czajkievich: mirtazapine - Brain zaps causing sleep maintenance insomnia - please help

[czajkievich]

Hi all, this is my first comment.

 

I'm here because I've been suffering from brain zaps and subsequenctly from sleep maintenance insomnia. This is a result of too fast mirtazapine tapering effort.

 

How do I make the brain zaps go away? I've increased the dose of mirtazapine but it doesn't help. Today I've tried omega 3 supplement as well as magnesium. Is anything else recommended??

 

Highly appreciate any input.

Thanks

Karol

[ChessieCat]

Hi czajkievich and welcome to SA,

 

I have moved the post you made and created your own Introduction topic.  Each member has their own Introduction topic and this is the best place for you to ask questions about your own situation and where you can journal your progress.  This will keep your history in one place and means that you won't need to repeat your story.

 

Before we can offer any suggestions we need you to tell us more about your drugs history.  Please create your drug signature following these instructions:

 

Instructions:  Withdrawal History Signature

 

Once we have further information we will be better able to assist you.  Please reply to this post advising that you have created your drug signature so that we will be notified.  Thank you.

[czajkievich]

Brain zaps causing sleep maintenance insomnia - please help

 

Hi All,

 

I've had several unsuccessful mirtazapine tapers attempts. My only but severe withdrawal syndome was sleep maintenance insomnia. Each time insomnia hit me, I'd increase mirtazapine dose and everything got back to normal. This time is different though. I've increased dose significantly (I'm back to full pill now) and my insomnia is quite bad for 3-4 weeks now.

 

I've learned a lot about sleep hygene and CBT-I but brains zaps wouldn't let me sleep still.

 

I have ashwaghanda, valerian root drops but don't really find it helpful. Today I'm starting omega 3 and magnesium supplements. Any suggestions please?

 

Thank you for the input.

Karol

 

Edited March 17, 2022 by ChessieCat
added Intro topic title before merging with created intro topic

[ChessieCat]

Please read the instructions about what we need to see in your drug signature.  We need details of doses and the dates you started that dose.  Thank you.

[czajkievich]

@ChessieCatI understand, thanks for clarifying that. I've just updated my signature.

 

I know I messed up badly with the taper schedule. I've learned that safe taper pace is 10% monthly... I will be way way more careful with that going forward.

 

For now my main issue are brain zaps which cause sleep maintenance insomnia...

[ChessieCat]

Thank you, that is the detail that we need.

 

I've asked the other staff for there assistance.

 

Edited March 17, 2022 by ChessieCat

[czajkievich]

Thank you. Appreciate your quick response.

[czajkievich]

Also, I was wondering to try microdosing shrooms as help with my withdrawal syndorme... I do understand it's a very complex problem and there are no easy and clear answers... Just found this very informative resource regarding interactions between AD and various psychedelics:

 

https://mindmedicineaustralia.org.au/wp-content/uploads/Antidepressant_PsychedelicsDDIChart.pdf

[Altostrata]

Hello, @czajkievich At what point did the brain zaps start? Did you have any other withdrawal symptoms? How's your sleep?

 

We don't know anything about microdosing shrooms or any other psychedelic. Adding other drugs when you have withdrawal problems tends to cause greater upset, and then you have to wait for your system to settle down, which can take months. 

[czajkievich]

The brain zaps started after tapering mirtazapine too fast.

 

I don't have other withdrawal symptoms.

 

I fall asleep easily but have difficulty staying asleep. The zaps wake me up.

 

I've learned a ton about sleep hygiene and literally do all that is recommended - have regular sleep schedule, turn off the lights 2h before bedtime, use blue light blocker, get out of bed if I wake up in the middle of the night, meditate etc. I've just run out of ideas as to what I can do to stay asleep at night.

 

Magnesium seems to help a bit but I still wake up 1-2 per night which makes me really tired the next day... It's been going on for about 3-4 weeks now.

 

I think my sex drive might be waking me up at night. I noticed that 2 last nights when I woke up in the middle of the night, I had an erection.

 

Before my episode with too quick tapering and subsequent sleep maintenance insomnia, I had a few weeks of very high libido and strong sex drive. I am in a stable relationship but I was finding myself looking for sex outside the relationship. It has not been materialized and that left me with even stronger sex drive. At the same time I was feeling very guilty for mere looking for sex outside of the relationship.  I now think that this place with no good solution (either elevated sex drive or/and guilt) has contributed to my sleep problems... Has anyone had similar problems?

 

I've just read about nocturnal erections and most articles suggest it's a painful one, however, it's has not been my experience, at least that I know of.

[Altostrata]

At what point in your tapering did the brain zaps start? How much mirtazapine were you taking then?

[czajkievich]

It started in 2022 January taper to 12,5mg mirtazapine (from 15mg)

[czajkievich]

I am finding very little research about brain zaps and sleep maintenance insomnia and ways to tackle it. Can anyone suggest some help articles?

[Altostrata]

What was the effect of your increase to 17.5mg and then 20mg mirtazapine on your brain zaps and other symptoms?

 

Since you started 30mg, how has your symptom pattern changed?

 

Please see the Symptoms and Self-Care forum for discussion of specific symptoms. Also see