Crazy insomnia - Mirtazapine withdrawal

[MrsGlum]

I’m on day 25 of withdrawal from Mirtazapine.

The insomnia is killing me! I haven’t been able to sleep for nearly a month. I have some sleeping tablets but really don’t like using those on a regular basis.

Has anyone out there experienced insomnia while going through through a mirtazapine withdrawal and if so how long did it last?

I really regret ever going on this medication. It’s totally messed up my life.

I feel much better without it. I don’t think it helped me much…it made me so sleepy that I was sleeping 10 hours a night which was far too time consuming and I was so hungry all the time it was torture! I’m so glad I came off it and I’ve had some therapy now which I’m going to rely on when life gets hard instead of medication .

Oh gosh yes I was sleeping tons and then groggy in the morning.

I've done a week of 7.5 and I know I should do a week or so at 3.75 now.

But I'm tempted to just do it ans see if I can cope with withdrawals and hope it over within a month ...

If not I could take the 3.75 every 3rd day or something, then every 4th but not sure that's a good idea either.

So night 2 of nothing and woke up early (I think 4.30/5ish) but then dozed in and out of crazy dreams until I remembered I needed to be up around 8.30!

So yes the days of magic sleep is over but I can manage 6 hours plus some dozing for a bit if thats all it does. It was the 2.30/3 wide awake I couldn't do before I went on it.

@MrsGlum I know it's been ages since you first posted but I'm going through the exact same thing and wondered how long it took for things to get better for you? I'm really struggling with huge anxiety and insomnia after taking it for 6 months. HELP!!

Yes was off it 5 weeks . Could not sleep so back on it . Been 2 weeks back on it and sill not sleeping properly

@MrsGlum Hello, I was just reading about your experience withdrawing from mirtazapine and it sounds like it has been awful. I'm aware I'm replying to this almost a year later! I'm interested because I currently take Mirtazapine (and Olanzapine) for sleep. I basically had awful postnatal insomnia that lasted about 3 months before I started taking the above meds. I was getting either no sleep a night or maybe 2-3 hours each night. Anyway, it got so bad that I ended up on these meds. I'm lucky in that I don't experience many side effects (I'm so sorry you did!), but I still want to get off the meds ultimately. I wondered how you got on eventually with the withdrawal? I plan to try and do as gradual a taper as I can (and I'm aware it might take a very long time). I'm terrified of the insomnia returning as that felt unlivable. I guess if I have to take the meds forever then I will but I don't want to. I really hope you're okay and have found some things that might have helped you?

I am still not brilliant but I think there was an inevitable period about a month or so when I came off when it was pretty bad.

I am taking magnesium now, strict about going to bed and not looking at my phone when i wake up and it is a lot better. Nothing like the magic pill though!