Hi to all. I would like to know if the weight gain that is cause by remeron is because of the the excessive calories one takes that is triger by the pill or does it also have a physical effect, like does it slow down ones metabolism which will equal to weight gain. Is there any data on this issue?your answer will be appreciated.

This post has been edited by Robert123: Jun 2 2008, 03:14 AM

Hi Robert,

From my personal experience it all has to do with calories in, calories out, and which ever is bigger determines how much you gain. I had that initial 'sticker shock' but once I stepped up my exercises and practiced a bit of impulse control, my weight dropped and I have now stay pretty stable at my B.R. (Before Remeron) weight. In my experience with mirtazapine, the impulse to consume mass quantities of sugar based calories diminished when I reached 45 mg. per day. Apparently, this craving is due to the anti-histaminic (AH) effect that predominates at below 30 mg/day. But at the higher doses the increased nor-epinepherinergic (NE) effects overwhelm the AH effect. Plus the usual loading schedule seems to coincide with the onset of the NE effect and about the same time you realize that you are "packing it on", LOL.

There is also a possible SE that increases ones cholesterol, not everyone, but about 1-2% over long term use. And of course, cholesterol is easily converted to adipose (fat). But mirtazapine itself does not slow ones metabolism. I don't know of any data concerning this SE, such data is rarely sought by academia, unless a professor has a bunch of research money left over from another project funded by the original manufacturer. By the time it is generic, research money's are rarely available to study a side effect unless it is life threatening.

Peace and Love... wayne

I think its just the excess calorie intake that remeron causes...

thanks 4 the replies. I'm right now on ssri and my dr. added me on 30mg of remeron which i havent started to take. I remember once taking remeron and i had to quit. I sleep over 16 hours and when i woke up, i was still sleepy, dehidrated, and in the clouds and had to go right to bed in sleep another couple of hours. I didnt like it but Im going to give it another try. maybe starting at the lowest dosage might be the way to go. Cause of the good profile it has on sexual sides. I wish I can tolerate this med and slowly decrease the ssri im on. I also hope remeron works as well.

This post has been edited by Robert123: Jun 2 2008, 10:00 PM

You might want to ramp up a little slower on the Remeron. The way I did it was to take 7.5mg for 5 nights, then 15mg. I didn't go above that. but I would imagine you could go from 15 to 30 mg in another 5 days.
Also, at 7.5mg the anti-histaminic effects are VERY strong and you just sleep and sleep. That gets less as you increase the dose. A 15mg, it's still pretty strong but less that on 7.5mg.
And yeah, I just ate too much of the wrong stuff = weight gain.

thanks 4 all the replies. It's odd that in a lower dosage it cause more sleppyness than in higher. so in highter dosage one could feel normal. not sedated, drowsy and sleepy? Thanks again

Yes, Robert,

Usually the difference starts at 30 mg/day and at 45 mg/day there is almost no sedation at all. Nor-epinepherince is related to epinepherine, another name for Adrenalin. So, at and above (for most people) 30 mg. this over comes the sedation of the anti-histanergic effect. Good luck with mirtazapine, it saved my skin. Also at the higher dose, the craving for carbs is not as great to none. I know a lot of people that never gained an ounce on mirtazapine. Of course they already had a pretty active exercise program going for them which I have found also helps relieve some of the effects of depression.

Peace and Love.... wayne

thanks alot. im glad to here it worked 4 u and that at highter dosage the bad sides from the lower dosage diminish.