Re: Transient Global Amnesia and Remeron

[Guest guest]

Thanks so much, . That is very helpful.

Best, Pam

>

>

>

> << Remeron helped me sleep, and eat. I had lost so much weight my doctor was

worried I would end up in the hospital.

>

> When you call Remeron an antipsychotic, are you including antidepressants in

that?>>

>

> ** That was an accident. I had just written to 4 people in a row about

antipsychotics.

>

> You said:

>

> <<I do know that Remeron hits more receptors than klonopin, and that has

been one of my worries. As well as how I will be when I go off of it - will my

original symptoms return in addition to dealing with withdrawal symptoms?>>

>

>

> ** As I said in my previoud post, TGA is self-resolving and requires no

drugs of any sort. Besides, you weren't given this drug to address TGA. You

were given it (horror of horrors) to gain weight by damaging the way your

pancreas works and to drug you into sleep.

>

> As I said, I would begin getting off this immediately.

>

> You said:

>

> << I have been meditating twice a day (loving-kindness meditation) and going

to an wonderful acupuncturist three times a week, and will continue doing this.

What do you recommend for a withdrawal schedule? I'll have to cut the pills,

but I did this with the klonopin and it seemed to work okay.>>

>

> ** The best way off this drug -- FOR YOU [everyone else please note this

id for Pam only. My response is based upon the information I gathered about

Pam's particular situation. Your chemistry is not Pam's. Your history is not

Pam's.]

>

> The way off with the least amount of disruption to your life is to do a

aximum of 10% reductions. Ten days after the 1st reduction, ask yourself daily,

" Do I feel as well of better than I felt prior to the reduction? "

>

> If the answer is no, it is not time to do the next 10% decrease. Only when

you can say yes is it time for the next decrease.

>

> The 10% is figured on each prior dose. Example -- if you're taking a

total of 5 mg. of a drug you will want to reduce a total of 0.5 mg . You may

split it up over 2 or more doses making it 0.25 mg if you reduce 2 doses, etc.

Your next decrease (after you have asked yourself if you feel as well or better

than you did prior to the reduction and have answered yes) will be 10% of 4.5

mg. Do the same thing this time as you did the last. Keep going until you're

off.

>

> Some exceptions:

>

> -- sometimes reductions nered to be 5% not 10%. Also, many times if it is a

person's 1st antidepressant, getting off it is MUCH easier than if you've ever

been on noe befoe. You may be able to reduce more rapidly but you should wait

two reductions to se how you respond to the 10% before becoming more daring.

The whole goal is to remain functional while stopping the drug. If you do this

you will have also managed to minimize the damage to your neurochemistry, etc.

>

> -- everyone hits bumps along the way. Sometimes it will take several weeks

for you to feel ready for the next reduction. Don't override this. Your body

knows exactly what you need and will not lie to you. If you become impatient

and ignore this, you'll make a mess of it.

>

> -- When you get down to the smaller doses, you'll need to make a liquid

titration. You may also find that 10% is too large a reduction. So be it; make

it 5% or les if necessary.

>

> -- You may also find that you occasionally have to go back up 1 step. This

happens usually on the smaller doses, too. No big deal. If you are in a big

withdrawal that is surprising you after a few days, step back up one dose, wait

a few days. If you feel better, drop the dose again within 7 days. If you

don't feel better, boost it up one more step...

>

> I cannot cover for every possibility here. But I work with these things

with people as they occur.

>

> The very best advice I can give you is to never take one of these drugs

again once off this.

>

> Regards,

>