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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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Posted by Flipsactown on January 20, 2004, at 18:04:07
In reply to Re: Remeron - new user » SandyWeb, posted by PoohBear on January 19, 2004, at 14:05:37
I have been on remeron for 5 months and I have gained at least 20 pounds, 20 pounds which I very much don't want or need as additional weight exacerbates my low back pain. I am tapering off remeron before I explode.
Flipsactown
Posted by Emme on January 20, 2004, at 18:20:41
In reply to Re: Remeron weight gain??, posted by stay at home mom on January 20, 2004, at 10:05:13
> Has anyone lost the weight they have gained on Remeron?
> If so, any other tricks?Yes. it fell right off in a month. I didn't have to loose very much, so I guess the more you have to go, the longer it will probably take. But the loss was effortless. I didn't do anything special except eat more! I don't know if this will be the case for everyone - we're all different - but yes, it is possible to lose it.
Posted by Northerngal on January 20, 2004, at 22:15:45
In reply to Re: Remeron weight gain??, posted by stay at home mom on January 20, 2004, at 10:05:13
I don't know if you are asking about losing weight while on Remeron or losing it after discontinuing Remeron. My experience has been that my metabolism went back to normal as soon as I discontinued the Remeron. The first time I took Remeron, I gained 40 pounds in about 6 months and, for this reason, discontinued taking it. (I hadn't been beyond 105 lbs. at 33 years old. Talk about a change in self image!) I lost all of the weight (and then some) very rapidly without changing my exercise and eating whatever I wanted (I ate more than when I was on Remeron). My second attempt at Remeron produced 40 pounds within 4 months. With a strict, medically-supervised diet of 800 calories a day, exercise, prescription diet pills and 150 mg. of Zantac per day, I was able to lose 15 pounds while still on Remeron. I have continued the Zantac and exercise, but could not maintain such low caloric intake. I still watch what I eat, but have gained back about half of the 15 pound loss. (I am on 75 mg. of Remeron a day.) Until this Remeron weight gain, my body has been almost impervious to all antidepressant side effects, so I guess I am lucky.
You may find the following article summary interesting:
ZANTAC REDUCES WEIGHT GAIN FROM ZYPREXA
This is an open-label study finding that the H1-blocker, ranitidine, reduced weight gain associated with olanzapine. There have been a number of similar reports, but so far no randomized, placebo-controlled, clinical trials.The web address for the above is http://www.psychopharminfo.com/newsletter/Newsletter_20030804c.html#highlights and points to an abstract published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information.
FYI - Zyprexa (Olanzapine) is used for the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar mania. Like Remeron, the prescribing information reads that Olanzapine is a potent antagonist of histamine (H1) receptors. From what I can gather (I am a CPA, not a scientist!) the histamine receptors play a role (directly or indirectly) in weight regulation. I was shocked at the level of Zantac (Ranitidine) needed to normalize weight gain in the study - 600 mg a day!!!
Posted by stay at home mom on January 21, 2004, at 0:26:36
In reply to Re: Remeron weight gain??, posted by Northerngal on January 20, 2004, at 22:15:45
I can't beleive that Remeron has such a horrible side affect!
I have Zantac and will start taking it now to see what happens. I feel good on Remeron and have no sexual side effects (which is fabulous!) I just don't want to feel like a fat cow!
Lets all keep in touch and make weight gain a thing of the past. It will take a lot of work.
But we need to stick together on this and make it happen.
Feeling good mentally and being fat isn't what I'm looking
for.
Let's all help each other.
Love
Stay at home mom
P.S. I was just fitting into my skinny jeans!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by stay at home mom on January 21, 2004, at 0:35:44
In reply to Re: Remeron weight gain??, posted by Northerngal on January 20, 2004, at 22:15:45
hey Doctor Bob, give us some adivise regarding weight gain.
Some of us don't like it.
What can you tell us? I know you have an opinon.
Can we get through it ? Or should we change to something else!?
I really want to know,
Stay at home mom
Posted by SandyWeb on January 21, 2004, at 7:10:06
In reply to Re: Remeron weight gain??, posted by stay at home mom on January 21, 2004, at 0:35:44
Are you sure the weight gain isn't from edema? This can be a side effect from Remeron, and I am "lucky" enough to have it. Ugh. My belly seemed to change shape just over-night! Lol!
I've reduced back from 60mg to 15mg now, and I already don't feel as heavy. That extra water can really add on the poundage!
Good luck!
Posted by stay at home mom on January 21, 2004, at 9:44:44
In reply to Re: Remeron weight gain??, posted by SandyWeb on January 21, 2004, at 7:10:06
It is my stomach! Your right , it could be water. I'll try taking B6 and see if that helps.
Thanks for the help!
Posted by PoohBear on January 21, 2004, at 9:59:11
In reply to Re: Remeron weight gain??, posted by stay at home mom on January 21, 2004, at 9:44:44
I have been taking Remeron for two weeks now and have gained 10 pounds in that time period, eating about the same as before.
Despite the great sleep it's been giving me, no more Remeron for the next three nights to see if I can get my weight to drop.
I'm on maintainance at Weight Watchers and should be no more than 2 pounds plus or minus from my goal weight. This sudden gain has really hurt my self esteem and my self-talk has turned negative. If it weren't for the Effexor, I'd definitely be super depressed right now ;(
This really is a shame, as I have been greatly helped in the sleep department. I feel heavy and my new clothes are starting to get tight. If I can get the pounds back off, I may add a very small dose of the Remeron back in for sleep. I'm at 60mg per night now, and the higher doseage was SUPPOSED to counteract the weight-gain side effect. Oh well...
Yuk!
TR
Posted by LyndaK on January 21, 2004, at 11:23:17
In reply to Re: Remeron WEIGHT GAIN!!!, posted by PoohBear on January 21, 2004, at 9:59:11
I can tell you that a higher doseage does NOT counteract weight-gain. I've been at 60 mg. per day for over a year now and my weight has not dropped at all. The higher dose did seem to counteract the feeling of constant hunger, but I don't think the weight-gain is just a hunger thing; I think it's a metabolism thing.
. I'm at 60mg per night now, and the higher doseage was SUPPOSED to counteract the weight-gain side effect. Oh well...
>
> Yuk!
>
> TR
Posted by PoohBear on January 21, 2004, at 12:00:41
In reply to Re: Remeron WEIGHT GAIN!!!, posted by LyndaK on January 21, 2004, at 11:23:17
LyndaK:
Thanks for the input. I meet with my PDoc this afternoon for a meds review and I'm going to tell her that, unfortunately, I've absolutely GOT to drop the Remeron. I CANNOT take this added assault on my self-esteem, which was just beginning to recover at the end of the year with the Effexor.
Ahhhhh, 'tis a tangled, tangled web we weave...
Wish I had the money to go to the Amen Clinic to do some brain scans, but at $7K and insurance doesn't cover, not much chance. Taking the medication isn't the problem, and insurance covers most of the cost, it's just the feeling that I'm gropping around blind as far as my mind is concerned.
TR
Posted by stay at home mom on January 21, 2004, at 14:37:32
In reply to Re: Remeron WEIGHT GAIN!!! » LyndaK, posted by PoohBear on January 21, 2004, at 12:00:41
Pooh Bear, I've been on it for 2 weeks too. I'm interested to hear what your dr says today about the weight gain. My doc is out of town and I won't see her until the 27th.
I'm also on Effexor too. Just 37.5mgs now because it was giving me high blood pressure ( I take another med for that now too)
It's tough being on a roller coaster of meds. I've been riding this one since my 2nd child was born 10months ago.
I was just able to fit into my skinny girl jeans and now....
well, you know how that goes.
Stay at home Mom
Posted by PoohBear on January 21, 2004, at 15:24:57
In reply to Re: Remeron WEIGHT GAIN!!!, posted by stay at home mom on January 21, 2004, at 14:37:32
I'll let you know what she says...
It's really tough, having battled down over the course of a year from 260 to 200 and then, BAM!, 10 pounds in two weeks... I know part of it's old habits creeping up on me though. I can't honestly attest all of the gain to the Remeron, but I'm guessing at less 50-60% of it.
TR
Posted by LyndaK on January 26, 2004, at 2:28:03
In reply to Re: Remeron WEIGHT GAIN!!! » stay at home mom, posted by PoohBear on January 21, 2004, at 15:24:57
If it's any consolation, I've NEVER had weight problems until I took this drug.
Lynda
> I'll let you know what she says...
>
> It's really tough, having battled down over the course of a year from 260 to 200 and then, BAM!, 10 pounds in two weeks... I know part of it's old habits creeping up on me though. I can't honestly attest all of the gain to the Remeron, but I'm guessing at less 50-60% of it.
>
> TR
Posted by PoohBear on January 26, 2004, at 10:53:11
In reply to Re: Remeron WEIGHT GAIN!!! » PoohBear, posted by LyndaK on January 26, 2004, at 2:28:03
StayAtHomeMom and Lynda:
My PDpc was shocked that I'd gained so much weight. It ended up being 12 pounds by the time I saw her.
She pulled me off the Remeron and put me on Topomax. I've had just as good of sleep on the Topomax and it may help a little bit with the weight loss. It is also a mood stabilizer and good for bipolar, which it turns out I may also have in combo with depression and ADHD...
I'm grateful every day for these drugs and for the years of research that go into them. To me they're a miracle.
Tony
Posted by Northerngal on January 26, 2004, at 11:31:03
In reply to Re: Remeron WEIGHT GAIN!!! » LyndaK, posted by PoohBear on January 26, 2004, at 10:53:11
Why are they always so shocked? I know the insert says only 17% experience significant weight gain, but it seems like real-life experience has dramatically shown otherwise.
May I suggest a word of caution with the Topomax? Everyone is different, I know, but Topomax severely dulled my brain. (Cognitive dulling - you know it's bad when they have an official name for the side effect!) Read my post from a couple of weeks ago about how my doctor joked about it. Even on a "non-therapeutic dose" - my doctor used it to counteract weight gain - my brain had trouble grasping simple concepts and tasks to which I had once not given a second thought. It crept up on me, though, so I would suggest telling a close friend or family member to watch for any signs of cognitive dulling. Also, try to perform mental tasks (I was studying for the Graduate Management Admittance Test) that required your concentration before but were not overwhelming and determine if you feel a difference in your thought process. My regular doctor said she was not surprised that the effect was so dramatic because as an epilepsy medication it is designed, in layman's terms, to slow brain activity. I hope you don't take this suggestion as preachy; I just want other people to be aware of what I had to find out for myself.
Posted by PoohBear on January 26, 2004, at 12:01:43
In reply to Re: Remeron WEIGHT GAIN!!!, posted by Northerngal on January 26, 2004, at 11:31:03
> Why are they always so shocked? I know the insert says only 17% experience significant weight gain, but it seems like real-life experience has dramatically shown otherwise.
>
> May I suggest a word of caution with the Topomax? Everyone is different, I know, but Topomax severely dulled my brain. (Cognitive dulling - you know it's bad when they have an official name for the side effect!)>>Sorry to hear about your bad experience with Topomax. My PDoc did tell me to closely mointor side effects, in particular trouble formulating sentences, words out of sequence, etc., but so far, so good.
As for the Remeron, I never did see an insert, and knew nothing about weight gain until I read personal experiences on these boards.
It seems that these medications are definitely a two-edges sword: they cut both ways...
Tony
Posted by stay at home mom on January 26, 2004, at 14:57:27
In reply to Re: Remeron WEIGHT GAIN!!! » LyndaK, posted by PoohBear on January 26, 2004, at 10:53:11
I've gained about about the same. I see my pdoc tomorrow.
I don't like to even get on my own scale. I'll I know is that I can't button the jeans that I've worked so hard to fit into. It really seems to be around my stomach.
Does your new med have any sexual side effects?
Remeron has been great for me that way.
Stay at home mom
my poor husband I finally want sex and now I'm feeling fat!
I'll let you all know what my doc says tomorrow.
Posted by PoohBear on January 27, 2004, at 10:25:20
In reply to Re: Remeron WEIGHT GAIN!!!, posted by stay at home mom on January 26, 2004, at 14:57:27
> I've gained about about the same. I see my pdoc tomorrow.
> I don't like to even get on my own scale. I'll I know is that I can't button the jeans that I've worked so hard to fit into. It really seems to be around my stomach.
> Does your new med have any sexual side effects?
> Remeron has been great for me that way.
> Stay at home mom
> my poor husband I finally want sex and now I'm feeling fat!
> I'll let you all know what my doc says tomorrow.
>The Topamax doesn't seem to affect sexual function. I'm a guy, so it may do different things for gals.
The Effexor means soft erections and no climax so I take a small amount of Wellbutrin to counter the effects of the Effexor. It works well for me (no pun intended...) My wife had a hysterectomy for ovarian CA in Sept., and has been a little on the frigid side most of our marriage anyway, so a little less interest is a good thing on my end.
My titration schedule called for me to up my dose of Topamax to 50mg last night. Slept through the night. Very vivid, but not bad dreams. Me sleeping through the night without getting up two or three time to use the bathroom is a miracle.
Please don't worry about a few pounds. Your hubby won't mind the extra padding to play with :) If my my wife was in the mood I'd be thrilled, even if she is bald at the moment...
Take care,
Tony
Posted by LyndaK on January 29, 2004, at 1:11:40
In reply to Re: Remeron WEIGHT GAIN!!! » stay at home mom, posted by PoohBear on January 27, 2004, at 10:25:20
> > I've gained about about the same. I see my pdoc tomorrow.
> > I don't like to even get on my own scale. I'll I know is that I can't button the jeans that I've worked so hard to fit into. It really seems to be around my stomach.
> > Does your new med have any sexual side effects?
> > Remeron has been great for me that way.
> > Stay at home mom
> > my poor husband I finally want sex and now I'm feeling fat!
> > I'll let you all know what my doc says tomorrow.
> >
>
> The Topamax doesn't seem to affect sexual function. I'm a guy, so it may do different things for gals.
>
> The Effexor means soft erections and no climax so I take a small amount of Wellbutrin to counter the effects of the Effexor. It works well for me (no pun intended...) My wife had a hysterectomy for ovarian CA in Sept., and has been a little on the frigid side most of our marriage anyway, so a little less interest is a good thing on my end.
>
> My titration schedule called for me to up my dose of Topamax to 50mg last night. Slept through the night. Very vivid, but not bad dreams. Me sleeping through the night without getting up two or three time to use the bathroom is a miracle.
>
> Please don't worry about a few pounds. Your hubby won't mind the extra padding to play with :) If my my wife was in the mood I'd be thrilled, even if she is bald at the moment...
>
> Take care,
>
> TonyFirst of all, I can relate to what "stay-at-home-mom' is saying. Most of my weight went around my middle as well. I too am doing really well emotionally and am interested in some intimacy with my husband, but he is turned off by the fat around my middle. I'm not horribly obese, mind you, I'm 5'4" and 135 lbs, but I've always been slim and now I'm . . . not.
You have a really good attitude, Tony. So sorry to hear that you and your wife have had such major stress with the cancer and all. Best of luck to you as you sort out your meds.
Lynda
Posted by stay at home mom on January 29, 2004, at 11:44:38
In reply to Re: Remeron weight gain??, posted by caroline on January 20, 2004, at 12:37:11
First of all Tony , thanks for the good sense of humor!
And Pooh Bear, I wish I was at 135. I'm 5'4 too. I was finally at 130 1 mo ago and was able to zip up my size 8 jeans with out sucking it in. But now I'm at 140!
I have taken control of the cravings with eating a slimfast bar very slowly when they (past tense) came on.
I've also been working out more too. If I can't get into those jeans or at least be close by my next visit in 3 weeks I might have to try something else.
I'm 35 so my metabolism sure isn't what it was, and after 2 kids I consider 130 a realistic goal.
Have you seen the new Hydroxycut comercials with the couple? My husband and I joke that the before picture is us.
Anyways,,,,,,, what I'm trying to say is don't fret pooh bear and tell your husband to get over it! :)
Stay at home mom
Posted by PoohBear on January 29, 2004, at 12:49:53
In reply to Re: Remeron weight gain??, posted by stay at home mom on January 29, 2004, at 11:44:38
Caroline:
Thanks for the encouraging note. PoohBear is me, Tony. I haven't seen the commercials. My TV watching is about 1-2 hours per week...
I went from a men's size 40 to a 34. I absolutely REFUSE to go back to being a fat couch potato. I can definitely empathize with your size 8 zipper dilema. My size 34's will pray for your size 8's.
Take care!
Tony
Posted by stay at home mom on January 29, 2004, at 14:02:13
In reply to Re: Remeron weight gain?? » stay at home mom, posted by PoohBear on January 29, 2004, at 12:49:53
Ok, I've got it now. I was relating to Lynda.
I swear with 2 kids, everything else that life brings us, weight, meds, I'm lucky I remember my own code name.
Tony, my husband longs for his 34 pants too. I bought him all 36's so he didn't look like he had a tourniquet around his waist! :) just thinking about him walking out the door
in the 34's cracks me up. Age,..... it just creeps up on you.
Stay at home mom
Keep Smling!
Posted by LyndaK on February 1, 2004, at 15:42:07
In reply to Re: Remeron weight gain??, posted by stay at home mom on January 29, 2004, at 14:02:13
Thanks for the encouragment, Stay-at-home-mom. I don't even fight with the size 8 pants anymore - I HAVE to be comfortable, so I'm in a size 10. It would just be nice to have a waistline again. I too have 2 kids (post-partum depression with both) and I'm 41 years old, so I do struggle with the question of whether I'm blaming the medication when it's really just age, but I do know that ALL the different medications I tried before affected my weight in some way -- usually made me lose weight. This is the first med I've been on that made me gain weight so dramatically. But it's also been ABSOLUTELY the best med for treating my depression and anxiety. I've actually already talked to my pdoc about trying to go off or reduce my dose and see if I maintain my current level of well-being. It's a little scarey, to be honest; but the weight thing is starting to get me down. We're going to wait until summer to do the trial -- I have a little Seasonal Affective Disorder as well, so winter is not a good time to try to reduce my meds.
Please keep us posted about your progress and whether you do or don't stay on this med. It has been so helpful to hear other people's experiences.
Lynda
Posted by stay at home mom on February 1, 2004, at 18:31:30
In reply to Re: Remeron weight gain?? » stay at home mom, posted by LyndaK on February 1, 2004, at 15:42:07
Lynda, I called my Doc in tears today and told her I didn't want to take another one of these pills again. I couldn't even fit into my cute sweatpants to go pick up sandwiches for the superbowl! It was then that I just lost it. This anti-depressent has made me so depressed, It looks like I'm going to" try " to go off of it cold turkey.
I will make an appt next week and I guess we will take it from there. I'll let you know how it goes.
Take care,
Stay at home mom
Posted by PoohBear on February 1, 2004, at 21:23:57
In reply to Re: Remeron weight gain?? » LyndaK, posted by stay at home mom on February 1, 2004, at 18:31:30
StayAtHomeMoM:
Don't get discouraged. Take a deep breath. I quit cold from one day to the next with Remeron and had no ill effects. Everybody's different, but perhaps that will be some encouragement to you.
Take care,
Tony
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