Late-onset Remeron side effects

[BenCoJones]

I was on Remeron for about 3 months and recently stopped, due to some scary adverse reactions.  I was put on it for my anxiety and insomnia, but recently I was kept up very late by an unquenchable urge to violently move all my limbs.  I used to have a minor tic disorder, and the feeling was very similar, but in my arms and legs instead of my face.  I doubt this is a common reaction, but when I checked into it I learned that no studies lasting longer than six weeks had ever been done, and my side effects took longer than that to surface.

Does anybody have information or similar experiences?

[Dianaberg]

Are you still on remeron? Do you have lasting effects from it's use? Convulsions go away?

[claudineriddle66]

My name is Claudine and I had the same thing and was suffering with chronic insomnia type of sleep disorders but my reactions or side effects didn't prolonged so long as my doctor gave me some good antibiotics.

[mark305]

My name is Mark Peak and when was 13 years old  i was put on remeron
. Right away I started to gain weight! I ended up gaining 200lbs in 4 year period. When I turned 17 it decided to stop working and I went through 4 1/2 of insomia and ended up losing 200lbs in 6 months . Bottom line It almost literally killed me. Now I have Nerve damage and PTS from all of it. DO NOT TAKE THIS MEDICATION AND IN MY OPINION YOU SHOULD NEVER TAKE PHYCOTROPIC DRUGS PERIOD!!!! Im 23 still trying recover.

[suzanne17]

I have been taking Remeron 60mg and Xanxax 0.25mg since 10 years now and am increasing experiencing similar problems. Over the past few years Remeron's no longer affective for my depression but it may help me sleep. Unfortunately the side effects have become intolerable:
- restless legs
- difficulty falling asleep
- dizziness
- blured vision
- depersonalization
- social phobia
Now I'm looking for an alternative antidepressant / amino acid therapy and want to withdrawal gradually from Remeron and than Xanax.
Have others had success at withdrawal? Any suggestions?

[harrycalahan]

Been using Remeron about 5 or 6 years, to help me sleep. I have similar issues. Up til a month or so ago, never considered this to be the cause. Had surgery last year for compression on my spine. This was meant to take care of the issues, weakness, numbness, tingling, etc. in arms and legs. Neurosurgeon says everything looks good. Ten months later, things aren't so good. Started to research health issues related to the symptoms. While there are a number of them, none are completely consistent to how I feel. So, I started checking the meds I'm taking. The only one I found consistent with how I feel is the Remeron. I decided to do my own test. I was taking it about an hour before bedtime. Within a half hour, My legs were getting heavy. Fifteen minutes later, I had trouble getting up from a chair. My legs were literally dragging. Even with a walker, I had trouble. I was falling down. I'd have to drag myself across the floor to find a piece of furniture to help me get up. After the research, I changed the time I took it. I did it at bedtime. I still use a walker. But, No more leg dragging. However, that feeling was only delayed. After a half hour in bed, I couldn't turn over. Then came the icing on the cake. I had to go to the bathroom. Took 15 minutes to get out of bed. That's proof enough for me. Called my doc. No more. Cut my dose in half. No heavy legs at night. No problems in bed. But, I still need a walker. Aside from these symptoms, there's constipation, weight gain, ringing ears, dizziness, coordination issues. vision problems. There's more. But these are the main ones. I'm certain Remeron is the culprit. FDA and the print outs you get tell you little. Can it be reversed? I don't know. I'm 58 years old. 5 or 6 years of my life went down the toilet. Instead of moving on into the golden years, I feel like I'm at the doorstep to hell. I see my doc tomorrow. Won't be a pretty visit. To anyone taking it, or considering it, forget it. I'd gladly trade my sleep to be able to walk on my own. If I knew then, what I know now, I wouldn't be posting this.

[tryintobeatoxyaddiction]

I have only been on Remeron for 2 weeks and I feel the RLS in the eve. while I try to fall asleep.  I'm just not sure if its the Remeron itself or other drugs - mostly OTC that are contributing.  I have to take an additional strong sleep med to actually fall asleep.  Has anyone found a anti-anxiety/insomnia/mood stabilizer that they will vouch for?  Or are we all screwed?

[Gundy]

I used Remeron back in 1997 when it first came out.  After a while, whenever I took a pill I got a sensation in my arms, legs and head like all of the blood was leaving them, then rushing back in, and then leaving again, in a cycle that lasted a couple of minutes and didn't stop.  Also, my vision would get blurry when the blood rushed out, then sharp again, and there were sexual problems too.  It got much worse with caffeine or over the counter decongestants, and back then I still smoked marijuana, which made it much worse.  I told my doctor, and he actually increased my dose.  It got so bad, I was having chest pains (not accompanied by anxiety) and getting dizzy.  Finally, I stopped.  The symptoms NEVER WENT AWAY!  I have been suffering from this problem ever since.  I can't drink coffee or alcohol, or use any drug that affects blood pressure or heart rate.  The cycle of blood rushing to and from my extremities occurs every minute of every hour of every day.  It's been like this for 11 years.  All of the doctors I've seen tell me they don't know what the problem is.  I've given up trying to figure it out, and I don't have health insurance anymore anyway.  I'm 30 years old now.  I get dizzy spells, I have blurry vision, trouble concentrating when the blood rushes out of my head,  and I'll probably never be able to satisfy a woman in the normal way.  If I die young of some heart related or vascular disease, at least it should be obvious what the cause is.  Using Remeron was the worst mistake of my life.

I've been searching for answers for 11 years.  If anyone has experienced anything like this, or if anyone has any information at all, please respond.  

[SNAFUED]

I have a complicated medical case, broken spine, encephalitis that did some lasting damage. I nearly died but feel very lucky I did not. I was on Remeron for 5-6 years at least. At first it was the only one the worked. It helped me sleep, my depression, my appetite, it was a miracle. After a few years I began to have morning convulsions that lasted about 5 minutes. This was an indicator that the Remeron was doing bad things to me. I thought it was standard neurological issues I have at times from having encephalitis. Part of me knew it may be the remeron but it seemed a small price to pay at the time. Now, after a three week battle of what another poster called the unquenchable urge to move. For me it was mostly my legs, RLS. It was so severe and still is about three nights a week that I would do anything to make it stop and sleep was not even a forethought. It was impossible. Then scary waking episodes that are difficult to explain, racing thoughts, ringing in the ears and the severest fatigue I have ever had, and thats saying allot. This persists 6 months after quiting nearly everything except a small amount of pain meds and a small amount of Valium. The doses are 10 X less than before. That took time. But I feel that this has permanently damaged me.

Doctors in the ER said they are seeing more and more of the same. People who use SSRI'S and other similar meds are having horrible sometimes irreversible side effects.

If I could take it all back, I would have done it for 6 months and stopped. Now the only help available is more meds that have the same possibility of making me life worse.
NEVER AGAIN!

[Picto2000]

Remeron has clinical studies up to 40 weeks but no official studies beyond that. (see http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/mirtaz_ids.htm).

I have read several disturbing stories on various forums from long term Remeron users - anything from bizarre psychotic episodes to increased panic, anxiety and depersonalization.

I was on Remeron for 2.5 years and for the first year it helped level my mood, decrease mania and reduce anxiety.  For the last year though, I have had a really bad experience with panic and anxiety and had no idea that it could be attributed to my long term Remeron use.  I decided to taper off (very slowly over several weeks) and I feel so much better.  I feel like myself again and I realize now that the Remeron was making me worse.

Anti-depressents are extremely potent neurotransmitter antagonists all within the brain reward system (responsible for mood, emotion, sleep, libido etc).  These are the same neurotransmitters targeted by recreational drugs such as amphetamines, cocaine and ecstasy.  Most recreational drug users will tell you that their early experiences with these drugs had a positive effect on them but over the longer term they had adverse effects many of which are similar to long term use of anti-depressants (anxiety, panic, self-worthlessness etc).  Given that they target the same neuron chemicals as street drugs I’m left with no surprise that long term use of anti-depressants carries similar risks.

Picto

[Suri123]

Hi, how are you doing. Not heard from your side since some time. It is good to see your attending physician for an recheck and update on medication if you are facing such side effects. Try to make it early and update. Take care, bye.

[Sam888]

Yes, I had very similar results.  I was also on SSRI's afterwards and the twitching became even worse.