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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by bissie66 on September 16, 2005, at 22:39:16
i have experienced the ubiquitous remeron weight gain (10 lbs in 2 months) although i'm not sure why. i don't feel like i'm eating more. (i've always been lucky enough to be able to eat whatever i want and stay slim - but i never binged or anything either - i listened to my body, so to speak.) i was aware of the appetite increase so took the dose late at night and went to sleep before hunger hit me. there were more than a few nights on vacation though when i indulged on purpose and more or less binged. but still - i've gone back to eating really sensibly (in fact dieting - which i never did before) and am not losing weight! my clothes don't fit, and i hate it. question: has anyone experienced the weight gain without eating more? it's supposed to increase appetite but not mess with your metabolism or anything, right? thank you.
Posted by monserrat on September 17, 2005, at 1:52:48
In reply to Remeron and weight gain question, posted by bissie66 on September 16, 2005, at 22:39:16
Yes it's pretty clear that many antidepressants change your metabolism. I have experienced this with paxil, effexor and lexapro. The only antidepressant that is pro-weight loss in my experience is Prozac.
> i have experienced the ubiquitous remeron weight gain (10 lbs in 2 months) although i'm not sure why. i don't feel like i'm eating more. (i've always been lucky enough to be able to eat whatever i want and stay slim - but i never binged or anything either - i listened to my body, so to speak.) i was aware of the appetite increase so took the dose late at night and went to sleep before hunger hit me. there were more than a few nights on vacation though when i indulged on purpose and more or less binged. but still - i've gone back to eating really sensibly (in fact dieting - which i never did before) and am not losing weight! my clothes don't fit, and i hate it. question: has anyone experienced the weight gain without eating more? it's supposed to increase appetite but not mess with your metabolism or anything, right? thank you.
Posted by yxibow on September 17, 2005, at 3:54:27
In reply to Remeron and weight gain question, posted by bissie66 on September 16, 2005, at 22:39:16
> i have experienced the ubiquitous remeron weight gain (10 lbs in 2 months) although i'm not sure why. i don't feel like i'm eating more. (i've always been lucky enough to be able to eat whatever i want and stay slim
unfortunately not me :/
- but i never binged or anything either - i listened to my body, so to speak.) i was aware of the appetite increase so took the dose late at night and went to sleep before hunger hit me.
that's a good strategy because when I took remeron, or trazodone which causes less weight gain but equal trips to the refrigerator at night...
question: has anyone experienced the weight gain without eating more? it's supposed to increase appetite but not mess with your metabolism or anything, right? thank you.Its hard to say... I had the impression I wasn't eating all that much more but I was swinging back from an all time low weight (due to depression) which may have thrown the metabolic curve into action. I think it both can alter metabolism, but also charge the hunger senses and one may be eating more without realizing it until it sneaks up on you. I'm sorry that you have increased in weight.... maybe now is the point once you have realized this, to really pay attention just to one day how much you actually take in, in calories, approximately and compare it to what is typically recommended. If they're about the same, maybe it is changing your metabolism -- you may possibly have to cut a few hundred calories from your daily diet.
My 2c
Hope that helps.
Posted by cubic_me on September 17, 2005, at 11:49:39
In reply to Re: Remeron and weight gain question, posted by yxibow on September 17, 2005, at 3:54:27
>has anyone experienced the weight gain without eating more?
Yes, I did. I put on a 7lb a week for 4 weeks before coming off it. I was aware I was gaining weight, so ate more healthily and went to the gym more than I've ever done in my life. Nothing I did seemed to stop the weight gain, like you, none of my clothes fitted me and it was adding to my unhappiness, even though the remeron seemed to reduce my suicidal thoughts.
Posted by Racer on September 17, 2005, at 12:53:43
In reply to Remeron and weight gain question, posted by bissie66 on September 16, 2005, at 22:39:16
They say that most of the weight gain is at lower dosages, and that it levels off at higher doses.
For what it's worth, I've been reading about using Topomax to minimize weight gain from psychotropic drugs. It might be worth talking to your doctor about. I've also read about using Glucophage, which comes with its own set of problems, but would probably be effective, too.
Also, this is something I recommend to everyone who has this sort of problem: keep a food journal for a week or two, listing EVERYTHING you put in your mouth -- even water, even diet soda, even tea -- and take that to your doctor's appointment. That way, when the doctor tries to tell you that you're eating more, you can show him some proof that it's not you. The food journal is NOT to show you that you're eating more than you think, by the way. When I recommend this, some people think that's what it's supposed to do. No, it's because the first thing that most doctors will say is, "you must be eating more." If you say, "Gee, Doc, I don't think I'm eating any more than I used to," or even, "I know I'm eating less, because I'm dieting now," the doctor may give you a knowing nod, and say, "Watch what you eat and exercise and you shouldn't gain weight." If you have the food journal, you can nip that in the bud.
Good luck.
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