Mirtazapine and weight gain

[Ben1505]

Hi, did anybody suffer weight gain through mirtazapine? I’m dieting and exercising at the moment but can lose weight.. my stomach is also bloated as is my neck

[blackcat64013]

Hi Ben,

Thank you for your post. 👍

Weight gain is a possible side effect of nearly all antidepressants. Each person responds to antidepressants differently. Some people gain weight when taking a certain antidepressant, while others don't.

The long-term use of antidepressants is mostly linked to weight gain. Long-term use is considered treatment that lasts longer than six months.

Mirtazapine has been shown to be more likely to cause weight gain and to increase appetite than other drugs.

Worries about gaining weight shouldn’t influence the choice of antidepressant for most people. There are other side effects and factors to consider when choosing an antidepressant.

If you do gain some weight while taking an antidepressant, the drug may not actually be the direct cause of the weight gain. An improved mood while taking an antidepressant, for example, may increase your appetite, leading to weight gain.

Don’t stop taking your drug right away even if you do gain a little bit of weight. You’ll need to work with your doctor to find an antidepressant that helps with your depression symptoms and doesn’t result in unwanted side effects. This may take a little bit of patience, trial and error.

Your doctor can also give you some tips for preventing weight gain while on antidepressant therapy.

A very good online reference is at the link below

healthline.com/health/antid...

All the best from me in Australia 🦘

[EndUser13]

That's where all this weight came from!!! 😮

Honestly, I couldn't say, it seems like dizziness and weight gain are side effects of SO many drugs. I never noticed a massive weight gain from Mirtazapine personally

[Nothing_but_books]

Hey Ben. You'll probably get more answers if you lock your post. It lets members feel safer.

[primrose81 in reply to Nothing_but_books]

Sorry but don’t understand - how do you lock a post?

[Nothing_but_books in reply to primrose81]

Only the person who wrote the post can lock it -- restrict it to community members -- by clicking "Only community members" at the bottom of their post.

[primrose81]

I have been on Mirtazapine for a few years now - at the beginning I think I did put on a little weight but weighed less recently at the doctors. We do not have scales in the house as know I would find them too depressing! I have very bad sleep problems and Mirtazapine definitely helps with that and so is worth it for me.

[primrose81]

Thank you Ben but still don’t see don’t see “Only Community Members” at the bottom of post, only font changes, smiley faces, photo library etc…..

[GreenUser]

My experience with Mirtazapine is it is very effective for insomnia - I was sleeping 11 hours a night!

The weight gain is real. I have read this is due to cravings, but in my opinion there is more to the science than appetite. I ate healthily and exercised rigorously and very regularly, yet still the weight increased significantly. I did not notice cravings. As I am health conscious my fridge wasn’t full of treats just natural yoghurt and blueberries!

I stopped Mirtazapine last week after 5 months on the medicine. I’m 13kg heavier. My insomnia is back. Hopefully this will subside. I am yet to see the weight drop off but it is early days.