# Goodbye citalopram, hello mirtazapine



## Madison_Rose (Feb 27, 2009)

I was prescribed mirtazapine (remeron) today. I stopped taking citalopram a couple of months ago because it really wasn't doing anything for me. 

Having read the wikipedia entry on mirtazapine, I'm cautiously hopeful. I'm glad to be trying something completely different - if I'd just been offered another SSRI I think I wouldn't have bothered. 

I'm a bit nervous about taking it though - I really hope I don't hallucinate! Still, I probably won't, and even if I do, there are people in the flat I can run to if I get scared. 

Please wish me luck, peoples! I'll report back later


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## rustybob (Nov 19, 2009)

Good luck, mirtazapine was the drug that worked for me. I had bad reactions to SSRIs, so I did some reseach on my own for something that might work. Mirtazapine and bupropion is what I'm on right now, and there is essentially no side effects for me between the two. 

Mirtazapine never made me hallucinate, but at the start it definitely gave me some crazy dreams. They weren't scary or anything like that, just really non-sensical dreams. If that happens to you, I found that taking some melatonin before bed helped me have "normal" dreams again. After about a month of taking melatonin I found I didn't need it anymore, and my dreams were still "normal".

Weight gain tends to be pretty standard on Remeron. I'm sure the bupropion has helped me in this regard, as I'm pretty much one of the exceptions to weight gain on Remeron. In fact, I'm down over 50lbs since the new year. The best advice I can give you to help curb that is that when you're cooking food, make sure to use plenty of the spices and sauces you like. I've always found that the more satisfied you are with the meal the less you'll eat. You'll probably get cravings for food at times as well, I found that keeping fruit around the house, instead of junk food, really helped in this regard.


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## hensley258 (Apr 24, 2010)

Madison_Rose said:


> I was prescribed mirtazapine (remeron) today. I stopped taking citalopram a couple of months ago because it really wasn't doing anything for me.
> 
> Having read the wikipedia entry on mirtazapine, I'm cautiously hopeful. I'm glad to be trying something completely different - if I'd just been offered another SSRI I think I wouldn't have bothered.
> 
> ...


Nahh, You won't Hallucinate. Here we refer to it my name brand (Remeron)
and I took it for about a year at a pretty high dosage. Took it at night of course be cause, Whew will it make you want to kick back watch 15 minutes of TV and crash. Stand up after it kicks in and you may feel a bit wobbly.

It's a good antidepressant, but WARNING! I don't care what anyone else says, Remeron is the KING DADDY of weight gain antidepressants. It makes Paxil look like a diet pill. Now, before any Remeron users yell at me I must say that I don't think it just the drug that puts on weight. For some reason in many people Remeron WILL without you even realizing it STUFF YOUR FACE!

During my time on Remeron Ben and Jerry's chunky Monkey was like frozen crack cocaine to me. It's like the weed munchies because everything taste so goooood. So it's not the drug that makes you fat, I think it the munchies it gives you. Exersise and eat Atkins and Remeron will not put weight on you.

As far as effectiveness. No question more effective than SSRI like you were taking. Been there done that. If for some reason the Remeron alone doesn't kick your depression - Anxiety or SA, then you can always do what Jim Morrison on this site swears by. "California Roket Fuel" Combine one part Remeron with one part Effexor XR (about 200 to 300Mgs) and light the jets. He claims the two will often hit a knock down punch to even stiff symptoms.

Took them both, but never combined them. My problem with Remeron was two fold. 1. it only gave me about 60% relief and 2. I jumped from a guy that was fit and a lean 160Lbs to 235Lbs and I just couldn't have that weight gain anymore.

Keep in mind I was doing nothing to eat light so your results may be different. Not only that but you may find 95% relief from the drug because I would be bad to measure by. I have VERY severe chronic refractory depression with massive GAD. Given that you can see why Remeron just was not enough juice to shake my symptoms.

Your case not being as severe will probably respond like magic to Remeron so keep the faith.

Peace.:boogie


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## jim_morrison (Aug 17, 2008)

hensley258 said:


> *During my time on Remeron Ben and Jerry's chunky Monkey was like frozen crack cocaine to me*. It's like the weed munchies because everything taste so goooood. So it's not the drug that makes you fat, I think it the munchies it gives you. *Exersise and eat Atkins and Remeron will not put weight on you.*


Haha this is so true! I remember thinking to myself the first time I stopped taking it; 'well remeron wasn't addictive (atleast not to me) but it sure as hell gave me a secondary addiction - to food!' lol. 
But I agree with hensley, I've found that by eating a high protein, low carb, low fat diet, aswell as exercising regularly, you won't gain much weight.



Madison_Rose said:


> I'm a bit nervous about taking it though - I really hope I don't hallucinate! Still, I probably won't, and even if I do, there are people in the flat I can run to if I get scared.


Don't worry, I guarantee you won't hallucinate, but you may experience some increased dream activity (or perception of it because you'll remember them more easily on remeron) but this is a normal side effect.


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## thesilenthunter90 (Mar 18, 2010)

mirtazapine has been excelent for me. Helps me sleep well and my mood is slightly better too. I have been on it a few weeks now and I have had absolutely no side effects at all. I also had a bad experience with the ssri's so I am glad this med is working.


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## Himi Jendrix (Mar 24, 2010)

MMMM....Remeron. Its good stuff. 

Its really good for depression I think. I have tried the SSRI's and I was put on remeron and it made me exceedingly happy. Almost to the point of euphoria the next day. Imagine waking up with a smile and "good feelings". 

The only problem was that it made me gain 30lbs in less than a month. My doctor took me off it. I still have some and I occasionally take it for sleep and it makes me ravenously hungry the next day. 

I would imagine that if remeron didnt have the hunger side effect it would likely be the most popular antidepressant out there. I cant say the Remeron really did anything for anxiety however.


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## hensley258 (Apr 24, 2010)

Himi Jendrix said:


> MMMM....Remeron. Its good stuff.
> 
> Its really good for depression I think. I have tried the SSRI's and I was put on remeron and it made me exceedingly happy. Almost to the point of euphoria the next day. Imagine waking up with a smile and "good feelings".
> 
> ...


Oh yea dude you should have seen my plate of spiggette. I would pile it on with so much pasta it was sliding off the plate. Then Cheese cake after. Remeron and Cheese cake should be in a recipi together. I could pound half a pie in a night on Remeron and I was not a big guy at the time.

I really feel sorry for the guy that takes Remeron and smokes week on a regular basis. Double munchies.


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## Madison_Rose (Feb 27, 2009)

Thanks for the replies folks! It was ok, I just went to sleep. No weird dreams. We'll see how it goes from here, I suppose


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## Under17 (May 4, 2010)

I eat at least 4000 calories a day and haven't really gained any weight on Remeron. Not really sure if it's helped with my depression either. Anyone here taking mega doses (60-90 mg?).


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## jim_morrison (Aug 17, 2008)

Under17 said:


> I eat at least 4000 calories a day and haven't really gained any weight on Remeron. Not really sure if it's helped with my depression either. Anyone here taking mega doses (60-90 mg?).


I used to take 60 mg, that was a bad idea though. I found 30 mg was alot more tolerable side effect wise.


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## hensley258 (Apr 24, 2010)

Under17 said:


> I eat at least 4000 calories a day and haven't really gained any weight on Remeron. Not really sure if it's helped with my depression either. Anyone here taking mega doses (60-90 mg?).


WoW! 4,000 cals a day and no weight gain? Do you run 20 mile marathons or just live in the Gym? And you take Remeron?

That's like man bites dog.


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## meyaj (Sep 5, 2009)

Remeron made me hungry. That sounds innocent enough, but I'm talking like a perpetual state of hunger. Like, "That was a great thanksgiving turkey dinner mom, would you mind making another? I'm starving" type of constant hunger. 

The sensation itself isn't extreme, it's not like you feel like you haven't eaten in a week, but that's part of what makes it so bad. Sometimes you don't even realize that you're constantly snacking. If you're mindful of it, it's possible you can resist the added appetite, but I doubt most people have the willpower to defeat it totally... I know I sure as hell don't.

Also, just to point out, if you're eating 4,000 calories and not putting on any extra weight, that doesn't mean Remeron doesn't have this effect. It's not really going to make 4,000 calories make you put on more weight than you would have before (unless daytime fatigue causes you to be less active), but most people will likely increase their caloric intake. If you were eating 4,000/day before and are still eating 4,000/day with no increase at all, kudos to you. But you must be an athlete or have SOME other special circumstance to so-carefully keep track of how many calories you eat a day, and are therefore not just way more capable of preventing the appetite increase from sneaking up on you, but you probably engage in enough physical activity to counter it anyways. 

Because whether or not someone is taking Remeron, 4,000 calories per day is a lot, and will make just about ANYBODY gain weight unless they exercise a LOT, have freakish genetics, some sort of disease, bulimia, etc.


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## hensley258 (Apr 24, 2010)

meyaj said:


> Remeron made me hungry. That sounds innocent enough, but I'm talking like a perpetual state of hunger. Like, "That was a great thanksgiving turkey dinner mom, would you mind making another? I'm starving" type of constant hunger.
> 
> The sensation itself isn't extreme, it's not like you feel like you haven't eaten in a week, but that's part of what makes it so bad. Sometimes you don't even realize that you're constantly snacking. If you're mindful of it, it's possible you can resist the added appetite, but I doubt most people have the willpower to defeat it totally... I know I sure as hell don't.
> 
> ...


Must agree with Meyaj. For a good size man at normal working activity he must consume between 1,700 to 2,200 calories a day to pretty much maintain his current weight. For a Woman this is a good bit lower.

In my 20's I was really into body building and nutrition. I was in the Gym 6 days a week lifting very hard and heavy. I wanted to keep lowering my body fat ratio to bring it to about a very lean 7 to 9%. Pro Bodybulders strive for 6% which is very hard to do even with anabolics.

To do this I had to count and measure every meal which mostly consisted of Meat, fish and fat, with just a dash of complex carbs such as brown rice or oatmel for energy in the gym. I found that to hit this goal being at 175Lbs I had to stay under 1,400 cals a day. any lower and I risked losing muscle mass. It's very hard to do because carb depletion is not fun. Any higher with even complex carbs and weight from fat could be added. (I could go on for days about how different types of carbs and fats add or burn fat in the gym)

Now in contrast your super hard working guy, working 19 hours a day on a Crab boat (that's some damn hard labor) needs a good 3,500 cals a day to maintain weight. They eat heavy meals often because they must keep a high calory intake to keep insulin and energy levels up.

Remeron + 4000 cals a day and not an athlete and you say maintaining weight? Even for an 18 year old I just can't see that being real, unless a person just has a freak fast metabolism and I mean a 1 in 100,000 Metabolism.

Calories taken in and burned calories each day are just math and can be calculated with a food scale and calculator if you know how to do it. I used to live that math as a bodybuilder and I have a pretty fast metabolism so I just don't see it as being plausable.

Long distance swimmers and runners that live to be extream athletes can consume that much because of the massive cardio they do and not gain weight, but were talking dedicated athletes.

No disrespect, but I must call Poppy Cock on that one.

many people ask "how can I loose weight?" and the answer is easy. You must burn more calories in a day than you take in. Calculating that can be easy, but takes dedication and a bit of education to calculate it properly.


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## jim_morrison (Aug 17, 2008)

The diet which I follow which works for me personally to avoid remeron weight gain mostly consists of a diet high in lean protein sources, low in saturated fats, and low in simple carbs (sugars), In addition I try to taper off carbs at night time as less energy is burnt then.

So basically that means eating lots of foods such as skinless grilled/baked chicken, turkey, fish, lean ham, whey protein powder, highly reduced fat cheese, canned tuna and walnuts. Lean ham and vegetables added to omlettes are good sometimes too.
As well as complex carbs during the daytime such as oatmeal, brown rice etc, and lots of vegetables and salads (except no white potato) at all hours. 
For fluids I mostly drink water, or coffee/tea with no added milk or sugar. carbonated/sparkling water is another fluid option I drink to keep electrolytes balanced, and for when I get sick of plain water.


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## hensley258 (Apr 24, 2010)

jim_morrison said:


> The diet which I follow which works for me personally to avoid remeron weight gain mostly consists of a diet high in lean protein sources, low in saturated fats, and low in simple carbs (sugars), In addition I try to taper off carbs at night time as less energy is burnt then.
> 
> So basically that means eating lots of foods such as skinless grilled/baked chicken, turkey, fish, lean ham, whey protein powder, highly reduced fat cheese, canned tuna and walnuts. Lean ham and vegetables added to omlettes are good sometimes too.
> As well as complex carbs during the daytime such as oatmeal, brown rice etc, and lots of vegetables and salads (except no white potato) at all hours.
> For fluids I mostly drink water, or coffee/tea with no added milk or sugar. carbonated/sparkling water is another fluid option I drink to keep electrolytes balanced, and for when I get sick of plain water.


You pretty much summed up the diet of most Bodybuilders, minus the complete carb depletion done every couple weeks to shread off thin fat layers from lean muscle.

That would explain why you have not gained much on Remeron. You keep your carb and sugar intake low. It's hard to do at first, but once you get used to eating that way it's not painful at all.


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## jim_morrison (Aug 17, 2008)

Yeah it's not that hard now that I'm used to it, and besides, I suspect the effexor might be reversing the increased appetitte somewhat coz I don't feel nearly as hungry as I did on mirtazapine alone.


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## Madison_Rose (Feb 27, 2009)

Thanks for the replies!

Three days on, and I'm still asleep zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

Ok, I'm exaggerating, but that's the only effect I've noticed so far - it just makes me want to sleep _all the time_. Apparently this wears off though.

As for getting the munchies, well, I had the munchies before I went on it, and it hasn't made it any worse. I lost 35lb last year, so I'm accustomed to keeping an eye on my food intake. When I'm feeling hungry but I know I shouldn't be, I go for a walk, chew gum, or make myself some herbal tea. Also, I don't know if they're available outside the UK, but Milky Way Crispy Rolls make fantastic diet snacks.

Oh, and some people do have freaky metabolisms - some people can eat like a horse and not gain weight, and some poor souls remain overweight in spite of a calorie-controlled diet. So no weight gain while eating 4000 kCal per day is plausible, but it's limited to very few individuals.


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## Noca (Jun 24, 2005)

I tried Remeron at 15,30, and 45mg doses. It sedated me at 15 on round 1 of the drug, went off, came back later at 45mg and wasnt sedated at all. I used the drug for my anxiety, depression, appetite, and allergies. Like the 9 anti-depressants before it, I don't notice it doing anything except it helped my allergies. There wasnt anything bad with it though and I like the med as far as anti-depressants go.


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## Foh_Teej (May 5, 2004)

ive taken 60mg for about 6 months now and ive plateaued with weight gain at 210 from 180. i experience little to no side effects anymore and it no longer knocks me the f out. cant say if it does much after all these months but id rather be on it than off.


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## jenbuko (Jul 2, 2013)

I am currently taking Remeron...started about 2 weeks ago and I have actually a decreased appetite. Before taking it, I ate like a horse and I'm only 130 lbs. My very first ant-depressant was Effexor which I actually took myself off of because I developed an eating disorder. I began to really enjoy the feeling of being hungry


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## swim (Apr 4, 2011)

remeron even sucks at hallucinating.


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