Remeron and PTSD
One example of a potentially misplaced diagnosis revolves around PTSD, particularly common because the criteria for diagnosing a person with PTSD have changed a few times. A diagnosis of PTSD may have been hasty or premature. Some exclusions might be where a person has experienced death in the family, or when a close friend dies.1 Other examples can include symptoms caused by medications, illness, or substance abuse. These would be (should be) exclusions. But sometimes these exclusions are missed entirely, hanging a person with a diagnosis that is not accurate, and a drug that may not help. Remeron tapering may be indicated especially where the accuracy of a PTSD diagnosis was unclear or incorrect.
If you feel you may have been prescribed antidepressant medication unnecessarily, you may wish to speak about it further with your prescribing physician or call Alternative to Meds Center. One can find out more about what steps are needed for antidepressant tapering. It is recommended that a person not delay in seeking this medical assistance. This is because the longer one remains on medication, especially where it was not the correct treatment to begin with, the more complex the process of getting off Remeron can become.
Side Effects as a Reason to Get Off Remeron
Like all antidepressants, Remeron side effects can be many, and they may be different for each individual in character, frequency, and also intensity.
Some side effects may be mild for one person, and intolerable for another. As seen below, there are mild, moderate, severe, and life-threatening reactions to Remeron.
Please be alert to severe adverse reactions (physical as well as psychological) that may require hospitalization and sometimes abrupt cessation to save the patient’s life, as in the case of hypothermia, neurological manifestations, or serotonin syndrome.14
Below are just some examples of what may lead a person to choose to taper off Remeron.
Reasons to Consider Tapering from Remeron:
- Mild side effects have begun negatively affecting the person’s quality of life, such as dry mouth, ulcers in the mouth, swelling of the lips or tongue, drooling, bleeding gums, loss of ability to taste, indigestion, altered sensations of taste, smell, etc.
- A person may experience more serious health concerns such as vomiting, bleeding intestines, worsened depression, sleep disturbances, and agitated. edgy or irritated feelings, shaking, flu-like symptoms (cough, fever, sore throat, headache), anger, twitching, restless legs, anxiety, back pain, muscle pain, etc.
- Side effects have become extremely severe and in some cases may become life-threatening such as suicidality, akathisia, mania, manic-depressive cycling states, confusion, pancreatitis, convulsion, stupor, and other severe adverse reactions.*
- A woman who becomes pregnant or plans to become pregnant may be concerned regarding the increased chance of miscarriage and premature birth that occur among mothers taking Remeron during pregnancy.2
*More information on severe side effects is available from FDA sources.4
Remeron Tapering Made Simpler, Safer, Easier to Tolerate
Alternative to Meds Center provides an amazingly comprehensive treatment program that consists of too many segments to describe in this short article.
There are 5 main categories into which these therapies are organized at Alternative to Meds Center, as follows:
- Neurotoxin testing and removal by non-invasive and natural methods such as nutrients that biotransform toxins from fat-soluble to water soluble, combined with sauna, castor oil packs, nebulized glutathione, mineral detox foot baths, and many other treatments.
- Dietary and nutritional corrections, orthomolecular and environmental medicine, etc., for enhancing neurochemistry replacement and improved energy, mood, etc.
- Natural Remeron alternatives that effectively replace prescription medicine, handle sleep issues, etc., without toxic drugs or side effects.
- Therapies for physical pain relief and healing as well as to provide mental and emotional comfort such as Reiki, therapeutic massage, life coaching, CBT, equine-assisted therapy, soothing mineral baths, acupuncture, and gentle trainer-led exercise classes, stress reduction techniques, and many, many more.
- There is also an educational component to the program where clients learn about neurochemistry, diet, and mood, how toxic food additives harm the CNS/brain, the gut-brain connection and how to protect it, and much more.
WARNING: The FDA advises that abruptly stopping Remeron can result in significant risks to health.4
Additional Notes on Remeron
Remeron is an antidepressant drug in the tetracyclic class, meaning its atomic structure consists of 4 rings rather than the 3 rings or other variations in the chemical structure of other antidepressants. This is why, in part, Remeron is referred to as an “atypical” antidepressant, because it is believed that it has characteristics that are quite different from other types or classes of antidepressants. And, is important to note, that though theories exist, it is not known exactly how it creates the effects that it does in the body, brain and CNS.12
Some studies show that physical changes to the brain occur as a result of long-term use of antidepressants, and indicate that more research is needed.5 There are some indications suggesting Remeron affects the histamine receptors, adrenaline receptors plus dopamine, and serotonin receptors. But it is not understood how these all interact exactly. At low doses, Remeron often has more of a sedative effect. At higher doses, the drug tends to have a stimulating effect. Mirtazapine or Remeron is associated with a significant increase in fat mass and weight, as demonstrated in the study by Laimer et al published in the 2006 Journal of Psychiatry. It is clear, that the body of knowledge about antidepressants like Remeron is far from complete.
How Long Does Remeron Tapering Take?
Remeron has a complex structure and side effect profile. Various potential interactions and reactions will be undergoing flux while a person attempts to normalize their neurochemistry during Remeron tapering. An adequate time frame in which to complete the Remeron cessation comfortably will be of great importance. The length of time for Remeron titration can vary, such as for a person who has already tried to quit but was balked by the intensity of withdrawals. The person will do much better with enough time allowed to safely complete their Remeron taper.
Starting Your Remeron Taper with Support from Alternative to Meds Center
Alternative to Meds Center Remeron tapering programs recommend that the client enrolls for 60 days, on average, although a longer stay can be arranged if requested. Our goal at the center is to provide the means for our clients to achieve natural mental health using holistic alternatives to prescription drugs. Clients are given a program that is designed to test for and address any possible factors that may have contributed to unwanted symptoms that were troubling the person before starting to take prescription medications.
Please contact Alternative to Meds Center for a much more detailed description of our inpatient Remeron tapering programs and what benefits are available to all of our clients who wish to improve their mental health naturally.
Problematic antidepressant withdrawals are common enough that the phenomenon has been dubbed “discontinuation syndrome.” 7 The term refers to a cluster of symptoms a person may experience when Remeron is discontinued, especially when the withdrawal is done too quickly or without adequate preparation and support. According to NAMI, symptoms can include paresthesias (prickling or tingling sensations on the skin) headache, nausea, dizziness, vomiting, and nightmares. A single case report published in the Primary Care Companion to the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry also reported insomnia, restlessness, and anxiety as withdrawal symptoms.8,9
