Antidepressant/antianxiety meds without weight gain as a side effect *ED related*

LittleCloud · 01-05-2014, 12:30 AM

I've been prescribed Mirtazapine as a change of antidepressants to something that treats anxiety better. Only problem is that almost every person I talk to and a lot of research I have done online says that it causes weight gain- partly through appetite increase but may say that their weight just increased doing the same or more activity. I can't handle this. Not at all. I go back to the doctor next Thursday but I am not going to start something that takes my control away and I can do nothing at all about. I don't know what to do. I am off Cymbalta as of a week and don't see my doctor for another week. I can't do this. Panic attacks are imminent pretty much every waking minute. Does anyone know anything likely to work WITHOUT causing random, senseless weight gains??? I know, but I just can't handle anymore....

Morpheus · 01-05-2014, 01:20 AM

There really arent many where its not listed. The only antipsychotic ive been on where it wasnt common was abilify. Most of the antidepressants has had it as well. And even those where its not common, some do experience it and those where its common, some doesnt. There is really no way of knowing before you try.

If you are not willing to risk it, you need to go other ways than medication. Work on your coping skills etc. Through different kinds if therapy.

In the end, you have to make up with yourself, whats worse? The risk of weight gain (that may not happen) or the anxiety. As it is, you are not likely to get both as its a side effect listed and experienced to most of this medication. You may get it or you may not, no matter what other people have experienced. You have to make a choice of whats most difficult at the moment and what will help you most.

I can only recommend talking to the doctor who prescribed it. Make a plan of what to do if a weight gain happens, how to cope, who to contact etc. I am guessing you keep a pretty close watch on your weight which means you will be able to pick it up before it gets out of control if it should happen. And if you already have a plan of action ready in this case, then you may feel more safe taking it.

As it is, even if the side effect is not yet listed there is no gurantee it wont happen and the other way around. You need to wprk out whats most important and what to do in case of what you fear happens. Both regardi g weight gain and anxiety. Cause as it is, theres a risk in both.

Morpheus · 01-05-2014, 01:43 AM

Also wanted to add that i have been on a **** load of different meds listing this as a side effect and when it comes to antidepressants, i have only experienced it once. Antipsychotics have been a bit different and is the cause of the huge weight gain i have to this day. I also suffer from an ed and had anorexia before gaining weight so i can understand your fear. I am managing well without psych meds besides benzos. Most periods i dont use benzos either. However i am aware not everyone can do that

I was put on mirtazapine when i was i hospital for anorexia and like you refused to take it after a time due to fear of uncontrollably hunger and weight gain. It didnt cause that for me, it just made me sleep constantly but the fear of it was enough for me. So i do know where you are coming from and atm i am in a horrible mental situation and has been for a couple of years because of huge weight gain caused by amtipsychotics. I was in hospital while gaining all this weight and didnt have access to scales so by the time the staff caught on, the damage was done and it took quite a while before they let me come off it in spite of this (i was medicated against my will and was forced on it in spite of calmly explaining why i couldnt cope with a weight gain and that the same med had no positive effect last time i was on it, it didnt this time either so it was all for nothing really) anyway, if you take it, keep a close eye on it and react if there is a sudden change.

Anyway, just wanted to let you know that i do understand your fear, in case you thought i didnt.

LittleCloud · 01-05-2014, 10:31 AM

I've been on a few meds before where weight gain was a possibility and not gained (in fact I lost weight on Edronax) but Mirtazapine from people I've spoken with and from medical info I've looked at it is much more prevalent. It kind of feels like I'm being forced into doing waaay more than I can with this because I told my doctor I couldn't go towards gaining weight without lessening the anxiety. I've also heard excessive tiredness from a lot of people and I just can't afford that- I work and need to be functional. Thanks for understanding. I've spent time without antidepressants before and after a time I just stop having the ability to keep my mood up and keep calm. I was told by someone in a similar situation that Prozac was effective, but I know Zoloft didn't work for me- excessive sleepiness etc. Both are SSRIs- can one in a particular line of antidepressants not work for you, but another be ok?

tiptoes · 01-05-2014, 12:47 PM

I was on mirtazapine at the same time as quetiapine which is also notorious for weight gain and didn't gain any weight and I don't think there was a notable change in my appetite.

LittleCloud · 03-05-2014, 12:59 AM

Did you find it helped at all?
I am also pretty worried about the excessive tiredness. I guess what I'm trying t get is a bigger picture of what others experience so that I can take this to my doctor and we can make the most informed decision

tiptoes · 06-05-2014, 11:18 AM

Yes I did, the combination of the two was the only thing that pulled me out of a severe depressive episode and got me back to work having tried quite a number of combinations of medications. Unfortunately I couldn't tolerate it longer term as it started to send me manic (I'm bipolar).

The meds did make me more easily tired and I can be a bit groggy for the first hour of getting up but I didn't find the tiredness to be that bad.

Emsie · 06-05-2014, 08:17 PM

I've been on pregabalin for anxiety for about a year. It's amazing. I haven't had any side effects (except dizziness when combined with some other meds like propranolol) and I haven't had a panic attack since. I would definitely recommend it. My psychiatrist also told me recently that trials have shown that if taken for 3 years at more than 300mg a day then it will get rid of anxiety permanently. I've got two more years left to see if this is true for me though.

LittleCloud · 07-05-2014, 04:32 PM

ahhhh, I'm a shift worker so can't really afford drowsiness at set times. I'll ask my doctor- I want to know why he recommended this one and if he really thinks it's best... i don't know. Things are already pretty bad this week with a lot of things beyond my control. There have to be other medications. I feel so betrayed in this- like he's immediately targeting weight gain when I need the anxiety down first