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No sleep or sleep meds
I have been unable to sleep since stopping Ambien (5 months ago) and Ativan(2 months ago). I have not slept for over 2 hours a night. I understand I supposedly have rebound insomnia, however I have had a sleep problem since I was very young. I have researched this question on the web but only found answers that sleep aids ARE BAD!
My question is: What is worse? No sleep or sleep using sleep meds?
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Clonazepam worked like a charm for 15 years, then I couldn't have it anymore (doctor's choice, but my research convinced me that long-term benzo use has its risks). Mirtazapine is a tricyclic antidepressant which is sedating at very lose doses, but acts as an antidepressant and appetite stimulant at higher doses. I would say the effect is mild and inconsistent but I do think it helps. Seems to be a safe drug.
Cindi sue, I am a long term insomniac (50 years) which only gets worse the older I get. In answer to your questions, I tried Mirtazapine, and maybe it is just my psychology, but I had terrible nightmares. When I complained to the psychiatrist, he upped my dose and the nightmares got worse until the third time the dose got upped and my nightmares took on the style of horror movies. I had never had a nightmare before that drug and I don’t have them now. I have been on everything from OTC drugs through probably a dozen RX drugs. Ambien was the best although I never got a full 7 hours sleep - only about 5. It too finally stopped working and now I make sleep cocktails out of a few different types of rx drugs which get me about 3 hours sleep and when I wake up I take a few more and get another 3 hours sleep. While on Ambien, I never sleep walked, ate or drove although I have read about that happening to some people. I am planning on asking my doctor for an Ambien CR rx since I have not had any ambien in at least 6 months. Maybe I’ll get lucky.
Your comment resonates with me because it’s very similar to my story. On lorazepam but my pcp wanted me off it and wasn’t working for sleep anymore. Plus reading about benzos made me understand that taking them long term can wreak havoc with your brain. Cbt-I….exact same experience. Mirtazapine is working for me along with 1 mg melatonin. But after reading what you wrote about melatonin, I’m going to cut back on that. Is sleep perfect every night for me? No, but it’s far superior to what it once was.
So sorry you’re going through this! Not sleeping and thinking about not sleeping every night is tortuous. Although it didn’t work well for me, have you tried cbt-I? Also, mirtazapine is used for sleep at low doses, 7.5 mg
Everything I read about mirtazapine says it’s safe compared to benzos. A sleep therapist prescribed it for me, and my pcp is fine with my staying on it long term. I’m 68 years old and if I’m on it the rest of my life, so be it.
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1 ReactionYour GP shouldn't have taken you off the sleep med you had been taking. GP's are Soooo against sleep meds and that is Soooo WRONG!! Sleep is VERY IMPORTANT and if taking sleep meds helps you get good sleep, then by all means, you should take sleep meds. Because not getting good sleep is very detrimental to you!! Not getting enough good quality sleep makes your life a living hell. And if the quality of your life is greatly improved....well then, of course, take the sleep meds!!
Hello Kawanee, I am thinking about trying Mirtazapine...and I'm wondering how it's working for you? It has lots of great reviews on Drugs.com! And yes....it's a sleep med that doctors would rather prescribe than a benzo. And it's not one of those SSRI's that may or may not work and could very possibly give you horrible side effects!
What strength of mirtazapine are you on?
In answer to your question.....what's worse, no sleep or sleep meds?? Of course, not getting sleep is waaaay worse...than taking sleep meds. I don't know why doctors don't agree with this...PEOPLE NEED SLEEP!! Stop the war against sleep meds and give them to people who really need them and let them sleep!!
This is a very tough issue. The sleep meds worked for a while, then stopped. Increasing the dosage solved the problem for a while, till I developed a tolerance for that dose as well. Then changing the drug to another one helped for a while - until it didn't anymore. And reading the warnings and research about the side effects of the drugs convinced me to go without them.
I agree it's no fun to be tired, and right now I'm trying alternative methods to improve my sleep (meditation, exercise). Just my luck that being in the middle of a shooting war doesn't improve anyone's sleep, and definitely isn't helping with mine. But I'm counting my blessings. Compared to what other people are experiencing, my life is wonderful!