![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Gundy on September 7, 2001, at 14:11:02
I would like to hear from anyone who has used marijuana while using remeron.
I originally started taking antidepressants to help me stop using marijuana, but none of them helped.
However, when I smoked pot while I was on remeron I had severe chest pains with a sinking feeling in my chest followed by an expansion in the chest, and an odd oscillation of blood pressure accompanied by an ebb and flow of blood to and from extremeties.
which is characterized by an increase and decrease over three minutes, and is now present every second of the day.
This oscillation between vasodialation and constriction first occurred four years ago, and NEVER happened before I began taking Remeron, and generally intensified about 30 minutes after ingesting remeron. I have
been off Remeron for 3 1/2 years, and marijuana for 2 years, yet this problem continues. Now, and since the beginning of this problem, caffiene gives me chest pains, and
alcohol intensifies the oscillations.
Also part of the cycle is a blurring then sharpening of vision, tensening then relaxation of muscles, and symptoms affecting concentration.
I have seen several doctors and none have been able to give me a diagnosis, however I have met one other person who used marijuana while taking remeron, and she also reported severe chest pain. She wisely discontinued Remeron sooner than I did, and did not suffer any permanent damage.
I would like to hear from anyone who has experienced symptoms remotely similar to those which I have described, or anyone who might speculate as to the causes or potential cure for this condition.
Thank you.
Posted by kid_A on September 7, 2001, at 15:00:30
In reply to Remeron and Pot Combined Cause PERMANENT Damage , posted by Gundy on September 7, 2001, at 14:11:02
I dont know if I would take two people's disperate experiences and equate them with proof that Mj use + whatever drug = < insert assumption here >...There is so much debate concerning what the overall effect of Mj use are for people who take AD/AP meds that it almost deserves its own board: PsychoCantStopSmokingPot
I used to smoke and I quit *because* I was taking meds, I was more interested in increasing my mental health than getting stoned... Im not shaking any fingers or trying to sound critical but for me pot was just too iffy to even consider anything more than hyper-causal use... A friend who takes remeron has done the same...
I think if you look at any ssri contraindacation list you will find drugs like pot in there somewhere... In my opinion if you are taking meds to stop smoking pot, and then smoking pot regardless, you're just spinning your wheels... I dont think remeron use is going to curb anyones usage of Mj if they really want to smoke, its just not that type of drug... If you smoke pot because you are depressed, plan on being depressed a whole lot more as your usage continues... I think there are a lot of first hand accounts that lean on this assumption...
Try cutting down a bit at a time... And obviously dont take the remeron and -then- light up... I take remeron and the worst thing about that drug for me is that it makes me a zombie in the morning...
good luck... pot can be fun, but more often than not, it just leads to more and more usage, and if you're unhappy to begin with, increased unhappiness...
Posted by cole on September 7, 2001, at 20:10:23
In reply to Re: Remeron and Pot Combined Cause PERMANENT Damage » Gundy, posted by kid_A on September 7, 2001, at 15:00:30
I can't really offer any ideas for possible cures, but I did notice that there was some anecdotal information on Medline that suggested a similar problem with Pamelor, a TCA that also affects the norepinephrine. I think I had done a journal search on it once and came up with a letter that an ER doc wrote to a journal noting that he had seen several young men on the med who had smoked pot, then presented in the ER with heart problems.
I currently take Remeron, and have for 1 1/2 yrs. I was a pretty regular pot smoker, but decreased mostly because the med made me feel good enough that I didn't need to smoke anymore. I have done so a few times with no noticeable problems, but maybe this is a problem that affects males more? I'm a girl. I don't know what to say, but have you gone to see a heart specialist? Maybe you are experiencing a specific illness that can be treated?
I wish you the best,
cole
Posted by stjames on September 8, 2001, at 1:00:31
In reply to Remeron and Pot Combined Cause PERMANENT Damage , posted by Gundy on September 7, 2001, at 14:11:02
You seem to be describing a classic panic attack.
A subgroup of people do have anxiety reactions to pot. They can last for some time after reqular use. The first line treatment is an AD, but the wrong one will make it worse. Perhaps a SSRI would be better. You need to consult with a doc who has treated this before.James
Posted by Gundy on September 8, 2001, at 11:33:37
In reply to Re: Remeron and Pot Combined Cause PERMANENT Damage , posted by stjames on September 8, 2001, at 1:00:31
thank you all for your responces,
kid_A--- good tips, but I successfully stopped smoking two years ago, and despite an extensive search, I have not found any literature specifically contraindicating pot use while on remeron. The PDR has absolutely no mention of it, but if I'm right about the origin of this condition then there should be an addition to the list of reasons not to prescribe remeron. There are plenty of other effective antidepressants which do not cause such problems when combined with cannabis.
cole--- that pamelor is worth looking into, I'll check it out, and no, I haven't seen a specialist yet because I'm still working with the insurance companies to try to get a BP monitor and Holter monitor, which my doctor suggested. Also, the other person I mentioned who had experienced similar problems with remeron and pot was a girl. I hope you're right, that this is a treatable condition.
stjames--- if a panic attack can last for four years and continue every second of the day, I'm having one heck of a panic attack. The symptoms are similar, but this is most definitely not a panic attack. Incidently I did experience a panic attack the first time I combined pot with remeron, which as I said was afew years back.thanks
anyone else?
Posted by stjames on September 8, 2001, at 12:16:51
In reply to Re: Remeron and Pot Combined Cause PERMANENT Damage , posted by Gundy on September 8, 2001, at 11:33:37
> stjames--- if a panic attack can last for four years and continue every second of the day, I'm having one heck of a panic attack. The symptoms are similar, but this is most definitely not a panic attack. Incidently I did experience a panic attack the first time I combined pot with remeron, which as I said was afew years back.
james here...i agree, generalized anxiety disorder would be a better term for what you are have now.
Posted by Elizabeth on September 12, 2001, at 5:51:39
In reply to Re: Remeron and Pot Combined Cause PERMANENT Damage , posted by stjames on September 8, 2001, at 1:00:31
> You seem to be describing a classic panic attack.
> A subgroup of people do have anxiety reactions to pot. They can last for some time after reqular use. The first line treatment is an AD, but the wrong one will make it worse. Perhaps a SSRI would be better. You need to consult with a doc who has treated this before.I agree. Pot can induce panic attacks in people who are predisposed to them, and this can develop into all-out panic disorder if not stopped. An SSRI starting at a very low dose, or a tricyclic such as imipramine or nortripytline, might be the answer.
-elizabeth
Posted by borderliner21 on October 10, 2002, at 21:12:49
In reply to Re: Remeron and Pot Combined Cause PERMANENT Damage , posted by Elizabeth on September 12, 2001, at 5:51:39
I like the combo. I smoke a lot of pot with remeron with no problems. I sometimes combine zyprexa 2.5 mg with pot because weed makes me somewhat delusional.
Posted by bookgurl99 on October 10, 2002, at 21:34:10
In reply to Remeron and Pot Combined Cause PERMANENT Damage , posted by Gundy on September 7, 2001, at 14:11:02
Sounds a lot like the symptoms of a complicated migraine, which is what I'm being treated for. Wanna go to google.com and type in 'complicated migraine' to check into it?
> I would like to hear from anyone who has used marijuana while using remeron.
> I originally started taking antidepressants to help me stop using marijuana, but none of them helped.
> However, when I smoked pot while I was on remeron I had severe chest pains with a sinking feeling in my chest followed by an expansion in the chest, and an odd oscillation of blood pressure accompanied by an ebb and flow of blood to and from extremeties.
> which is characterized by an increase and decrease over three minutes, and is now present every second of the day.
> This oscillation between vasodialation and constriction first occurred four years ago, and NEVER happened before I began taking Remeron, and generally intensified about 30 minutes after ingesting remeron. I have
> been off Remeron for 3 1/2 years, and marijuana for 2 years, yet this problem continues. Now, and since the beginning of this problem, caffiene gives me chest pains, and
> alcohol intensifies the oscillations.
> Also part of the cycle is a blurring then sharpening of vision, tensening then relaxation of muscles, and symptoms affecting concentration.
> I have seen several doctors and none have been able to give me a diagnosis, however I have met one other person who used marijuana while taking remeron, and she also reported severe chest pain. She wisely discontinued Remeron sooner than I did, and did not suffer any permanent damage.
> I would like to hear from anyone who has experienced symptoms remotely similar to those which I have described, or anyone who might speculate as to the causes or potential cure for this condition.
> Thank you.
Posted by Simcha on October 10, 2002, at 22:06:15
In reply to Re: Remeron and Pot Combined Cause PERMANENT Damage , posted by Gundy on September 8, 2001, at 11:33:37
Gundy,
Sometimes people use pot, or alcohol for that matter, to self-medicate for depression or a host of other mental illnesses. I would guess that your doctor is operating under this assumtion if he/she is giving you drugs to combat depression to help you to stop taking pot.
Just one question... Why are you trying to stop using pot? Has it made life difficult for you? If so then perhaps there are issues that might need to be addressed by a psychotherapist. OK, that might be an issue for the other board...
Yet, perhaps you might consider why your doctor is treating you with a drug that is used to combat depression. Are you depressed?
Take Care,
Simcha
Posted by Gundy on November 21, 2002, at 12:59:17
In reply to Re: Remeron and Pot Combined Cause PERMANENT Damage , posted by bookgurl99 on October 10, 2002, at 21:34:10
I don't really experience much anxiety. That's the strange part. It's like having only the physical symptoms of an anxiety attack that come and go every couple of minutes, predictably, regularly and constantly.
As for why I went on antidepressants, I was severely depressed in high school, and I self medicated with pot. I was actually doing fine, except for the insane vehemence with wich my family opposes pot use, so I tried to use SSRI's(paxil, prozac, effexor, zoloft, luvox), wellbutrin, serzone and dexedrine to stop smoking it. The only thing that really stopped me was the chest pain associated with smoking. Negative conditioning is a powerful thing.
In retrospect, I wish I just continued smoking marijuana. I would be alot healthier now if I did.
Posted by sjb on November 22, 2002, at 8:04:44
In reply to hindsight and naturepathy, posted by Gundy on November 21, 2002, at 12:59:17
I think you may be right. I never did much pot, just gave me headaches and made eat to many fritos, but I'm way down on ADs now.
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.