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Mirtazapine diet club

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evergreen
evergreen

I thought I would start a thread about trying to lose weight on this drug. If others are currently dieting, please add your experiences here. I would like to discover whether we gain weight on mirtazapine purely because it increases our appetite, or whether other factors are at play. I certainly gained weight quickly when I started on mirtazapine (around 1.5 stone). My appetite was revenous, especially for sugary foods. I tried to com off mirtazapine around 6 months in and failed. I lost half a stone in the week I waas off it, but most of that was due to severe nausea. When I went back on the drug I did not gain more than a couple of pounds, but I was being very careful what I ate. My weight has been steady now for two years.

I am not happy carrying around the extra stone however, and so have decided to diet. I am on day 8 and it is VERY hard. But I have lost two pounds so far. This is with me still eating 1700 - 1800 calories a day. I have a very active physical job and so my daily calorie requirement is 2100.

I have also started taking raspberry ketones and green coffee bean extract as of this morning in the hope that it will help me to burn fat. The interesting thing is, the amouont of weight I have lost is the same as would be expected from a person who is not on mirtazapine.

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  • julie1111
    julie1111 evergreen

    Posted

    Hi sorry to butt in, i came off mirtz 2 months ago, in that time ive lost nearly a stone, hope it helps x
  • Mermaid3011
    Mermaid3011 evergreen

    Posted

    Good morning everyone!!

    So... it's day 3 for me going from 15mg Mirtazapine to 5/10mg Trintellix.

    I stopped Mirt and began Trintellix 5mg right away (as exchange) since both meds are so similar in chemical structure, but without the weight issue. 

    For two days I took 5 mg but yesterday I felt a little low and figured I would up Trintellix to 10mg which is the normal adult treatment dose.

    I slept very well and woke up refreshed. That's a nice change!

    I've also lost a pound which is lovely, because dieting without seeing any change is freaking frustrating! smile

    So just the recap: right now I am on 300mg Wellbutrin, 100 mg Sertraline, 2 mg clonazepam (spread out over the day) and 10mg Trintellix at night.

    I decided to also keep taking the 1000 mg Metformin per day that I had taken together with Mirt to stop the weight gain until I am running out of meds. My doctor is fine with it and actually gave me a new prescription for another 6 weeks, as Metformin is a fairly safe med that just regulates your blood sugar and insuline levels. 

    Long story short - I am off Mirt and have lost a pound. 

    Crossing fingers that the trend continues.

     

  • evergreen
    evergreen

    Posted

    Update:

    I have worked out on the cross trainer every day for 6 days now. I was totally disheartened when after working out and still sticking to my diet, I actually gained two pounds after 4 days of the work outs. However, I am pleased to say, this was temporary, and I have lost nearly 3lbs in 2 days and so am now down to my lowest weight in years. smile

    • Mermaid3011
      Mermaid3011 evergreen

      Posted

      OMG that's fabulous!! Congratulations!!! Doesnt it feel wonderful when your hard work is rewarded?

      I've had a good night sleep and start in Day 5 with Trintellix. 2 nights I have now taken 10 mg and I feel well. Like me again. Once in a while I have pressure headaches. Especially at night, but they are not that bad. 

      In the mornings I take 100 mg Sertraline and 300 mg Wellbutrin as well as 0.5 mg Clonazepam. 

      I am feeling good. This morning I was down 2 lbs and am - also - at my lowest weight for quite some time (at least 7 years).

      Also had a very productive day, was active and walked to yoga and further, cleaned up my balcony and now I am enjoying my couch and a netflix movie. 

      Have a great weekend everyone!

    • evergreen
      evergreen Mermaid3011

      Posted

      That's excellent! I am definitely going to try Trintelix if the mirtazapine poops out. May even consider it in any case. Will certainly discuss it next time I'm at the docs.
    • philip14659
      philip14659 evergreen

      Posted

      Hi

      Does anyone know if trintellix is available in the UK ? Does it help with sleep?

      Phil

    • pixie22
      pixie22 philip14659

      Posted

      It's called Trintellix in Canada, and Brintellix in US and Europe. I couldn't find any info on it's availability in UK but it had been licenced for marketing in Europe according to Wikipedia. Chemical name Vortioxetine. Pixie
    • Mermaid3011
      Mermaid3011 philip14659

      Posted

      Hi Phil, to me it does help with sleeping. But I can't tell 100% for sure if it's trintellix or the 1 mg Clonazepam that lets me slowly doze off. 

      Considering though that the chemical setup of Trintellix/Brintellix is very similar to Mirtazapine, I would expect a similar effect on sleep. Maybe slightly less than Mirtazapine. 

      I know that Trintellix/Brintellix has as one sideeffect somnolence listed. That's why I take it at night before bedtime. 

  • Mermaid3011
    Mermaid3011 evergreen

    Posted

    Day 6 on 10mg Trintellix/Brintellix (as well as 2 mg clonazepam spread over the day, 100 mg Sertraline, 300 mg wellbutrin, 1000 mg Metformin).

    No changes - I am still feeling very well, am active, met friends for brunch and walked 5k with my dog (who is pretty annoyed by my outburst of activity, at least he's sound asleep now).

    No side effects, feeling myself again, energy is up, anxiety is not noticeable (other than constipation thanks to all the meds, I think each one of them has that as a side effect).

    Now I should add that Wellbutrin has a rep to make dieting easier and to help with losing weight. So does Metformin (but in a much smaller range). 

    I believe that the combination of them all  PLUS anxiety and depression going into remission makes my weightloss possible. It has never been easy, but these days, it's different. Doable.

  • evergreen
    evergreen

    Posted

    Unfortunately I continued to put on weight again even though I was exercising and keeping to my diet. I had got down to 142lbs but then went back up to 144lbs. This has been very discouraging. I have also had the most terrible insomnia. However, I have been diagnosed with chronic kidney disease stage 3 and I think the insomnia (due to frequent urination and heart palpitations) is due to this. I am back down to 142.5lbs this morning. I wonder if these wild fluctuations in my weight are down to the CKD and therefore water retention. I've been taking far too much temazepam to help me sleep. Need to go back to the docs because I don't know how much more of this insomnia I can take when I have to be up at the crack of dawn, and also capable of driving my son late at night. sad
    • Mermaid3011
      Mermaid3011 evergreen

      Posted

      Oh darling! I am so so sorry to hear this! 

      Yes, CKD can lead to water retention and taking more meds of course isnt great for the kidneys (not sure if temazepam is metabolized through the liver or the kidneys). Any way - going back and forth between 142 and 144lbs is normal. That can be "That time of month", something salty you had yesterday (retains water) and then of course the meds. 

      Yes, definitely see your doc. Maybe he can get you off Mirt. My kidney values went up when I started Mirt even though it's apparently metabolized through the liver, not the kidneys. 

      And insomnia is the worst!!!!! 

      I just had a few really bad days. Quite a set back. I was incredibly upset and angry and disappointeed with my psychiatrist and in the end directed the anger towards myself. Well... you can imagine. 

      Meanwhile my weight has gone further down thanks to Trintellix and Metformin (I decided to keep taking it, since it helps with the weightloss and is fairly benign compared to the other meds i am taking). But I also had about 1.5 days when I didnt eat really anything (a bag of popcorn) and just phazed out with sleeping pills. That sure makes me eat less. wink

      Last night I was back to normal, took my meds, but have to say that the Trintellix doesnt help much with staying asleep. Not as well as the Mirt does. It makes me drowsy, so I can fall asleep, but at 4 am this morning I was wide awake. 

    • evergreen
      evergreen Mermaid3011

      Posted

      It's horrible waking up in the small hours and not being able to get back to sleep. I am really worried that coming off the mirt will make things even worse. Before i was on mirtazapine, even sleeping pills didn't work. But I am hardly sleeping at all now without temazepam, and I don't want to get back on those full time. Besides, the doctors have really cut back on prescribing them and they are supposed to be for emergencies only.
    • Mermaid3011
      Mermaid3011 evergreen

      Posted

      Oh dear. You are between a rock and a hard place. But if your doc doesnt want you to go on temazepam he/she will have to find an alternative. You can't go without sleep that long! It will only worsen the depression. It's such a vicious cycle! sad 

      Sending you lots of hugs and wish so much that you can sleep tonight!!!

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