Has anyone taking Remeron developed diabetes or prediabetes?

[Ferdy]

Hi guys and gals,

As you can see from my signature, I've been taking 30mg Remeron (mirtazapine, Zispin) for about 5 years. My doctor has me trialing Seroquel at the moment, which is KNOWN to sometimes lead to diabetes. But does Remeron? Has anyone developed prediabetes or full blown diabetes while taking Remeron?

Since my pdoc Rx'd Seroquel for me, I thought it would be a good idea to invest in a home glucose meter. I've only taken 4 doses of the Seroquel. I tested my blood glucose and lo and behold I'm getting numbers that suggest prediabetes (105 mg/dl after 8 hour fast, 195 mg/dl 1 hour after eating, and 136 mg/dl 2 hours after meal)---all suggestive of prediabetes and damn close to full blown diabetes. Talked to the doc about it, and he wants me to stop the Seroquel temporarily, and retest blood glucose after 3 days. If still high, then he wants to order lab testing.

I tend to doubt that my glucose levels were raised from 4 doses of Seroquel, so I'm leaning more toward it being possibly caused from the Remeron. My last point of reference was 2 years ago when my glucose levels were normal (after 3 years on Remeron).

Any comments? This is scaring the crap out of me-----

[notfred]

In all my years on various boards I've never heard of it. Isn't the whole metabolic syndrome dopamine related wrt meds causing it ? I am not aware Remeron has any actions with dopamine.

I do not find those meters to be extremely accurate, mine always reads low compared to the lab tests I get. I would not get to worked up about it until you have labs showing diabetes.

nf

[Ferdy]

In all my years on various boards I've never heard of it. Isn't the whole metabolic syndrome dopamine related wrt meds causing it ? I am not aware Remeron has any actions with dopamine.

I do not find those meters to be extremely accurate, mine always reads low compared to the lab tests I get. I would not get to worked up about it until you have labs showing diabetes.

nf

Thanks notfred (remember me? I AMFred, my real name).

I presume that since you have a meter that you're diabetic? Supposedly the meter I got (Freestyle Lite) has been tested in several studies to be one of the most accurate ones on the market. But, you're right, I'll just have to get real labs done if stopping the Seroquel doesn't change anything.

Maybe I'm just developing diabetes as a process of aging (54), family history (my mom), and sedentary lifestyle from being so damned homebound from agoraphobia. It's hard to get motivated to do anything like exercise or changing diets when you feel so down, depressed, disabled and anxious about the whole freaking mess---

[notfred]

Maybe I'm just developing diabetes as a process of aging (54), family history (my mom), and sedentary lifestyle from being so damned homebound from agoraphobia. It's hard to get motivated to do anything like exercise or changing diets when you feel so down, depressed, disabled and anxious about the whole freaking mess---

Hey ! If you are over weight like me then I would not look any further That plus history and sedentary lifestyle gives you diabeties. If I could loose the weight I would not be prediabetic.

nf

[Ferdy]

Maybe I'm just developing diabetes as a process of aging (54), family history (my mom), and sedentary lifestyle from being so damned homebound from agoraphobia. It's hard to get motivated to do anything like exercise or changing diets when you feel so down, depressed, disabled and anxious about the whole freaking mess---

Hey ! If you are over weight like me then I would not look any further That plus history and sedentary lifestyle gives you diabeties. If I could loose the weight I would not be prediabetic.

nf

Well, I'm not overweight, 6 foot 1 inch, 205 lbs. If you look at weight and BMI charts, I'm maybe 10 lbs. over ideal. But all the other stuff definitely applies. Trying to start an exercise program and being more careful about eating too much sugar and carbs, though---

I'm sure having a bad lipid profile and hypertension adds to my effin mess---

[notfred]

I'm sure having a bad lipid profile and hypertension adds to my effin mess---

That actually part of the metabolic syndrome; high blood sugar, hypertension, and bad lipids.

nf

[Ferdy]

I'm sure having a bad lipid profile and hypertension adds to my effin mess---

That actually part of the metabolic syndrome; high blood sugar, hypertension, and bad lipids.

nf

Does that mean I'm pretty well doomed and assured of developing T2 diabetes and having a heart attack? I guess so---

But, anyway, still wondering if Remeron adds fuel to the fire---I KNOW that SQ does (at least long term; but my dose is so small; could that dose do that much harm? I would think that screwing with lipids and blood sugar would be at much higher doses, but maybe not?), so that may be the end for that one---

Might suggest to pdoc to give Lexapro another try. Of all the ADs besides Remeron, it's been the one that came the closest to being somewhat tolerable.

[muriel]

Maybe I'm just developing diabetes as a process of aging (54), family history (my mom), and sedentary lifestyle from being so damned homebound from agoraphobia. It's hard to get motivated to do anything like exercise or changing diets when you feel so down, depressed, disabled and anxious about the whole freaking mess---

Hey ! If you are over weight like me then I would not look any further That plus history and sedentary lifestyle gives you diabeties. If I could loose the weight I would not be prediabetic.

nf

Well, I'm not overweight, 6 foot 1 inch, 205 lbs. If you look at weight and BMI charts, I'm maybe 10 lbs. over ideal. But all the other stuff definitely applies. Trying to start an exercise program and being more careful about eating too much sugar and carbs, though---

I'm sure having a bad lipid profile and hypertension adds to my effin mess---

Actually you're closer to 16 pounds overweight, which is significant. Add that to a sedentary lifestyle, bad lipids, and hypertension, and you're the picture of mild to moderate cardiovascular disease.

With all that said, meds and lifestyle changes can help address all of that. Personally, I find it very hard to be healthy when I'm depressed, so I'd be interested in treating that successfully despite some of the risks of Seroquel and then start making slow changes with diet and exercise.

Also, you can get exercise even with agoraphobia-- pilates, yoga, Wii Fit, workout videos, etc.

[Ferdy]

Thanks Muriel,

Yeah, it's AWFUL hard to do healthy things when you don't feel like doing much of ANYTHING.

And, so far, the SQ seems to be making me worse in terms of motivation---maybe I'm better off lucid and anxious than zoned and stoned, which is how it's affecting me so far. Strangely, no drowsiness or increase in appetite though. I assume that since I've been on Remeron so long, my histamine pathways are completely numbed out---but, boy, when I first started it, it slammed me like a freight train in terms of sedation and carb craving, but that disappeared after a few weeks. I've never gained or lost any weight since my DX 5 years ago though---

But this scare is getting me on my exercise bike a few minutes today, and also did some calesthenics (sp?) as well.

[Thomas]

I am diabetic type 2. All the BG meters read a little bit different, including the one at the doctor's office. The other test they do at docs is the Glucose A1C which gives an average blood sugar reading for the past 3 months. If you have more than one (in case one breaks) be sure to use the same one all the time so at least the range of your BG tests will be accurate. Note: my 2 meters read about 20 mg/dl apart.

Tommy

[rowan77]

I was on Remeron 45mg (Zispin in Ireland) back in 1998 for about 3 or 4 months and gained 35 pounds. While the medication greatly helped my depression, my self esteem took a massive drop because of the weight gain and I discontinued it. I did not develop (pre) diabetes or have any problems with my blood glucose level but firmly believe that weight gain can in turn increase one's risk of developing diabetes, especially if it runs in the family.