Will Mirtazapine help me sleep?

[Gaz1985]

Hi guys I have bad insomnia for many months now. Doctor won't give me anymore Zopiclone but he says Mirtazapine will help me sleep. He has advised me to take 15mg. Is this medication as sedating as Zopiclone? With Zopiclone I had to take two 7.5mg to make me sleep longer than 4 hours. So just curious how strong the Mertazapine is.

Thanks.

[Benjammin69]

Hi guys I have bad insomnia for many months now. Doctor won't give me anymore Zopiclone but he says Mirtazapine will help me sleep. He has advised me to take 15mg. Is this medication as sedating as Zopiclone? With Zopiclone I had to take two 7.5mg to make me sleep longer than 4 hours. So just curious how strong the Mertazapine is.



Thanks.



First time taking? Yeah it’ll knock you off your feet for a while


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[imabit2lil]

Hell yes. It's amazing I have ptsd night terrors and it helps me so much

Be careful though it stimulates appetite
Beware of craving carbs put on a tiny bit of weight at first I'm good now though

That was my side effect at least good luck

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[Magic]

I know someone who takes the same medication. I don't know what dosage they take. I do know that they have helped with sleep.
I don't know about the weight thing either, but the benefit of the sleep is alright.
All the best.

[Mojo61]

The first tablet I took, 7.5mg, knocked me out for 16 hours solid

[SmilingAlbert]

Yes, it's very effective. Oddly, it works better for sleep at lower doses, often agreed to be either 7.5mg or 15mg. That's because it's a potent anti-histamine at those doses - higher, and it works as an enervater as the AD effect kicks in.

However, don't go thinking it will work like Zop - i.e. take it and 20 minutes later and you're asleep. As it works in a more subtle way, take around 60-90 minutes before you aim to sleep (though especially at first, it may make you sleepy much quicker).

And as stated, be ready for the hunger/carb cravings, as these can lead to rapid weight gain. Stuff yourself with salad, plain chicken and fizzy water (yes really!) to fill yourself up with few calories. If you're slimmer than you want to be, then less of a problem and your problem will be quickly solved...

Best wishes,

Albert

[nomorepanic]

Hi

This is just a courtesy reply to let you know that your post was moved from its original place to a sub-forum that is more relevant to your issue.

This is nothing personal - it just enables us to keep posts about the same problems in the relevant forums so other members with any experience with the issues can find them more easily.

Please also read this post:

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=213239

[BikerMatt]

I take it and it's great for sleep. I'd probably just take 7.5mg if you're just using it for sleeeeepppp.

[Gaz1985]

Thanks guys took 15mg (as per my doc advice) about 30 mins ago and will go to bed in another 30 mins. I am starting to feel.a bit tried so hopefully that's a good sign. I have terrible insomnia so hope this drug penetrates it.

[hanshan]

Good luck with it, and tell us how you went. Mirtazapine works on two neurotransmitters to help with sleep. It has a strong antihistamine effect which promotes sleep onset, and also a serotonin effect (not all agree with this) that helps maintain sleep. There is also a noradrenaline effect that's more activating at higher doses that can be helpful to people with depression, but can be too arousing for people with anxiety, hence lower doses recommended for sleep.

[Gaz1985]

Well I am a bit disappointed today especially after hearing so many positive things about Mirtazapine. Anyway I took the 15mg and after an hour I went to bed but it took me 4 hours to get to sleep, when I did I kept waking up about every hour, had a few dreams. Had about 4 hours sleep in total and feel dizzy today and feel like I haven't rested. Not sure what to do. I seem very difficult to sedate. Any suggestions?

[Benjammin69]

Well I am a bit disappointed today especially after hearing so many positive things about Mirtazapine. Anyway I took the 15mg and after an hour I went to bed but it took me 4 hours to get to sleep, when I did I kept waking up about every hour, had a few dreams. Had about 4 hours sleep in total and feel dizzy today and feel like I haven't rested. Not sure what to do. I seem very difficult to sedate. Any suggestions?



Gaz I think we have spoke before in terms of your doctors diagnosis about your sleep what is the problem?? No medication however strong will fix the issue with the diagnosis is wrong. You can build up tolerance to many sedating Meds over time which you probably have done. It’s about learning new ways to get to sleep than learning new Meds to put you to sleep?

I can take any amount of benzo and it doesn’t make me sleep... 2mg klonopin, 20mg diazepam etc etc I can also take mirtazapine and quetiapine and still not sleep. If my anxiety and depression is in check then I can sleep regardless of what I take or not


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[Gaz1985]

Gaz I think we have spoke before in terms of your doctors diagnosis about your sleep what is the problem?? No medication however strong will fix the issue with the diagnosis is wrong. You can build up tolerance to many sedating Meds over time which you probably have done. It’s about learning new ways to get to sleep than learning new Meds to put you to sleep?

I can take any amount of benzo and it doesn’t make me sleep... 2mg klonopin, 20mg diazepam etc etc I can also take mirtazapine and quetiapine and still not sleep. If my anxiety and depression is in check then I can sleep regardless of what I take or not


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The docs think I have anxiety. I feel so tired all the time getting crap sleep. Do you think my sleep improve the longer I am on Mirtazapine? I am instructed to take 15mg for 2 weeks and then 30mg thereafter.

[Daedalus]

Gaz

I have sleep problems, definitely annoying.

But you've got to be careful not to catastrophize here. 4 hours sleep, yeah not great, but my brother has 4 kids under the age of 4, and his wife has been averaging about 4 hours a night - broken sleep - for about 4 years. (And sometimes periods of a lot less).

She's often exhausted, of course, and sometimes needs to catch up for lack of sleep, but otherwise she's fine.

You've been suffering for 6 months, and you're still going strong.

In and of itself, nothing much is going to happen because of lack of sleep. You'll just be tired and groggy.

You need to get a grip on the anxiety about being able to get to sleep. Not easy, I know, but that's the solution. If you stop worrying about it (again, I realise this is easier said than done), your body won't be in panic mode when you go to bed, and you'll sleep much easier.

The other thing to take into account is that people often think they're not getting any sleep, but they're just wrong about it. The brain will take micro-sleeps if it's deprived. It's partly what makes driving, etc., a bit dodgy if you're sleep deprived. Also, if you can get yourself into that semi-conscious not quite asleep state, you're actually in Stage 1 or Stage 2 sleep. Not deep enough for proper recuperation, etc., but still sleep.

[Gaz1985]

Gaz

I have sleep problems, definitely annoying.

But you've got to be careful not to catastrophize here. 4 hours sleep, yeah not great, but my brother has 4 kids under the age of 4, and his wife has been averaging about 4 hours a night - broken sleep - for about 4 years. (And sometimes periods of a lot less).

She's often exhausted, of course, and sometimes needs to catch up for lack of sleep, but otherwise she's fine.

You've been suffering for 6 months, and you're still going strong.

In and of itself, nothing much is going to happen because of lack of sleep. You'll just be tired and groggy.

You need to get a grip on the anxiety about being able to get to sleep. Not easy, I know, but that's the solution. If you stop worrying about it (again, I realise this is easier said than done), your body won't be in panic mode when you go to bed, and you'll sleep much easier.

The other thing to take into account is that people often think they're not getting any sleep, but they're just wrong about it. The brain will take micro-sleeps if it's deprived. It's partly what makes driving, etc., a bit dodgy if you're sleep deprived. Also, if you can get yourself into that semi-conscious not quite asleep state, you're actually in Stage 1 or Stage 2 sleep. Not deep enough for proper recuperation, etc., but still sleep.

I see your point. I worry too much. I suppose a few hours of sleep is better than none. I must be getting enough sleep to function as I have never had any hallucinations from lack of sleep. Do you agree?

[Daedalus]

Gaz

There's absolutely no doubt about it. You're not in any danger, you're functioning, and you've been doing this for six months.

Look at it this way. You had four hours sleep last night, and you're feeling a bit crap. But if you factor out the anxiety and worry would you really be suffering? Suppose, for example, you'd just done a long haul flight to an exotic holiday destination, and you'd managed 2 hours broken sleep on the plane. Now you'd be tired and jetlagged, of course, but you wouldn't be consumed with fear and anxiety. Likely, you'd be happy and excited despite being groggy and tired. If you factor out the anxiety, then things look a lot better even if you're not getting much sleep.

One last example - during the Blitz in the 2nd World War, London was bombed every night except one for 11 weeks. The whole of London wasn't sleeping. People were exhausted, of course, but they kept functioning, reported normal levels of happiness, and nothing bad happened as a result of lack of sleep.

If you can get to a place of happy acceptance that you might not sleep, and understand that nothing disastrous will happen as a result, then you'll sleep much better.

[SmilingAlbert]

Agree with Daedalus' very wise advice - try not to fret about sleep - (I have done it so know it's easy to do!), and yes not having enough sleep is not immediately harmful, though be careful around driving etc., using machinery, cooking.

I suggest either taking it 2-3 hours before you intend sleeping, or just try chopping the pill in half and taking 7.5mg - as stated above, that can actually be more effective in getting you asleep - it seems weird, but nearly everyone finds this affect, though don't bother reading the official leaflet as it won't say anything about this.

And get all your sleep hygiene sorted out - so no watching TV, using computers and phones etc. for at least an hour ideally more before bed, no stressful discussions, arguments etc. either, and just read a good book.

You'll get there, your body just needs to readjust a bit to sleep normality.

Best wishes,

Albert

[Gaz1985]

Agree with Daedalus' very wise advice - try not to fret about sleep - (I have done it so know it's easy to do!), and yes not having enough sleep is not immediately harmful, though be careful around driving etc., using machinery, cooking.

I suggest either taking it 2-3 hours before you intend sleeping, or just try chopping the pill in half and taking 7.5mg - as stated above, that can actually be more effective in getting you asleep - it seems weird, but nearly everyone finds this affect, though don't bother reading the official leaflet as it won't say anything about this.

And get all your sleep hygiene sorted out - so no watching TV, using computers and phones etc. for at least an hour ideally more before bed, no stressful discussions, arguments etc. either, and just read a good book.

You'll get there, your body just needs to readjust a bit to sleep normality.

Best wishes,

Albert

Thanks Albert. I think the other problem I had was drinking a high amount of alcohol every night to get to sleep. I did this for 3 months between late Feb and up to last week. with only a few days break. But I found the more regular I drank the worse my anxiety and depression was through the day.

[hanshan]

If you have been drinking a considerable amount of alcohol at night for the past three months and possibly also taking zopiclone regularly for more than a few weeks, then you will almost certainly experience rebound insomnia when you stop. Mirtazapine will not initially cover over that. You just have to persist until your body readjusts and the mirtazapine has a chance to work - hopefully in about two weeks or so. It's important not to go back to the zopiclone or regular heavy drinking to try to induce sleep.

If you have anxiety and depression, you may need the higher dose of mirtazapine to cope with that. I find that I sleep fine with just about any dose of mirtazapine, but others have posted here that they find the higher dosages overly activating. Basically, you need to experiment a bit to find what dose works best for you.