Posted , 67 users are following.
Has anyone else had a problem with weight loss when stopping Mirtazapine? I don't have an appetite, and feel sick at the stomach, and have lost 10 pounds. I am beginning to worry that it may be something else going on.
3 likes, 134 replies
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tommy01223 david28533
Posted
Hi David I've just came off mirt 45 that I've been taking for 8 years as yet I have no side effects and unfortunately I haven't lost any weight I've gained near 5stone since taking this and that is the reason for stopping. I hope I don't have any side effects time will tell but the weight doesn't seem to be going anywhere..😠😠
bridget88126 david28533
Posted
I was only on Mirtazapine a month, but I was a real eating machine and put on nearly 10lbs believe it or not. I went cold turkey and three days later I've skipped dinner because I'm not hungry and I see my ballooning belly has already gone down a notch. I need to fast methinks because I still have stomach pains from overeating. Yes, it was that bad. I once found myself seriously considering opening junk food at the supermarket before I'd paid for it because I couldn't wait
The weird thing is that I have been feeling elated since quitting. Awake and full of energy. I had more crying spells on this drug than I ever had in the worst of my depression. Though I will say it's fabulous for poor sleepers.
bridget88126
Posted
alma03743 david28533
Posted
My doctor has prescribed Mirtazapine today as I'm depressed, suffering from severe anxiety attacks, insomnia and very low mood. she said it worked well yet when I read all of people's comments on this issue, it seems that it's not a good medicine at all! and the last thing I need is weight gain. I lost 3 and a half stone 16 years ago and havent put any weight on since then, am currently on 20mg citalopram but cant get higher dosage as they wont give it to the 'elderly' I am 71 yrs old next month and have lots of illnesses which also contribute to my low mood. would others recommend me to go ahead with it?
sue97090 alma03743
Posted
But it was a pretty effective antidepressant. OTOH, there are a zillion antidepressants out there to try.
Just mho..
jackie.143 david28533
Posted
Appetite suppression is a symptom of depression, unfortunately. I was on the max dose of Mirtzapine and I ate like a horse on it to the degree that I came off it. The weight loss wasn't exactly quick though. I have had abdominal pain for some time due to the lack of food, eventually getting diagnosed with gastritis. I am now on Omeprazole to counterract the stomach acid. If you continue to have abdominal issues, I'd speak to your GP about that.
colette44412 david28533
Posted
beth24077 david28533
Posted
I am new here and notvreally Sure how this works, but I’m down to half of a 7.5 and every day for about 3 hours so get so dizzy I can barely stand up or drive. I don’t know how to cut this pill any smaller.....any advice appreciated. I am U. S. so can’t get liquid. I’m wondering if I should start my own thread; I don’t want to step on any toes. So much great info here. David I’m following your story and totally get the “fear and anxiety”; I’ve just come off Rexulti and thought Ivwas going to have to be locked up. But it DID PASS. That’s what I keep telling myself. But this dizziness is unreal; I feel like I just got off the teacups at Disney. Thanks all for listening.
lucy92131 david28533
Posted
I stopped taking Mirtazapine two weeks ago and feel fine. Was wondering if I can expect to lose weight now as I gained two stones rather quickly when I started taking it?
beth24077 david28533
Posted
I tapered very slowly and suffered no withdrawal symptoms. Getting ready to tackle CYMBALTA . Looks like its gonna be a b***h
JohnBedson david28533
Posted
You are losing water not weight. Some days you can lose up to a pound and a half when stopping Mirtazapine. You will notice that you are peeing all the time. Mirtazapine puts water all over your body.
beth24077 JohnBedson
Posted
JOHN i didnt lose water OR weight and its been almost a year since I came off.....oh well . Just glad to be off!
JohnBedson beth24077
Posted
I'm sorry. I'm a newbie here and I replied to the wrong post by accident. My reply was not meant for you.
em72 JohnBedson
Posted
hi john beds,
do you have any more info regarding the water/weight loss after mirt? i was on 15mg for six months and have been tapering for the last 8(!!) months- am down to 5mg but it hasn't been easy...i have put on weight/water- can't really tell which it is- just wondering if you lose 'it' only after you've completely stopped mirt, or do most people lose the weight/water gradually as they are tapering down? what is your experience? my doctor was not very informative regarding withdrawal and any effects etc. and said the 'slow withdrawal method' in the CITA document was 'a bit over the top'.
JohnBedson em72
Posted
I have come off Mirtazapine twice. Both times I put on 10 Kilos on the drug. I lost that weight very fast after discontinuing. So fast that I can only think that much of it was water. Some days I could lose one Kilo a day.
I took 14 days to discontinue the first time and 10 days to stop the second time. I was on 45mg both times. But I am lucky and I can stop drugs fast. I had lots of anxiety after stopping but I used Valium to overcome all the anxiety.
Mirtazapine is one of the easier drugs to stop. SSRIs are much more difficult to stop. Venlafaxine and Pristique are also extremely difficult to discontinue. Valdoxan can be stopped instantly with no bother.
JohnBedson
Posted
The weight only reduces after a complete stopping of Mirtazapine. No alternative. I will never take Mirtazapine again.
em72 JohnBedson
Posted
Thanks for the insight john, it's great that you can come off the meds so quickly, i'm finding it a long hard slog. It makes total sense what you're saying about the water retention v fat!
JohnBedson em72
Posted
em72:If you are on 5mg a day you are already well below the minimum theraputic dose of Mirtazapine. All it is doing now is blockading your H1 receptors and making you sleepy. You are getting no Serotonin or Norepinephrine or anything useful.
Just stop the thing completely and if you get insomnia use Phenergan to block up your H1 receptors again and then slowly reduce the Phenergan. You have no need for Mirtazapine any more. The minimum theraputic dose of Mirtazapine is around 10mg. Below that it is doing nothing for you except making you sleepy and being an antihistamine.
em72 JohnBedson
Posted
oh wow, really?! Thanks for the info and support. Every time I drop down a dose i get horrific nightmares and increased anxiety, I'm very very sensitive to all meds so have been going very cautiously. Thanks for the heads up regarding theraputic doses etc. I really appreciate it!
JohnBedson em72
Posted
Enjoy the nightmares, it means that horrid drug is draining out of your brain. That's what you want isn't it? Take Valium for the anxiety.
Get yourself a pack of 50x5mg Valium and stop the Mirtazapine dead. But don't mix Valium and Phenergan. Do one or the other.
DO NOT take alcohol when your are withdrawing from Mirtazapine or you will end up in a Police cell. Also don't take any alcohol for several weeks after ceasing Mirtazapine.
em72 JohnBedson
Posted
HA! I guess so. I don't drink anyway so that shouldn't be a problem...thanks for the advice and fingers crossed i should be mirt free v soon. Good luck with your own journey :0)