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[Polpringle]

I’ve been prescribed Mirtazapine 7.5mg for depression,anxiety and insomnia but I’m really nervous about taking it.  One of the main side effects seem to be weight gain and I’m getting married in 3m and already struggling to shift a few pounds 😞
Does anyone have any advice? Positive or negative stories?
Would it be worth me trying 3.75mg for a week or so and seeing how it goes?

[Flossieteacake]

Everybody will have different experiences and I find it is usually the negative ones we hear about. I would take it. If it does not agree with you then you can just stop. It would be worth it if your mood lifts. 

[Sazzle42115]

I would try something else There's a Facebook group about mirtazphine withdrawal it's apparently not the first line AD be careful I was prescribed after not getting on with sertraline which made me nauseous. My experience with the drug was awful was only on 15mg for 5 months tapered right down to 4mg and still had awful time when stopped. Everyone is different but please take a look at difficulty of 50% of people who have difficulty stopping this particular med which is very different to other ADs Everyone is different but see if GO is able to prescribe something else.

[Sazzle42115]

I would add it did help me sleep but did nothing for need just felt empty. Weight gain dies seem to be a Biggie for people on the forum....I didn't have that issue I was under weight when started.

[Sheri]

I have a Sertreline prescription but so far have been too nervous to take it for fear of side effects. So i know how you feel.
When i get really anxious, i get out the box of Sertreline & think, to hell with it, I'm going to take it. But something stops me.
I hope if you do start it then it makes you feel so much lighter & happier. We all deserve some peace & happiness.
 
Popringle - apart from the nausea, did Sertreline help you? And what dose did you start at? I've got 25mg

[CLKD]

My friend hasn't gained weight and she has been taking it for 4 years.  She has felt so much better, it took about 3 months for her to realise that her symptoms had eased.

What is causing the anxiety, wedding 'nerves'?     will there be  ;-).  If possible, perhaps ask for a short-term anti anxiety, i.e. 'valium' on an as necessary basis.  Under supervision this worked well for me.  No problems with needing to wean off as I didn't require any extra to what I knew worked.

You could take 3.75mg for 3 nights, then move up to 7.5mg ?  Trouble is, if we look for side effects, we'll usually feel them!

[Flossieteacake]

If this helps, my friend is also taking mirtazapine. She does not have any side effects and it has helped her depression so much.

[Polpringle]

Thank you for everyone’s replies I really appreciate it.
I’ve never been on Sertraline but was on Fluoxetine for 15yrs after severe pnd with the birth of my children. I came off it 4 years ago after the breakdown of my marriage. The lady 5m has seen bad things happen on a pretty much weekly basis & im just struggling to cope. Tomorrow I have an urgent referral for a hysteroscopy so that’s not helping

[Nas]

I much prefer amitryptyline for sleep, much gentler I find.

I was prescribed mirtazapine 15mg for the same issues. Well, I just couldn’t wake up the next day. I felt drunk until tea time.

This may of course, not be your experience at all, but my job involves working with special needs teens and this  drug wasn’t going to help.

I would say, give it a go. You can always stop taking it, as Flossie has mentioned.

Best of luck 🤞😀

[Flossieteacake]

Thank you for everyone’s replies I really appreciate it.
I’ve never been on Sertraline but was on Fluoxetine for 15yrs after severe pnd with the birth of my children. I came off it 4 years ago after the breakdown of my marriage. The lady 5m has seen bad things happen on a pretty much weekly basis & im just struggling to cope. Tomorrow I have an urgent referral for a hysteroscopy so that’s not helping

Is it possible to try fluoxetine again? If it helped before then perhaps it can help again. I can understand tomorrow is pressing on your mind. It is horrible you have so much going on.

[Polpringle]

Fluoxetine caused to much sexual dysfunction and general feeling of flatness, on top of meno symptoms it contributed to the breakdown of my marriage so don’t really want to go back there.
I think I’ll take it and see how I get on over the course of a few days/week 🤞🏻

[Gilla999]

I've been taking Mirtazapine for 3 years and unfortunately the weight gain is real, for me at least... I went from weighing 8.5 stone my whole adult life to over 11 stone, without any difference to eating (in fact I eat much less now). It chemically changes your body's response to food/fat storage and dieting is like pouring water out of a boat with a hole in it.

It's nice to hear others do know of people who haven't gained weight on it as I've never heard of or met anyone! Of all the ADs and anti psychotics out there it consistently comes top in studies for weight gain, though of course everyone is unique. I'm in the process of slow tapering over to Trazodone which is a very similar AD but doesn't have weight gain as a side effect. I've found it's been equally good for sleep as Mirt. 

You may find if you're only taking 7.5mg that the weight gain is easier for you though. And ultimately your mental health is the most important thing 

xx

[Nicodemus]

I have been on Mirtazapine (varying doses, currently 30 mg) for around 9 years. I don't have any side effects from it and it probably saved my life, it certainly helped with sleep for a while but not any more. It does have an effect on what I call the "off switch" for appetite - I will eat a meal but sometimes don't feel full for quite a long time afterwards. This might be why people gain weight on it (I believe it's sometimes presribed for people with low appetite). So you kind of have to ignore any urge to eat more when you know you have eaten enough, if that makes sense.

I have taken a lot of ADs over the years and it has been by far the most tolerable in terms of side effects.

[Smokey]

Hi.

I’ve been on Mirtazipine for about a year now and I have not gained any weight.
However it is an appetite stimulant but as long as you eat the right foods if it effects you that way you should be ok.
I find I get knawing hunger pains every so often usually two hours after I’ve eaten but that is probably just me as I also have a hiatus hernia.

I have no side effects and it really helps me sleep which is a godsend at first it was harder to get out of bed what I mean by that is it’s easy to fall straight back to sleep again so make sure you set several alarms but after a while it’s easier

Oh actually I do get one side effect I have really vivid dreams, they are great and really feel real🤣

I started on 15mg and like you was hesitant and started on 7-5mg but they didn’t really help with sleep so after a few days I took the plunge with 15mg   I’m now on 30mg.

I have previously been on this drug years ago when I changed to another type Nortriptyline I think I didn’t wean myself off but was able to swap straight over.

Smokey (Ann)

[Nicodemus]

The dreams! I had forgotten those (don't get them much any more). They were wonderful.