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Weight Gain on Mirtazapine

Posted , 9 users are following.

ella30877
ella30877

I'm an 18 year old girl who has been taking this medication otherwise known as Avanza or Remeron for 9 months now. I have gained 10kgs or aorund 22lbs in this time and therefore am going to begin the process of coming off it in about 3 weeks as I have found that my mood has gotten worse because I feel selfconscious all the time now about the weight gain. 

I havent changed my eating habits much at all, in the first few weeks I ate more but once I noticed the weight gain I started eating only healthy foods and small quanitites but it hasnt shifted the weight just slowed the gain down.

I am seeking help as to how people have come off the medication, and what effect it has had on their weight. Did it come off easily? How long did it take to lose the weight etc...?

Oh and I am on a 30mg dose. Thank you    biggrin

0 likes, 10 replies

10 Replies

  • Koriramirez230
    Koriramirez230 ella30877

    Posted

    It takes quite a while to come off from my own experience I gain 60lbs in the time I was taking it and I stopped taking it almost a month ago I only have 45lbs left to lose its just tough but it's possible

     

  • gillian20097
    gillian20097 ella30877

    Posted

    Not sure about mirtazapine even though I'm on it now but I did gain 3 stone on citalopram which came off gradually when I stopped taking it xx
  • London_ridge
    London_ridge ella30877

    Posted

    Hi Ella,

    I was on 30 and then 15 for many years and gain about 30 pounds. I tried to go off cold turkey, my doctor said I could, so I was off it 20 days and lost ten pounds I would not recommend this as I was pretty sick. Most people I have spoken with lose all their mirt weight . It might however take a couple months to go off. Just take it nice and slow. Ask your doctor or google CITA for a chart on withdrawal...

    good luck...

  • stardust79
    stardust79 ella30877

    Posted

    I've been on mirtazapine for 2 and half years. I was on 45mg but 30mg for the past 18 months. I've gained 60 lbs during the whole time. I noticed when I was first on it I couldn't stop eating. Now I am actually obese for my height at 200 lbs. I don't know if I can fully blame mirtazapine as I am also on seroquel as a mood stabiliser which is also known to cause weight gain. Most of my excess weight is on my stomach. But another reason for belly fat is due to excess cortisol which is the stress hormone and medications and stress cause these as well as adrenal fatigue also caused by the above.

    I have asked the same question on here about the weight gain.  I  dropped 15 mg of mirtazapine in one go, but I wouldn't recommend it. You need to taper down slowly.  

    I would guess once coming off along with gentle exercise and a low fat healthy diet the weight will come off. I gained a lot of weight on another antidepressant and had no problem losing it when I went on Weight watchers.  My problem now with mirtazapine is the need to keep eating at night. Though I could stop myself but I don't. 

  • tara6744
    tara6744 ella30877

    Posted

    How have you found losing the weight? I have piled on a stone in 3 weeks having started on mirt and I'm not sure whether to continue?
    • in10sitty
      in10sitty tara6744

      Posted

      Hi Tara.  I gained 10 lbs/stone in less than 2 weeks.  It's all in my stomach area and I feel pregnant.  5'2", 128.  Now 5'2", 138.  I'm on 45 mg.  I am over it and going to stop taking.  This is not good for women, as we worry about weight too much.  Plus the fat seems to be depositing directly in the belly area for many users, which is very unhealthy.
    • tara6744
      tara6744 in10sitty

      Posted

      I'm currently changing from fluoxetine and taking 20mg fluox and 30mg of mirt - in a couple of weeks will be on 45mg of mirt. I was slightly overweight before at 5ft4 and 140lb so really not happy with this weight gain - and its in the belly area. Having read other forums it seems people say its hard to lose until you come off the medication? I don't know what to do as it has made me calmer mentally and not as emotional
    • in10sitty
      in10sitty tara6744

      Posted

      I'm back.  So 3 months ago I started Mirt and went from 128 to 141 so quickly I didn't even know what hit me.  After stopping, I lost about 5 pounds in 2 weeks.  I'm down to 132 right now and still losing a little at a time.  Ugh.  Seemed to take longer to come off, but it does happen.  No more Mirt for me.
  • Koriramirez230
    Koriramirez230 ella30877

    Posted

    Hello Ella i have a been where you are with remeron I hope it's going better for you than me I started taking it about 7 months ago my mood started off better but the weight gain was rapid I couldn't stop eating it seemed like all I did was eat and sleep . But recently my weight gain has stopped . I wish I only gained 22 lbs I'm happy for you .
  • beverly68827
    beverly68827 ella30877

    Posted

    My weight stabalized and yes, I believe it is an appetite enhancer.  I actually told a phyciatrist once that if he had any patients that were anorexic, to give them remeron.  Now I know that wouldn't have helped, but at the time I told him, I was in pretty bad condition myself. My metabolism is so high and always has been that I gained about 20 lbs when I first started taking it, but it doesn't even affect my weight anymore. I started out on 30 mg then during the last 2 years I was taking only 1/2, but the weight kind of leveled out years ago. 

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