![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by fachad on July 6, 2008, at 12:04:53
My questions have to do with the notorious effect of Remeron on appetite and weight gain. I know it's said that the hunger/sleepiness is less with 'higher' doses.
In other's experience of this med, where is the dose cut-off? How much do you have to take to feel less hungry? Is 30 mg/day enough, or are higher doses needed to avoid the bottomless pit hunger? Do you feel less hungry at 30 mg than at 15 mg?
Another big question I have is, do the hunger and the weight gain level off after time (say 3 months or 6 months or 2 years or whatever) OR do you just always feel really hungry as long as you take it and does your weight just keep going up and up?
And finally, if you quit Remeron (another topic, I realize), does the weight come off by itself - or at least easier than if it were regular (not drug caused) weight?
Remeron is a good antidepressent and it might be acceptable (tho' undesirable) to gain some weight and feel some hunger IF I thought that I would develop some tolerance to those effects over time. But I don't want to just be eating and gaining for years and years if the effects are known to continute as long as you take the drug.
Anybody have experience in this area? Often it seems like people just quit Remeron right away becasue of the weight thing, and so there is nobody with long term experience to say whether it goes away or diminishes with time.
So any info, experiences, or comments regarding the dose effects and the duration of the effects would be most appreciated.
Posted by Phillipa on July 6, 2008, at 12:46:15
In reply to Remeron Appetite, Weight Gain - Dose and Duration., posted by fachad on July 6, 2008, at 12:04:53
Only thing I can offer is took 15mg of remeron for sleep and even with benzos and in a hospital setting didn't sleep add chloral hydrate and seroquel and still no sleep. Took for about two month no weight gain or loss. Guess this isn't much help but that is my experience with it. I wish you great luck. Phillipa
Posted by yxibow on July 7, 2008, at 4:04:40
In reply to Remeron Appetite, Weight Gain - Dose and Duration., posted by fachad on July 6, 2008, at 12:04:53
> My questions have to do with the notorious effect of Remeron on appetite and weight gain. I know it's said that the hunger/sleepiness is less with 'higher' doses.
Its said but at least from my doctor's clinical experience its untrue. Now another population of people could have a different response, who knows.
> In other's experience of this med, where is the dose cut-off? How much do you have to take to feel less hungry? Is 30 mg/day enough, or are higher doses needed to avoid the bottomless pit hunger? Do you feel less hungry at 30 mg than at 15 mg?I took it up to 52.5 and there was no point at which hunger changed particularly.
> Another big question I have is, do the hunger and the weight gain level off after time (say 3 months or 6 months or 2 years or whatever) OR do you just always feel really hungry as long as you take it and does your weight just keep going up and up?No, it didn't level off over time. Your weight goes up partially if you don't curb your intake. Accounting for any weight gain the medication might give, I think its mostly hunger, but others may have different metabolisms, one should roughly add up how many calories they're ingesting in a day.
If you can cut back down below that range as much as possible, you will lose weight. Your weight almost always, unless you have some other condition, is maintained by the amount of calories you are eating. E.g., a 225lb male eating 2800 calories a day [that's a pure rough example off the top of my head, you should check BMI and other charts] for example could maintain their weight at that without doing anything (although of course exercise is important). If you dip below that "maintenance weight", water will lose first and eventually fat, just like any diet.
> And finally, if you quit Remeron (another topic, I realize), does the weight come off by itself - or at least easier than if it were regular (not drug caused) weight?Yes, slowly over time it does. The speed of that again is determined by exercise, metabolism, any metabolic disorders and self-will and self-restraint (no offense meant)
> Remeron is a good antidepressent and it might be acceptable (tho' undesirable) to gain some weight and feel some hunger IF I thought that I would develop some tolerance to those effects over time. But I don't want to just be eating and gaining for years and years if the effects are known to continute as long as you take the drug.
It is a very good antidepressant for those who have tried others. It has that ONE big problem of weight gain. Determination, exercise, padlocking the refrigerator (just kidding -- but seriously, a low calorie diet is going to be needed, carbohydrates, fat, whatever.)
> Anybody have experience in this area? Often it seems like people just quit Remeron right away becasue of the weight thing, and so there is nobody with long term experience to say whether it goes away or diminishes with time.It is true ultimately I quit Remeron because of serious weight gain. But at the time I wasn't monitoring and I know its hard to have self-restraint, with medications like Seroquel, tricyclics, etc.
It served an odd but very much desired puzzle into my complex of disorders at the time (which still continue in other ways) and was discovered by accident because I couldn't sleep.
So, if this disappoints you I do apologize -- its just one case report. Really everything should be taken as case reports on here, but that's just a personal opinion.Remember everybody has a different metabolism -- I don't have the same one I had in college, like a lot of males. On the other hand there are people who are waifs way into their 30s and 40s and beyond. Its something that depends a lot on genetics and also not noticing little increments in what one eats until one is used to 2 bowls of cereal, 3 bowls, etc, just for example (mea culpa).
I wish you well-- Jay
Posted by Phillipa on July 7, 2008, at 19:40:26
In reply to Re: Remeron Appetite, Weight Gain - Dose and Durat » fachad, posted by yxibow on July 7, 2008, at 4:04:40
Jay if you dip too low in calories muscle tissue is lost and the heart and internal organs contain muscle. So make sure it's healthy diet. And there is always the notorious thyroid conditions which seem to lead to either weight loss or gain. Since my surgery and drastic change in thyroid numbers I've lost tons of weight with no diet changes. Must be hyper now. Love Phillipa
Posted by yxibow on July 7, 2008, at 23:02:46
In reply to Re: Remeron Appetite, Weight Gain - Dose and Durat » yxibow, posted by Phillipa on July 7, 2008, at 19:40:26
> Jay if you dip too low in calories muscle tissue is lost and the heart and internal organs contain muscle. So make sure it's healthy diet. And there is always the notorious thyroid conditions which seem to lead to either weight loss or gain. Since my surgery and drastic change in thyroid numbers I've lost tons of weight with no diet changes. Must be hyper now. Love Phillipa
Of course to make sure its a healthy diet, I mentioned exercise as well.And yes, you will lose muscle tissue as well if you don't exercise, but in the end, weight is weight. It would take a long time to lose internal organ tissue.
You lose water, any trunk and pectoral tissue that you used to have (sadly for me), and yes, fat if you cut back enough. I'm just saying its a plan if you have no other choices or they're not working.
You're not going to collapse of internal organ muscle damage with weight gain from Remeron for many a year. The benefits of losing weight in any manner to lessen strain on the heart outweigh any micrograms you'd ever lose on the heart in the short run. I'm not talking human torture.Personally, I just can't exercise much -- its harder for me because a) I don't have the time at the moment for the gym with therapy and trying to get my life on track and there are a lot of reasons why I can't go back right now.
I don't multitask as well as I used to and b) I probably have some form of tardive dystonia in my legs and arms, which varies -- its hard to say. I do walk sometimes when I can.
But I know, I'm projecting -- so its up to each person how they manage their weight.-- tidings
Jay
Posted by copper on July 13, 2008, at 17:10:56
In reply to Re: Remeron Appetite, Weight Gain - Dose and Durat » Phillipa, posted by yxibow on July 7, 2008, at 23:02:46
Hi I'm new to the board, but have been reading the posts for months.
I also take Remeron 45mg, I have been on this for about 3 months. My Pdoc told me to take it at night as it causes sleepiness and also to take it with Pepcid. Which you can get overthe counter at any pharmacy. This he has notice has helped with not gaining weight. I think you still can gain but not as fast. If you good about watching what you eat and exercise this should help.
Hope this gives helps.
copper
Posted by yxibow on July 15, 2008, at 2:23:43
In reply to Re: Remeron Appetite, Weight Gain - Dose and Durat, posted by copper on July 13, 2008, at 17:10:56
> Hi I'm new to the board, but have been reading the posts for months.
>
> I also take Remeron 45mg, I have been on this for about 3 months. My Pdoc told me to take it at night as it causes sleepiness and also to take it with Pepcid. Which you can get overthe counter at any pharmacy. This he has notice has helped with not gaining weight. I think you still can gain but not as fast. If you good about watching what you eat and exercise this should help.
>
> Hope this gives helps.
>
> copperOh definately at night, I couldn't see someone sleeping through it, although when it was helping me I took it through the day in 7.5mg or was it half of a 7.5 mg crumb by crumb one time.
Yes, Axid was noted to stop some weight gain for Zyprexa, or was it Seroquel, maybe both -- anyhow, no secret because it was made by the same manufacturer.
I've used H2 blockades before, basically it kind of makes me mildly nauseated which curbs the appetite -- but your miles may vary as they say.
-- tidings
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.