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Hypnic Jerks just after you fall asleep. Stopped Mirtazapine and now on Sertraline

Posted , 6 users are following.

zen819
zen819

Hi all,

Has anyone had this symptom where they hear some music in or tune just after they fall asleep and that disturbs their sleep? Also jerks followed by heart racing.

I am currently on 50 mg sertraline and stopped mirtazapine. Is it a mirtazapine withdrawal symptom?

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • MILAO
    MILAO zen819

    Posted

    I have these jerks when my anxiety has reached an all time high! They will last for a few weeks for me until my anxiety reduces. I feel for you because these things really are AWFUL! I can try to go to sleep at 10pm and have constant Hypnic Jerks for two hours until I eventually sleep through one. It was one of the worst things and i used to dread going to sleep at night. it is really important to reduce your anxiety and try to go to bed in the most calm manner you can

    • zen819
      zen819 MILAO

      Posted

      thankyou milao.

      is there any remedy you found? basically ky amxiety is just due to these jerks. i had them all night and if it is not a jerk then a strange sensation wakes me up. i really am fed up but eventually i slept around 4. how else do you combat these ?

    • MILAO
      MILAO zen819

      Posted

      Did you ever experience sleep issues as a baby/child? There sometimes is a connection. When I was little I had some minor sleep issues like sleep walking a few times or acting out dreams but I completely grew out of it. It has only been this past year that I am getting the sleep issues and that was brought on by immense anxiety and stress. Some nights I will get the standard jolts of adrenaline when drifting off, other nights I will see/hear something in my head that jolts me awake & other nights I will wake randomly in the night feeling totally unconnected to my body and heart pounding away. My hands and arms sometimes feel detached from me and I just generally feel so spaced out and disorientated. This only ever happens to me during the sleep process and it freaks me out so bad and I cant stand it! I had it badly last night & kept waking up feeling terrified and convinced my heart had stopped!

    • zen819
      zen819 MILAO

      Posted

      Hi Milao,

      I am so sorry you are going through these. I never had any sleeping issues as a child.

      Also my trouble started by these adrenal surges i felt in my chest.

      I took sertraline which stopped them. The day i exercised a lot i had these jerks throughout the night. I perhaps got 2 hours sleep. I also had my dose increased that day to 100 mg. I stopped takking 100 mg and went back on 50 mg. I had to also take a zopiclone to help me sleep and this is basically my cause of anxiety and depression.

      I wish i was diagnosed correctly before as i have been given citalopram and mirtazapine. Mirtazapine didnt cause these jerks and i read that it shortens the time from the first stage of sleep. However be aware that it causes weight gain and i have a strong feeling these jerks may also be due to mirtazapine withdrawal. I was taking mirtazapine at night which wierdly left me gasping for air in the morning. I am so desperate to get rid of these. I know they are anxiety but i feel something major wrong is going on in my brain. Also i hear this loud bang or a falling sensation while falling asleep. its horrible and i am going to try various things to combat it. i started fish oil yesterday and will see if this helps. these had stopped when i reduced exercise intensity.

    • dave14099
      dave14099 zen819

      Posted

      they still there or have the resolved themselves ?

  • c53732
    c53732 zen819

    Posted

    Try listening to an 'anxiety free' cd before sleeping. That always helped me fall asleep. Unfortunately, l didn't get on with sertraline so am in the process of coming off and find that listening to something calming helps me get to sleep.

    • zen819
      zen819 c53732

      Posted

      thankyou c53732

      i will try and listen to a cd before bed. i also read that reducing tv helps

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