Ambien and mirtazapine

I will give you my two cents - but having a reliable physician to guide your transition is very important - a psychiatrist or sleep specialist/neurologist. I took Ambien for quite some time in my early 40's. It helped me sleep but I had bad night sweats and work up in a fetal position from anxiety. A primary care doctor switched me to Lexapro and Xanax and there was no issue with weaning or issues because the combo of those two drugs helped me much more than Ambien ever could. I stopped the Lexapro cold turkey after a few years - NOT advised!!! I continued the Xanax until a psychiatrist switched it to Klonopin, which I continued for 12 years. When I moved from FL to GA, all the doctors I saw told me what a bad drug Klonopin was and that I needed to get off it. I had only taken 1mg at bedtime for 12 years and it worked, so I was really surprised. Once I was "forced" to taper off, it took a painfully long time to do so, and the young psychiatrist I was seeing gave me no exit plan at all. He discharged me at the end of the taper because they don't treat Seniors and I was going to be 65. Gave me an rx for Vistoril - no help. Primary care doctor gave me mirtazapine but sadly, it did not work at all for me - I gave it 4 months and had horrible insomnia and anxiety. He finally sent me to a sleep specialist and she was the first doctor here in GA that affirmed my lifelong insomnia and need for real medication to treat it. She even offered to prescribe Klonopin again since I obviously did not abuse it or increase dosage and it worked for both anxiety and sleep. I declined because I know it is not good as we age and was so horrible to wean off. We tired Ambien but it caused nausea and anxiety, switched to Lunesa, and I have to say, this one has been consistent to help me sleep without much anxiety. I do get night sweats and muscle tension/leg cramps some nights but I sleep through the night. Everyone is different, and our response to meds is different. So my advice is, find a doctor who understands you and is compassionate and willing to find what works for you and help in the transition. Best of luck!!!! Maybe the mirtazapine will work for you as it does many others - just not me!

@con123 hi hoe long did it take to get off mitrazapine?

@visionsofelvis
I took it for four months and it did not help me sleep, nor did I gain weight. I just stopped it and did not have any kind of d of withdrawal symptoms.

I’m still on it and have been for over a year. A bit tired in the morning but I sleep well! I have 15 mg pills and cut them in half.
Good luck!

7.5 mg. My body has adjusted well and I’m sleeping!

@con123 i was on 15 mg of mirtazapine for 3 months then weaned down to 7.5 27 days ago almost a month. its hard to sleep as I'm trying to stabilize on 7.5 before i can wean further down.How did you have no withdrawal symptoms? and are you taking anything else to cope with being on Mirt? what part of the country do you live? Im in las vegas.

@kawanhee how long have you been on 7.5?

@visionsofelvis I was tapering off Klonopin - long time on 1mg nightly to sleep. As I tapered, my insomnia got worse and worse, so I was prescribed the mirtazapine. It did not help. I was also given vistoril, an antihistamine type drug. It also did not help me. Finally, I saw a sleep Dr and she gave me Lunesta, which works. I don’t sleep as deeply as I did with klonopin but I sleep.