Seen as it wont let me open a new thread i will have to post on here in the hope someone read this

Hi,

I have suffered from SA and related depression for most of my adult life. I was on Remeron for the past year and a half and have now stoped taking it. That was 3 weeks ago today. One of the main reasons for stopping was the site effect "Akathisia" I dont know how many of you will know of this as it took me around 6 months to work out what it is.

Its best summed up in this wiki article:*PM member for link*

I thought by stopping taking the meds this would go away as it is a direct side effect of them. All though it has gotten slightly better over the last 3 weeks its still unbearable.

Has anyone else had this problem, and how long after stopping your meds did the problem continue for.

Please any help would be much appreciated. Ive been to see my doctor and he hasnt been any help at all. Brushed it off as if it was my SA causing it. Which i know its not.

Anyway please help.

Thanks
Ally.

This post has been edited by KeepingAwake: May 17 2007, 03:47 AM

*bump*

sorry folks but i really need help with this.

I get something similar, terribly restless at times, but i think its anxiety attacks. Well its diagnosed as anxiety attacks. I cant sit still, i have to keep myself busy or i get a terrible feeling of doom and underlying anxiety.

Ive been on remeron (zispin in the UK) for nearly 6 years, so cant be them.

I never stopped taking my meds, so i dont know if the feeling would go away if i did. I do want a change of meds now because the remeron no longer seem to be working.

I will let you know if it changes when i change meds.

ES

Dear Rollingstones,

Akathisia is a frequent and common adverse effect of treatment with antipsychotic (neuroleptic) drugs. This syndrome consists of subjective (feeling of inner restlessness and the urge to move) as well as objective components (rocking while standing or sitting, lifting feet as if marching on the spot and crossing and uncrossing the legs while sitting). Antipsychotic-induced akathisia can be classified according to the time of onset in the course of antipsychotic treatment (acute, tardive, withdrawal and chronic akathisia). Reported prevalence rates vary widely between 5 and 36.8%.

Numerous risk factors for acute akathisia have been described and the exact pathophysiology of akathisia is still unknown. Since akathisia is a drug-induced adverse effect, optimal management involves its prevention rather than treatment. Standardised titration and the use of novel antipsychotics are successful measures of prevention.

There is a paper reviews different forms of therapeutic approaches for the treatment of akathisia. Based on the available literature, propranolol or other lipophilic beta-blockers seem to be the most consistently effective treatment for acute akathisia. There is nothing in the literature to guide a clinician when treatment with beta-blockers fails. Addition of benzodiazepines would appear to be a sensible next choice, especially if subjective distress persists. If all of these drugs are unsuccessful, amantadine or clonidine can be tried. Other agents that have been investigated include ritanserin, piracetam, valproic acid (sodium valproate) and tricyclic antidepressants. Evidence on the treatment of tardive akathisia is unsatisfactory.

Hope that is helpful, at least it gives you something to talk with your pDoc about...

BE Peace(ful ) and BE Love...... w

((((Ally))))

How are you doing?

Autumn

This side effect is a concern for me. I have been talking mirtazapine and tramadol, both increase serotonin and norepinephrine. Sometimes I feel restless, I'm not sure if it's the meds. or my anxiety -- anxiety is associated with psychomotor restlessness too.

Whoa !!!! After 12 weeks on Remeron, I think I'm experiencing this. Never knew there was a term for it though.

I feel constantly agitated, on edge, feel as if everything is on top of me, is too much, overwhelmed etc. Also feel anxious that I've got to do something NOW if I think of it. If I wonder where I put something for example, I have to find it NOW.

I've got no patience - if things dont work first time I get agitated. I'm also snappy, bad tempered etc.

I'm on 15Mg at the moment. Would a higher does make a difference? (I've heard it works the other way around?)

What actually is the Remeron supposed to do?????

Hey all, I'm brand new here but not to depression, anxiety or antidepressants. I've had this reaction "akathesia" now to three different antidepressants: prosac, effexor and zoloft. Brief history:

I was put on prosac many years ago when I went into treatment for alcoholism. I thought that the insane agitation and suicidal ideation was due to sobering up.

It is now 14 years later. Trying to get some help for my endless depression the Dr put me on 75, then 150 mg of Effexor. Now it's true that I am a fidgeter to begin with, especially in an anxious situation. My depression is described as "agitated". Well, as soon as I went on the meds this started to increase, but the repetitive movement was actually soothing, so I didn't mind it. After 30 days, I was still depressed, so the dosage was upped to 150 mg - the agitation became worse and was no longer soothing - like an intense itch that cannot be scratched. I was rattling out of my skin. Pacing, jiggling hands and legs, rocking, talking to myself non-stop and repeating words over and over... unable to work! Was really, really disturbing. So the Dr says - obviously that won't do, and decided to do a switch to Zoloft - took 50 mg while tapering off Effexor, then after two weeks up to 100. Well the two weeks didn't seem quite so severe (still not something I'd want to live with), but as soon as I took the 100 mg Zoloft twice, I was off the scale again - and this time with desperate suicidal ideation - something I had not experienced since alcoholism treatment 14 years ago. ((LIGHT BULB!!)) That madness I experienced in treatment was a reaction to the Prosac!! The medication that was supposed to have been HELPING me!! Thank god I was able to get sober in spite of it.

Anyhow, the dr had me quit the Zoloft right off and I've been med free for about a month now. Still have had more than average agitation in all of that time. I feel like my brain chemicals have been given a stir - the last few days I am beginning to settle back into my familiar anxious depression, so getting back to normal for better or worse.

So the question is...what now? I've suffered from this depression my entire life, so even though I am back in therapy again, I have little faith that this is something that can ever be changed on it its own. I'd always hoped that a medication would help. I'm going back to the dr next week, and she suggested that a "mood stabilizer" might be something we could try. I'm nervous about trying another medication, for obvious reasons, but I'm desperate for change as well.

I have yet to find anyone who has shared this experience. I would love to hear from you if you have - and if you've found a medication to that helped your depression.

Hmm - just noticed that I posted this under another medication. Sighhhh. Oh well. Hopefully someone will find it.

This post has been edited by Hermitess: Sep 22 2007, 08:34 PM