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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by jeninco on April 28, 2006, at 18:41:22
I'm on day 12 withdrawal from remeron and feeling awful. I tried traozone last night and it did nothing. I've also been using ambien for 12 days and am getting massive headaches either from the ambien or the withdrawal.
So tonight I have lunesta. If it doesn't work, can I take remeron on top of it? I've just about had it with the withdrawal symptoms (stopped cold turkey), but don't want to end up sicker.
Posted by yxibow on April 29, 2006, at 0:48:50
In reply to lunesta + remeron okay? HELP, posted by jeninco on April 28, 2006, at 18:41:22
> I'm on day 12 withdrawal from remeron and feeling awful. I tried traozone last night and it did nothing. I've also been using ambien for 12 days and am getting massive headaches either from the ambien or the withdrawal.
>
> So tonight I have lunesta. If it doesn't work, can I take remeron on top of it? I've just about had it with the withdrawal symptoms (stopped cold turkey), but don't want to end up sicker.
Depends how much remeron you were taking. Insomnia (I suffer probably genetically) is a hard thing to tease out. Are you taking other medications that are causing insomnia or are you an insomniac?How much Lunesta are you taking? In a number of people, such as me, you have to take the 3mg dose to gain any effectiveness.
I'm not sure about Ambien and headaches, I'm afraid. I take 20mg Ambien although I could equally take 3mg of Lunesta I guess. Dont really remember why I switched. Maybe not 100% coverage.
Also depends on how much Trazodone. Its not a scheduled drug but it can habituate. 50 mg can soon lead to 150mg and suddenly you're on a stupifying adult dose of a long discontinued of use antidepressant and you have to stop and go back to 50 and it becomes a cycle, at least when I used it.
It sounds like you're rebounding insomnia back and forth from one agent to another. I'm not your doctor or know what your choice would really be, but I would stick with one thing, say the Lunesta, and not ad-mix other agents in, and then ad-mix a different one. Each one will give you rebound insomnia eventually.
The saving grace is that eventually the rebound insomnia will stop. Its unpleasant I know, but if you've already quit one agent cold turkey for 12 days, I wouldn't go back to it unless its as you say unbearable.
Also there is the importance beyond all the medication of good sleep "hygiene." The bedroom is only for sleeping and ... well.. you know... No late night tele in the room, it eventually leads to a state of super-awakeness.
Resist the urge for any daytime naps because that will reel into nighttime sleep deficit. And go to bed, at least during the week, around the same time every day. Even if you dont actually go to sleep at that time. If you have to get up eventually, well, that's life... go grab a cup of your favorite warm non caffeine beverage.
Just some ideasHope you get some sleep
-- Jay
But as a p.s., if there are no other medicines in the picture, yes, I suppose you could take the two together as long as the Remeron was a reasonably small dose. Remember that Remeron is a potential for weight gain.
Posted by jeninco on April 29, 2006, at 19:34:36
In reply to Re: lunesta + remeron okay? HELP » jeninco, posted by yxibow on April 29, 2006, at 0:48:50
Jay,
I have decided that I had a very unpleasant reaction to the trazodone. I almost went to the ER but was afraid I'd end up in the pyschiatric ward. My husband is going out of town and I have two small children, so no can do.
Good news is that I slept well with lunesta (3 mg). I did take a 2nd dose after waking up 3 hrs later, but then slept for 7 hrs so I'm not complaining. Not sure my doctor will okay taking that much a night, but maybe I won't use it. I avoided the remeron, slept and head aches are gone.
And yes, I'm a total chronic insomniac. That's how I ended up on remeron. :( (But hopefully that's all over). Thanks!
Posted by yxibow on April 29, 2006, at 23:13:54
In reply to Re: lunesta + remeron okay? HELP, posted by jeninco on April 29, 2006, at 19:34:36
> Jay,
>
> I have decided that I had a very unpleasant reaction to the trazodone. I almost went to the ER but was afraid I'd end up in the pyschiatric ward. My husband is going out of town and I have two small children, so no can do.I understand. Actually, and I'm not suggesting you're psychotic at all, but there is a metabolite of Trazodone called mCPP which can make people psychotic, sometimes. Also, there is an idosyncratic reaction to Trazodone that can raise your heart rate through the roof. (I was ready to call 911 once until it stopped or I took some propranolol, I forget.) So I completely understand your reaction to it.
>
> Good news is that I slept well with lunesta (3 mg). I did take a 2nd dose after waking up 3 hrs later, but then slept for 7 hrs so I'm not complaining. Not sure my doctor will okay taking that much a night, but maybe I won't use it. I avoided the remeron, slept and head aches are gone.Wow, 6mg... well, I take 20mg of Ambien, although it works slightly differently but basically the same.
You might want to back off to 4mg (3+1) if your doctor is allright with that -- I don't know how many people are on as high of Lunesta as that, yet -- but I'm sure there will be in aftermarket studies.
>
> And yes, I'm a total chronic insomniac. That's how I ended up on remeron. :( (But hopefully that's all over). Thanks!I'm glad to hear that you have found something that may be promising -- just not too much that it can cause harm (e.g. next morning amnesia at the wheel because you're really still on the medication, etc.)
This is the end of the thread.
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