Severe insomnia

[Anxiousman67]

How long does insomnia last after stopping mirtazapine ? Waiting on telephone appointment with doctor to see if he can give me sleeping tablets. Anyone came off if so how long before normal sleep returns? I was only on for 2 months at low dose of 15 mg so thought I'd be fine sleep wise but since stopping on Wed I haven't slept a wink now my anxiety is sky high.

[Windsorgardener5087]

Insomnia is a tricky thing to deal with. Mirtazapine taken at night should work to your advantage. I can't believe you could give the drug a fair trial and work through a tapering plan in 8 weeks. I am not you so you could have done it 🤔

Most sleeping tablets have risks for addiction and have to be taken in a short course. Mirtazapine is from a different category of meds and is not addictive. You develop a tolerance.

If you prefer something else, there over counter sleep aids which you could discuss with your pharmacist. Learning some techniques in therapy to use before turning in to sleep can also help. Hoping you can find those missing 💤

[Anxiousman67 in reply to Windsorgardener5087]

Thanks for reply im not following what you mean by saying give it a fair trial n tapering in 8 weeks

[Hidden]

You quit cold turkey after getting down to 7.5 for a week? These sedating antidepressants need to be tapered slow and gradual. Doctors truly don’t have any idea about what these meds do to alter our brains chemistry. Quitting or stopping abruptly causes imbalances like withdrawal, return or worsening of anxiety, new or worsening insomnia, etc.

Insomnia will be transient but how long you have it will be individual. Could be a week, several weeks, no way to tell. Sleeping tablets for a short term is a good idea, but only short term or you run the risk of what you are having now again. As you know not sleeping well is also going to compound your anxiety, so yes talk to your doctor about an approach that will help you through this.

[Anxiousman67 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for reply I never bothered tapering down i just quit as my cpn said 15 mg is low dose anyway. To be honest only thing bothering me is insomnia and obviously the anxiety that comes with it.

[Hidden in reply to Anxiousman67]

It’s a low dose for depression and anxiety yes, but it turns in a different type med as in at low doses it’s very sedating (why it’s great for treating insomnia and anxiety particularly night time anxiety and clinically able to help anxiety the next day) but it’s not sedating at higher doses more suited for depression and accompanying anxiety.

Doctors fail to give us clear understanding of the meds we are taking. I’m sorry you are going through this, I’ve been through it but I took sedating (low dose) antidepressants for 3 years.

[Anxiousman67 in reply to Hidden]

Yeah doctors n nurses don't have a clue about these meds withdrawal symptoms yhats why im on here to ask you guys who have first hand experience. My doc has agreed to zopiclone for a week so hopefully get some sleep now. Thanks for reply n take care.