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JMBR: Remeron


JMBR

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11/28

5 pm  ate dinner - felt ill and needed to lie down

6 pm feeling depressed, can't do this anymore, another holiday of suffering, want my life back etc.....

7-8 watched tv

8-9 lie in bed meditating, trying to be more positive, feel hopeless but physically not so bad

9:30 take 11.25 Remeron and 2.5 Gaba

slept well - 10:30-5

5-7 am lie in bed and anxiety starts to rise, take 100 Gaba (I usually take all at night but thought I'd try splitting the dose)

7 up and have tea - can feel pain starting

7-9 feel unwell and pain is high.  All my muscles ache and my ankles, wrists and skin sting

9 go to tears.  Parents coming over and son home from College.  Just want to be "present" but feel so unwell that I can only focus on suffering

10-noon  try to distract picking up, cooking, feel slightly better but cannot sit still - nervous energy

noon - eat protein bar, no appetite

1 - 3 continue to pace house and try to convince myself that this will end someday and that going somewhere to be taken off these beds is a bad idea.  Cannot stop trying to figure out what to do - taper Gaba, taper Rem

3-4 sit with hubby and stare at wall.  So hopeless.  Trying to convince myself I can do this

5 - parents will be here.  Hope I don't fall apart.

 

Adverse reaction to Flagyl antibiotic Oct 2017 -took for 5 days

 

.5-7.5b Remeron November 2017 - mid June 2018

1-2m Valium up to 6 m/day November 2017 - February 2018

1-3 mg Lunesta November 2017-February 2018

Klonopin February 2018 - current (dose was .375 Feb 18-June 18. increase to .75-1mg June to current

Tapered off Klonopin over 20 weeks.  Off Feb 3 2019

Started Gabapentin 300 mg Aug 15, 19

Started Remeron 15 mg Sept 15 19 

Currently on 11.25 Remeron and 300 Gabapentin

Taking magnesium glycerinate and whole foot b vitamin

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  • Administrator

How much gabapentin are you taking? What does 2.5 gaba mean? What effect did gabapentin have on you, before you started Remeron?

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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Sorry I meant 250 mg of Gaba.

 

Before Remeron, I was taking 200 Gabapentin at night and usually 100 early in the morning and sometimes another 100 in the afternoon - but not very often.  

 

I was initially prescribed 100 prn in Aug 2019 and I could tolerate a 100 mg dose during the day and it did calm down the high anxiety state/pacing after about 1 hour after dosing.  I took 200 mg at once one day and it made me very tired which is why the doctor suggested trying it for sleep.  I then started taking 200 at night.  This was all back in late August.  I did have some minor side effects like slight dizziness and blurred vision when taken during the day.  I also noticed at about the 5 hour mark that I would feel worse and sometimes would get what felt almost like rebound pain.  I started to sleep about 3 hours per night though which was a big improvement.  When the Remeron was added, I found I could do without the day dose of the Gaba so I just went to 300 Gaba at night only along with the 15 mg Remeron.  The pain started about 3 weeks after this change.  Mind you, I have been unwell since my Klonopin taper and had never stabilized so it is very hard to tease out what is what.  My doctor was trying to get me to sleep more than an hour per night and also to calm down the akathisia.  This combo worked.  I forgot to take the Remeron twice back in September and was able to sleep without it so I assume the Gaba helps more with sleep.  I took Remeron when this whole mess started 2 years ago and it never really helped with sleep.  I was on a lower dose though.

 

Thinking the Remeron might be causing the pain, I dropped from 15 mg after 3 weeks of use to 11.25 held for 20 days and then dropped to 7.5 for another 20.  Pain didn't seem to improve and my anxiety was back so I went back up to 11.25 a month ago.  

 

I know that is a lot of changes.  To recap - I've been holding at 11.25 Remeron for a month and 250 Gaba for 3 weeks (dropped from 300 mg).

 

 

 

 

Adverse reaction to Flagyl antibiotic Oct 2017 -took for 5 days

 

.5-7.5b Remeron November 2017 - mid June 2018

1-2m Valium up to 6 m/day November 2017 - February 2018

1-3 mg Lunesta November 2017-February 2018

Klonopin February 2018 - current (dose was .375 Feb 18-June 18. increase to .75-1mg June to current

Tapered off Klonopin over 20 weeks.  Off Feb 3 2019

Started Gabapentin 300 mg Aug 15, 19

Started Remeron 15 mg Sept 15 19 

Currently on 11.25 Remeron and 300 Gabapentin

Taking magnesium glycerinate and whole foot b vitamin

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JMBR,

I see some similarities in your story to mine, I'm hopeless as you are as I'm in a state where I can't see any way out and main culprit is Remeron...I had been healthy person until Feb2018 until I took this drug.

 

I only wanted to say (having read thousands of threads on SA) I think that your pains come rather from Gabapentin as from Remeron but it is only my opinion.

 

I'm so desperate with sleep atm but having million other symptoms but I won't scare you, it was not my intention at all.

Hope it gets better once.

 

 

Thyroid medication Euthyrox 75mg

Mirtazapin Feb-Apr 2018 7.5mg, CT

Sertraline 25mg and Benzo Bromazepam 3mg 10 days July 2018

Reinstatement Mirtazapin since Jul 10 2018 15 mg,  since Jul 28 2018 22.5 mg, since Aug 20 2018 30 mg

Since Oct 2018 tapering Mirtazapin 10% every 2 weeks, holding at 4mg since 23th June, CT 4mg Dec 2019

Psych ward: Dec 2019 - Feb 2020, 5x ECT

Olanzapine Dec 17 2019 10mg, Mar 3 2020 9mg, Mar 14 2020 8mg, Mar 27 7.2 mg, Apr 4 2020 6.4mg, Apr 20 2020 5.7 mg, May 6 2020 5 mg

Venlafaxine Dec 17 2019 150mg, Jan 2020 75 mg, Feb 2020 37.5 mg, June 2020 33.75mg

Venlafaxine 225mg Jul 2020, olanzapine 10mg.

Lyrica 150mg Aug 2020,

Aurorix 450mg Sep 2020, olanzapine 5mg, 

Valdoxan 25mg Nov 2020

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Maya,

 

I went and read some of your story and I am SO very sorry you are going through this.  I can tell you that I tapered off Remeron last year in 3 months and had horrible w/d to the point of where I begged my husband to just take me to an inpatient hospital.  I then tapered off Klonopin when I was unstable and ended back on Remeron.  I had many of the symptoms you had and I can tell you that they did lessen so DO NOT GIVE UP.  My problem was getting akathisia after coming off the Klonopin and not sleeping more than an hour or so for 6 months which put me right back here.  We will get through this.  One day at a time.....

Adverse reaction to Flagyl antibiotic Oct 2017 -took for 5 days

 

.5-7.5b Remeron November 2017 - mid June 2018

1-2m Valium up to 6 m/day November 2017 - February 2018

1-3 mg Lunesta November 2017-February 2018

Klonopin February 2018 - current (dose was .375 Feb 18-June 18. increase to .75-1mg June to current

Tapered off Klonopin over 20 weeks.  Off Feb 3 2019

Started Gabapentin 300 mg Aug 15, 19

Started Remeron 15 mg Sept 15 19 

Currently on 11.25 Remeron and 300 Gabapentin

Taking magnesium glycerinate and whole foot b vitamin

Link to comment

Maya,

 

 

To clarify your comment - you do not think my pain is from Remeron?

 

Adverse reaction to Flagyl antibiotic Oct 2017 -took for 5 days

 

.5-7.5b Remeron November 2017 - mid June 2018

1-2m Valium up to 6 m/day November 2017 - February 2018

1-3 mg Lunesta November 2017-February 2018

Klonopin February 2018 - current (dose was .375 Feb 18-June 18. increase to .75-1mg June to current

Tapered off Klonopin over 20 weeks.  Off Feb 3 2019

Started Gabapentin 300 mg Aug 15, 19

Started Remeron 15 mg Sept 15 19 

Currently on 11.25 Remeron and 300 Gabapentin

Taking magnesium glycerinate and whole foot b vitamin

Link to comment
  • Moderator Emeritus
On 11/29/2019 at 6:09 PM, JMBR said:

 I did try taking 1.50 Gaba last night and 100 this morning and nothing changed.

 

I just want to post some helpful advice regarding spacing out drugs. 

 

  • It takes 4 days for your nervous system to register a change and it can take a week or more for your system to fully adjust to the change. So making a change for one day won't really give you much information as to whether or not you're dealing with interdose withdrawal
  • We recommend gradually moving your dose by one hour a day. This allows your nervous system to gradually adjust. Abrupt changes to the nervous system can be traumatic. 

Please post your thoughts on if you think moving a small amount of your dose to earlier in the day might help. Even just 25 mg may be helpful and still keep the bulk of your drug to take at night for sleep. 

 

 

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Thank you Shep.  I can try to move some of my dose to the day.  Would you suggest once daily or twice?  Any advice on what amount?  Should I try the 25mg?

 

Do you hear of people having sudden, debilitating onset of muscle and joint pain that then resolves sometimes within the hour?  I feel like I'm losing my mind.  I was 100% healthy before I put a psy med in my mouth with no history of anxiety of depression AT ALL.  I cannot help but think the meds are causing all my mental and physical stuff.  I have been checked out by a number of docs and was even admitted to UCLA for 3 days and they found nothing!

 

 

Adverse reaction to Flagyl antibiotic Oct 2017 -took for 5 days

 

.5-7.5b Remeron November 2017 - mid June 2018

1-2m Valium up to 6 m/day November 2017 - February 2018

1-3 mg Lunesta November 2017-February 2018

Klonopin February 2018 - current (dose was .375 Feb 18-June 18. increase to .75-1mg June to current

Tapered off Klonopin over 20 weeks.  Off Feb 3 2019

Started Gabapentin 300 mg Aug 15, 19

Started Remeron 15 mg Sept 15 19 

Currently on 11.25 Remeron and 300 Gabapentin

Taking magnesium glycerinate and whole foot b vitamin

Link to comment
  • Moderator Emeritus
10 minutes ago, JMBR said:

 I can try to move some of my dose to the day.  Would you suggest once daily or twice?  Any advice on what amount?  Should I try the 25mg?

 

25 mg sounds like a reasonable plan. You'll want to split out the 250 mg dose you take in the evening and only take 225 mg. Move 25 mg gradually, one hour per day over the coming days. Please post notes as you did in this previous post here and we can go through the notes together and see if it's helping and / or if moving more may help.

 

If taking 25 mg during the day is helpful and you feel like having 2 doses during the day will help more, then you can move another 25 mg out of the nightly dose, so you're taking 25 mg morning, 25 mg afternoon, and 200 mg in the evening. 

 

If you find that your sleep is disturbed by doing this, stop immediately. If this happens, instead of moving 25 mg out of the 250 mg dose, you may want to updose by 25 mg and add this in as an additional amount (so your total daily dose will be 275 mg gabapentin). 

 

Because your previous reduction was more than the recommended 10% reduction, you may benefit from an updose. 

 

 

 

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Will do.

 

To clarify, when you say move the dose one hour each day do you mean for example - take 25 at 6am then 7am, then 8 am.  I assume you don't mean move an hour in the middle of the night?

 

I should hold the Remeron steady?  Is the protocol t still go off vert slowly even if you suspect an adverse reaction??

 

Sorry for all the questions.  Had to talk myself out of going somewhere to be taken off under medical supervision.  I know that is a bad idea but I am really struggling here.

 

Adverse reaction to Flagyl antibiotic Oct 2017 -took for 5 days

 

.5-7.5b Remeron November 2017 - mid June 2018

1-2m Valium up to 6 m/day November 2017 - February 2018

1-3 mg Lunesta November 2017-February 2018

Klonopin February 2018 - current (dose was .375 Feb 18-June 18. increase to .75-1mg June to current

Tapered off Klonopin over 20 weeks.  Off Feb 3 2019

Started Gabapentin 300 mg Aug 15, 19

Started Remeron 15 mg Sept 15 19 

Currently on 11.25 Remeron and 300 Gabapentin

Taking magnesium glycerinate and whole foot b vitamin

Link to comment
  • Moderator Emeritus
2 minutes ago, JMBR said:

To clarify, when you say move the dose one hour each day do you mean for example - take 25 at 6am then 7am, then 8 am.  I assume you don't mean move an hour in the middle of the night?

 

Since you're dosing 250 mg at 9:30 PM, you would take:

 

225 mg at 9:30 PM and 25 mg at 8:30 PM the first night

225 mg at 9:30 PM and 25 mg at 7:30 PM the next night

225 mg at 9:30 PM and 25 mg at 6:30 PM the following night

 

And so forth until you've moved the 25 mg until the morning. 

 

Please let me know if this makes sense and if it's a schedule you can work with. 

 

5 minutes ago, JMBR said:

I should hold the Remeron steady?  Is the protocol t still go off vert slowly even if you suspect an adverse reaction??

 

Yes, please hold the Remeron steady. It's best to make one change at a time. If you reduce the Remeron now, you won't know if any upticks in symptoms (or reductions in symptoms) are from which change. 

 

If you move the gabapentin and it solves the problem, or at least makes your symptoms more manageable, then you may be looking at interdose withdrawal as more the culprit than an adverse reaction to the Remeron. That doesn't mean that Remeron isn't causing problems, but it may be a combination of things. 

 

The goal is to make your overall symptoms more manageable until you can safely get off the drugs. 

 

 

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Thank you so much.  I'll keep a journal and check back in a few days.

Adverse reaction to Flagyl antibiotic Oct 2017 -took for 5 days

 

.5-7.5b Remeron November 2017 - mid June 2018

1-2m Valium up to 6 m/day November 2017 - February 2018

1-3 mg Lunesta November 2017-February 2018

Klonopin February 2018 - current (dose was .375 Feb 18-June 18. increase to .75-1mg June to current

Tapered off Klonopin over 20 weeks.  Off Feb 3 2019

Started Gabapentin 300 mg Aug 15, 19

Started Remeron 15 mg Sept 15 19 

Currently on 11.25 Remeron and 300 Gabapentin

Taking magnesium glycerinate and whole foot b vitamin

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  • 7 months later...

Desperately need help

 

Please advise.  I am off Klonopin 17 months.  I was given Remeron and Gabapentin at 6 months off due to akathisia. I tapered 300 mg of Gabapentin and went off in Jan. 2020.  I have tapered 15 mg down to 5mg from Nov 2019 to current.  I have never been stable through all of this.  I was placed on these drugs initially for insomnia 3.5 years ago.  My CNS is a mess and I am getting worse.  I have been at 5 mg for about 2 weeks.  I dropped from 5.5mg.  I am starting to add things which I know is a mistake.  I took amitriptyline last night and I'e been taking Gabapentin prn.  My anxiety is out of control.  I have been mostly homebound through this whole thing with mental and physical symptoms.  I need to get stable.  Do I updose and just hold for months.  I keep coming off drugs when I am unstable thinking it is the drugs.  I don't know what to do.  Please help!  SX - widespread body pain, burning, severe anxiety, insomnia, fear, panic just to name a few.

 

 

 

Edited by ChessieCat
added symptoms/added topic title

Adverse reaction to Flagyl antibiotic Oct 2017 -took for 5 days

 

.5-7.5b Remeron November 2017 - mid June 2018

1-2m Valium up to 6 m/day November 2017 - February 2018

1-3 mg Lunesta November 2017-February 2018

Klonopin February 2018 - current (dose was .375 Feb 18-June 18. increase to .75-1mg June to current

Tapered off Klonopin over 20 weeks.  Off Feb 3 2019

Started Gabapentin 300 mg Aug 15, 19

Started Remeron 15 mg Sept 15 19 

Currently on 11.25 Remeron and 300 Gabapentin

Taking magnesium glycerinate and whole foot b vitamin

Link to comment
  • Moderator Emeritus

It would be helpful if you could provide a details list/timeline of what drugs and doses you have taken please.

 

Just a simple list in a post keeping the information for each drug together stating the drug name, the dose you took and the date which you took it.  For the times that you took the same dose of the drug state the period date to date.

 

Example:

 

Drug name:  date, dose; date, dose; date, dose;

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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5 mg Remeron 9 pm 

20 mg Amitriptyline 9:30 (1st time I've taken it)

Gabapentin 100 mg noon (I have taken 100-300 of Gabapentin prn for the last week-prior to that I had been off this since January)

 

I have only been sleeping a few hours a night for months.  I need so advice on how to stabilize.  

 

 

Adverse reaction to Flagyl antibiotic Oct 2017 -took for 5 days

 

.5-7.5b Remeron November 2017 - mid June 2018

1-2m Valium up to 6 m/day November 2017 - February 2018

1-3 mg Lunesta November 2017-February 2018

Klonopin February 2018 - current (dose was .375 Feb 18-June 18. increase to .75-1mg June to current

Tapered off Klonopin over 20 weeks.  Off Feb 3 2019

Started Gabapentin 300 mg Aug 15, 19

Started Remeron 15 mg Sept 15 19 

Currently on 11.25 Remeron and 300 Gabapentin

Taking magnesium glycerinate and whole foot b vitamin

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  • Administrator
On 7/16/2020 at 11:27 AM, JMBR said:

I was given Remeron and Gabapentin at 6 months off due to akathisia. I tapered 300 mg of Gabapentin and went off in Jan. 2020.

 

Did this help? How did you feel after you went off gabapentin in Jan 2020?

 

On 7/16/2020 at 11:27 AM, JMBR said:

 I have tapered 15 mg down to 5mg from Nov 2019 to current.

 

You're talking about tapering Remeron? Did it help you sleep? Why have you been reducing it since Nov 2019? Have you felt better or worse after you reduce Remeron?

 

On 7/16/2020 at 11:27 AM, JMBR said:

 I am starting to add things which I know is a mistake.  I took amitriptyline last night and I'e been taking Gabapentin prn.  My anxiety is out of control.

 

How do you feel after you take 100mg gabapentin? What time of day do you take it?

 

It looks like you have made a lot of drug changes since August 2019, fairly continuously going on, going off, and tapering drugs. As you know, making drug changes tends to upset one's nervous system, our rule of thumb is the fewer changes, the better. See 

 

Please stop changing your drugs for now.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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My sleep deteriorated after I discontinued the Gabapentin and then I began to get worse due to the lack of sleep.

 

Yes, I have been reducing Remeron.  I have widespread  body aches and feeling ill so I thought it might be a side effect from one of these drugs.  It may be from my benzo w/d.  I have been off 17 months.  My anxiety has increased since reducing Remeron but my sleep is bad which factors in big time.

 

100 mg Gabapentin calms me down.

 

Any advice on how to try and stabilize so I can start to get off these drugs from a position of strength?  I never had anxiety or depression before these meds.  I would like to get off!

 

 

 

 

Adverse reaction to Flagyl antibiotic Oct 2017 -took for 5 days

 

.5-7.5b Remeron November 2017 - mid June 2018

1-2m Valium up to 6 m/day November 2017 - February 2018

1-3 mg Lunesta November 2017-February 2018

Klonopin February 2018 - current (dose was .375 Feb 18-June 18. increase to .75-1mg June to current

Tapered off Klonopin over 20 weeks.  Off Feb 3 2019

Started Gabapentin 300 mg Aug 15, 19

Started Remeron 15 mg Sept 15 19 

Currently on 11.25 Remeron and 300 Gabapentin

Taking magnesium glycerinate and whole foot b vitamin

Link to comment

I should mention that I took 2.5 remeron and 300 mg Gabapentin at night and 2.5 Remeron in the morning for the last 2 nights.  I did this the last 2 nights and have slept 5-6 hours and been better during the day.  I will not be adding anymore drugs.  The Gabapentin has only been in the picture for a week so I can drop it if you advise.  The Remeron will need to be tapered.  I have been down to 5 mg for 3 weeks.  

 

Thank you!

 

Adverse reaction to Flagyl antibiotic Oct 2017 -took for 5 days

 

.5-7.5b Remeron November 2017 - mid June 2018

1-2m Valium up to 6 m/day November 2017 - February 2018

1-3 mg Lunesta November 2017-February 2018

Klonopin February 2018 - current (dose was .375 Feb 18-June 18. increase to .75-1mg June to current

Tapered off Klonopin over 20 weeks.  Off Feb 3 2019

Started Gabapentin 300 mg Aug 15, 19

Started Remeron 15 mg Sept 15 19 

Currently on 11.25 Remeron and 300 Gabapentin

Taking magnesium glycerinate and whole foot b vitamin

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