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Tooawake: forever awake?


Tooawake

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Got prescriped mirtazapine for sleep problems caused by a breathing disorder & depression. Worked great. I slept fine. 

Got into the psych ward to get some neurological check up. They simply switched medication from mirtazapine to quetiapine because I took it for such a short time they thought it's not a problem.

 

Few days after the quetiapine I stopped I was lying wild awake in bed for the next few months from there. I would be "daydreaming" at night & the rest of the time would lie awake.

I developed akathisia & dyskinesia so medication was stopped. Neurological check up was done. Everything fine & I got send home. Akathisia & dyskinesia continued for 2 months, now I just have restless

legs the majority of the time.

 

5 months from that third day I got quetiapine I was simply awake. There is no sleep & no drifting into relaxation or getting a "tired feeling" or anything that would indicate that my brain gets some rest.

 

I am awake at night & I never get tired. My brain is on 24/7 & never shuts off. I don't sleep. I just have dreams at night. When I stand up in the morning I sense that I haven't sleep for about 5 months.

 

I am just awake and that's it. Any ideas? Please don't send me sleep threads, I've been there... as I apparently don't have a sleep problem. I can do all the relaxation or supplements or whatever. I just lie awake at night, nothing

happens. 24/7 I'm awake. No rest, no relaxation, no tired feeling, no sense of exhaustion.

 

Will this go away? What should I do?

 

 

 

Aug 17th - Sept 1, 2017 Mirtazapine 7,5mg (stopped cold turkey because I got into psych ward and the just changed meds to quetiapine & saw no need to taper from mirt after 2 weeks of usw)
Sept 2nd - Octobre 7th 2017 Quetiapine 100mg (At the psych ward. Severe reaction after a few days so stopped cold turkey)

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  • ChessieCat changed the title to Tooawake: Forever awake?
  • Administrator

Welcome, Tooawake.

 

So sorry you're going through this.

 

When one goes off mirtazapine too quickly, rebound insomnia frequently occurs. It also sounds like you had an adverse reaction to quetiapine. It's a good sign that the akathisia & dyskinesia have mostly abated.

 

These adverse reactions indicate your nervous system has been upset by the drugs. It tends to very gradually recover. However, the sleeplessness must be grueling for you.

 

Your nervous system is most likely hypersensitive to drugs now. Have you tried reinstating a tiny amount of mirtazapine, such as 1mg?

 

Many people do better with fish oil and magnesium supplements, see
http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/36-king-of-supplements-omega-3-fatty-acids-fish-oil/

http://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/15483-magnesium-natures-calcium-channel-blocker/

 

Magnesium in particular may help the "restless legs" symptom; overall, it is usually relaxing.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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Thanks a lot.

 

I already do Fish Oil and Magnesium.

 

Do you think the wakefulness/sleeplessnes will resolve very graudally too? I haven't seen any improvement. It's just stage 1 "sleep".  

 

I tried a reinstatement of 0,6mg one evening and felt completely empty the next day. Not 100% sure if it was because of the reinstatement. Maybe I have to try it for a week?

 

Edited by ChessieCat
removed quote

Aug 17th - Sept 1, 2017 Mirtazapine 7,5mg (stopped cold turkey because I got into psych ward and the just changed meds to quetiapine & saw no need to taper from mirt after 2 weeks of usw)
Sept 2nd - Octobre 7th 2017 Quetiapine 100mg (At the psych ward. Severe reaction after a few days so stopped cold turkey)

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  • Moderator Emeritus
it takes about 4 days for a dose change to get to full state in the blood and a bit longer for it to register in the brain.

Gridley Introduction

 

Lexapro 20 mg since 2004.  Begin Brassmonkey Slide Taper Jan. 2017.   

End 2017 year 1 of taper at 9.25mg 

End 2018 year 2 of taper at 4.1mg

End 2019 year 3 of taper at 1.0mg  

Oct. 30, 2020  Jump to zero from 0.025mg.  Current dose: 0.000mg

3 year, 10 month taper is 100% complete.

 

Ativan 1 mg to 1.875mg 1986-2020, two CT's and reinstatements

Nov. 2020, 7-week Ativan-Valium crossover to 18.75mg Valium

Feb. 2021, begin 10%/4 week taper of 18.75mg Valium 

End 2021  year 1 of Valium taper at 6mg

End 2022 year 2 of Valium taper at 2.75mg 

End 2023 year 3 of Valium taper at 1mg

Jan. 24, 2024: Hold at 1mg and shift to Imipramine taper.

Taper is 95% complete.

 

Imipramine 75 mg daily since 1986.  Jan.-Sept. 2016 tapered to 14.4mg  

March 22, 2022: Begin 10%/4 week taper

Aug. 5, 2022: hold at 9.5mg and shift to Valium taper

Jan. 24, 2024: Resume Imipramine taper.  Current dose as of Feb. 22: 7.6mg

Taper is 90% complete.  

  

Supplements: multiple, quercetin, omega-3, vitamins C, E and D3, magnesium glycinate, probiotics, zinc, melatonin .3mg, anti-candida, iron, serrapeptase, nattokinase


I am not a medical professional and this is not medical advice but simply information based on my own experience, as well as other members who have survived these drugs.

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  • Administrator
2 hours ago, Tooawake said:

I tried a reinstatement of 0,6mg one evening and felt completely empty the next day. Not 100% sure if it was because of the reinstatement. Maybe I have to try it for a week?

 

0.6mg of what drug?

 

As Gridley said, you have to give it some time to see if it's going to do anything positive for you.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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14 hours ago, Altostrata said:

 

0.6mg of what drug?

 

As Gridley said, you have to give it some time to see if it's going to do anything positive for you.

Of Mirtazapine. Maybe I should go even lower. 

Aug 17th - Sept 1, 2017 Mirtazapine 7,5mg (stopped cold turkey because I got into psych ward and the just changed meds to quetiapine & saw no need to taper from mirt after 2 weeks of usw)
Sept 2nd - Octobre 7th 2017 Quetiapine 100mg (At the psych ward. Severe reaction after a few days so stopped cold turkey)

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  • Administrator

Did it help you sleep? Why did you choose 0.6mg?

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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On 17.3.2018 at 12:12 AM, Altostrata said:

Did it help you sleep? Why did you choose 0.6mg?

No difference. Somebody on the forum mentioned 0.5mg is even enough so I thought I could go that low.

Aug 17th - Sept 1, 2017 Mirtazapine 7,5mg (stopped cold turkey because I got into psych ward and the just changed meds to quetiapine & saw no need to taper from mirt after 2 weeks of usw)
Sept 2nd - Octobre 7th 2017 Quetiapine 100mg (At the psych ward. Severe reaction after a few days so stopped cold turkey)

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  • Administrator

If it had no effect, I might try 0.75mg.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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  • 5 weeks later...
On 3/12/2018 at 12:14 PM, Tooawake said:

Got prescriped mirtazapine for sleep problems caused by a breathing disorder & depression. Worked great. I slept fine. 

Got into the psych ward to get some neurological check up. They simply switched medication from mirtazapine to quetiapine because I took it for such a short time they thought it's not a problem.

 

Few days after the quetiapine I stopped I was lying wild awake in bed for the next few months from there. I would be "daydreaming" at night & the rest of the time would lie awake.

I developed akathisia & dyskinesia so medication was stopped. Neurological check up was done. Everything fine & I got send home. Akathisia & dyskinesia continued for 2 months, now I just have restless

legs the majority of the time.

 

5 months from that third day I got quetiapine I was simply awake. There is no sleep & no drifting into relaxation or getting a "tired feeling" or anything that would indicate that my brain gets some rest.

 

I am awake at night & I never get tired. My brain is on 24/7 & never shuts off. I don't sleep. I just have dreams at night. When I stand up in the morning I sense that I haven't sleep for about 5 months.

 

I am just awake and that's it. Any ideas? Please don't send me sleep threads, I've been there... as I apparently don't have a sleep problem. I can do all the relaxation or supplements or whatever. I just lie awake at night, nothing

happens. 24/7 I'm awake. No rest, no relaxation, no tired feeling, no sense of exhaustion.

 

Will this go away? What should I do?

 

 

 

 

Tooawake, how are you doing now? I experience the same symptoms now after discontinuing/ reinstating Paxil. Total restlessness and awakefulness, cannot sleep a minute without benzo. Benzo gives me 2-3 hours unhealthy sleep and then I wake up full sweat. I also awake at night and I never get tired. I never did any sports but now I can walk or run kilometers without feeling any exhaustion. It's been already 3 weeks and I'm scared. My pdoc prescribed me quetiapine for sleep problems, but I hesitate to try it. 

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  • 1 year later...

Nothing much changed.

Will this simply Go away with time?

Aug 17th - Sept 1, 2017 Mirtazapine 7,5mg (stopped cold turkey because I got into psych ward and the just changed meds to quetiapine & saw no need to taper from mirt after 2 weeks of usw)
Sept 2nd - Octobre 7th 2017 Quetiapine 100mg (At the psych ward. Severe reaction after a few days so stopped cold turkey)

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  • ChessieCat changed the title to Tooawake: forever awake?

Nothing much changed.

Will this simply Go away with time?

 

 

Anything?

Aug 17th - Sept 1, 2017 Mirtazapine 7,5mg (stopped cold turkey because I got into psych ward and the just changed meds to quetiapine & saw no need to taper from mirt after 2 weeks of usw)
Sept 2nd - Octobre 7th 2017 Quetiapine 100mg (At the psych ward. Severe reaction after a few days so stopped cold turkey)

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I quit CT 2 psych meds almost 2 years ago. Still my brain is constantly awake and I can't recouperate.

Will this Just suddenly cure itself at some point?

Aug 17th - Sept 1, 2017 Mirtazapine 7,5mg (stopped cold turkey because I got into psych ward and the just changed meds to quetiapine & saw no need to taper from mirt after 2 weeks of usw)
Sept 2nd - Octobre 7th 2017 Quetiapine 100mg (At the psych ward. Severe reaction after a few days so stopped cold turkey)

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  • 2 weeks later...

Looking for words of encouragement.

No waves or Windows, Just Same Symptom. Inability to get Natural homeostatic Rest.

How does the brain decide when to reset itself?

Aug 17th - Sept 1, 2017 Mirtazapine 7,5mg (stopped cold turkey because I got into psych ward and the just changed meds to quetiapine & saw no need to taper from mirt after 2 weeks of usw)
Sept 2nd - Octobre 7th 2017 Quetiapine 100mg (At the psych ward. Severe reaction after a few days so stopped cold turkey)

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….....…...…...............................

Aug 17th - Sept 1, 2017 Mirtazapine 7,5mg (stopped cold turkey because I got into psych ward and the just changed meds to quetiapine & saw no need to taper from mirt after 2 weeks of usw)
Sept 2nd - Octobre 7th 2017 Quetiapine 100mg (At the psych ward. Severe reaction after a few days so stopped cold turkey)

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Hi Tooawake,

I am so sorry that you are still struggling with insomnia.  You stated "nothing much changed"  so I would ask....has anything changed?  Have you experienced any restful sleep at all?  I would think that if you are starting to get even 2 or 3 hours of sleep here and there, that would be an improvement.  I think insomnia can be the last symptom to leave for many people.  Finding any small change in symptoms and improvements (no matter how small) means you are healing.

 

Best Wishes to you, glosmom

2016 - Oct -Daughter started Risperdal (for steroid induced psychosis that never went away after stopping prednisone)

Nov - dose increases stopped at 1.5mg in Dec

2017 - Jan- weaned from 1.5 to 1.0 in 2 weeks then 1.0 to .5 in two weeks and then off. Feb. 3 weeks of increased psychosis, pacing, insomnia, other awful symptoms so late Feb  - Back on 1.5 mg Risperdal. May  - decrease to 1.25mg, two weeks later 1.0mg - symptoms started again. June - held steady at 1.25mg for 6 weeks and switched to liquid (3 ml syringe). July - started 10% taper every 3 weeks, October -  .8 mg, December - .7 mg .

2018 -Jan- 0.65 mg,  Feb- 0.59,  Mar-0.50, late April - .40mg, July- .36 mg, Aug - switched from 3 mL syringe to 1 mL syringe for more accuracy (her dad and i were not sure we were giving her the same dose when in between the 'dashes' on the 3 mL syringe.) Aug -.30 mg (3mL syr)/.44 mg (1 mL syr) difference due to med in the tip of both syringes). Sept- .28 mg (3mL syr)/.42 mg (1 mL syr). Oct - .16 mg (3 mL syr)/.30 mg (1 mL syr). Nov.- .06mg (3mL syr)/.20 mg (1mLsyr). Dec. - tip only/unmeasurable (3mL syr)/.10 mg (1mLsyr)

2019- Jan -.06 mg (1 mL syr), Feb- .025 mg (1 mL syr), Feb 27, 2019 - jumped to zero!!

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Thanks for replying.

I had Many other symptoms people describe resolve in 3-6 months but this one had No waves/windows.

It's like some Part of the brain is continually awake whereas it wasn't previously. I also don't Drift Info relaxation naturally Like I used to, I'm just uncomfortably wakeful.

Aug 17th - Sept 1, 2017 Mirtazapine 7,5mg (stopped cold turkey because I got into psych ward and the just changed meds to quetiapine & saw no need to taper from mirt after 2 weeks of usw)
Sept 2nd - Octobre 7th 2017 Quetiapine 100mg (At the psych ward. Severe reaction after a few days so stopped cold turkey)

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  • Moderator Emeritus

@Tooawake I merged your other topic into your introduction topic.  I guess you've already seen our topic about withdrawal insomnia:

 

Tips to help sleep: so many of us have that awful withdrawal insomnia

 

It's also possible you might have sleep state misperception (also known as paradoxical insomnia).  This is when people sleep but feel like they don't.

2001–2002 paroxetine

2003  citalopram

2004-2008  paroxetine (various failed tapers) 
2008  paroxetine slow taper down to

2016  Aug off paroxetine
2016  citalopram May 20mg  Oct 15mg … slow taper down
2018  citalopram 13 Feb 4.6mg 15 Mar 4.4mg 29 Apr 4.2mg 6 Jul 4.1mg 17 Aug 4.0mg  18 Nov 3.8mg
2019  15 Mar 3.6mg  21 May 3.4mg  26 Dec 3.2mg 

2020  19 Feb 3.0mg 19 Jul 2.9mg 16 Sep 2.8mg 25 Oct 2.7mg 23 Oct 2.6mg 24 Dec 2.5mg

2021   29 Aug 2.4mg   15 Nov 2.3mg

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