Mirtazapine diet club

How long have you been on the mirt? And was your weight stable before you tried losing weight? Are you counting all your calories including drinks and any snacks? I was really shocked just how many calories I was actually eating when I thought I was being really sensible. When I stopped guessing and actually weighing everything I realised I was eating more calories than I thought. Yesterday I had a day off and ate 2100 calories which is what I need to maintain weight. I run a stable yard and muck out and deal with horses every day so I am very active as well as being tall. But my body still only needs 2100 calories a day to stay the same weight. I found that even having a day off and eating that many calories, I was still hungry for a few hours during the day.

In answer to your question though I have lost an average of half a pound a week and continue to do so. I am eating around 1800 calories a day and so I would expect a very slow loss of weight and nothing impressive. I have lost a total of 6 lb now over a period of 9 weeks. I feel so much better in myself too. The hardest part is the sugar cravings that I still get. Most days I can use my will power to defeat them, but occasionally I do give in and then decide I will just have a day off.

The other thing to remember is that by going to the gym you will be building up muscle. This weighs more than fat, but in the long term it means you will use up more calories even at rest, as muscle needs more calories to maintain itself. Don't give up. I have had a couplle of weeks when I have gained weight, and some where I have stayed the same. Sommetimes it is water retention.

 

Sorry about the typos. My keyboard keeps doubling up letters!

Thankyou for your quick response. I changed to mirt in dec and put on a stone in 4 weeks obviously not helped with Christmas! I guess my weight only plateaued for a couple of weeks before really trying to sort it out. I've started to track everything - luckily I drink a lot of water and hardly any alcohol so that is never a problem and I've tried to be controlled on the snacking by having a lot of fruit in the house. However, I do have a very unhealthy relationship with food and binge eat when I do have junk. I've also been off work since October and I guess it was quite a physical job but because I didn't put on the weight until I started on these meds I didn't think that was much of a factor. All of our dinners are with whatever's in the fridge so guess I just need to weigh everything before I cook so I can work out the calorie content. Just frustrating and not feeling very good right now so this is getting me down too

I think you are trying to diet far too soon. Mirtazapine will put on weight regardless for the first few weeks or months even. It increases your appetite and also affects your metabolism to start with. Usually your weight will level off after about 4 - 6 months. My advice is to be careful what you eat, but don't try to diet until you notice youe weight leveling out. Once your weight has plateaued, you can start dieting and your body should respond as an average persons. In fact, I have done some calculations based on my actual and predicted weight loss, and I have actually lost slightly more than would be expected, indicating that my metabolism is actually slightly higher than average for my age, height and level of activity. So whilst mirtazapine definitely caused me to gain weight to start with, my body has obviously adjusted itself back to normal now.

Hey Tara! How are things going? Are you still on mirt and have you had any luck with getting rid of those nasty pounds we all put on at first?

I hope you are successfull because being depressed and getting more depressed about weight gain is just such an awful downward spiral. 

My appetite is skyhigh - I have always loved my food so that doesn't help but now I feel like I think about it all the time and can't buy any junk food as I will eat it all in one sitting. My weight had plateaued for a few weeks and then I went back to my parents and binged on chocolate and crisps and put on 4lbs in days - not happy! I did go to the doc again yesterday and in a few weeks he might change me to another med - I initially went to mirt as it was the only one I could change to from fluoxetine but he's seen how unhappy and angry I am with my weight gain. It is now 2 stone since December when I started on them. I have varying weeks in the gym - good week followed by bad week. Even though I am still putting on weight I just can't discipline myself with food. Glad you are seeing results.

Hi Mermaid - Things were ok - thought my weight had plateaued but have not - gained another few pounds. Still on mirt but that may change soon as the doctor realised the weight gain is making me angry and not helping with my situation.

If you have only been on the mirtazapine since December, your body will not have adjusted itself to it yet. It takes around 6 months, so you are looking at June time before you will be properly settled on it. After this your cravings WILL reduce. I still get cravings, but no more than the average person does. Nowhere near what I got during the first few months on mirtazapine.

Interestingly, I have done some calculations on the amount of weight I have lost against what I SHOULD have lost by eating the amount of calories that I have been, and the exercise I have done. I have actually lost marginally MORE weight than predicted which shows that my metabolism is actually HIGHER than an average person of my height and activity level. This is despite being on mirtazapine. So mirtazapine has not affected my metabolism at all. Not now, in any case, though I do think it did to start with before my body adjusted itself. That is the period of adjustment you are in now. Once you get through it, you will be able to lose weight like any other person. Remember, a craving only lasts for 17 minutes. If you can resist for that long, it will go away.

I have been on fluoxetine as well and my doctor put me on Wellbutrin (bupropion) and Sertraline. It's an amazing combo since it tackles all the neurotransmiters and in addition to that Wellbutrin is known to reduce cravings, hunger and help with weight loss. So you might want to ask your doctor for that?

Good for you to retain your current weight! That's a big step forward! 

I am NOT hungrier than I was before the Mirtazapine. I hope 4-6 days in the mountains of the Sierra and am trying to add strength trying. My calories rarely top 1700. But I am 60 plus.

I have managed my weight and 5 pounds was my max...holidays, wine, etc. The research shows that the drug may cause or be associated with weight "mass" increase. Y ipe!

If the weight gain levels out as side effects often do...that would be a relief. At 5'1", I'm out of room!

I would be careful not to reduce your calories too much because if you do, your body takes its energy from muscle rather than fat. This is because it goes into starvation mode and muscle is quicker to break down than fat nd your body is starving! When you break down muscle, your metabolism lowers and then you need fewer calories to function. Personally I would eat around 1800 a day in your shoes. Good luck!

Yes you are right. I've been contemplating about that too. That's why I am trying to go up to 1200 - 1400 in the next two days and then possibly to 1600 - 1800 a day, depending on how the scale is reacting. 

It's like a science project .... at least that's how I feel!  A walking medical science test. LOL