Posted by Shawn. T. on June 14, 2004, at 7:45:29
In reply to Remeron for appetite increase, posted by Kroserob on June 13, 2004, at 18:50:41
The appetite increase is most strongly induced by mirtazapine's 5-HT2C receptor antagonist activity. See http://www.neurotransmitter.net/mirtazapineweight.html and http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/297/5581/609 ... inhibition of alpha-MSH and perhaps beta-MSH release secondary to 5-HT2C antagonism is a likely explanation for mirtazapine- induced hyperphagia. Histamine H1 receptor antagonism could play some role as well. I doubt that 5-HT2C receptor saturation is involved in the tolerance that you are experiencing; saturation does not take weeks to set in, and your brain adapts to drugs like Remeron on many different levels. At this point, I don't think that sufficient evidence exists to suggest why the tolerance sets in. Some people don't seem to experience a tapering off of appetite stimulation with Remeron at all, so genetic factors are probably involved to some degree. The only way to determine if a short drug holiday would help would be to try it out; the key downside to your approach would probably involve an increase in sedation.
Shawn
poster:Shawn. T.
thread:356350
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040614/msgs/356491.html