Posted , 9 users are following.
I was prescribed Mirtazpain in May 2014, Started on 15mg, to date I'm on 45mg. The problem I'm facing is that I've always been thin, 8-9 Stone. But now I'm weighting 11-12 Stone (88KG) and now I'm classed as overweight.
The Reason I was prescribed this medication is becuase I lost my mum unexpected to cancer and I was diagnosed with Depreesion and suffering from Complicated Grief.
Is the Mirtazapine Causing sudden Weight Gain? The last two weeks I changed my diet to purly Fruit and Vegatables and I drink ONLY water. Now and again I have a coffee after waking but I keep this to 1-2 cups. I even bought a Treadmill to increase my excercise to try lossing some weight.
Even with these measures, I'm not lossing weight, but rather keep putting it on, even though i aim to burn more calories then I consume.
This is making me very depressed with the way I look and I am strongly considering stopping taking this medication, But the right way is to go back to my GP to get an alternative medication without the side effect of weight gain.
As anyone else having or had the same problem? Any advice will be welcomed.
Daniel
0 likes, 15 replies
melodious daniel84638
Posted
It is important to talk to your doctor about this and see what he or she recommends. My doctor prescribed Welbutrin to counteract the weight gain aspect of the drug. However, it does not seem to work. And so we are all in the same boat, with this struggle to find something that helps us and does not hurt us.
I am very sorry for your loss, and understand how tough this must be. I wish you good luck but keep coming on the blogs and try to find answers..
karin65289 daniel84638
Posted
I have heard others on Mirtazapine express frustration at having problems losing weight. I wish you well.
cathy123 daniel84638
Posted
Nessie91 daniel84638
Posted
i put on two and a half a one with Mirtazapine in 4 months. The only good thing is that it gives you a good night's sleep. Because fom he weight gain gi've been changed just last week to Loprofamime and are being cut down from the Mirazapine from 45 to 30 to 15 in 6 days then start this other one. Right now, I waken at about 2.30 with palpitations and can't get back to sleep. At least with the Mitazapine, I didn't waken till about 8.30 and so did have the palpitations and agitation for so long.
daniel84638
Posted
Thanks
evergreen daniel84638
Posted
daniel84638 evergreen
Posted
evergreen daniel84638
Posted
Emis Moderator comment: I have removed product brand name as we do not allow repeated posting of these in the forums. If users wish to exchange these details please use the Private Message service.
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andrea19711998 daniel84638
Posted
jane96525 daniel84638
Posted
I have been taking Mirtazapine for about 15 months and am still in the process of coming off it. Part of the problem I think is psychological in my case - fear of not sleeping leading to....not sleeping and taking the tablet in the end!
Probably I should bite the bullet and just stop irrespective of not sleeping.
With regards to weight gain, yes, I put on weight with Mirtazapine, about a stone in a year. I was always about 8 stone and then gradually crept up to more like 9. But in my case this was due to eating more. Mirt really gave me a ferocious appetite! I have lost most of it now through quite tough dieting. But its been hard to starve on top of not sleeping.
I hope the depression doesnt ever return, but my GP told me that once you have had it once, it is more likely to return in the future. I dont know why this is. This is the second time I have been depressed. But Mirtazapine definitely got rid of it so that is why I have put up with all the side effects, some of which were quite horrendous, especially in the first couple of months.
They dont seem to have found the perfect cure for depression yet.......!
daniel84638 jane96525
Posted
Personally, I've always suffered from depression from a young age, it got really bad that in 2007 I was also suffering from Anxiety Disorder, on top of my depression. Was never one Mirtazapine till May 2014. Back in 2007 I was on Anti-Depressent, Citopram it think!! Also I was taking Lorazepam. In 2008 My Mother, help me deal with my mental health, and helped me off these tablets. I did this right after having Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Which did great wonder's. My mum sadly passed away in November 2013, This was unexpected and I had unfinished business with her, Becuase we had a arguement 6 months before she died, And in those 6 months I never got to chance to really appreciate her as a mother, So my Depression has returned and i'm stuck in Griefing, This is refered to Clinical Complicated Grief. You can never cure Depression, but there are things that can be done, and the medication is there to help you cope whilst you figure out what's the main cause of the depression. I was prescribed Mirtazapine in May 2015, started on 15mg, 3 months later this was increased to 30mg and to do am on 45mg. I'm awake all night, I sleep 14 hours + but it's not healthy, and today, I have a appoitment with the doctor and it's a chance to discuss these medication. If someone is Depressed, and get's prescribed medication like this one, It causes weight gain, which in return is making me more depressed, So I would class my medication no longer effective in battling depression. Most people here are going through the same as us in terms of mental health issue's, and like myself I'm here to contribute my experience so I'm able to help others to overcome depression. I hope you get better soon and wish you luck for the future.
Daniel xx
melodious daniel84638
Posted
The higher the dose of mirtz, the less it helps you sleep. The lower dosages target sleep. I hope you can come off soon. Have you thought about asking for Wellbutrin? Supposedly this counteracts weight gain. Good luck,
daniel84638 melodious
Posted
I've just got home from seeing my GP. I did ask for Wellbutrin, also known as Bupropion, The doctor never heard of it, and said it used to prescribed for depression, but now its prescribed to those who want to quit smoking, The only way I can get this prescribed if the Mental Health Hospital authorises it. So the plan instead is to be weaned off Mirtazapine, I've been dropped to take 30mg for one week and then to take 15mg for two weeks and then to completly stop. They will do another mental health assessment after a week I've been off mirtazapine. She said in terms of weight gain, some people the weight is reversed, in soom it's not, I'm not that lucky to be the minority where to weight will sort it self out, so I'm on a strict calorie count diet, which so far is not working.
Calmer daniel84638
Posted
I've been reading around "coming off" Mirtazapine for a couple of weeks on this site, taking in everyone's good advice, to be honest I think people on this forum know more about "coming off" than GP's.
To go from 15mg to nothing could be highly difficult as withdrawal sympoms can be quite severe (so everyone is saying). Have a read around, tapering off extremely slowly seems to be everyone's advice.
Best wishes to you Daniel
Nessie91 daniel84638
Posted
u fortunately, it's a sedative antidepressant and so you put on weight - I put on two and a half stone, round my stomach, in 4 months. The only good thing in my case is that I did sleep for 6 hours whereas with Sertraline, etc I only got about 3 hours sleep and was highly agitated during the day. I still am, even with 80 mg Propanarolol and 12 mg Diazepam but at least I can blot everything out during the night when asleep.
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