Not sleeping on Mirtazapine
Posted , 7 users are following.
Hi, I was on citalopram 20mg for over 2 years but found they weren't working anymore and I was also having trouble sleeping,I got myself a Fitbit and was amazed at how many times I woke up every night and how many times I was restless!!! Went back to the docs and she put me on Mirtazapine 30mg saying they would help me sleep, the 1st one I took knocked me out and I slept much better but then my sleep pattern has gone back to being rubbish, I am on them for anxiety and mild depression, obviously I shall give them more time to work properly but as I was told they have a sedative in them I assumed they would help me sleep better pretty much right away, my doctor checked numerous times that there were other people in the house to wake me in case they knocked me out!!! Am wondering if after a few weeks they will help me
Sleep or if I should be on the 45mg dose.
0 likes, 16 replies
sharon12462 catherine_31189
Posted
Hi seems strange they started you on 30mg 15mg is best for sleeping.. I & many others on here got insomnia on 30mg ??
catherine_31189 sharon12462
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Ah right, I don't think 15mg would help control my anxiety as it's quite severe so I'm in a catch 22 situation really, Thankyou so much for replying.
sharon12462 catherine_31189
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Speak to your dr again Catherine ..mirt is hard to come off..my sleep never got any better taking it so I was put on zopiclone along side. You really don't want to do this as they are very addictive & also hard to come off.. vicious circle I'm afraid ??
ruth99954 catherine_31189
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If you look this up, the lower the dose, the more sedating. Lower doses are given for insomnia. However the higher dose is recommended for anxiety.
Ruth
catherine_31189 ruth99954
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I'm stuck then really as my anxiety is severe so don't think 15mg would help much, I'm about to embark on a major change in my diet to see if that helps as I eat way to much rubbish and as I'm sure everyone else knows all these tablets increase appetite so I shall see if a change in diet and doing some exercise helps, Thankyou so much for replying.
SLD35 catherine_31189
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catherine_31189 SLD35
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brighter in myself though so will persevere for a while.
lynda56107 catherine_31189
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I'm on 7.5 mg and I slept wonderfully for a little while but then I had the same problem... it really depends on the person I guess... but they say the smaller the dose the more likely sleep is..
catherine55994 catherine_31189
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Hi Catherine, I was started on them many years ago along with Venlafaxine for anxiety, depression and insomnia. The 15mg I started on certainly helped me sleep. As time went on and my depression became more problematic the Mirtazapine was increased, then the Venlafaxine when I was on the maximum for the Mirtazapine. Lately I've become extremely anxious and paranoid too. When I looked at the side effects of Mirtazapine it said it can make anxiety worse. I was already intending to try and come off it as I'd learned that some people become resistant to it and they can cause serious weight gain, so that sealed the deal. Sleep wise yes they do the job, I'm lucky I don't have the extreme tiredness some seem to get. But if you're knocked out by the lower dose I would have thought the GP may be reluctant to increase to 45mg. It sounds like you're in a similar position to me in that your GP is managing you instead of seeking more specialist advice. They aren't experts, but they seem reluctant to refer people to the those who are experts in their field. Good luck.
catherine_31189 catherine55994
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I have to admit my Dr didn't seem that interested and just said come off the citalopram and try Mirtazapine!!! So now not only am I not sleeping i'm exhausted all day and I have a very busy job,I've now started with muscle pain aswell, I ache from head to toe and after looking the side effects up this is one of the more severe ones!!! And my appetite is unreal and have already put weight on when I've been on them less than 2 weeks, might have to find a more thorough Doctor.
Calmer catherine_31189
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Hi Catherine 31189, I'm wondering how you tapered from Citalopram, or maybe you just stopped? Some of those symptoms you are experiencing may well be caused by a quick discontinuation from the Citalopram, although I know they are easier to taper than Mirt' ~ Mirt' is difficult to discontinue.
I am always suprised when I read of doctors starting folk high up on the dose of Mirt', most start at 15mg, some at 7.5. Also lots of people have found that the 30mg doesn't help with sleep. Like you I was suffering with insomnia & acute anxiety, 15mg worked for me like a miracle, overnight, slept really well. Maybe you ought to try 15mg, discuss with your doctor, or maybe even try 3/4 of the dose - 26.26 mg, and then 22.5 mg, and then 15mg. See if any work for you, maybe as you have ony been on Mirt for 2 weeks you could do 3 or 4 nights of each, working down the doses.
Wishinng you well.
catherine_31189 Calmer
Posted
Hi, I just stopped the citalopram and started the Mirtazapine straight away as that's what my doctor said to do,this is how I felt when I first went on citalopram but the side effects started the day after I started taking them,I was fine the 1st week on the Mirtazapine but seem to now be suffering the side effect!!! Is your anxiety under control on 15mg? Other people have said that the 15mg dose is brilliant for sleeping but not for anxiety and that the higher dose is needed, I was quite happy on citalopram apart from the not sleeping and that's all I said to the doctor, she just said stop the citalopram and start the Mirtazapine straight away, she kept asking if there were other adults in the house to make sure I woke up in the morning so I assumed the Mirtazapine had a strong sedative in them and that they would knock me out at night and I'd sleep much better but that hasn't happened and now my whole body hurts and I'm exhausted.
Calmer catherine_31189
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Yes the 15mg helped my sleep & anx' immediately, although I was over-sedated for the first week, until my body got used to it I suppose.
I switched from Citalopram to Mirt, I was taking both at the same time for about 2 months, then did a slow slide off the Cit'
As the insomnia could be caused by the depression I see why your doc' wouuld want to get you on a higher dose; for me the lower dose helped the sleep deprevation which had over time cuased the anxiety - big time - I was a mess.
I understand why you might want to check your sleep pattern with a Fitbit .... I nearly tried one, but in the end I chose not to, I think its too easy for me to start worrying 'I won't be able to sleep' if I got a bad result - which would then make my sleep worse, if you see what I mean. Maybe a little ocd since those dark days before Mirt.
What came first for you, insomnia, depression, or anxiety ?
catherine_31189 Calmer
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I've never been a good sleeper but my main issue is my anxiety, I've never actually been diagnosed with depressed,my anxiety is noise related and social aswell, really strange because I'm a receptionist so really good with people at work but in a social situation I'm only comfortable if it's people I've known a long time,spend a lot of time on my own and can go full weekends only speaking to my children!!! Slowly trying to change that and hoping to arrang some nights out with friends,it's not good going to bed at 7pm every night lol, keep having to remind myself I'm 41 not 90!!!
catherine55994 catherine_31189
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