Mirtazapine Side Effects

Posted , 6 users are following.

Hello all.

I’m looking for some advice and perhaps reassurance. I was taking citalopram but it wasn’t really helping and I was having a lot of trouble sleeping so my doctor switched me to mirtazapine.

Since then I’ve had two major side effects that I’m not comfortable with. I’m hungry all the time. My appetite went from barely able to eat to not ever feeling full so now I’m really anxious about weight gain. I’ve also become very irritable. Sadly my mum who is only ever trying to help has been at the receiving end of this so I feel terrible about inflicting that on her sad 

Was just wondering if anyone had had similar issues and overcame them or any advice? I don’t want to keep switching meds but at the moment I feel like I just want to come off  them completely and have a mental reset I guess. 

Thanks so much for any reassuring words 

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • Posted

    Hi, a lot of people have said their appetite has changed and gained weight, my experience of taking mirtazapine is that I am eating better and putting a bit of weight on which I needed. I'm quite worried about how these meds have made me feel though, low self esteem, don't want to be around people, so am finding it hard at work. I've been taking them for three months now and thinking of coming off gradually and try to get back to normal whatever that is??

    Good luck and hope you feel better soon.

  • Posted

    Weight gain is a known side effect of taking mirtazapine.  In fact it is given to anorexics.

    My mood was not very good on this drug either.  I was irritable and had great difficulty getting out of bed.  It seemed to increase my anxiety.  I also developed some agoraphobia, something I never experienced before - I felt uncomfortable leaving the house.  Mirtazapine is a very strange drug.  Personally, I feel that the side effects are worse than any benefit I obtained from it.  Needless to say, I no longer take this medication.

  • Posted

    For many the considerable weight gain is the main reason for stopping this drug.  It really does slow down the metabolism, no matter how and what you eat.  Even keeping up with an exercise routine made very little difference to keeping the weight off.  If the thought of weight gain is making you feel anxious, I would seriously consider  changing this drug for a weight neutral AD.
  • Posted

    I would echo what others have said in this thread.

    I was put on a high dosage to help with my anxiety, and it left me feeling awful. I had low self esteem, and felt so uncomfortable around people that I didn't want to socialise at all. As I didn't want to leave my apartment, it had me feeling like a loser with few friends.

    I'm currently tapering off this medication, and it's a pretty horrible process. I can't wait until I'm off it completely.

    HOWEVER, people have had positive results on this medication. I would just be wary of jumping to a high dose if your doctor recommends it. Work your way up slowly if you want to.

  • Posted

    I’ve been on it for two weeks and have been really constipated and am having to take laxatives to counterbalance this. I went on it for ibs but I’m in pain because of the constipation so not really helping. Has anyone had similar effects from the tablet.
    • Posted

      Hi. Just so I understand, you are taking mirtazapine for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)??  From a medial standpoint, I'd be interested to know the physician's rationale for prescribing this drug for that.  Thx.

    • Posted

      It is for ibs. 

      It was prescribed because my dr thinks ibs is stress related so it should stop  signals of stress going from brain to tummy.  

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