Mirtazapine and weight gain

[basten]

Hello has anyone found they have managed to lose weight whilst on Mirtazepin. I've put on a lot of weight with it but have cut back and exercised but still cant seem to lose weight. I read cutting out all carbs may help. Any advice appreciated as it helps me sleep but I've put on nearly 2 stone (UK)?

[kenster1]

hi yeah I put some weight on but I had lost a few stone with anxiety/depression for me I probably needed to.i do lots of walking and exercising in other ways but could be doing with shedding a few pounds.

[basten in reply to kenster1]

Thankyou. Good luck losing the pounds.

[Missy_D]

Sadly Mirtazapine is well known for contributing to weight gain. I have been on this drug for a year now and have gained 3.5 stone ( I am also on Quetiapine which also has a weight gain side effect so double whammy for me). I have found nothing that has helped me loose it yet 😢

[basten in reply to Missy_D]

Thankyou. It's a nuisance and you're on 2 drugs that cause weight gain and that tough. It's a shame as the other benefits seem good.

[Missy_D in reply to basten]

Exactly. Because this particular combination work for my mental health I have accepted the weight gain and am just doing my best not to gain anymore. If I can manage to loose a few pounds then it's a bonus xx

[basten in reply to Missy_D]

Soooo hard. I am seeing my psychiatrist and she has suggested Aglomelatine which doesn't cause weight gain but doesn't help with sleep which Mirtazapine does a bit. I am soo uncomfortable and my bust has trebled in size too. I bloat out so much on it. Thankyou I guess I've got a lot of thinking to do.

[Missy_D in reply to basten]

Before I was on Mirtazapine and I needed a sleep aid my psychiatrist prescribed Melatonin which really worked. I have also found anti histamine makes me sleepy x

[basten in reply to Missy_D]

Melatonin did nothing for me. I am on 5 different drugs which all are supposed to help with sleep but I still wake up all night and awake by 5 a.m . Thankyou for your input

[Olderal]

I have been taking 45mgm daily of Mirtazapin for about seven years. I am probably about 2 stone heavier than I would like to be but I'm pretty sure I was that much overweight when I started taking it so I don't blame the Mirtazapin for that and I'm pretty sure it contributes to a good nights sleep which is important.

When depressed (which after all is usually the reason for being prescribed Mirtazapin) one is likely to be less active and one's dietary habits are likely to change along with many other habits with some eating less at times due to lack of appetite and some I suspect finding comfort in food and eating more. Certainly my weight has fluctuated up and down by say 1/2 stone at times over that 7 year period but obviously a small pill every day which probably contains no calories can not on its own directly affect weight although it could presumably, increase appetite.

Losing weight is very difficult for everyone I'm afraid but if one is gaining weight one is presumably eating more than necessary and possibly exercising less and just like everyone else one has to increase the exercise and reduce food intake. This is very difficult for all of us, and probably even more difficult when depressed. My advice would be to do as much as possible in this direction but not to beat yourself up too much when you occasionally fail. Just start again the next day, and tell yourself that when your depression ends, as it will, then you will diet with more chance of success.

Olderal

[Missy_D in reply to Olderal]

I am under a dietician who has explained that Mirtazapine a) can stop people from feeling full therefore you eat more and b) affects a persons metabolism. I take 45mg every day and as I am not at work do try and go for a long walk every day so I am not a couch potato. To say that tablets, as a side effect, do not cause weight gain just is not true just some people are not affected

[basten in reply to Missy_D]

Thankyou for replying

[basten in reply to Olderal]

Hello thankyou. I am still depressed and also take ,Zopiclone , Clonazepam (which my psychiatrist blames the GP letting me have it for sooo long - withdrawals are awful...missed one night of Zooiclone and didnt sleep at all then by pm next day I felt off my head) Amitryptiline and Risperidone. Even on all these I still wake up in the night and often cant get back to sleep once 5 a.m. comes. I admit to not walking much or exercising

The fatter I get the more depressed I am . Yes it's a viscous circle. I get so bloated and uncomfortable and my bra size has gone up 3 times. Thankyou for replying. I hope you stay well

[Andrewton]

It is is nearly impossible to not gain weight on Mirtazapine.

[basten in reply to Andrewton]

Thankyou

[Hidden]

Hi. I was on Mirtazepine for 18 months to help with sleep. Initially it didn't help much so my Doctor increased to one and a half tablets. He told me it was mild and probably would only help for a few months. Just the exact opposite happened. I found it was hitting me harder every time I took it, Also I suffer from 'Night Terrors' and the Mirtazepine made them worse than ever. I reduced to a half tablet....same thing, so I took my last dose a week ago and I'm sleeping naturally and feeling much better. I did experience weight gain but I was in the hospital for 18 months being force fed so that would disqualify me. All I need now for sleep is a couple of tokes of weed and I'm gone for the night.

[basten in reply to Hidden]

Ha thankyou. Yes I have heard about weed for sleep! Glad you now sleep well.

[Hidden]

The weed not only helps me sleep but I managed to get off of 4 different Opiates including Fentanil patches. That stuff should be illegal. There is no justifiable reason to use it, It's supposedly 100 times stronger than Heroin which I was already on, but they like to call it Dilaudid (they started that in WW1. so the people wouldn't freak out. It was used for the wounded at the front ) I was stoned all the time I just couldn't stand it anymore.

[basten in reply to Hidden]

Oh well done. I have had bad withdrawals from meds. I'm on a tablets and Kloninpin (clonazepam here in UK ). I tried missing a z one night and didnt sleep at all then had massive anxiety and attacks next day. I'm 70 and my psych says he blames GP for keeping me on them. They dont work much for sleep now as I wake up all night long. But hes told me to stay on them. I just CANT handle the withdrawals at my age. Thanks for replying.

[Mrspjsmom]

Have you spoken to your doctor? I am on Mirtazapine and my doctor monitors my weight closely. There may be a better alternative if the weight gain is a problem for you. As far as losing the weight I maintain by eating lots of fruit and vegetables, drinking water and doing a bit of exercise every day. Some days I just walk, some days I do yoga. I also try to get up during commercials when I'm watching television and walk up and down my stairs a few times or stretch. A friend told me a great way to start drinking more water. In the morning I have coffee then drink the same amount of water. If I treat myself to a soda I drink the same amount of water when I'm done. Now I usually just choose water and I used to drink a two liter bottle of soda every day! I add a bit of lemon juice to my water. Don't know if it's true but I heard the lemon helps detoxify your body. I hope at least one of these tips is helpful. Good luck. Keep us posted.

[basten in reply to Mrspjsmom]

Many thanks for that. Unfortunately the Mirtazapine gave me extreme hunger for carbs etc. I've tried cutting right down and have to drink loads for my bowels anyway. I try now to eat fruit and like you I do walk but now the psychiatrist is switching me to Aglomelatin which is here in the UK. I have put on 2 stone in 4 months but it helped me sleep a bit . Anyway I will see how I go and eat right. It was nice of you to reply thankyou. I hope you are doing well.

[Mrspjsmom in reply to basten]

I hope the changes work well for you.