Hi guys, how many pounds did you gain for taking mirtazapine approximately?
Mirtazapine - mirtazapine and weight gain?
Question posted by Katerina390 on 8 Feb 2022
Last updated on 25 January 2024 by 808822Loss
7 Answers
I gained 6 pounds before I stopped taking it.
15 pounds
Mirtazapine made me so hungry that I couldn’t stop eating! Constant nervous eating! I went off of this medication…
I just started at a low dose (7.5mg) two weeks ago and I’m already feeling much better overall. I actually wasn’t depressed but really anxious and struggling with insomnia. Mostly though, I took it with the intent to gain weight because I have anorexia nervosa and the malnutrition was making me super sick. In the 2 weeks, I’ve gained about 5 lbs. I’ve also been able to increase my overall daily intake and am no longer skipping meals. The increase is my hunger and appetite is comfortable, I’m not insatiable but I do finally taste (and enjoy) my food again. I’m needing to gain about 10 more pounds and am hopeful that this will help.
You’ll see a lot of posts saying it changes your metabolism etc. A pill isn’t going to just magically do that. If you’re needing to gain some weight like me, it will subtly boost your appetite so you can do so. If you’re wanting to avoid weight gain this pill cannot change your metabolism so if you feel an appetite increase, just eat healthy foods like whole grains, fruits, veggies, lean proteins, yogurts and you’ll do fine.
Good luck!
This type of medication causes metabolic changes which include appetite changes which affect weight changes.
"Consequently, metabolic alterations and metabolic effects of antidepressant drugs occur in diseases that present with anxiety and depressive symptoms."
"One of the most common theories is that antidepressants affect your metabolism. Antidepressants commonly affect the neurotransmitter known as serotonin, which is responsible for helping your digestive system. This interference with your levels of serotonin could slow down the rate that your body processes fat and sugar and/or increase your desire for foods high in carbohydrates."
"Antidepressant medications are often associated with weight gain and metabolic abnormalities"
"These findings emphasize that antidepressants worsen metabolic status by adversely affecting the lipid profile, fat storage mechanisms, and appetite changes."
I didn't gain an ounce. Even though it may not sound like it from the comments only about 12% of users experience weight gain. It does increase appetite in some people so watch your diet.
50 pounds.
I took Mirtazapine for four months. Initially I was taking 15mg at bedtime. Over the course of two months I increased to 45mg at bedtime. I didn’t experience any significant weight gain. In fact I didn’t have any trouble with side effects. Unfortunately, it didn’t help with my mood either so I switched to Trintellix. Mood is better but side effects are worse on the Trintellix. I did resume taking 7.5mg of Mirtazapine at bedtime to help with sleep. Weight is still stable.
Related topics
depression, seizures, bipolar disorder, weight loss (obesity/overweight), anxiety, insomnia, mirtazapine, major depressive disorder, weight
Further information
- Mirtazapine uses and safety info
- Mirtazapine prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Mirtazapine (detailed)
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