me it is baby out with the bath water.

Benzos are ghastly no doubt. But there are a range of meds - particularly A/Ds - that are used, help, don't develop tolerance and yes you have to safely taper but it isn't like benzo withdrawal.

 

I was on 10mg citalopram (celexa) when I started withdrawing of temaze and all hell broke loose. I started taking 20mg to help with the anxiety and depression and every time I've dropped down to 10mg my anxiety has been unpleasantly worse. I'm pretty sure that isn't withdrawal from celexa because I only took the 20mg for 2 days (or at least withdrawal from it can only be part of the picture). That was citalopram helping with some symptoms of w/d.

 

I've been prescribed remeron in case things get bad. If they do I will take it. I'll choose an A/D over benzos anyday.

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I'm 2 months and 3 weeks out, and decided to go to the doctor for antidepressants a few days ago. I know many people here are shamelessly anti-medication, and I respect that. Personally, I felt like I needed to go on something. I went on Remeron, and I am extremely glad I did.

 

I'm interested if any other buddies have had luck with Remeron or any other different meds for benzo w/d?

 

I think that is fantastic.

I can see why people get anti-meds but personally to me it is baby out with the bath water.

Benzos are ghastly no doubt. But there are a range of meds - particularly A/Ds - that are used, help, don't develop tolerance and yes you have to safely taper but it isn't like benzo withdrawal.

 

I was on 10mg citalopram (celexa) when I started withdrawing of temaze and all hell broke loose. I started taking 20mg to help with the anxiety and depression and every time I've dropped down to 10mg my anxiety has been unpleasantly worse. I'm pretty sure that isn't withdrawal from celexa because I only took the 20mg for 2 days (or at least withdrawal from it can only be part of the picture). That was citalopram helping with some symptoms of w/d.

 

I've been prescribed remeron in case things get bad. If they do I will take it. I'll choose an A/D over benzos anyday.

 

Just want to add that celexa withdrawals are HELL to if you've been on them long like I was

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I'm 2 months and 3 weeks out, and decided to go to the doctor for antidepressants a few days ago. I know many people here are shamelessly anti-medication, and I respect that. Personally, I felt like I needed to go on something. I went on Remeron, and I am extremely glad I did.

 

I'm interested if any other buddies have had luck with Remeron or any other different meds for benzo w/d?

 

I think that is fantastic.

I can see why people get anti-meds but personally to me it is baby out with the bath water.

Benzos are ghastly no doubt. But there are a range of meds - particularly A/Ds - that are used, help, don't develop tolerance and yes you have to safely taper but it isn't like benzo withdrawal.

 

I was on 10mg citalopram (celexa) when I started withdrawing of temaze and all hell broke loose. I started taking 20mg to help with the anxiety and depression and every time I've dropped down to 10mg my anxiety has been unpleasantly worse. I'm pretty sure that isn't withdrawal from celexa because I only took the 20mg for 2 days (or at least withdrawal from it can only be part of the picture). That was citalopram helping with some symptoms of w/d.

 

I've been prescribed remeron in case things get bad. If they do I will take it. I'll choose an A/D over benzos anyday.

 

Just want to add that celexa withdrawals are HELL to if you've been on them long like I was

 

You might have been on SSRIs longer than I was, but I went through Lexapro withdrawal. It was pretty bad, but nowhere near as bad as benzo w/d.

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I would like to try remeron, but I was put on 200mg of zoloft at the time I was taken off klonopin cold turkey.  I have read that taking remeron with an ssri can cause problems.  I already started tapering the zoloft to 175mg because of unwanted side effects.  Does anyone have experience with this?

Thanks.

NR

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I would like to try remeron, but I was put on 200mg of zoloft at the time I was taken off klonopin cold turkey.  I have read that taking remeron with an ssri can cause problems.  I already started tapering the zoloft to 175mg because of unwanted side effects.  Does anyone have experience with this?

Thanks.

NR

 

Remeron and SSRIs both increase serotonin levels (although by different mechanisms).  Too much serotonin can cause several unpleasant effects, and can actually cause a very dangerous condition serotonin syndrome.  Remeron and SSRIs probably should NOT be used at the same time.

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I was put on remeron early on in my taper and then again mid taper.  Both times I had to stop taking it fairly quickly.  Apparently I get a rare sde effect of myalgia from the drug, where I have difficulty walking.  What I learned from the experience and from others on remeron is that it can minimize w/d symptoms for some people.  However if one stops taking it too early in recovery from w/d, those symptoms will come back in full force. 

 

Also, while some people do not gain weight on it, it actually is promoted as a weight inducer.  It is given for many conditions where weight loss is an issue.  So if you do gain weight it is working as intended.  It is my understanding that there are no metabolic changes, meaning it doesn't slow your metabolism down.  Instead it increases your cravings/hunger. 

 

Also it's a paradoxical drug.  This means the lower the dose the more sedating it is and supposedly the higher the dose the more stimulating.  Despite the fact that the typical therapeutic doses are between 15 - 45 mg, I  found even 3.75 mg to be effective in reducing my symptoms and helping with sleep.  But again both of my trials on the drug were short lived.

 

WWWI

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Hi WWI :)

Thank you for the post. It was informative. I was unaware of some of this.

It may explain the hard wave I got about 8 months post taper. I have always done well on small doses, never 'therapeutic' ones.

After 4 months post valium taper is when I attempted a remeron taper. I did well until 8 months out when I was done to practically nothing.

To this day I'm not sure how much my unsettled work/sleep schedule contributed. Some nights I have to force myself to stay awake late. Other days, I work early. Small remeron doses (4mg) seem to be essential in getting me through this.

Years ago, long before meds or benzos, I was put on a graveyard shift for 6 months. That plus a night class, buying our first home, and second baby just about wiped me out!

I remember one night on a night off, I laid in bed trying to rest and had some horrible apathy hit. It felt like I had the flu. I had no ability to feel good about anything. Fortunately, it passed. I wonder if small amounts of remeron would have helped me then.

Anyway, 4mg gets me through the jet lag and I'm staying the course until a permanent schedule arrives.

Again, thanks for the info :thumbsup:

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Jc90- I'm glad you are being helped by it! I owe Remeron a great debt for pulling me out of benzo hell. It was not a bad wd, 4 on a scale of 1-10. Benzo wd is an 11 for sure
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I know the remeron is helping me. I stopped taking it and my sleep crashed big time so I know it works.

 

I need a little help and the remeron was it.  I like it.  I will probably have sleeping problems

 

when I taper it BUT what else is new :) 

 

For now its helping me taper and that's the ALL MIGHTY GOAL.

 

Remeron has an interesting past. This came out of cannabis researching labs.  It's basically a cannabis molecule (THC) without the HCl molecule linked in so it can't get you high.

 

However you can get 'THE MUNCHIES' and cotton mouth from it :)  Cannabis and remeron both have a rated addiction factor of 8 which is super low in the big scheme of things.

 

If it can help get you off the benzo's it's a small price to pay for a few sleepless nights when you quit the remeron.

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Because of your post and other posts I read I have called my psych ask him to switch me from Welbutrin to Remeron. I'm not doing very well and maybe the Wellbutrin is partly to blame. If my doctor gives me Remeron I will get back to you and tell you how it is helping Or not helping me.

 

Being against a AD's is a personal decision. I have bipolar issues as well as this Klonopin addiction. I take Lamotrigine  and Wellbutrin to control the manic as well as the depressive cycle. Before I was on these life was --not so good.

 

Tapering off the Klonopin I have to have an AD-everyone is different. Everyone has different issues. We all have the same need for support in this group.

I would love to be off all  drugs. Maybe that will happen someday but I highly doubt it. Being off the Klonopin will be enough for me. I am absolutely determined to get off that evil benzo

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I am interested in this post because I have past problems in post benzo-withdraw . I am tapering my second time off of lorazepam . I have about three months before I jump . I have been researching for a medication that may help me . I am doing really well right now on my taper thanks to my BB  members on Ativan support thread . There a a couple of very creditable members BB that have posted positive  results for Remeron here. Thanks, I tend to talk to my VA doc about this drug . I am getting the impression that the AD is better than reinstating  on Benzo's. Thanks MM

 

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jc90

What dose are you taking?

 

15 mg... About a week in, it is still working well, and getting better... My only problem is slight constipation and bloating, but I had IBS and benzo belly before this, so it's a pretty similar sensation. Definitely works for depression though, and certainly takes the edge off the anxiety. I wish I had stayed on Remeron the whole time. It would have made the whole situation seem much more hopeful.

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Hi everyone,

 

I was put on remeron after my failed ativan taper, then switched to Clonazapam to taper again.

While recovering from my failed taper, remeron really helped me to sleep & start eating again.

I started out slowly, but could never reach a full 15 mg. I'm still tapering the Clonazapam gradually, & am now taking only 7.5 mg of remeron. I know it's supposed to help make you hungry but I'm not hungry while tapering & am still losing weight which is not a good thing. Could those of you who took it tell me how much you took while tapering? I'm wondering if I should up my dose some to see if it will help with eating & my depression. My doctor, who didn't prescribe it, seems to think it's a weak drug, so he wants me to go on other drugs which I do not want to take.

I'd much rather stick to only remeron to help with sleep, anxiety & other sxs.

Would love feedback.

 

Hugs,

Laelani

 

 

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Hi Laelani and others here :)

 

Some really good posts and feedback here. When I first became a member of the forum, I saw little or nothing on remeron. Only one member besides myself taking it. her member name was Comisado, but I haven't seen her post on ages.

 

I was on Remeron my entire time with benzos, tapering from benzos, and post benzo. I mostly get by with 4mg. Lower doses are supposed to be more sedating. Higher doses are more used for depression. I have learned that I probably either don't suffer from depression or if I do, it's a mild case. Therapeutic dosages of Remeron make me feel amped as though I'd drunk too much coffee.

Laelani, if sleep is THE issue for you, I would recommend a lower dose. If 7.5mg remeron stabilizes you, then I would stay on 7.5mg. I think that is what I was on when tapering.

Best wishes to you!

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We are all different and react differently to certain drugs that is for sure.

 

I took Remeron for about 3 weeks prior to starting benzo withdrawal.  I gained 10 pounds in 2 weeks.  That is the primary reason I wanted to get off it.  I did not eat differently.  It sure seemed to be a metabolic issue to me.  I lost that weight fast once off it.

 

A friend of mine went on it also for PTSD and gained 50 pounds.  He went off it as well because he could not account for the weight gain other than the drug.  He lost that weight too once off it.

 

Just sayin.

 

It did cause a lot of sleepiness.

 

 

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Hi Laelani and others here :)

 

Some really good posts and feedback here. When I first became a member of the forum, I saw little or nothing on remeron. Only one member besides myself taking it. her member name was Comisado, but I haven't seen her post on ages.

 

I was on Remeron my entire time with benzos, tapering from benzos, and post benzo. I mostly get by with 4mg. Lower doses are supposed to be more sedating. Higher doses are more used for depression. I have learned that I probably either don't suffer from depression or if I do, it's a mild case. Therapeutic dosages of Remeron make me feel amped as though I'd drunk too much coffee.

Laelani, if sleep is THE issue for you, I would recommend a lower dose. If 7.5mg remeron stabilizes you, then I would stay on 7.5mg. I think that is what I was on when tapering.

Best wishes to you!

 

Pangelingua,

 

Thank you for your response. My issues are sleep, eating, sleeping & depression....also some agoraphobia. The highest dose I took was 2/3 of a 15 mg soluable pill. I then cut it down to 7.5 just because I feared the withdrawal from it. But now I'm wondering if I should go back to that dose?

I've lost 2 more lbs which I can't really afford to do. I'm at 116 & my normal weight is 138. I sleep great on it but definitely have a difficult time waking up at 7 am to get my 14 year old to school.

I do suffer from depression as well...wondering if 7.5 is enough or if even a bit more would help or not. I know a full 15 can really stimulate...but I'm so fatigued during the day. So wondering what I should do??

 

Laelani

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Laelani,

 

The therapeutic doses are 15-45 mg (We are the ones here talking about under 15 mg dosing and to my knowledge there is no real documentation with regards to that).  When they talk about sedating they are talking about 15 mg.  When they talk about stimulating they are talking about the higher end of the therapeutic doses, up to 45 mg not 15mg to my knowledge. At 15 mg, it should be sedating and not stimulating.

 

I've never tried 45 mg so I can't speak to that, but for me 4 or 7.5 or 15 were all sedating. I believe the antidepressant features are supposed to kick in at the higher doses.  So I'm not sure this drug will meet all of your criteria as far as being both sedating and an antidepressant.

 

WWWI

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Hi Laelani :)

 

I would hold at a dose that you feel comfortable with. If, after 3 or 4 days, if you feel too amped, then reduce the dosage. Some of your fatigue could be just from the benzo situation.

 

I did find that when I was in full benzo use, a higher dosage of remeron (15mg) worked well especially after crossing over to valium. As I got really low in the taper, I was able to reduce to 4mg remeron. It seems like for me there was a direct correlation between benzo dosage and remeron dosage. Higher dosages like say 30mg remeron were just too much for me to handle.

I don't know that there is worse w/d from remeron at 15mg than say 7.5mg? I think you are on the right track, it just needs a little more time. Three or 4 days at a given dose should tell you. :thumbsup:

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I'm starting to wonder if remeron might help me. I'm suffering greatly. Did anyone say that low doses of remeron could help anxiety too?

 

I'm surprised to read that it has helped a lot of you get through wd and taper. I wonder how it does it.

 

I don't know if I'm the best candidate for psyche drugs though. It might only hurt me like benzos did.

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Hi OneDay :)

Low doses of remeron are sedating and if you have sleep issues it dose help. It also depends upon how your CNS responds to the med. Some tolerate it and some don't.

Also, there is the conventional 'therapeutic' or 'recommended' dosages which I am critical of. It is simply that my system responds to this drug in VERY low dosages. Post benzo, I usually continue with 4mg and that helps me tremendously with work/sleep shifts. While in the midst of benzos before tolerance kicked in, 15 mg was my dosage. During low end of taper, it dropped to 7.5mg and finally to 4mg.

This med seems to be especially sedating at 'low' dosages which they say are 15mg. 15mg-45mg seems to be the figure for therapeutic dosages (see WWWI post), and the higher end for depression.

 

I am different than most who have responded to this thread in that an A/D originally was what my doctor was trying to prescribe for me. It was due to a re-occurrence  of severe panic brought on by ongoing stress. A benzo was prescribed for me only as a way of getting used to the A/D. I went through 3: prozac, celexa, trazadone, all with severe reactions. Meanwhile the benzo prescription continued... Remeron finally was the med that worked for me but by this time, I believe that my serotonin levels had gotten low from benzo use.

 

For a while, I continued with 15mg of remeron. Three days a week, I took a small amount of K due to ongoing stress. After death of father, is when my K usage became daily with doctor's knowledge and approval. A year that way brought on the tolerance.

 

So how I'm different is that the remeron was prescribed due to an existing condition pre benzo tolerance and not for help with w/d. It was essential however, (as I found out the hard way) to remain on the remeron through tolerance and taper. I had a rough time when tolerance came on trying to figure out which med was causing me trouble.

 

I've not heard that w/d from remeron is like w/d from benzos. Some say it requires a taper and some say not. I am subjective because my tapers from remeron all occured at bad times. Yes, I did get w/d from this but I'm not sure how much remeron was to blame or how much life issues were to blame.

 

Anyway, best wishes to you! If you should decide to take remeron, I would just use low dosages and see if it works. The lowest pill I've seen is scored in 15mg. It is fairly easy to cut in half or fourths. :thumbsup:

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