Psychiatric Medication - Remeron

[PRMiller]

I'm not sure what the most appropriate place for this would be, so I'll stick it here for now until I'm told otherwise...

Remeron is an atypical anti-depressant that is rarely used in mono-therapy, most likely due to its side effects. It has been shown in studies to increases the efficiency of the GLUT-4 glucose transport. This causes blood glucose to be more readily available for absorption and storage by cells. The storage issue aside, the drop in BGL (blood glucose levels) caused by a more rapid absorption will likely make you hungry.

The funny thing about Remeron is that the common side effects of increased appetite and drowsiness can be overcome by INCREASING the dosage. By doing so, you'll experience a greater noradrenergic effect. This noradrenergic effect would be comparable to the effects caused by stimulants, and stimulant anti-depressants such as Welbutrin (Buproprion).

So why am I sharing this information? Despite losing an enormous amount of weight by using the Atkins diet when I was younger, I have, until now, been unable to lose weight over the course of an entire month. I stopped taking the Remeron 3 days ago, and have lost 5 lbs. The increased appetite side effect is not something that I experience, likely due to the moderate dose. However, the more efficient transport of glucose almost certainly interfered.

[not2late]

You might want to discuss this with your physician.

As for being able to lose weight before when you were younger, you have to realize that as we age, our metabolisms generally slow down, making weight loss more difficult than it was when we were younger.

So please discuss this with your physician because it could be due to the medication or it could be due to the natural aging process or both.

[PRMiller]

They just aren't trained very well in that area. Neither are psychiatrists for that matter, I've taught even them things about medications. Sometimes you have to do your own trials and research to figure things out.

[msanjelpie]

Make sure to replace the Remeron with something else...

Remeron, Abilify, Haldol and Zyprexa effect blood sugar. Clozapine and Risperdal not as much... They all affect blood sugar in some way though...

Losing weight while on a medication that effects the very thing you are trying to control is not easy... Do you test your blood sugar and what are the readings generally?

[not2late]

Originally Posted by PRMiller

They just aren't trained very well in that area. Neither are psychiatrists for that matter, I've taught even them things about medications. Sometimes you have to do your own trials and research to figure things out.

If your physicians and psychiatrists don't know about the medications they are prescribing, then it's time for you to find physicians and psychiatrists who DO what they are giving to you.

It's dangerous and potentially fatal to mess around with the dosage of medications. So please consult with a physician/psychiatrist who does know what they are doing, rather than playing a pharmaceutical Russian roulette.

[PRMiller]

Alright, I just wanted to share something I've discovered, not be lectured on psychiatry. There is nothing more frustrating or invalidating. BTW, Remeron is not an anti-psychotic like the other medications that were listed above. They don't belong in the same class. The brain is dynamic, sometimes there is more of a need for medication at certain times in a persons life. Just because that is true, doesn't mean they should be labeled as being a burden of the state and forced swallow a handful of pills for the rest of their life. Yes, I sound very defensive right now. It's hard not to.

And I am a student of medicine, and emergency response services. So hearing someone talk to me as if I was a person on axis 2 cowering in the corner threatening suicide, like we're trained to talk to our patients.. Well I tend to interpret that as being condescending, and honestly, would never speak with my patients in that manner.

[not2late]

Originally Posted by PRMiller

Alright, I just wanted to share something I've discovered, not be lectured on psychiatry. There is nothing more frustrating or invalidating. BTW, Remeron is not an anti-psychotic like the other medications that were listed above. They don't belong in the same class. The brain is dynamic, sometimes there is more of a need for medication at certain times in a persons life. Just because that is true, doesn't mean they should be labeled as being a burden of the state and forced swallow a handful of pills for the rest of their life. Yes, I sound very defensive right now. It's hard not to.

You're not being lectured.

You're being given advice by non-medical people. No one on ADBB is a physician or a psychiatrist, to my knowledge. We simply aren't qualified to give you any insight, information, advice, counsel, etc. about this medication and its effects on your weight loss.

As such, the best advice we can give to you is to consult your physician/psychiatrist. If you don't believe they are knowledgeable enough about these medications they prescribe to you, then it would be in your best interest to find professionals who are knowledgeable.

[not2late]

Originally Posted by PRMiller

And I am a student of medicine, and emergency response services. So hearing someone talk to me as if I was a person on axis 2 cowering in the corner threatening suicide, like we're trained to talk to our patients.. Well I tend to interpret that as being condescending, and honestly, would never speak with my patients in that manner.

Then you are probably more qualified and knowledgeable about the uses of these medications than we are.

So please consult with your physician/psychiatrist about these medications because they will be able to give you more insight and information about this than we can. We are not medical professionals here on ADBB.

[PRMiller]

Alright, I understand now... I really just wanted to share the knowledge that I have acquired through personal experience and research, so that someone out there wondering why they weren't losing weight on a medication would have something to talk about with their doctor. I wasn't looking for advice. I honestly did not mean to come across as being rude, or arrogant. I am sorry if I hurt anyone's feelings.

[mayoi]

Originally Posted by PRMiller

Remeron is an atypical anti-depressant that is rarely used in mono-therapy, most likely due to its side effects. It has been shown in studies to increases the efficiency of the GLUT-4 glucose transport. This causes blood glucose to be more readily available for absorption and storage by cells. The storage issue aside, the drop in BGL (blood glucose levels) caused by a more rapid absorption will likely make you hungry.

The funny thing about Remeron is that the common side effects of increased appetite and drowsiness can be overcome by INCREASING the dosage. By doing so, you'll experience a greater noradrenergic effect. This noradrenergic effect would be comparable to the effects caused by stimulants, and stimulant anti-depressants such as Welbutrin (Buproprion).

PRMiller,

I've read that the majority of weight gain on Remeron happens in the first 4 weeks. That was certainly true for me.

In the first month that I started on Remeron I gained 30 pounds. I had been on WW and was 5 pounds away from my weight goal. At the time the depression was so bad that I didn't care how much I weighed, as long as the pain went away. Not a healthy place to be. I continued to gain over the year until I was 20 pounds more that my starting weight.

It took some time before we found the correct dosage for me (and this is after trials with several other anti-depressants). Remeron was the only medication we tried that didn't have nasty side effects.

All of that said, I've started back on Atkins this April, and am again losing weight. It's very slow, but it is happening.

So I guess I'm writing this in hopes of encouraging you. Weight loss is possible with this medicine. Only you can decide if you want to continue on it, or perhaps try another med that works for you. Whatever your decision, I wish you the best of luck!