Mirtazapine and Weight Gain: What Users Say (Page 2)

• lae...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 19, 2023

For Depression "Mirtazapine almost killed me. I was severely depressed and put on a low dose to help me sleep. It did not sedate me at all but made me dangerously suicidal. I tried to take my life repeatedly. The doctor said the low dose was the issue, so he upped it, which did not make a difference, except that I put on 2 stone in weight. I was on it for 3 months and then refused to take it anymore. I came off it 3 weeks ago. Suicidal thoughts have gone, I have lost half a stone in weight, and feel so much better. Nobody warned me that I could become dangerously suicidal, and my life was put at risk. I will never take antidepressants again. Be very careful when taking this stuff, make sure you know all of the risks!"

• K_T...
• September 12, 2009

Mirtazapine for Depression "This antidepressant has been a blessing in my life. I was 25 lbs underweight due to depression, and also had sporadic sleeping. The side effects are a benefit for me. It makes you hungry, especially after you take it at night. I crave lots of carbs, and have been eating like I have never before. I have gained 11 lbs in just 1 month on Remeron. It also has a nice sedation effect to help with sleep. When I take my 30mg dose at night, I have everything ready because after 45 minutes I can barely keep my eyes open, and then get a great night's sleep. Side effects are worse during the first week, and then everything balances out! If you suffer from sleep and/or eating, then Remeron could be the biggest blessing in your life also. It gave me hope."

• Anonymous
• July 12, 2012

Mirtazapine for Anxiety "I was drinking heavily to combat anxiety for years. Remeron sorted me out. Still drank now and again, but in general felt good about myself. I've tried lots of anti-anxiety medicines, and this one is the best. Weight gain, but it makes me happy, so a small price to pay. One last thing, when on this, I would look in the mirror and feel good about myself for the first time in years. Good medicine."

• Kha...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 10, 2019

Mirtazapine for Major Depressive Disorder "I have MDD, anxiety disorder, panic attacks, and ASD (autism spectrum disorder). I was put on a combination of 7.5 mg Remeron and 100 mg of Pristiq. Within a few weeks, I stopped having panic attacks and I had no more depression. I am so grateful my doctor tried these drugs, it literally saved my life. Before, my life was hell, and I literally wanted to die. Now I am happy 99% of the time, and I can't remember the last time I cried. The only problem is I am constantly hungry, and I have gained 40 pounds in less than a year."

• Lea...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 25, 2020

For Anxiety "I've been on mirtazapine 15mg for a good year and a half and in July, I got upped to a dose of 30mg as I had started to feel dodgy again (even though I wanted to come off it completely). I had bloods done and I have low folic acid and iron so am now on supplements for that and I think that was the problem to begin with. I can honestly say it's the worst thing they could have made me do was increase the dose of mirtazapine, my legs are so cramped and achy I literally can barely stand, I feel lightheaded, can't concentrate and my appetite has pretty much completely gone. I'm anxious it's something else but got checked yesterday and the doctor I saw thinks it's the medication. I feel rough as poo! Waiting for my GP to call and will as I am thinking of telling them I'm going cold turkey, can't wait to get away from it! I'd rather grin and bear the withdrawal, can it be any worse than I already am! Before I started taking this awful drug, I was 9 stone 6. I'm now over 11 stone. I would NOT recommend this drug to anyone!"

• Del...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 1, 2024

For Insomnia "About time I wrote a review here, as I've been on Mirt for 9 months. Have never written a review before, but it really, really helped me. I went through a sudden bout of extreme insomnia and developed sleep anxiety. I got put on Mirtazapine, and it helped me almost instantly. For the first few weeks and months, I'd still have quite broken sleep, anxiety doesn't go away overnight, but the tablets got me back on track massively. I started on 15, reduced to 7.5, but found around 3.75 to be perfect. I have gained no weight (I did a few lbs initially, as it made my appetite much stronger, but that calmed down after a while and lower dose). I also feel much happier, calmer, and optimistic in general, even though sleep was the main reason I started. I'm happy continuing for now! Anyone who is suffering insomnia, try this. I also listened to YouTube videos from Insomnia Coach, and that really helped too. Sending love x"

• Jam...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 6, 2020

For Insomnia "I had chronic insomnia which crept up very quickly. I tried to deal with it using a variety of recommended methods, but as the insomnia worsened, my ability to cope became nonexistent. Sleeping tablets made me feel awful, and eventually, a doctor prescribed me a handful of Valium tablets which helped temporarily. He suggested a course of mirtazapine (15mg), and it feels like they saved my life. Stable sleep patterns and minimal side effects. Only slight weight gain, which I was able to shift quickly. I have been on them for 8 months or so and attempted a taper but went to half tabs too quickly. Had a few days of dizziness after a month or so and then an awful night's sleep, so I panicked and went back to full tablets. Thinking of a slower taper to get off them, but this seems to be a tricky thing by the looks of people's accounts online."

• KJJ...
• June 19, 2023

For Insomnia "I took this for 9 months for insomnia and anxiety, starting at 7.5 mg and gradually going all the way up to 45 mg. I ended up at 45 mg because the weight gain was so bad, and supposedly the higher dosage was supposed to be better for less weight gain, but my weight just kept skyrocketing (while I struggled to fight it with diet and exercise). I never fell asleep easily on this medication-usually taking at least 1 to 2 hours-but once asleep, I slept well. However, it was tough getting up in the mornings. I think it helped my anxiety, but the weight gain and struggles with craving sweets were not worth it. I gained 10 pounds in 9 months and was very depressed over this. The benefits seemed very slight compared to the side effect of weight issues. Weaning off was not an issue. Do it gradually. Went back to trazodone."

• sle...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 17, 2014

For Insomnia "I have battled insomnia for most of my adult life. I was prescribed sleeping pills, what a disaster. My doctor was hesitant to prescribe this medication as weight gain is a side effect. She prescribed 7.5 to 15 mg a night, and my sleep has been sound for over 2 years now. I gained probably 5-7 pounds gradually, then stopped gaining. I do exercise and eat well, this helps with sleep also. Sometimes I have daytime grogginess, but usually not a problem. This medication was a Godsend for me."

• Anonymous
• February 17, 2011

Mirtazapine for Depression "Remeron is a unique medicine, since its side effects are sometimes as useful as its antidepressant effects. This medicine literally saved my life. For many years, I was around 90 pounds, and never slept. Now, I'm a healthy 120 and I sleep about 8 or 9 hours per night. It did take a long time to get to this point. When I first started taking it, I was tired all the time and very worried about the ravenous hunger! But now that I've been on it 2 years, I no longer gain weight, I'm no longer tearful and miserable, and I've honestly never been happier. God bless the people who made this drug. It literally saved my life."

• Bet...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 21, 2021

For Anxiety "I have been taking these for a year, I've been sleeping a lot better and have no more night anxiety. It’s hard to open my eyes in the morning, but once I’m awake, it’s fine. I don’t find myself yawning all day as I did with escitalopram. I was worried about the weight gain after reading other reviews, however, I haven’t noticed any changes. I also haven’t experienced the intense cravings."

• REd...
• January 21, 2009

Mirtazapine for Anxiety "I have been taking for 16 months. I was having low to mid-level anxiety, loss of appetite, and insomnia. Remeron cured the insomnia and appetite immediately. Anxiety was much less within a couple of weeks and gone within a month or so. Constipation occurred for about a week and then went away. I have gained weight over the last year but am changing my diet to be more healthy (no white sugar or white flour, etc.) so that I am losing some weight now."

• Ash...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 11, 2019

Mirtazapine for Depression "Terrible! Never again. I gained 13 pounds, and I'm normally a small person. You gain every few months. I felt like I was in a fog the whole time with no personality, and I didn't realize it until I got off. I refused to gain more weight and told them I'm getting off it. They told me to just stop taking it. DON'T! I did since they said to, and my anxiety spiked to a 10, and after a few weeks, I had a nervous breakdown. I also had insomnia for months and slept maybe 2-3 hours a night for the first two weeks until I said put me back on so I can wean myself off safely - the right way. It's been about 5 months off, and I still have insomnia, which could be lifelong. No one told me I would be addicted to this med."

• hal...
• April 18, 2012

Mirtazapine for Depression "I have it all...anxiety, depression, and insomnia. Sometimes I can be anxious in the morning, depressed in the afternoon. I have tried Wellbutrin/Cymbalta combination, Pristiq, Viibryd, Effexor, and every SSRI. I definitely felt an improvement with Cymbalta/Wellbutin and Pristiq, but not 100% myself. Remeron has been a godsend to me. It works fast; dare I say I am in a good mood again after only three days. I was a bit tired in the morning, but I will gladly take some fatigue to get rid of the anxiety and depression, and I hear this goes away in time. As far as the weight gain, I have always been a good eater and go to the gym, so if my appetite increases (it hasn't as of yet), I will just have to monitor it. So far, it's been great."

• Izn...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 7, 2015

For Insomnia "I started taking mirtazapine on the advice of my psychiatrist 5 months ago, in October of 2014! The doctor suggested this because of my panic disorder, my general anxiety, and my insomnia! I was on Paxil and Celexa years ago, but I find mirtazapine better in the sense that it has fewer side effects and feels almost like I'm taking nothing at all! There is no apathy, no drugged feeling like SSRIs can cause! I must mention that it took me about 4 weeks to feel clear-headed taking mirtazapine! For the first 4-6 weeks, I did feel zombied, but better than the zombie feeling one gets from poor sleep! There are also zero sexual side effects! The only problem I experienced is I gained 7 lbs in the 5 months, but the weight gain stopped. I work out and it stopped the weight gain."

• Scr...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 23, 2020

For Anxiety "This drug really worked for me, but I had to discontinue it. I did experience grogginess in the morning. It took me a while to get going, but once I was up and around, I was fine. I’d take that over not sleeping any day. It was also very effective for my anxiety at 15 mg. It also has no sexual side effects for me (male), which was huge. In fact, I think it may have helped my libido a bit. Now, the bad: I could not stop eating on it. It was crazy. It was like something took over my body. I could eat a large pizza and a box of cupcakes, almost cry because I didn’t want to eat anymore and knew I was out of control, and then 10 minutes later be in the kitchen tearing through the kids’ cereal and whatever else I could get my hands on. I put on 25 lbs in less than 2 months with no signs of slowing down. It really sucks because it was great in all other aspects for me."

• Nic...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 10, 2020

Mirtazapine for Major Depressive Disorder "I've been dealing with a lot of family issues plus I suffer from MDD and GAD. Anyway, I believe I also have PTSD and I was stuck on repeat in my mind and could not stop reliving a past 'argument' I had with my family. I took 15 mg last night, and already the obsessive thoughts have diminished. I also have subconscious fears of being poisoned. Those have also diminished since yesterday. Hope it continues, I just worry about weight gain, but if my mind isn't occupied with all the rubbish, I can focus on exercise."

• Loi...
• December 9, 2015

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "I've had bad panic attacks, depression, and OCD, to the point I could not function. I wasn't eating, wasn't sleeping. I was ready to section myself into a mental ward because I didn't feel safe. Then the doctor gave me this medication and it saved my life. I've been on it for a year and it completely stops my panic attacks and depression. I sleep every night for 8 hours, and don't have any weight gain. If you have bad depression, this will pull you out of it, just got to keep with it and the side effects soon fade and it's worth it in the end."

• dra...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 14, 2014

For Anxiety "I started on Zoloft, which only made the anxiety worse. Got put on Remeron after a hospital stay, and it has changed my life. Started at 15mg and then shortly after increasing to 30mg. I did gain 30 lbs on it due to craving sweets constantly, so I tried switching to Effexor, only again having my anxiety going out of control. I went back on Remeron 30mg, and I am back to my old self. I sleep very well on this medication, which for me is so much nicer despite the weight gain."

• Ban...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 9, 2019

For Anxiety "Mirtazapine is an amazing drug. I used to wake up every morning shaking, fists clenched, very fearful and anxious. This completely subsided after 2 weeks of taking 7.5 mg of mirtazapine at night. I am also taking 100 mg of Desvenlafaxine in the morning, but I am considering dropping it and just taking mirtazapine. My appetite has increased a lot, which is partly due to the easing of the anxiety. I have picked up 2 kg but am training 4 times per week to compensate. It doesn’t help with sleep to the extent that trazodone does, but by tackling the underlying anxiety, I am now able to sleep with only 7.5 mg of mirtazapine. Initially, I was taking both trazodone and mirtazapine at night to sleep. I am also seeing a therapist that specializes in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), which deals with distress tolerance. The combination of therapy, exercise, and mirtazapine is undeniable. I have been on every conceivable antidepressant, and none have been as effective as mirtazapine for my anxiety (and resulting depression)."

• Sle...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 15, 2019

For Depression "1 year ago I was sleeping 2 hours a night and suicidal. I had panic attacks daily. The only medicine that seemed to work was Ativan, and I was terrified of becoming addicted. In October, I had a mental health crisis and my psychiatrist prescribed mirtazapine. It has changed my life. I can fall asleep immediately, my emotions feel stabilized, and I feel completely back to myself. I’ve had light weight gain (about 5-7 pounds) but to me, the weight gain is worth feeling like myself again. I never review things but this medication has been a lifesaver for me. I’ve been on it for about 8 months now and have no regrets. If you have anxiety and insomnia, and feel like you’ll be that way for the rest of your life, try this medication. It definitely doesn’t work for everyone (what antidepressant does?) but it’s the only one (I’ve tried Zoloft, Lexapro, and Trazodone) that’s worked for me."

• hip...
• March 18, 2014

Mirtazapine for Depression "After trying these for about 5 weeks, I had to go back to the doctor to change. I felt worse than I'd ever felt in my life. I was so angry all the time for no reason. I cried more than I did before taking medicines. For the first time ever, I was thinking about suicide. It also gave me a massive appetite and I gained about ten pounds, which I didn't need. So, these definitely do not work for me. Fingers crossed my new ones will."

• kar...
• December 6, 2011

Mirtazapine for Depression "The extreme sleepiness and lack of efficacy ceased like a light switch - suddenly, after a couple of weeks of sleepy torture that didn't help at all, it WORKED for my depression, and the sleepiness was GONE. I woke up one morning to find I could breathe without the feeling of having my lungs filled with tar (one symptom of my depression). I stayed on it for 2 years and it alleviated my depression continuously while allowing me to feel like 'myself.' However, it did make me hungry, and I gained about 15 lbs. Worth it. When life improved, I tapered off, and have been fine ever since. If you try it, give it a chance. My doctor said 60% of his patients report a 'light switch' experience with it."

• Cha...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 31, 2013

For Insomnia "I have been taking Mirtazapine for 2 years. I was underweight with no appetite and was taking over-the-counter medicines to sleep. I was 40 years old, weighing 89 lbs before my doctor prescribed me this medicine. 2 years later, I'm 111 lbs and sleep well every night. This really worked for me. I would recommend this if you need to gain weight (because it makes you hungry) and if you have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep."

• Bet...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 2, 2013

Mirtazapine for Depression "I have been taking 30 mg 1/2 hour before bed for about a month. The first night I took it, I woke up in the middle of the night incredibly thirsty, went to get a drink, and lost all coordination. My husband found me lying on the floor, sweating profusely, burning with fever. He had to carry me to bed. By the time he decided to take me to the ER, I was cool as a cucumber and sleeping like a baby. I decided to stick with it and try again. (No luck with SSRIs for relief from moderate/severe depression & anxiety and insomnia.) I slept the entire next day, took the 30mg pill again, and had no similar episode. Very gradually, the sleepiness has waned along with symptoms. I am optimistic, though I do need to resist overeating, as I have gained 5 lbs."