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Remeron (Mirtazapine) and Weight Gain: What Causes It?

Remeron (Mirtazapine) is an atypical antidepressant that is technically classified as an “NaSSA” (noradrenergic and specific serotonergic) drug. It is considered a highly effective antidepressant, and some have posited that Remeron is superior in efficacy compared to other antidepressants. In a meta-analysis from 2009, it was found to be more effective than all SSRIs, SNRIs, and a couple other atypicals like Wellbutrin and Reboxetine.

Despite being considered the drug with the highest efficacy in that particular meta-analysis, most would agree that “the most effective antidepressant” is subject to significant variation based on the individual. Remeron is considered “fair” in terms of tolerability, with some patients having significantly less side effects than others. Unfortunately most people who take the drug notice that it significantly increases their appetite, which inevitably leads to weight gain.

Remeron and Weight Gain

Most professionals should be aware of the fact that people taking Remeron are likely to gain weight. Unlike most antidepressants in which short-term weight gain may not be as common, with Remeron it is likely that you’ll gain weight over the short and long term. Some argue that this is likely due to developing an increased appetite, but there are other theories.

How Remeron Causes Weight Gain (Theories)

Below is a list of theories and possible factors to consider that may contribute to weight gain while taking Remeron. Understand that although not everyone will gain weight from this medication, a significant number of people do. While it is known that a significant number of people gain weight as a result of appetite increase, there are other potential causal possibilities.

  • Fat mass increase: Some researchers believe that Remeron may cause weight gain by increasing fat stores throughout the body. If you notice that you’re developing fat in parts of the body that were previously thinner, it’s likely from the drug. It has been hypothesized that Remeron may be causing these fat storage changes by altering levels of leptin and TNF-alpha (tumor necrosis factor-alpha) cytokine system. In small-scale studies, it was found that plasma levels of TNF-alpha had markedly increased after a patients had taken Remeron for a month.
  • Food cravings (carbohydrates): Many people notice after they start taking Remeron, they develop food cravings. If there’s a particular food or type of food that you start to crave after you begin treatment with this antidepressant, it’s likely an effect of taking this drug. Most people notice that they crave unhealthy foods such as refined carbohydrates and sugars. It is believed that craving carbs can be influenced by altering levels of various neurotransmitters as well as glucose levels.
  • Hormone levels (Leptin): It is possible that Remeron may be altering levels of various hormones to produce weight changes. One that is clearly documented in research with this drug is the hormone “Leptin” which regulates fat storage.  The hormonal changes may become more significant over the course of a long-term, which may account for more substantial weight changes among long-term users.
  • Increased appetite: In some cases people are prescribed Remeron if they are underweight and/or under-eating. This drug is highly effective at increasing appetite to the point that people pack on a significant chunk of weight within the first month of treatment. It has been estimated that approximately 17% of those taking Remeron experience an increased appetite.
  • Metabolism decrease: It is fairly well-established that those taking antidepressants experience a decrease in metabolism. The decrease in metabolism means that even if you are eating the same number of calories that you were prior to taking the drug, you’re going to pack on weight while taking it. If the Remeron makes you fatigued or tired, this generally leads to less physical movement, which is also capable of slowing metabolism.
  • Interaction effects: Keep in mind that if you are taking any other medications, it may increase your propensity to gain weight as a result of interaction effects. Sometimes medications elicit synergistic “weight gaining” effects, leading to substantial weight gain in a short period of time. A common example would be prescribing Remeron with an atypical antipsychotic like Zyprexa. While it is unknown if there are synergistic effects of medications, some speculate that it is a possibility.
  • Social eating: Those who were seriously depressed or anxious prior to taking Remeron, but are now feeling happier (or less anxious) are more likely to hang out with friends and/or participate in social activities. If you notice that you start going out to eat with friends a lot after you began Remeron, keep in mind that this may be a direct reason as to why you are gaining weight. Eating out typically doesn’t (generally) provide the healthiest nor the most nutritious options and it increases the tendency that we will overeat.
  • Side effects: Another reason people likely gain weight on Remeron is that it can make certain individuals feel drowsy or fatigued. If you feel more fatigued than usual, you’re probably less likely to exercise and get adequate physical activity to keep your metabolism up. If your appetite increases and you feel fatigued, you are essentially going to eat more food and move around less; a common recipe for weight gain.
  • Taste improvement: In some cases, after a person starts taking Remeron, food tastes better. Some people who are depressed complain that food doesn’t taste good or tastes bland. If their depression is treated, they may experience an improvement in the way food tastes, which could lead them to eat more than they were in the past. The improvement in taste is believed to be caused by neurotransmitter alterations.

Note: For some people, there may be one specific factor that is leading them to gain weight. For others, it may be a combination of factor such as slowed metabolism, craving carbs, and an increased amount of social eating.

Factors that influence weight gain on Remeron

If you are gaining weight on Remeron, it is important to realize that a variety of other individualized factors should be considered. This includes things like: dosage you’re taking, your dietary intake, exercise habits, stress level, how long you’ve been on the drug, as well as whether you are taking other medications.

1. Dosage

Most people end up taking Remeron within the dose range of 15 mg to 45 mg on a daily basis. In general, the greater your dose in relation to your overall size and pre-treatment weight, the more likely it is that you’re going to gain weight. Those who are on substantially higher doses are considerably more likely to gain weight than individuals taking low doses.

Some have made the argument that low dosing with Remeron may be more likely to trigger weight gain due to more stimulation of the H1 (histamine) receptor.  They claim that the effects of H1 stimulation are counteracted by norepinephrine increases at higher levels.  Whether there is credibility to this theory remains to be true, but if you gain more weight at the low dose than the higher one, it may be somewhat valid.

It should still be assumed that at higher doses the drug will further alter your neurochemistry as well as physiological functions.  The greater the alterations as a result of the increased dose, the more likely it is that your homeostatic fat regulation, glucose levels, and leptin levels will be altered as a result of the drug.  This is why it is still recommended to take the minimal effective dose of most drugs, including Remeron.

2. Individual factors

It is also important to hold yourself accountable for any habits you’ve developed that may also be increasing your weight. While Remeron is very likely to cause weight, the foods that you choose to eat, how much sleep you get, your stress level, and amount of exercise you get can influence whether you gain weight. If you aren’t taking proper care of yourself and living a healthy lifestyle, you may gain weight as a result of the drug AND as the result of your unhealthy lifestyle.

Individual genetics may also influence whether you’re going to gain weight. If you are interested in determining how your genetics may be influencing your reaction to certain psychiatric medications, you may want to look into “GeneSight” testing. This test takes a sample of your genetic code and is able to determine whether you are likely to have a favorable reaction to a particular drug in terms of efficacy and side effects.

3. Time span

The length of time that you’ve been taking Remeron is another factor that may contribute to weight gain. The longer the duration over which you’ve been taking this drug, the more likely it is that you’ve built up some sort of tolerance. When people build up a tolerance, they typically increase the dosage (which we already know can lead to further weight gain).

Although in the case of Remeron people are likely to gain weight over the short term (i.e. 1 month), they may pack on even more pounds over the long-term. This is largely due to neurobiological changes as a result of long-term treatment. The drug will have altered your neurochemistry and disrupted homeostatic functioning to a significant extent which will cause you to gain even more weight.

4. Other medications

Do you currently take any other medications with Remeron? It is easy to blame Remeron for your weight gain, but do you know whether the other drugs your taking could also cause weight gain? Many people fail to investigate whether their other drugs may be an additional culprit for the amount of weight they’ve packed on while taking Remeron. In some cases, the other drugs that you’re taking may be causing more weight gain than your antidepressant.

In other cases the other drug(s) that you’re taking may be having a synergistic effect with Remeron to further enhance the amount of weight you gain. In other cases, the other drug(s) you’re taking may be the primary cause of your weight gain – especially if you are taking an antipsychotic.

How much weight will you gain from Remeron?

Since everyone responds to Remeron on an individual basis, there’s no telling specifically how much weight you’ll stand to gain. Most studies indicate that you will be likely to gain weight on both short-term and long-term treatment with Remeron. A number of factors mentioned above such as dosage and how long you’ve been taking the drug will influence the number of pounds you pack on.

In one small-scale 6-week study involving seven women, the average weight gain after 6 weeks was roughly 8 lbs; they also gained over half-a-pound of fat mass in this period. Some have gone as far as to speculate that lower doses have a higher affinity for the H1 histamine receptor which triggers an increase in appetite. At higher doses, norepinephrine levels tend to increase and counteract this effect – in some cases leading to no further weight gain.

Some people will end up gaining 10 lbs. others may gain up to 30 lbs. – responses tend to vary based on the individual. Just know that you’re probably going to gain anywhere from 5 to 10 lbs. throughout your treatment. For many people, their initial weight gain will hit a plateau and fortunately this weight is generally easily lost when the medication is discontinued.

  • Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16649829

Will everyone gain weight while taking Remeron?

While not everyone may report weight gain on this medication, most people will gain some weight during treatment. Whether the amount of weight should be considered “significant” is up for individual interpretation. Formal studies have reported that nearly 30% of patients taking Remeron self-reported that they gained weight when on the drug for 10 months.

Over the course of a short-term (i.e. 12 weeks) approximately 20% of people report weight gain. Unless you are taking other medications to offset the weight gain, it is highly likely that you will gain weight on this medication. This antidepressant is extremely well known to cause an increase in weight. Fortunately, most people do not tend to gain additional weight after the first several months of treatment.

Remeron: Comparing Efficacy vs. Weight Gain

When taking any drug, it is important to conduct a cost-benefit analysis. This involves evaluating the severity of side effects (costs) and comparing them to the efficacy of the medication (benefits). If you have packed on a significant amount of weight to the point that the weight gain is making your depression worse, you may want to consider switching medications or talking to your psychiatrist about Remeron withdrawal.

In the event that the drug is working great, but you’ve gained some weight, it’s probably a good idea to continue treatment. It can be incredibly difficult to find a medication that effectively treats conditions like anxiety and depression. Finally, if the drug isn’t working well and you are experiencing an array of unwanted side effects, it’s probably a sign that you should pursue other options.

Did you gain weight while taking Remeron?

If you have experience taking Remeron or are currently taking it, feel free to share how much weight you gained. It would also be helpful to know the dosage you have been taking, as well as if you switched dosages (i.e. increased), how the dosage change affected your weight. Be sure to also discuss how long you’ve been on the medication, whether you’ve noticed any changes throughout the long-term and consider noting any other factors that you believe may have influenced your weight. Understand that sharing your experience may help someone else who has gone through (or is currently dealing with) something similar.

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107 thoughts on “Remeron (Mirtazapine) and Weight Gain: What Causes It?”

  1. I started Remeron one year ago and have gained 50 pounds! I cannot lose weight. I am currently on Ozempic and the weight continues to pile on. I am at 195 pounds! I feel so disgusting.

    Does anyone have advice on how to combat this?

    Reply
  2. I’ve had many of the same issues I read in the comments: I’ve gained 10 plus pounds in the last few months. I exercise regularly but have more or less constant cravings for sweets. My question is this: has anyone experienced results by upping their dose to 45 mg? I read somewhere that higher doses might reduce food/carb cravings. Thanks.

    Reply
  3. I started taking Remeron about a year ago, before it I had an aversion to food, didn’t really have interest in eating, was a little under weight but still healthy. My problem was that I have severe insomnia, I had tried 4-5 other “sleeping pills” which only worked for a short while.

    When I started taking the Remeron it was like a “hallelujah” moment, I got a full night sleep for the first time in 10+ years and I didn’t mind that one of the side effects was some weight gain. Fast forward to now, I’ve gained 40+ pounds that I cannot get off no matter the diet or exercise.

    I’m so conflicted, I NEED sleep but I also can’t continue to gain weight.

    Reply
    • I totally understand. Remeron will make you sleep like the DEAD from the very first pill… which is *great*… but the weight gain is brutal. I personally had some very serious physical illnesses & accidents that were life-threatening, that I directly attribute to the increased weight.

      In my case, I didn’t just stop at the 40 pounds though… I kept right on up to more like 70 or 80. Since quitting, I’ve lost all of that plus a few within a year. It has COMPLETELY opened up my life! (Of course, I don’t sleep for s***…!)

      I think honestly you have to decide NOW, before it goes further & you slowly gain a pound here & there until you’ve gained a hundred… if you can LIVE with that kind of strain on your body, or if it is worth it to keep trying for other solutions.

      Even something holistic maybe? Diazepam works wonders for helping me FALL asleep… not necessarily for *staying* that way, but gotta start somewhere lol. Good luck to you… I hope you make the right decision!!

      Reply
  4. I was prescribed Mirtazapine in 2004 when I was studying. I suffer from chronic severe depression, anxiety and insomnia. Mirtazapine fixed EVERYTHING. It was the best antidepressant I’d been on and was my miracle drug.

    Mirtazapine finally got me to sleep EVERY night and as a result I had more mental and physical energy during the day. My low mood rapidly improved and I was more optimistic. I had found my cure from life-long debilitating depression/anxiety/insomnia. But… it didn’t quite work out that way…

    I had rapidly gained weight. In fact, I was a skinny 68 kg and suddenly bloated to a huge 88 kg fatso. I had put on 20kg and my face looked like I had the mumps. And I got the nick name as the Oompa Loompa. I went on a strict diet and did high impact aerobics 7 days a week to lose weight.

    But it didn’t work…the weight wouldn’t shift. It seemed Mirtazapine was holding onto the fat, and preventing it from shedding. Mirtazapine also caused significant dry eyes that caused a block in the nasolacrimal duct and I developed “Epiphora” (tearing eye).

    I needed surgery to fix the chronic tearing eye induced from dry eyes. After 10 months of Mirtazapine my doctor informed my liver enzymes were significantly high and thus, I had to discontinue my miracle drug Mirtazapine. Today, 2018 I still haven’t found anything to helps with depression and anxiety.

    Most drugs have too many side effects or simply don’t work. I’ve also found doctors here in Australia are too conservative and I can’t get anything to assist with my sleep or anxiety. As a result, I’ve ended up in the ER with extreme Panic attacks a few times.

    The ER simply gave me Valium and sent me home and asked why my doctors don’t prescribe Valium to prevent ER visits. Ridiculous!! I’ve been on a medical trial using Ketamine. It worked. But we can’t continue using it after the trial. My next option, and last resort is TMS.

    I hope you all find a mix of medication and lifestyle strategies that work for you.

    Reply
  5. I have been on 15mg nightly of Remeron for 9 months to allow a more normal sleeping pattern. I now sleep for longer feeling more refreshed. The side effects are vivid dreams – but more importantly – weight gain [after a few months and then stabilizing] as has been noted by most.

    I have gone from a skinny 68kg to 73kg noticeable around belly area. But apart from some old tricyclic antidepressants which have similar effects, this is certainly the most effective med for early waking and troubled sleep and is non habit-forming unlike the Z drugs if used for a longish period.

    Reply
  6. I started taking Mirtazapine 15mg for my anxiety when I was 16 and weighted 110 lbs and 5’6”. I gained around 20 lbs in the first two years of taking it. I then went off of it for around 4 months one summer to see if I could do it, but once college started back up I found myself anxious again, so I went back on it.

    1 year later I weigh 145 lbs. It is frustrating to always want food and to always be tired on this medication. I’m for sure going to try something like cymbalta because I’ve never been so heavy and am getting depressed because my body doesn’t look the way it used to.

    However, the medication is wonderful and it did help me gain weight quickly which I needed to when I was 16. It also helped control of my anxiety, but now I need to lose weight!

    Reply
  7. I started on Mirtazapine 2 months ago and have gained 25 pounds that I can’t take off. Have gone from a size 10 to a size 16 in clothes. Weight gain is all over my body, not just my mid-region.

    I was drinking 5-6 cola drinks a day! Craved the soda! Can easily sleep 16 hours a day or more. Several times I have slept 20 hours straight. I don’t know if Mirtazapine is alleviating my PTSD and major depressive issues.

    Can’t stay awake enough to find out. Other than that, it’s fine. LOL.

    Reply
    • Bless your heart. You should try to get your doctor to lower your dose, at the very least… are you taking it before bedtime? You shouldn’t be sleeping THAT much (though it will make you sleep like the dead….).

      Personally, I would have stopped as soon as I realized about the weight gain if I’d been smart enough to read some of these kinds of forums!! :P SO not worth it & there’s definitely other stuff that can be tried that works quite well for issues.

      Your post did remind me of something though… I had a SICK craving for sweets when on it!! I’ve always had a sweet tooth but yikes…!

      Reply
  8. My insomnia was torturous for years. I tried everything. Remeron has been the ONLY drug to help me sleep but I have paid the price in weight gain. I am all belly fat and look puffy. I think I have gained at least 30 – 45 pounds on it and I’ve been on it for almost 4 years at different dosages.

    I’m down to 7.5mg but some biochemists speculate that at a lower dosage, you gain more on Remeron. Either way, I gained weight and I look puffier and wide and awful.

    I don’t look like myself anymore. I try to stay active and walk everyday but at night the cravings for sweets beckon and I usually give in. It’s so depressing because the only thing that helps me sleep makes me obese. There’s no winning in this life.

    Reply
  9. Before taking Remeron, I had lost fifty pounds by eating low carb and was finally close to the right weight for my height, with only about twelve pounds left to lose. It had taken me a year to lose the last ten pounds.

    When I developed insomnia, unrelated to the weight loss, my doctor prescribed Remeron. I gained 18 pounds in six weeks. Although I loved being able to sleep, I stopped taking it. When I told my doctor that I had gained eighteen pounds, he told me that he knew it could cause weight gain, and told me it was often prescribed to people who needed to gain weight.

    When I told him it had taken me a year to lose ten pounds, he said, “well you know what to do to lose the weight.” However, I had stuck to my eating plan even while on Remeron. It was the drug alone that caused the weight gain. Somehow it changed my metabolism.

    It’s now three years later, and I’m still trying to get rid of the Remeron weight. I’ve been following my healthy eating plan all this time, and now have only 7 pounds more to lose. If I can do that, I’ll finally be down to my pre-Remeron weight, and can work on the losing the final twelve pounds that I have to lose.

    I won’t take Remeron ever again. If you have any other options, choose a different drug unless you need and want to gain a significant amount of weight.

    Reply
  10. I am tapering off Remeron due to weight gain, but now I’m putting on even more weight despite having more or less stopped this drug. I am worried that I won’t lose the weight even when I have come off it, which seems to have happened to Ash. Has anyone else experienced this?

    Reply
  11. When I started this medication I was 93lbs. I gained 60lbs in a month and a half. I’m now 165lbs and have been off this medication for 3 years now and haven’t lost any weight. I work out and eat right. This has been horrible!! It did help with my depression but I couldn’t stop eating, I always felt like I was starving. I will never take it again!

    Reply
  12. I’m trying to wean off with psychiatrist’s help. I’ve gained 60 lbs. and I’m now pre-diabetic from the weight gain from the drug. It pulled me out of a severe depression and I’m terrified to be without it, but I’m starving every minute of the day. Psychologically, I feel great – physically, terrible.

    Reply
    • I hear you Kellie!! That’s exactly the boat I am in. I am not trying to wean off of it yet though. My life is still too f**ed up to be able to cope without it right now…

      Reply
  13. I loved this med because it was first option given by my doctor to treat my anxiety. It was the only 1 that I haven’t had any sexual side effects on, but the truth is that mirtazapine made me sooo fat – from size 8 to 14! Even if it helped me with anxiety, it made me fat and I am still not happy.

    Reply
  14. I started taking Remeron approximately 3 months ago. Started with 15mg and increased to 30mg. I have put on 20 lbs in that time. Exercise fairly regularly. Doesn’t feel/seem like a significant shift in diet, but possibly just eating more, snacking, not really thinking about it.

    Reply
  15. I started taking 15mg of remeron Jan 04 2017 and the next day I started to want to eat junk food all day. I have been eating from early morning till midnight every single day and I have gained six lbs in nine days. I won’t take anymore of this medicine, but now I have to work hard to lose this weight again as I am diabetic and am in a constant battle with weight. I wasn’t warned about this side effect by either the Dr or Pharmacist.

    Reply
  16. I weighed 145 lbs when I started taking remeron 6 months ago. I now weigh 185 lbs. Previously the most I had ever weighed was 160 lbs, except 181 lbs while pregnant. I had weighed around 145-150 lbs for the past 10 years. I didn’t care about the weight gain at first, because my mental health mattered more.

    However, I’ve been gaining steadily for 6 months and I’m worried. My body feels different. It doesn’t feel healthy. Bending forward is sometimes difficult and uncomfortable. I’ve had chronic hip pain for the past few months. I’m worried. P.S. I’m 5’10” and in my mid-40’s.

    Reply
    • That’s exactly what’s happened to me. I’m 32 years old and have always weighed between around 150 lbs. with the exception of my weight just before I started taking Remeron. When my doctor put me on Remeron I weighed 135 and was in a deep depression.

      Although the medication did help to pull me out of it, I now weigh 187 and cannot seem to be able to stop gaining weight. Remeron seems to be a double-edged sword.

      Reply
      • Hey George, I had answered a year+ ago to Kellie above… so update on my situation: I *did* finally wean off the Remeron on my own which was hell. At the same time, I guess to ease the transition, my doc put me on Trazodone which they said was kind of the same “without the weight gain effects” (<gee doc, why didn't you start me on THAT one to begin with?!?!).

        I guess it did help me transition off the Remeron fairly well…but they I started having some kind of scary side effects from the Traz (chest pains, etc.) so I weaned myself off THAT (which was much easier as I'd only been on it a few months). I'm now off both of those and MOSTLY doing better.

        I do still have some mental health "issues" that I really wish I could find a miracle drug for! But I'm trying very hard to just cope with things the best I can, & find support in my family & friends (& online family!!). The HAPPIEST news though… I just went to the doc last week, & since December (6 months) I've lost 42 pounds!!! HURRAY!!! :D

        Only about 20-ish more to go to be pre-Remeron! (<I could stand to lose another 50 past that, but that's another story…) So MY opinion is this: if you're gaining weight on Remeron (mirtazapine), GET OFF OF IT!! There are TONS of other AD's out there & anti-anxiety & etc.

        I understand all about body chemistry & how some drugs just affect a person differently…& it may be more effective than other things for depression for some. But I promise you: gaining a lot of weight does NOT HELP with depression!!!

        It makes it MUCH worse & also can destroy your health in other ways. NOT WORTH IT. As long as you are taking the Remeron, you will likely NOT lose weight. You can maybe, MAYBE, reach a "plateau"… but chances are better that you'll at least slowly continue to gain weight (after the first major bit from that horrible first year… ugghhhh!!!).

        You WILL be able to much more easily lose weight after getting off of it & getting it all out of your system. That definitely has helped some w/ the depression. Anyway, just my advice…obviously you should do what your doctor directs you to! :) Good luck!

        Reply
  17. Since being put on mirtazapine I became a magician at 2 am. I make food disappear out of the fridge. I was put on it to help me sleep. Whoops. It’s helping me eat everything in sight. I went from not eating and sleeping to over eating and going int a food coma I guess you could say. I’m a stroke patient and they have to be careful what they put me on. My 15 year old is on 7.5 mg of it at bedtime to help him eat, although he now eats like a horse without it, they started me off at 15 mg. I’m a bit freaked, not good in someone with anxiety issues.

    Reply
  18. I was on Cymbalta for 3 years with no side effects, however I was still having trouble with sleep and anxiety. Was then put on Mirtazapine 15mg at bedtime. Gained 25 pounds in 6 months. Was still having anxiety. My dose was increased to 30mg, after which I gained 20 pounds in one week!

    Ended up in the ER with 2+ pitting edema in my extremities. I was having chest pain, and trouble breathing, not to mention pain in my arms and legs from the fluid retention. I was barely able to walk. The saddest part is that I had to do the research on my own. The physician in the ER sent me home with NO explanation.

    My labs were fine. Discharged home. When I read about the possible rare side effect of “swelling” I cut my dose back down to 15mg. The next day, I could start to see part of my ankle again. I’m tapering off of this medication as quickly as possible.

    Reply
  19. I started Remeron 1 & 1/2 years ago, gained 30 pounds rather quickly. That was due to eating more, and since eating was my goal (I had been too depressed to eat), that was fine then. Now it is ruining my social life (dating) and I’m walking 3 miles a day and eating less. However, there is a significant layer of fat in my upper abdomen that seems glued on. I am worried I will not lose the weight and am considering weaning off the drug even though it’s an amazing antidepressant. The abdominal fat is scary to me.

    Reply
  20. When I started taking mirtazapine 6 months ago, I weighed 114 lbs. I currently weigh 161 lbs. I feel like my metabolism has stopped completely. I’m 33, and have never weighed more than 140 lbs.

    Reply
  21. I have been on this medication for 2 weeks. Over the last year I have lost 2 stone by exercising and eating sensibly. In the last 2 weeks I have put on 8lbs! I am stopping Remeron now before it gets out of control.

    Reply
  22. I was on Lexapro 20 mg for a few months but found trouble sleeping. Saw a specialist and this together with extensive reading suggested taking 7.5 mg per night mirtazapine would be a very good combo. In fact I increased to 15 mg as I still felt a bit low (after a wonderful 5 week cycling holiday in Europe). Admittedly, I ate the wrong foods and drank beer and wine every night.

    After a week back home, I bought some new bathroom scales. I was return them and ask for a refund but first I thought I would go next door to my neighbor and calibrate against his scales. Shock! I had put on 4 kg in six weeks. I cycle most – say 100 to 120 miles per week. Going to have to monitor more closely.

    Reply
  23. At 22 I became suicidal and developed major depressive disorder with an anxiety disorder and panic attack disorder/agoraphobia. I got put on remeron at the psych ward when I went there for being suicidal. The remeron worked and works amazingly. Before I felt like I was trapped in this deep dark 20 foot hole of depression and suicidal thought morning noon and night.

    But it worked so good it was like being lifted out if that hole and the med blocks all or most suicidal thoughts and has made me way more positive. It works great and I honestly feel like it saved my life. But now I have been on it everyday for 5 years and in the past year or two it has made me gain a bunch of weight which sucks. Especially the weight gain in my face I hate that.

    I’m 27 5’5 or 5’6 feet tall (short) and I was always like 130/145 pounds from teenager years well into my early 20s. Before I took the Meds I looked really good and was perfectly happy with my weight and how I looked, I looked totally normal. But now I went from 130/145 pounds to 185 or 190 (but when they last weighed me I had all clothes on and bunch heavy things in my pockets, full pockets).

    Ahhh I want to lose this weight especially the face weight and the stomach. Now most of my clothes doesn’t fit me anymore my shirts don’t fit my pants don’t fit. I went from a male pants size 32 I think to two or more sizes above that. I want the weight to go away but at the same time I don’t wanna stop taking this medication cuz it works so well and literally saved my life.

    I haven’t eaten more there’s tons of days where I don’t even eat or barely eat. The weight is totally the Meds. But I also am not very active lately also to be honest. But I didn’t start eating more. So idk what to do. Oh and I also am on 2mg clonazepam daily for 3 years. And .5mg Xanax for panic attacks. Only as needed. Kinda rarely. Oh and I started with 15 mg remeron first month but after that been on 30 mgs daily for 5 years.

    Reply
  24. I have been taking Remeron for 4 years and I’m on 45mg per day. I have gained well over 3.5 stone. The medication is really effective but the weight gain and fatigue are making me question if there is a more suitable medication.

    Reply
  25. I started taking Remeron about a year ago. I gained about 30 pounds. I loved that it worked so smoothly for my anxiety and helped me sleep. But I was freaked out about the 30 pounds of weight gain. I desperately searched and searched trying to find a way to lose the weight. My doctor put me on a 1200 calorie diet.

    No loss. 1100 calorie, I lost four pounds and then gained 6 doing nothing different. I finally did my research. Remeron takes your sugar and turns it into fat. It also creates new fatty deposits generally around your mid section. So I research further and further trying to find just ONE person who had lost weight on this medication.

    One person I finally found. Ketogenic diet. Low carbs. And it was like a duh moment for me because well it makes since that if you take away the sugar, you can’t create fat. In one month I lost 19 pounds and it’s still coming off. I am happy to say I broke the remeron barrier and I feel great because I can stay on the medication.

    Reply
    • Thank you so much for the insight on low carbs and cutting out the sugar. I was prescribed Remeron on Friday for insomnia due to being perimenopausal. I already cut back on lots of my sugars but that is incentive enough to continue the trend.

      Reply
  26. I started taking Remeron 5 years ago. I am a male, 6ft 4in and I weighed 210 pounds. When I went to my Doctor for a six month check up, I had ballooned to 265 pounds. As I gained so quickly I grew out of my cloths and had to buy all new. It has been 5 years since I started Remeron, and my weight has tapered off at 275 pounds. Was it worth the 65 pound weight gain for me? Yes it was. I had tried several other drugs for my depression and none worked as good as Remeron. I will accept the huge weight gain for as well as I feel and as good as I function now.

    Reply
  27. I started taking 45mg of Remeron two years ago, since then I’ve put on 50 pounds. I recently stopped taking Remeron in hopes that I can loose weight. My cholesterol is really high now when before it wasn’t a problem. I’ve noticed I am struggling with mild anxiety again. I’m conflicted. I don’t know if I should start taking a low dosage of Remeron or if I should stay off it completely. Since I’ve been off Remeron my appetite is finally back to normal. It’s amazing but I don’t want to live with anxiety.

    Reply
  28. I started taking Remeron about 4 months ago to treat anxiety. At the time, I was slightly underweight (BMI of 18), had a low appetite, and never had cravings for sugar. After beginning treatment, I immediately noticed an increase in appetite and intense cravings for sugar. Since I have been underweight all my life, I was temporarily happy with this increase in appetite, but since I had never learned to “control” or ignore cravings (I had rarely experienced them before), I went a little out of control, eating whatever I wanted for about a month.

    I saw a quick increase in weight (about 7 lbs) within the first month. After that, I realized that I shouldn’t just dip my finger in chocolate frosting on a whim (true story), so I started being a little more careful but still ate a lot more than my pre-Remeron levels. I have now gained a total of about 10 pounds, and a lot of it is in my belly area, which I HATE.

    I’m generally happy with this extra weight, although I don’t want to gain more. Now that I’ve read about how much weight gain Remeron can cause, I threw away all the sweets in my house and am beginning a healthier, low-carb diet. Hopefully this will stymie any further weight gain. Please wish me luck!

    Reply
  29. I’ve been taking remeron for a little over a month & I’ve gained almost 15lbs. I am absolutely starving 24 hours a day, & most unfortunately I had serious shoulder surgery last week & an unable to exercise until I am cleared by my Dr (not likely for another 4-6 weeks due to beginning physical therapy).

    My intense sugar cravings are driving me insane & while I’ve never been tiny, I’ve always been an athlete & in excellent condition. I’m very concerned about developing diabetes (which my Dr mentioned was something patients on this medication need to checked for regularly) or becoming obese.

    The medication has really helped me be able to sleep again(my insomnia was so awful it could last for longer than 7 days, which induced hallucinations) & to function in everyday life. I’m not sure I can go back to life with no sleep, & I’ve tried everything else(prescription & OTC) on the market.

    Reply
  30. I’ve been on 45mg daily for three months now. My eating habits have not changed, and I’m getting more exercise now than I did before starting on Mirtazapine. I’ve gained at least 10 -15 pounds already, and I can feel my clothes getting tighter daily despite my best efforts. Yes, it has helped significantly with my depression, but now I’m becoming depressed about gaining weight and feeling gross. Will be speaking to my doctor about decreasing my dosage to see if that at least stops the gain where it is now. If that doesn’t help I’m going to request trying something else.

    Reply
  31. I started on 15 mg. of Remeron at the end of January. By the end of March I had gained 20 pounds. I had little to no weight gain with other medications (Zoloft then Effexor) prior to be prescribed the Remeron.

    Since I was taking it to get back on a regulated sleep pattern, which has happened, I’ve been able to go off it so hopefully, I will be able to also drop the weight.

    Reply
  32. I have not weighed myself, but the constant hunger is not acceptable. I am also taking celexa and Ambien for sleep. Was given Remeron for acute insomnia. Have been tapering off of the Remeron, and last night, got 5 hours sleep with just Ambien.

    Have a little loose bowel today, that I am managing with Imodium. Am hopeful that I can get off of this drug. I cannot work and be constantly eating. Any insight would be appreciated. Good luck to all that are struggling with this issue.

    Reply

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