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Mirtazapine. Weightloss.

Posted , 7 users are following.

ben79661
ben79661

Just thought I’d like to share my experience with the drug and talk about the weight gain/weight loss journey I have encountered. 

I have been on Mirtazapine now for 14 months. I was perscribed it as I had depression/suicidal thoughts/insomnia/ anxiety and a stage of mania. Before taking it I was nestled at 11st with around 15% body fat.

Within 8 weeks of taking it I had gained 1st 10lb. I was sitting at 12st 10 for months. I felt horrible with this excess weight so I decided to take up a healthier lifestyle and up my excersize to shift it. After carefully calculating my macro’s and constructing a professional nutriton plan (friend is a PT and trained in nutrition) that put me in a healthy caloric defecit I was all set to go. After 16 weeks I managed to get myself back down to 11 stone. It was such a hard slog.  Some weeks I was losing 2lb and other weeks 1lb then some weeks nothing! I trained every day but Sundays. Even when I was in a caloric defecit, some weeks I’d lose no weight. I always weighed myself first thing on a morning. Same time every day on an empty stomach.

Anyhow I decided to quit the plan and go back to my regular eating as the weight was off. Bearing in mind it was just typical eating. Light breakfast and lunch and a hearty tea. I did make sure I still tracked calories and kept them at maintainence levels. I have done this as part of my normal routine for years. Never once went over. Anyhow in 3 weeks I managed to gain 8lbs!

I went straight back onto the caloric defecit diet and in 5 weeks I managed to lose 7 of the 8lb’s.

Again as soon as I got back to (slightly under) maintainence calories I seemed to gain weight. 

I have come to the conclusion now that it isn't impossible to lose weight on mirtazapine but it is a constant battle to keep it off. 

If you are aiming to do it you need to ensure it becomes a lifestyle, I honestly dont think it is possible to keep the weight gain at bay unless you are living in a defecit. Im not a scientist so unaware what effect the chemical can actually do to stop you losing weight but in my case I’ve found it definitley does unless you excersize regularly, drink lots of water and put yourself in a caloric defecit. 

Just wanted to share my experience incase anyone else has noticed anything similar. Hoping to start coming off the drug after christmas. I am certainly not looking forward to the withdrawal/taper that it seems to come with, however I think if you have a goal (like losing weight) whilst tapering I’m hoping it’ll make the withdrawal a lot easier. 

My advice to anyone who has been perscribed this drug... please research and weigh up every option you have before considering it to be an easy fix to your problems. 

Regards.

2 likes, 14 replies

14 Replies

  • john94307
    john94307 ben79661

    Posted

    Thanks for the info.  In my case, I got the flu and developed breathing issues, which led to insomnia and stomach problems. I lost about 40 lbs in 1.5 months.  Thus, I was put on the drug (7.5 mg) to help with my sleep and appetite.  It didn't do much for my sleep, but it certainly increased my appetite and I gained a fair amount of weight back.  Even a couple of months after I discontinued the drug, my appetite was still increased, i.e., snacking at night.  Thus, the drug seems to have an effect on your body well after you discontinue.  Some 4 months later, my appetite has now stabilized back to normal.

  • pixie22
    pixie22 ben79661

    Posted

    Possibly slightly off message but just to add to the discussion - weight gain is not inevitable with mirtazapine. I've been taking 30mg daily for several years and my weight has been stable during that time.

  • carol84640
    carol84640 ben79661

    Posted

    I only went back on mirtazapine to gain some weight as I was so painfully thin.i have put weight back on I think with mirtazapine you put weight on weather you eat or not cos I hardly eat anything.
  • christine15542
    christine15542 ben79661

    Posted

    Hi Ben

    Thanks for an informative post.  I would agree with you that unless you are on a calorific deficit diet and a quite rigid one, it’s very difficult to NOT gain weight whilst on this drug.  I am a runner and hill walker.  Never been overweight in my life.  Keep to a healthy diet and was not on any medication when I took this drug.  I stopped it after 5 months as the weight gain was too depressing.  I was still out running and walking, taking great care with my diet but to no avail.  I noticed my stomach was quite bloated and that was on an empty stomach.  I knew it was this drug because I was on no other medication.

     I would say that in a lot of cases patients taking this drug are not given the full picture.  I know I certainly wasn’t.

    I also agree with Carol that in many cases you will put on weight whether you eat or not.  This drug is given to anorexics and does slow down your metabolism.

  • karen_57593
    karen_57593 ben79661

    Posted

    I've came off mitrazapine for this reason too I put on over 2 stone none if my clothes fitted me I wasn't over eating at all. I joined slimming world stuck too the plan but nope I just kept getting bigger n bigger. I'm now off it and lost most if it.xx

    • ben79661
      ben79661 karen_57593

      Posted

      How long were you on it and how long did it take to withdraw from it?
    • karen_57593
      karen_57593 ben79661

      Posted

      I was on it a year not going too lie too you. I found it really bad I ended up in a bad way. You won't if u taper very very slowly I did it too quick thought I was fine then bang it but me like a ton of bricks. I went from 45mg too 30mg for 6 weeks 30mg too 15mg 6 weeks then from 15mg too 0 I was noticing small things like I wasn't sleeping great getting very anxious cold all the time . Blurry vision. Just take it slowly n if u feel your suffering get help straight away don't do what I did n just leave it thinking it would get better xxx

    • ben79661
      ben79661 karen_57593

      Posted

      Thanks, I will take that into consideration, do you think 6 week intervals on reducing the drug was too quick?? MY GP has suggested exactly that. However reading up on the withdrawal everyone seems to have horror stories about it. I really dont want to run the risk of being so anxious, manic and paranoid again. I dont think I'll cope. It seems to me like GP's know absolutely nothing about the withdrawal and expect you to be normal in a matter of a few months. xxx

    • karen_57593
      karen_57593 ben79661

      Posted

      I would just taper very very very slowly little by little I didn't thought I was doing fine then bang it but me like a ton of bricks couldn't sleep couldn't eat was exhausted . Get help if u need it I didn't n left it too long. But there is help out there if u need it. I ended up with the mental health crisis team cause doctors didn't even know wat too do with me. So if your ill n scared phone doctors and say u want referred too mental health crisis like NOW . U have too fight for help unfortunately but when I got it they were great with me xxxx

    • ben79661
      ben79661 karen_57593

      Posted

      Thanks for your help karen. It sounds awful that you had to fight for the help but I know exactly what you mean. I had to go missing for three days before anyone even stepped in. I hid it well. I might see about tapering from 30mg to like 22.5mg or something. do that for 12 weeks. then 15mg for 12 weeks. then see what smaller doses they have. I'll take it slow and just aim to be off them by next christmas I think. How are you now? Are you completely drug free and feeling better in yourself? how is your sleeping xxx

  • Heart47685
    Heart47685 ben79661

    Posted

    I gained 5 stone on mirtazipine! Got to the point I didn’t even want to leave the house. I’m now almost finished with my reducing dose regime (1 week left) and have so far lost a stone and a half. Not much he’s changed in my diet, I’ve always been a healthyish eater. Hoping that once I’ve taken my last tablet, the weight will come off much easier! 
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