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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 Joslynn on September 1, 2005, at 11:26:10
I cannot decide if these past days of anxiety have been caused by...what?
To review, I have been on Celexa, then Lex, since 2001 due to an episode of severe depression and anxiety. I was also on Remeron, but went off that due to weight gain, and was fine without Remeron for a couple years.
Then last year, in the fall, had a mini-episode, short but severe/scary, went back on Remeron too for a couple months. Then went off it (gradually) and was fine until June of this year.
June of this year, due to a relationship issue, I spiraled into another episode. Trouble eating, sleeping, even some passive thoughts of S, etc. Pdoc suggested that I got from 10 Lex to 15 Lex, which I did, and added Remeron 15 mg. My boyfriend and I also talked out the relationship issue.
I taped off the Remeron once in July, got anxious, went back on it, then tried to taper off of it again in August to 7.5 (from 15) down to nothing Friday of last week.
Things went along fine and I was off it for a couple days, then Monday, I started feeling anxious about the future, my relationship, my mental health, the flood, mingling families, if my boyfriend right for me or not, what will happen to me, will I hurt him, will he hurt me, is he too involved with his family, what about those people in the flood, just everything. I started on Remeron 7.5 again Tuesday night.
I realize I am starting my period very soon, so this could be PMS.
My question is...is this anxiety caused just by the good stress and bad stress of opening up myself emotinally in a realtionhsip (and everyone I know is getting married), by PMS, or by those two times this summer I tapered off the Remeron, OR by increasing the Lex from 10 to 15???
However, I have to remember, I went to the higher dose of Lex because of anxiety/depression knocking on the door again...that did come FIRST.
It's so hard to know, and of course my pdoc says, there is no way to say for sure, no definitive answer, but he said that Lex usually only causes anxiety when you first go on it, not going from 10 to 15.
Now I have anxiety about my anxiety. I'm confused. Any ideas about the meds? I am now on 15 Lex and Remeron 7.5. If decreasing the Remeron caused this, how much longer back on it do I need for the anxiety to stop? And why was I ok without it for a couple years? But maybe I am ok now and I am just PMSing? OR because of my therapist's 3-wk vacation.
Thanks.
Posted by Phillipa on September 1, 2005, at 19:19:17
In reply to anxiety caused by Lex , remeron decrease or PMS?, posted by Joslynn on September 1, 2005, at 11:26:10
You sound a lot like me. I always stress so much that meds don't work or I quit them. Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by cherylann on September 4, 2005, at 21:11:51
In reply to anxiety caused by Lex , remeron decrease or PMS?, posted by Joslynn on September 1, 2005, at 11:26:10
I'm a little late posting, so hope you see this.
It seems that the remeron really helps you, even at 15mgs. Why can't you continue taking that?
It's actually a good combo. Or do you still have a problem with weight gain at that doseage?
Sounds like you need a little TCA to boost the lexapro.
cherylann
Posted by Joslynn on September 6, 2005, at 9:35:34
In reply to Re: anxiety caused by Lex , remeron decrease or PMS?, posted by cherylann on September 4, 2005, at 21:11:51
Hey cherylann, I checked and saw this. Thanks for the reply.
By coincidence, before reading your post I went back to 15 mg Remeron last night. (I know it's generic now but Remeron is easier to spell.) The reason I have stopped it in the past is weight gain, but honestly, it wasn't even that much weight. And that could be caused by other factors.
I also want to be on as little meds as possible, so, my general inclination is to use the least I need. But this summer, with being in a relationship kicking up all my wonderful fun issues of fear of abandonment, and the stuff happening in New Orleans (which really infiltrated my sense of well being) I have had several rough patches. I don't live in New Orleans by the way, not even near it, but it shook me up in a big way.
I did get my period Friday and felt better after that.
I do want to go down from 15 lex to my usual dose of 10, because most of the time, I have been on 10 and was fine. My pdoc suggested going up to 15 during the first rough patch end of June, but I don't want to keep going up and up and up every time I have a rough patch.
Anyway, until I see pdoc next week, I am still on 15 Lex and 15 Remeron. Also, I am going to sign up for a basic yoga/relaxation class and stop watching the news.
thanks!
This is the end of the thread.
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