Jamesol1: coming off Miratazapine - no weight loss?

[Jamesol1]

I went from 68kg to 85kg while on miratazpine. I took a 7.5mg a day dose for a while then 15mg. Anyways I have fully came off the drug for a good 2-3 weeks now. For the first 3-5 days i had some insomnia but now my sleep is great surprisingly (much better than before going on the drug). My dreams are a bit odd but that's fine. My biggest issue is I'm not losing the weight the tablet made me put on. A lot of people coming off it talk about losing 15lbs within 2 weeks or something crazy. Do some withdrawal effects like appetite/weight loss take a while to kick in? 

 

I know you can lose weight through other means but if I went back to the previous metabloism/apeitite I had would make it FAR easier. 

 

EDIT: I've just turned 20 if that changes anything.

[nz11]

Hi James welcome to sa.

Did you doctor tell you about withdrawal symptoms and that they can be delayed when you come off the drug?

 

How did you taper off this drug and for how long did you take it?

Would you be so kind to complete a drug signature and the good folk here can give you some advice.

 

Glad you found sa

nz11

[Jamesol1]

Thanks,

''Did you doctor tell you about withdrawal symptoms and that they can be delayed when you come off the drug?''

He said 7.5mg is already a very low dose so i don't need to taper from that. He said you will lose weight as a result of taking the tablet. He mentioned sleeping problems for a week or so. Other then that he was just asking about my life and stuff.

''How did you taper off this drug and for how long did you take it?''

Well 2 months ago I was on 15mg. Then for a solid month i was on 7.5mg. Now for the last 3 weeks I have not taken a single bit of the drug.

 

James

(I have added a signature)

[scallywag]

James -- Welcome to Surviving Antidepressants (SA)
 
I'm glad that your experience coming off mirtazapine has been smooth so far.  Your doctor is giving you the "party line" about 7.5 mg being a very low dose.  Some people are fortunate in that they have few if any symptoms after discontinuing mirtazapine and similar medications. Others have difficult and painful symptoms. Sometimes these symptoms appear 6 weeks or more after the last dose and are mistaken as a relapse of the original condition.

It would be worth investing a few minutes of your time to read about withdrawal symptoms so that you can recognize them if they arise. 
What is withdrawal syndrome

The best way to minimize the risk of symptoms occurring is to taper slowly -- by no more than 10% per month. For someone who's discontinued medication already, the best way to minimize the risk of symptoms arising is to reinstate the medication at a fraction of the last dose taken. Once symptoms arise, many people get relief from reinstating and sadly others don't. You can read more about tapering and reinstating at these links:
Why taper by 10% of my dosage?
About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms

If you would like to reinstate, please post another reply here in this topic, your introduction. We'll ask you a few more questions and then suggest a dose for you to consider. The decision is yours.

Please let us know how you are doing as you move through this discontinuation. I do hope you're in the group that can stop the medication with few issues.

[Jamesol1]

Thanks a lot for your help! I did ask him if It would be worth tapering more but he said no as i mentioned. I'm going to see how things go... if they go bad i will reinstate with a small dose and go from there. I'm glad to know that I should start losing weight thanks to the tablet because 13.5 stone is not my natural weight... before going on the tablet I couldnt go over 12 stone even if i tried.

[Aelius]

Hi Jamesol1,

I have no weight gain after 5 months on Mirtazapine 30 mg. Maybe I`m an exception. Sorry I can`t help you with this. How is your sleep?

[scallywag]

James --

 

Many people do drop the drug-induced extra weight once they discontinue the medication. Not every one has that experience, though. I hope you fall in the first group.

 

Reinstatement is more likely to be effective the sooner it is done. Keep in mind that a reinstatement would be significantly lower than your last dose so the metabolic effects will be less as well.

[lillylou]

Im only losing weight after ssris because I cant keep anything down after experiencing extreme nausea from protracted withdrawal. I hope this isnt the case for you.

[Jamesol1]

@scally

''Keep in mind that a reinstatement would be significantly lower than your last dose so the metabolic effects will be less as well.''

 

I guess I should do it early. What doe should i lower myself to? I was on 7.5mg for quite a while. I have been reluctant just because everything seems 100% fine. 3 weeks in and no symptoms. I guess it could hit me hard in a few weeks.

[Jamesol1]

@lilly Yeah i hope that doesn't happen to me . I'm sorry to hear that, how long did/has it lasted? An issue i have is apparently fasting (or not eating) on wellbutrin can induce seizures... so i really hope i can stomach some food.

[lillylou]

The extreme nausea hit on the 19th on december, i had a couple of good days. But yesterday and today a new wave has started. Im only able to manage a few things. Today its almonds. Thats really scary about wellbutrin. Not everyone gets nausea to this extent so you may be fine

[scallywag]

Before we can suggest a reinstatement dose, please answer the following questions:

1. When did you start taking mirtazapine?
2. What was the last dose of mirtazapine in mg?
3. On what date did you take your last dose?
4. What other changes in dosage of mirtazapine have you made in the last 12 months?
5. Have you taken other psychiatric medications in the last 12-18 months?
   If yes, which ones, at what doses, and when did you start and stop taking them?

[Jamesol1]

1- 1/3/15

2- 7.5mg

3- 10th Dec

4- I took half a tablet for 2 or so months then moved up to 15mg and then 2-3 months before stopping i went back down to 7.5mg.

5- Yes I've been taking Wellbutrin/Bupropion at 300mg and I still take them. I have been on those longer (1 year).

 

Thanks again.

[scallywag]

I'm going to get ideas on reinstatement dose from other moderators and will let you know.

 

Would you revise your signature so that it contains only information about your medication and withdrawal history in the last 12-18 months particularly?

• Please use actual dates or approximate dates (mid-June, Late October) rather than relative time frames (last week, 3 months ago)
• Spelling out months, "Mar. 9" or "Sep. 3", is more clear than using numbers, 9/3.
• Any drugs prior to 18 months ago can just be listed with start and stop years.
• You don't need to include symptoms or diagnoses other than the initial condition that led to prescribing the first drug.
• We ask for this information in your signature so that we can see it at a glance. A list is easier to understand than one or multiple paragraphs.
• You can find instructions in this topic: Please put your withdrawal history in signature
• If you are using a phone or mobile device, you need to switch to the "full" or desktop version of the site. Instructions are in Post 8 and Post 9

[Jamesol1]

Ok I have updated my signature. From going from 15mg to 7.5mg I only experienced poorer sleep for a week or so. I don't know if that is telling when it comes to my complete withdrawal.

 

Thanks again!

[scallywag]

James,
 
Before reinstating, please run an interaction report for mirtazapine and bupropion and post it here in your introduction. The interaction effects listed will give you symptoms to watch for.
Drugs-dot-com Drugs Interactions Checker.  
 
If you want to reinstate, consider taking ¼ tablet or 3.75 mg. It takes about 4-5 days for the drug to reach a steady cycle in your body. Adverse side effects and interaction effects, if any, will arise fairly quickly. If you do experience an interaction effect, please stop the reinstatement.
 
If the reinstatement causes you no problems, then stabilize on the dose for 6 weeks or so. Then once you've got a solid foundation, you'll be in a good position to start tapering either the mirtazapine or the bupropion. We suggest tapering no more than 10% per month to minimize the risk of withdrawal effects.
Before you begin tapering -- what you need to know
Why taper by 10% of my dosage?  
 
 
Observing and recording symptoms is important: Some people -- not all -- are able to decrease more frequently; others find they have to reduce by a smaller proportion and/or hold for longer than 4 weeks at a dose.

 

Let us know what you choose to do and how things go for you.

[JanCarol]

Hey James - 

 

Scally is taking good care of you, just a couple of little notes:

 

He said you will lose weight as a result of taking the tablet.

 

Lies.  Wellbutrin can cause some weight loss, but mirtazapine is more likely to cause weight gain.

 

Additionally, the weight gain you experienced is not going to come off in a week or two.  You are young, with good diet and exercise, you should be back to your buff self in 6 months to a years time - to lose weight faster than that would not be healthy.

 

Let us know what you decide to do when you check your interactions.  (that should also inform you as to how, um, careless your doctor was with this)

 

I hope you see the sun today.

[Jamesol1]

@JanCarol

''Lies.  Wellbutrin can cause some weight loss, but mirtazapine is more likely to cause weight gain.''

Apologies for the confusion. I meant he saidI will lose weight as a result of stopping the miratazpine. Wellburtrin did make me lose weight after 4 or so months of usage... which is why my physcrist put me on miratazpine (also for my sleep). I went from 11.5 stone to 10 3/4 stone. 

 

https://www.drugs.com/interactions-check.php?drug_list=1640-0,440-203

My physiatrist who was an expensive one on Harley street... wanted to put me on 3 antidepressants at ONCE... after he said that I stopped seeing him. I haven't had any seizures yet touch wood.

 

P.S: Just to clarify... my natural weight before going on miratazpine was 11.5 stone. I'm currently 13.5. From coming off I have heard many people on forums saying how they lost weight fairly quickly. Below is a link of which describes how and why (not sure if this is 100% fact):

http://mentalhealthdaily.com/2015/01/24/remeron-mirtazapine-and-weight-gain-what-causes-it/

 

Surely from coming off miratazpine i should lose weight rather quickly.

 

 

 

Thank you so much for your help. This is not the first time a forum of people has helped me with medical knowledge outweighing what supposed experts say.

[Jamesol1]

''If the reinstatement causes you no problems, then stabilize on the dose for 6 weeks or so. ''

Just wondering. I went from 15mg to 7.5mg without tapering. I had no side effects at all apart from my sleep being a bit worse. Does this indicate that i wont have many issues coming off it completely? I have noticed on other forums people having issues going from 30mg to 22mg.

[scallywag]

You ask, "Does this [previous dose reduction] indicate that i wont have many issues coming off it completely?"

 

In a word, no.  There is no way of predicting how your CNS (central nervous system) will respond to dose reductions, which is why we recommend proceeding cautiously.

[Jamesol1]

I'm currently on 300mg (2 150mg tablets) and have been for around 2 years. I have been however missing doses very consistently for the last year... some days not taking it... most days taking just 1. Anyways I want to come off these tablets and finally be rid of these sort of drugs. I've been told Bupriorion is not an SSRI but I'm going to assume it is equally as menacing withdrawal wise. I'm thinking of sticking to just one 150mg for 2 weeks then going from there.

I managed to come off miratazpine 3-4 months ago. I took those for around a year and went from 15mg to 7.5mg to 0mg (2 weeks apart) without smyptoms. I'm going to assume that's only because I'm still on a similar drug (I've heard coming off one of your meds can be easy if your still taking your other one). 
 
Many thanks,

Edited March 9, 2017 by Jamesol1
merged second intro topic

[scallywag]

James I've moved your post/question to your introduction topic so that all your information, questions and answers are in one place. We've got a one introduction per customer rule.

Your discontinuation off Mirtazapine may well have been buffered by the Wellbutrin (bupropion). You would be wise to get yourself settled into a daily dose for at least a month before starting to reduce your Wellbutrin dosage.

What type of bupropion (Wellbutrin) are you taking: XL, XR, SR?

Have a look at this topic, particularly the first post:
Tips for tapering off Wellbutrin XR, SR, XL (bupropion)

If you have any questions, post them here in your introduction.

To find your way back to this topic, you may want either to

1. Follow this topic so that you have a link to this page in your settings and so that you get notifications when someone posts in your thread.  Click the gray "Follow this topic" button. A dialog box appears:  select one of the notify options, then click follow this topic in the dialog box.
    
2. Setting this web page as a bookmark or favorite in your browser will help you navigate back to it.

[Jamesol1]

Thanks a lot for the response. On the tablet tray they say Bupropion HCL (which doesn't match those 3 types of which i also found out about earlier). BUT it does say ''prolonged release'' so I'm going to assume that just means extended AKA (XL). I will stick to 150mg then for a month then go from there. Luckily i have one of those digital small weighing machines so i will be able to accurately reduce my doses.

 

EDIT: After reading that link... I have 2 doses of 150mg each day which apparently means mine should be ''Sustained release (SR): 2 times a day dosing''.. but it says prolonged release. Then again this is on the tablet tray (getting a new box of it tomorrow so i can check what it says on there).

 

 

Just wondering, this tablet would increase the urge to say have sex or masturbate? I'm only mentioning this because a doctor advised me to take it to help with my porn addiction (without understanding really what porn addiction is). I've seen a comment which says this tablet will make it harder for me to stop watching porn due to its sexual libido enhancing side effects.

[scallywag]

Just ask the pharmacist or your doctor's office. If you still have the label that was on the box or bottle, check for a drug identification number.  You can use that number to look up the medication on the UK drug regulator's website.

 

I have no idea what effect the medication or any dose changes will have on your libido, there are too many unknown factors. Some people experience a decrease when taking the medication, some experience a decrease when decreasing dose too quickly.  Some people experience no change at any point.