Just over 3 weeks ago I had a severe bout of insomnia which triggered quite a steep decline in my mental health (I literally didn't sleep for 2 weeks). After about 2-3 days of being treated with Zopiclone and Diazepam I wasn't getting any better - it felt like my brain chemistry had got all out of whack and all I could do from lunchtime onwards was uncontrollably shake and cry, with feelings of severe exhaustion still overwhelming me. It was like the fight or flight mode in my brain couldn't switch off.

Four days ago I started taking Mirtazapine as prescribed by my psych. Since then there I have to logically say there have been improvements - I am no longer shaking or crying uncontrollably and I am back within my own mind again. However I am really struggling with the side effects of the Mirt and I'm desperately hoping that they dissipate over time, and I'm looking to hear from anyone who has experience of this.

I take 15mg at about 8pm - the first 3 nights it made me drowsy, last night it did not. This is partly due to a rapid and irregular heartbeat that has started, which I've had previously when increasing or being put on any kind of SSRI (it eventually faded after a couple of months). Either way, I do eventually drift off but contrary to what I've read from other people, I don't feel like I get a restful night of sleep. It feels like I spend 95% of my time in what I can only describe as "wakeful dreams" where I'm sort of half aware I'm not asleep, but dreaming at the same time. The next day I feel like I've been hit by a brick. Groggy and very tired and a real derealisation problem when I go outside. This seems to eventually clear at around 4pm, and I have 4 hours of feeling more in my own mind before I need to take the Mirt again.

Do the initial side effects like the crazy drowsiness for most of the day get any better? I should add that I'm not drowsy that I can nap during the day either, so it's literally just feeling very tired and drowsy and rubbish for most of the day.

I am loathe to already ask to switch as I know these things take time for your body to adjust to... I'm just interested to hear from other people and whether their initial side effects did improve or not?

Thank you x