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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 Kate on April 20, 2000, at 23:08:54
Hello, all,
I have already learned a lot just reading over your posts and hope to find some help from you for what I am dealing with.
Three months ago I was hit out of nowhere with symptoms of vertigo, which then resolved to constant light-headedness/imbalance. It took four agonizing weeks for me to get a diagnosis from the doctor(s), who told me I had a viral infection of my inner ear. After several more weeks passed, I got an appointment with the ENT whom I had initially wanted to see, and her take was that my symptoms are completely stress-related. Not only had I gone through an incredibly difficult time in my home life over the past eight months, but the anxiety of not being diagnosed for four weeks had spiraled out of control (and it still is out of control).
A psychiatrist has since diagnosed me as being mildly depressed and anxious, and initially put me on Paxil. (I had been on Ativan for the dizziness and it seemed to help the anxiety as well, but they wanted me off of it and I got completely off this week.) I gave up after three days -- couldn't take the side-effects (nervousness, muscle twitching, increased light-headedness/dizziness, etc.). Now I am on Remeron. Started off at 7 mgs. which I am supposed to do for four days and then up it to 15 for four more, eventually getting up to 30. Took my first dose last night and today has been awful. I am extremely light-headed -- more than usual and felt like I couldn't talk properly (feeling of being drunk) earlier today. On the other hand, I am not having the crying jags I have been having every day and my anxiety seems to be a little more under control. I should mention that I have lost 20 pounds over the past several months and I was not overweight to begin with.
What should I do? Could the weight loss have made me so sensitive to these medications? Has anyone else experienced these kinds of physical symptoms (the inner ear thing) and had them chalked up to "stress"? Will my body adjust to the Remeron? Has anyone else experienced this with this drug?
Thanks in advance.
Posted by jo on April 20, 2000, at 23:38:19
In reply to New to all this/RemeronPaxil, posted by Kate on April 20, 2000, at 23:08:54
> Hello, all,
>
> I have already learned a lot just reading over your posts and hope to find some help from you for what I am dealing with.
>
> Three months ago I was hit out of nowhere with symptoms of vertigo, which then resolved to constant light-headedness/imbalance. It took four agonizing weeks for me to get a diagnosis from the doctor(s), who told me I had a viral infection of my inner ear. After several more weeks passed, I got an appointment with the ENT whom I had initially wanted to see, and her take was that my symptoms are completely stress-related. Not only had I gone through an incredibly difficult time in my home life over the past eight months, but the anxiety of not being diagnosed for four weeks had spiraled out of control (and it still is out of control).
>
> A psychiatrist has since diagnosed me as being mildly depressed and anxious, and initially put me on Paxil. (I had been on Ativan for the dizziness and it seemed to help the anxiety as well, but they wanted me off of it and I got completely off this week.) I gave up after three days -- couldn't take the side-effects (nervousness, muscle twitching, increased light-headedness/dizziness, etc.). Now I am on Remeron. Started off at 7 mgs. which I am supposed to do for four days and then up it to 15 for four more, eventually getting up to 30. Took my first dose last night and today has been awful. I am extremely light-headed -- more than usual and felt like I couldn't talk properly (feeling of being drunk) earlier today. On the other hand, I am not having the crying jags I have been having every day and my anxiety seems to be a little more under control. I should mention that I have lost 20 pounds over the past several months and I was not overweight to begin with.
>
> What should I do? Could the weight loss have made me so sensitive to these medications? Has anyone else experienced these kinds of physical symptoms (the inner ear thing) and had them chalked up to "stress"? Will my body adjust to the Remeron? Has anyone else experienced this with this drug?
>
> Thanks in advance.Wow, I'm new to this site and I'm so glad to hear I'm not the only one that is light headed and twitching on Paxil! I wish I had some advice, but I'm in the same boat that you are. I was on Prozac for almost a year and now try Paxil... but I'm not sure it's right for me. I've not even heard of Remeron... my HMO won't cover any more visits to my therapist... so I'm at the mercy of my Primary Care Physician.....
I hope to gain some insight here!
Thanx a million!
Jo
Posted by jd on April 21, 2000, at 13:25:48
In reply to New to all this/RemeronPaxil, posted by Kate on April 20, 2000, at 23:08:54
Kate,
From your experiences with both Paxil and
Remeron, it sounds like you may fairly
sensitive to antidepressant medications.
I wonder what dosage of Paxil you started
with, for example--some people need to really
start low and work their way up as tolerated
and/or necessary. 7-1/2mg is a pretty low
dose of Remeron, but I'm hardly surprised
that it's enough to wipe certain people out
at the start... (Remeron's kind of notorious
for being very sedating at first--for some
reason, this is especially true with low
dosages.)Most of these side-effects subside over time,
but your main goal should be to find a way
to stick with a med for at least a few weeks,
even if you have to start with lower doses
and work upward. It usually takes a while
for the positive effects to kick in, so you
don't want to be throwing in the towel too
soon! If you continue to feel pretty lousy,
I'd definitely check in with your doctor and
try to come up with a strategy that will
improve things.Best,
JD
Posted by Kathie on April 22, 2000, at 0:32:53
In reply to New to all this/RemeronPaxil, posted by Kate on April 20, 2000, at 23:08:54
Hi there!
I finally can help someone! I myself am fairly new to this board and not anywhere near as educated or insightful as a lot of people here, but I can share my Paxil experience with you! My depression manifested itself in physical symptoms, rather than mental. I felt totally ill, nauseous, light-headed, dizzy....it was horrible. I lived this way for a year because no way I was buying that I was "depressed" and besides I felt physically ill, not emotionally ill. Well my parents finally got on my case and TOLD me I had depression and to go see a doctor. This had been brought up before by my husband and my sister...I refused to listen to them. So I went to my doctor and had to tell her I was suffering from depression (I had been to see her several times during the year of illness...she didn't diagnose depression...go figure??)
Anyway, she prescribed Paxil at 20mgs a day. The first day I took it I was totally wacked out...even more light headed and dizzy than before!! I reduced the dosage myself, down to 10mg a day and took them at night, so the worst of the lightheadedness was during my sleep. I took the med for probably 2 months before I upped it to 20...and I took it at 20 for 6 months and now I alternate 20 one day and 30 the next. I tried switching to taking Paxil during the day but by 3pm I had to sleep...HAD TO...so I went back to taking them at night before bed. Now I sleep well and feel well during the day. It took about 10 days of taking Paxil at 10mgs and I knew I was feeling better...after 3 weeks I felt like a new person....when I upped the med to 20 I felt even better...and now I feel normal again. I don't feel overly "mellow", I don't feel drugged, I don't feel lightheaded or dizzy, I don't feel bad at all actually. The only problem I had on the drug is weight gain....and some lack of interest in sex, but it is a fair trade off for the difference I am feeling.
As bob would say...my two cents!
Kathie
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