Mirtazapine and weight gain?

Mountaindewed · Oct 27, 2020 at 05:24 PM

How bad was it? Everything I’m reading is saying it’s horrible. I have a severe fear of gaining weight. I was just taken off my Wellbutrin and my topamax. I was also just put in extended release Xanax. Am I going to be reduced to someone who is losing weight to a zombie who can’t function and is gaining loads of weight?

WastingAsparagus · Oct 27, 2020 at 05:30 PM

I think this thread should probably be moved to the psych meds forum but I'll answer it here.

I am on mirtazapine and have been on it for multiple years. It can cause weight gain. I personally haven't gained much, if any weight from it. I am on Zyprexa as well, so that, not mirtazapine, I think is the culprit for the weight I have gained.

I will say that Xanax XR can be hard to get off of. I obviously am not opining as to whether you should be on it or not, but I have taken Xanax before on a consistent basis and it's hard to stop. Not impossible, but it was difficult in my case.

Can you talk to your med provider about this fear of gaining weight? Perhaps there's a better option for you?

Mountaindewed · Oct 27, 2020 at 05:33 PM

My bad I thought this was the med forum.

He knows about my fear of gaining weight but he seemed more concerned about my restricting and bad melatonin habit and wanted me on something to help me sleep as well.

My anxiety has been terrible with the regular Xanax. I think the XR may be better.

WastingAsparagus · Oct 27, 2020 at 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mountaindewed

My bad I thought this was the med forum.

He knows about my fear of gaining weight but he seemed more concerned about my restricting.

My anxiety has been terrible with the regular Xanax. I think the XR may be better.

Yeah, I'd say that while mirtazapine might have caused me some weight gain, it didn't cause a lot (that means it caused like 5 lbs maximum of weight gain for me). And it also had a very calming effect for me, which helps my anxiety, too. Yeah, I was on Xanax XR as well, I just felt like I didn't need it after a while. But of course, by all means, if it helps, take it.

chihirochild · Oct 27, 2020 at 06:00 PM

FWIW, I looked it up in my medical books and it said ~12% of ppl experience wt gain but it didn't say how much the average amt of wt gained was.

Mountaindewed · Oct 28, 2020 at 12:16 AM

I’m on 7.5 once a day at night. I’m on such a low dose I can’t see how it can cause havoc on my weight. I took it last night and my appetite was the same dead as usual. I woke up 6 hours later still unable to eat. So hopefully it isn’t too bad. I’m not one to stay on meds if the weight gain gets problematic.

WastingAsparagus · Oct 30, 2020 at 09:22 PM

7.5 mg of mirtazapine isn't that much. I'm on 45 mg at night and I haven't gained that much weight from it if any.

I'm also back on Xanax XR because my anxiety was unbearable again. 1 mg per day of Xanax XR.

Mountaindewed · Oct 31, 2020 at 07:26 AM

I stopped taking it. I gained 7 pounds since Tuesday. That’s insane.

*Beth* · Nov 02, 2020 at 01:24 PM

Good for you for refusing to stay on a weight-gaining med! I wish I had had the courage to do that. I gained a lot from Seroquel and also from mirtazipine.

BeyondtheRainbow · Nov 04, 2020 at 09:26 PM

It's a weird med that the higher the dose the less weight you gain. On 30 mg I gained about 5 lbs so not that bad. On 60 I gained nothing. It is more sedating at lower doses though so if you need it for sleep you may need the lower dose. But my experience was that it wasn't much weight anyway.

Mountaindewed · Nov 05, 2020 at 03:01 PM

My increased hunger seems to have gone away. Maybe it was all just in my head. Or the Xanax XR is counteracting it. I’ve read that can cause weight loss. But it seems to be ok now.

Lunatyc · Nov 11, 2020 at 02:53 AM

That's what I worry about the most from being on seroquel. Weight gain leading to diabetes. Diabetes runs in my family. Unfortunately other drugs didn't work for me so has to be this one. I take mirtazapine with sertraline too. It took me a long time to accept needing drugs. I was the type who saw my body and mind as a temple.

Mountaindewed · Nov 11, 2020 at 05:12 PM

My appetite has been so up and down I can’t tell if it’s that med, I went back on it because my therapist got pissed and threatened to call Pdoc, or if it’s just my general eating habits. Today I weighed myself and I was way less then I had been the last time I weighed myself. So I guess it’s not really causing weight gain just wonky hunger.

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Mountaindewed Legendary Wise Elder Member Since Jun 2016 Location: Where the sidewalk ends Posts: 36,123 (SuperPoster!) 7 8,737 hugs given	Oct 27, 2020 at 05:24 PM #1 How bad was it? Everything I’m reading is saying it’s horrible. I have a severe fear of gaining weight. I was just taken off my Wellbutrin and my topamax. I was also just put in extended release Xanax. Am I going to be reduced to someone who is losing weight to a zombie who can’t function and is gaining loads of weight? __________________ Ridin' with Biden
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Mountaindewed Legendary Wise Elder Member Since Jun 2016 Location: Where the sidewalk ends Posts: 36,123 (SuperPoster!) 7 8,737 hugs given	Oct 27, 2020 at 05:33 PM #3 My bad I thought this was the med forum. He knows about my fear of gaining weight but he seemed more concerned about my restricting and bad melatonin habit and wanted me on something to help me sleep as well. My anxiety has been terrible with the regular Xanax. I think the XR may be better. __________________ Ridin' with Biden
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chihirochild Magnate Member Since Feb 2017 Location: North America Posts: 2,360 7 4,865 hugs given	Oct 27, 2020 at 06:00 PM #5 FWIW, I looked it up in my medical books and it said ~12% of ppl experience wt gain but it didn't say how much the average amt of wt gained was.
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Mountaindewed Legendary Wise Elder Member Since Jun 2016 Location: Where the sidewalk ends Posts: 36,123 (SuperPoster!) 7 8,737 hugs given	Oct 28, 2020 at 12:16 AM #6 I’m on 7.5 once a day at night. I’m on such a low dose I can’t see how it can cause havoc on my weight. I took it last night and my appetite was the same dead as usual. I woke up 6 hours later still unable to eat. So hopefully it isn’t too bad. I’m not one to stay on meds if the weight gain gets problematic. __________________ Ridin' with Biden
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WastingAsparagus Student of Life Member Since Mar 2014 Location: South America Posts: 4,658 10 2,911 hugs given	Oct 30, 2020 at 09:22 PM #7 7.5 mg of mirtazapine isn't that much. I'm on 45 mg at night and I haven't gained that much weight from it if any. I'm also back on Xanax XR because my anxiety was unbearable again. 1 mg per day of Xanax XR. __________________ "Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it!”
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Mountaindewed Legendary Wise Elder Member Since Jun 2016 Location: Where the sidewalk ends Posts: 36,123 (SuperPoster!) 7 8,737 hugs given	Oct 31, 2020 at 07:26 AM #8 I stopped taking it. I gained 7 pounds since Tuesday. That’s insane. __________________ Ridin' with Biden
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Beth catches the flowers Member Since Jul 2019 Location: Downtown Vibes, California Posts: 15,701 (SuperPoster!) 4 23.7k hugs given	Nov 02, 2020 at 01:24 PM #9 Good for you for refusing to stay on a weight-gaining med! I wish I had had the courage to do that. I gained a lot from Seroquel and also from mirtazipine. __________________
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Mountaindewed Legendary Wise Elder Member Since Jun 2016 Location: Where the sidewalk ends Posts: 36,123 (SuperPoster!) 7 8,737 hugs given	Nov 05, 2020 at 03:01 PM #11 My increased hunger seems to have gone away. Maybe it was all just in my head. Or the Xanax XR is counteracting it. I’ve read that can cause weight loss. But it seems to be ok now. __________________ Ridin' with Biden
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Lunatyc Account Suspended Member Since May 2020 Location: UK Posts: 1,200 3 7 hugs given	Nov 11, 2020 at 02:53 AM #12 That's what I worry about the most from being on seroquel. Weight gain leading to diabetes. Diabetes runs in my family. Unfortunately other drugs didn't work for me so has to be this one. I take mirtazapine with sertraline too. It took me a long time to accept needing drugs. I was the type who saw my body and mind as a temple.
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