Remeron (mirtazapine)

Therapeutic Efforts Pharmaceutical
#1

In his last podcast, Adam mentions that Remeron made him able to sleep, which in turn fixed his mental sides. Things have been going downward for me the last couple of months. My depression comes mostly from not being able to sleep and taking sleeping pills, drinking myself to sleep and mixing sometimes sleep aids with alcohol. If I could fix my sleep, I know I would have a normal life because I can see how things change completely when I take clonazepam and it works (it doesn’t work all the time). I wouldn’t take the risk of becoming addicted to clonazepam, but even if I wanted to take it everyday, it stops working if I take it two days in a roll and I have to let pass at least three days for it to work again. Actually, I have the same problem with alcohol, and I suppose it’s related to fin because it wasn’t this way before. For instance, maybe 5 beers will put me to sleep one night, but if I try the same medicine the day after, I will probably need to take 10 or 12 beers to fall asleep this time.

I’m now considering mirtazapine for sleep and I have a couple of questions.

-Is it possible to take mirtazapine at a lower dose before bedtime to sleep the same way people do with trazodone?

-Is it something you have to take everyday for it to work? Can you take it once in a while?

-I know all drugs have side effects, but is there permanent side effects you can get from mirtazapine that I should worry about? I’m still functional sexually and libido was good before this depressive state. Of course, I don’t want to take any risk in that department since it’s about the only thing I have left in life. I wouldn’t want something that would reduce my intellectual function, although I’ll admit most of it is gone by now. Same thing for emotions, but I also have to admit that fin has done some serious damages there too.

-Can you take alcohol if you didn’t take mirtazapine during the day?

-Any other thing I didn’t mention that should be considered? Any suggestions?

Feel free to talk about your experience with the drug if you took it. It apparently made a big difference in Adam’s life. In my case, I wanted to avoid antidepressants, but I’ve been dealing with this for so long (haven’t been able to sleep normally in 10 years) that my life has become something that’s lost all of his meaning and value. Right now, I know my life is completely lost. I know my death won’t even have any meaning. At the point where I’m at now, maybe mirtazapine wouldn’t be such a bad thing.

#2

I take remeron and have done for 9 months hie at a dose of 45mg and it’s given me no side effects and helps me sleep 8 hours a day and I also drink 4 small beers before bed with remeron to help me get to sleep

It’s something you need to take everyday

#3

I have many years of experience with remeron now.

It REALLY helped me in the early days after I quit Propecia. I started at a low dose and upped it gradually up to the max. I always thought that a higher dose=better sleep. I sort of doubt that now as I have read that it helps with sleep more at a low dose.

I used to take it every night but my sleep has gotten slowly better over the last few years. I take it a few times a year still, usually if I am anxious about something the next day. It makes my mood sort of melancholy for a day which I like if I have something Im nervous about.

No reason you need to take it every night if your just looking for occasional help from insomnia. If your looking for an anti-depressant effect, then yea, you would probably have to take it every night. I don’t think its a very effective anti-depressant personally though.

I’d say, start on a tiny dose, say 5mg. It really works well for sleep. And the lower dose will cause less of an appetite increase. I would expect to gain weight taking this drug.

I didnt have any permanent side effects from Remeron nor did I read of any.

What Podcast are you referring to?

1 Like
#4

THETIGERSHULL, glad to see I could still enjoy a couple of beers now and then with the drug.

kngreen60, that’s good because my idea is to use it for sleep and with the minimum dose if possible. When I’m able to sleep, my mood is generally great, but it’s almost impossible without sleeping pills. Really, if this stuff can make me sleep, I will be the happiest man on earth and will be thanking God everyday for my wonderful life.

I don’t worry too much about increased weight because intermittent fasting makes me really thin and it’s really not difficult not to eat outside the eating window once you got accustomed to it.

I was referring to the podcast that was mentioned by THETIGERSHULL this week in the podcast thread. It was with an economy teacher from the UK (can’t remember his name). I believe Adam talked about Remeron in one of his first podcast too, but it’s what he said in his last one that made me consider it.

Well, I’m convinced. I’m going to see a doctor to get a prescription.

#5

I bought it and will give it a try tonight.

#6

Beware of the hangover … half-life of remeron is 20-40 hours

#7

Agreed first dose was crazy. Felt hella sleepy for the entire next day. It worked great for sleep but (for me) I had visual side effects. After a few days it felt like my eyes were sucking into my skull. I was blaming it on fin. but I stopped the remeron and switched back to kolonipin/Xanax and woke up feeling way better. This may put me in a super extra fucked situation. The k only helps a little.!I still only get about 5 hrs of sleep on it. I can almost get that amount naturally but I don’t feel as rested. Anyone find an alternative let me know. Not sure how long I can live like this. If k stops working I’m fucked.

#8

I took between 5 and 7.5 mg last night (the pills I bought are 30 mg, so I cut them approximately). I slept well and I feel good today. Maybe feeling a bit sleepy right now, but it should be OK after my morning coffee.

#9

It took me about a week to stabilize on Remeron…sounds like you only gave it a few days?

#10

Did it mess with your eyes in the first week? My eyes were hurting so bad it was unbearable. They went from dry to super dry and extremely light sensitive.

#11

Nope. I would give it more than a few days to get in your system. A week or so should be good…

#12

I took my second last night, also between 5 and 7.5 mg. It makes me sleepy the next day, but maybe it will go away once I’ll have adapted myself to it, like Jorbie is saying. I do feel my eyes are more tired and sensible to sunlight.

Raber, did you try it at one point?

#13

I stole some Remeron 2 weeks ago from my father, he took it once but was so tired the next day that he didn’t want to try anymore. I guess he was just taking way too much. I take it sporadic whenever I have the feeling I’m not tired enough to fall asleep quickly. Also I’m only taking like 3 mg or so because I’m very sensitive, otherwise I get a hangover next day.

#14

I will try it at 2.5-3 mg if the day tiredness doesn’t go away after a couple of days. For me, it’s not that bad, but I had to take a short nap in the afternoon. Most of the time, I feel more tired and a lot less functional, so I still consider it useful even with that inconvenient. But we’ll see if it goes away.

#15

Two days ago, I took about 5 mg and slept very well despite being in a very noisy place. Had a very good day yesterday.

Took a lower dose last night (2.5-3 mg), but wasn’t able to fall asleep on that dose. So, I took more, for a total dose around 5 or 7 mg. Slept for about 10 hours and feel great today. I don’t feel the eyes tiredness like I felt the first days I took the drug and the skin around the eyes also looks a lot better.

If this keeps working I’m going to be a whole different man.

#16

Why don’t I see Remeron discussed more as an anti-depressent?

Doctors are always pushing the SSRIs.

Remeron seems to be consensus choice here; is anyone taking it for its anti-depressant properties?

#17

Remeron can cause suicide I would stay away from it.

rxlist.com/remeron-side-effe … center.htm

#18

If you know about that possibility and if you’re careful about your reaction to the drug, it should be OK. I mean, if you feel you are loosing your mind, it’s probably a good idea to stop taking it. But I don’t believe it’s like the synthetic drugs that put people in a sort of psychotic state where they end up killing themselves. I might be wrong, but the way I imagine it is that the person might be sliding more deeply into depression or become very anxious and end up killing himself. Anyway, someone who’s having a very bad reaction to the drug should go to emergency, but I don’t believe it’s something that occurs frequently. And if you already feel borderline suicidal, I can say I’ve been struggling with that the last couple of months, but for me the biggest dangers are the insomnia, the drinking, the mixing of booze with sleeping pills, the incapacity of doing anything with my life and the loss of everything that brings me close to the abyss. If I’m able to sleep, I know there’s no worrying about being a suicide candidate.

#19

Mark, SSRI can also cause suicide. That is because someone who was too lethargic and tired to kill himself before taking the drug, might get the energy and motivation to go ahead with that.

#20

This is true. I was in a hospital a few months ago and they described this. Apparently there is a level below being actively suicidal where your depression is so bad you literally do not have the energy or motivation left to kill yourself. Then, if you start an SSRI, and don’t have a strong enough dose, it can lift you right into that area where your still suicidal but have the energy to now act on it.

Thanks for the article Mark.

When I Google Remeron it mentions that it is an anti-depressant. It must be like Trazadone, which is an anti-depressant, but also used for sleep issues. I guess the two can go hand in hand. Better sleep equals less depression and vice versa.