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Mirtazapine and insomnia

Posted , 5 users are following.

kirke
kirke

Hi, hi,

I am using mirtazapine exactly 3 months and it was prescribed to me as an alternative to Zoloft, which definetely did not help when I was going through the 2 months period of extreme anxiety, panic attacks and acute insomnia. Zoloft helped with anxiety and panic but made my sleep even worse. 

Now it will be the 4th month of Mirtazapine (30mg) - the first month was very bad in respect of side effects - I was extremely angry, I had bad panic attacks, foggy cotton head and weird nerve symptoms. Now all side effects are gone, I am also slowly losing weight, which I gained in the first month, but I start to get back disturbed sleep. At first, it was one bad night per week, now - 2 or more. Mirtazapine's sedative effects stopped working, it seems, and disappears together with the side effects. 

Could you please share your experience with the sleep and life on mirtazapine? How long did it help with your sleep; did it gradually lose its effect on sleep; some other throughs and ideas.. 

Have a good day!

1 like, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • suzie78191
    suzie78191 kirke

    Posted

    i am on 30 of mirtz for one month now.  for me i was able to sleep while on 15 mg but when it was increased i couldnot.  i also started get extreme anxiety mostly in the morning,  i see the doctor today.  i don't kmow what to do, i can't understand why it is so difficult to go on a med.  sorry, i guess i am not much help.
    • Calmer
      Calmer suzie78191

      Posted

      Hi Kirke & Suzie,

      I have been on 15 mg of Mirt' for 8 months now, it has always helped me sleep from day one, I had a couple of wobbly nights along the way but am doing good now.  Like you Kirke I had terrible insomnia which in turn created acute anxiety.  My understanding is that it is advisable to start on 15 mg for several weeks to let the body get used to it slowly before increasing to 30 mg - if your doctor didn't tell you to do this or you didn't do this, that may well explain why you had such bad side effect (as you said).  

      It is hard to know why it may have stopped working, unless your stress has increased maybe.

      Now if you read around on this forum, you will see nearly everyone who is on 15 mg of Mirt are saying that it really really helps with their sleep (too much sleep sometimes), and also that when their doctors increase the dose they seem to slip back into insomnia ... I can't explain it, I only know that the higher the dose the more it is supopoosed to help as an anti-depressent, but not so helpful with the sleep.

      If you are thinking of changing your meds, withdrawal from Mirt' needs some thinking about, do your research, (on this forum there is some excellent advice).

      I hope your symptoms subside, and Suzie, I wonder if 15 mg might be better for you.

      Best wishes.

    • suzie78191
      suzie78191 Calmer

      Posted

      thank you kirke.  yes that was the case with me, 15 i could sleep, but psych increase it (went to outpatient) hospital visit and the just increased it.  experieced insomnia and anxiety, saw psych again today, and now decreasing it.  will do 22.5 for a bit.  but i may need something else for my mood later.  my problem is tolerating these drugs. 
  • dave54337
    dave54337 kirke

    Posted

    Hi kirke, I was on Citaprolam until switching to 30g Mirtazapine 1 month or so ago. My sleep has improved, but I've been weening off of Zopiclone sleep tablets, at the same time.

    My dreams now are vivid and whilst not necessarily pleasant they don't involve reliving child abuse or carrying out revenge killings - and I don't have thode same kind of thoughts that I was having during the day, or at least the inclination to act on them - I've been on the brink before, which involved a 3 hour drive and the police involved. I'm not going there again, I know it's not worth it. As it happens for the first time I dreamt about my perpatrator without..erm .. well kicking off big time. Some how I can't quite get over just having a pint with him - it's never gonna happen... ah herm.... So before I go off piste...

    I'm ticking off side effects on the ok leaflet like a bingo card. I'm just hoping they wear off and I get back to myself soon. Positive thinking that this is better than what I was feeling before, and just short term relatively minor in convenience. I'm currently getting muscle twitches which is why I can't sleep at the moment - this is a new one.

    Hope things get better. My personal experience is to just weigh it all up and if it's not helping go back to the GP.

    All the best.

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