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Mental Health  (Expert Forum)
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Remeron - Depakote - help my husband is swelling up
Questions posted in the Mental Health forum are being answered by Dr. Roger L. Gould, author of the Mastering Stress and Depression program and affiliated with the UCLA. Department of Psychiatry. Topics covered include anger, attention deficit disorder (ADD), bipolar disorder, dementia, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), learning disabilities, memory, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic, personality disorders, phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, stress, transitions, and work problems.

Remeron - Depakote - help my husband is swelling up

by Jodie, Nov 20, 1999 12:00AM
About a 1 1/2 months ago my husband's doctor switched him from Serazone and Prozac to Remeron.  He takes 30mg a day of Remeron and 2000mg of Depakote for his depression and compulsive behavior.  For the last 3 weeks or so, he's been retaining water so bad that he can hardly walk, he's swollen from his waist to his feet.  He's also had a pain in his side that they thought was gall bladder problems but after many tests that was fine.  We're going nuts cause after blood tests, urine tests, x-rays, ultrasounds, nuclear scans? they still don't know what's wrong with him.  My gut says it's the Remeron cause it all started shortly after he started taking it.  Since then his breathing has become labored, he's started snoring more and talking loudly in his sleep, gained about 30+ pounds and the above mentioned side pains and water retention.  Any ideas?

by HFHS M.D.-SW, Nov 22, 1999 12:00AM
Dear Jodie,



It must be hard dealing with your husband's illness.

The medication you mentioned, Remeron, is an effective antidepressant. Common side effects are sedation and weight gain. It is difficult to determine the reason of your husband's  medical findings without proper physical exam.

Continue to follow up with your physician, you may also consider a second opinion.

My best wishes for you and your husband.





HFHS M.D.-SW
Member Comments (4)

by NRO-Sx, Nov 20, 1999 12:00AM
Yes.  The article "Edema tendency, dyspnea and hypertension in the treatment with mirtazapine" published in Ugeskr Laeger 1999 May 3;161(18):2699 addresses your concerns.  Swelling (edema), and labored breathing (dyspnea) can be caused by mirtazapine (Remeron).  Have his blood pressure checked, and speak to the doctor about changing medications soon.

by Jodie, Nov 20, 1999 12:00AM
Thank you so much. I felt sure this was related to his medication, but after seeing so many doctors you get so frustrated that no one can figure the problem out.  I really appreciate the information and will look up the article and have him call his pyschiatrist.

by NRO-Sx, Nov 21, 1999 12:00AM
Here's the link to the article in Pub Med.  Unfortunately there's no abstract, and the article is written in Danish.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/htbin-post/Entrez/query?uid=10434798&form=6&db=m&Dopt=b

(you can just cut and paste this into the location bar on your browser).

You're welcome and all the best!
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