u/TheBaconBooty

I ask you please take me seriously!

When I was very quickly tapered off of Mirtazapine, my sleep got forcefully shifted forward. Before I was sleeping from 3-4am to 12-1pm, it was broken but it was a lot better & far more restorative compared to my pervious on going insomnia(days without sleep).

My Doctor put me on Mirtazapine, they said would help with sleep & my depression.

The first 2 weeks on it, I told them this is no good, it's made me feel significantly worse & if anything making my sleep MORE broken. They kept me on it for another week, went back, same thing but this time they DOUBBLED THE DOSE. It was causing me to be irrationality angry, I was terrified of myself & I was fading in & out of consciousness during the day so I demanded a taper.

(Timelines for Mirtazapine: Start: 7.5mg for 3 weeks - Doubled: 15mg for 2 weeks - Taper: 7.5mg 1 weeks - 7.5mg every other day for 1 week - STOP!)

Just a few days after stopping & not being given an antidepressant to replace it(I've been on them all my life) I could no longer sleep at my normal 3-4am, I was being FORCED awake against my will(it did not matter HOW SLEEPY I was/am, I couldn't/can't fall asleep). I finally passed out from around 7-8am to 3pm, it's been stuck like that for 26 days now. The sleep get is NOT restorative, I wake up just as exhausted as when I fell asleep.

My 24/7 Symptoms: Burning/sore/heavy/sleepy eyes. It's gotten to the point now where I feel like my brain & body have a severe flu, they feel heavy & sick. Eating is difficult. The fatigue... unbearable. Even when physically calm, no physical anxiety, this persists.

I also now have severe RLS that keeps me awake longer or wakes me up!!! 300mg of Gabapentin dose NOTHING for it! it is NOT the CAUSE of this new sleep issue, but it sure DOSE NOT HELP!

I went back to the Doctor who tapered me, he REFUSED to listen to anything I had to say & asked me why I'm staying up until 8am as if it's a CHOICE I'm making(I'm not, ever second awake is a living HELL). He tossed me a Sleep Hygiene Booklet & sent me home.

I have tried Dayvigo 10mg

Clonazapam 0.5mg(used to work)

Both have failed to put me to sleep before 7-8am(or later)

PS: I was doing everything I normally do that was starting to help my original insomnia: cold dark room, black out curtains, eye mask, no screens before bed, Magnesium Glycinate, Ashwagandha, L:Theanine, seeing the sun immediately after waking, seeing the sunset, being outside for 20-40min everyday, ect but it no longer works!

The days of no sleep are what triggered my anxiety originally then the days of not sleeping properly(broken sleep) for only 5-6h. Once I got used to that(2-3 weeks) & feeling tired(but functional) the anxiety mostly went away but about a week ago I had a relapse in my severe insomnia, even though I was sleeping my "normal" 5-6 broken hours I woke up feeling completely exhausted to the point I could keep my eyes open for more than 30min without fighting it which retriggered my anxiety worse than ever. I was so anxious for 2.5 days that I felt weak, couldn't eat, my sleep was worse, I felt like my body wanted to give out at any moment & my eyes couldn't stay open day or night but couldn't fall asleep until 2-4am.

Once I seen my Nurse Practitioner she gave me a very low dose of anti anxiety meds & they kicked in & worked within the hour, I felt like shit, but a lot less like death. I was on them for a week, so last night was my first night off of them & today was my first full day off of them, unfortunately they are HIGHLY addictive so even being on them a week I may have some "rebound" anxiety or because they worked so well I'm just noticing the anxiety more than I was when I was on them.

Anxiety Medication in Question: Clonazepam 0.5mg

It started with 6 days of no sleep, then a crash for a few hours, then 3 more days of no sleep, then another crash.

Then 3 weeks of 5-6 hours of broken sleep around 2-5am(when I'd fall asleep)

After the first week my anxiety was basically gone & completely gone a lot of days because I knew I'd sleep again, even it wasn't the best sleep & I was still tired, it was a tired I could push through & teach myself it wasn't worth all the anxiety.

Then I hit a speed bump, was sleeping the normal 5-6 broken hours but woke up feeling like I didn't sleep at all. It felt very familiar to the days & days I didn't sleep. I started to panic, I got sick to my stomach, migraines, weakness to the point I felt like I'd collapse, shakey, could barely eat. It was awful. I actually thought I was dying. This lasted for 3 days & nights.

On the fourth I finally seen my Nurse Practitioner & she gave me Clonazepam 0.5mg to take in hopes it would calm me down enough to function & sleep better.

I took it as soon as I got home & within the hour I was crying tears of absolute joy because I felt so much better. I still felt like trash but at least I wasn't trash that was on fire.

Once my anxiety went down, so did all the other symtoms. They where still there of course because I wasn't sleeping properly but they where dramatically reduced.

She now tells me to take it once at night for 1 week & if I panic like the pervious days, take it then too but unless it's absolutely necessary

Tonight will be the fourth night taking it, I'm still very very tired during the day because my sleep is still very broken but I've had 1 really decent day in the past 4 so I'm hopeful. If I can at least get back to those tolerable days again where tired, heavy eyes where not running my entire day & I felt the most normal I had this whole experience then maybe I could get back to trying to work on WHY my sleep is so broken.

Why was it still broken even though I was no longer anxious? Why was it still broken even though I was going to bed at roughly the same time & getting up at roughly the same time? Why was it still broken when I was feeling closer to normal & why did I relapse?

Anyway, that is for letting me vent

Love y'all ❤️

It started a days of no sleep, anxiety & panic, seemingly out of nowhere.

I used to be able to tell when I was sleepy enough to actually fall asleep(usually within an hour), whenever I wanted, very very rarely got anxiety unless I pushed myself WAY too far into fighting sleep(but I'd still fall asleep). Day sleep? Easy. Night sleep? Easy.

I can't say I had a consistent schedule...

Sometimes I'd sleep from 6am to 3pm

Sometimes I'd sleep from 10-12 & get up around 5-8am...

Then suddenly, it stopped, I stopped sleeping for days... the panic the insued was a fate I wouldn't place on my worst enemy. I didn't know how to cope with that type of sleep deprivation & sleeplessness so I went to the ER on the 4th, 5th & 6th days.

I was given Dayvigo, Trazodone, Zopiclone & they didn't put me to sleep.

I was given Seraquel, it put me to sleep but I felt way way worse for 12h afterwards.

On the 9th night, I finally started sleeping again but it was broken sleep.

Now it's been about 2 weeks of broken sleep & no matter how tired I am or how heavy my eyes are, I can't seem to sleep before 3-4(a couple times 5)am.

I was given gabapentin for my Restless Leg Syndrome, which has helped take the edge off, thank fully.

I was starting to get used to my broken sleep mentally/emotionally & physically. Anxiety & pressure to sleep started getting close to zero on most days & nights & even completely calm on others so I assumed my sleep would follow but it's still broken but at least my confidence in sleep was slowly returning & I was feeling better, not normal, better & much more tolerable than nights with no sleep.

I was thinking " I can handle this while I recover & keep getting better"

However, last night really fucked me up.

Last night was the worst night I had since I was going days without sleep now my anxiety, confidence & tolerance has been shaken up a fair bit.

I slept the night before, broken as usually but I guess the quilty must have been worse than other nights because I woke up, eyes way heavier than usual, resting my eyes like I normally did when overwhelmed was not helping nearly as much, nor where my anxiety techniques.

During the day I was so anxious that I started shaking, I felt sick to my stomach, my eyes where so heavy keeping them open was nearly impossible yet I wasn't falling asleep which caused the anxiety to amp up even worse.

Once I finally got into bed, I the anxiety came in waves but I was able to calm down alot after a while, but still didn't fall asleep until late. If I had to guess, around 3-30am(even after 5mg of Zolpidem) didn't fall back asleep until around 630-7am, then again around 11am. Then I feel asleep for another hour or so after that.

My eyes are still burning tired, but I highly doubt I will sleep if I rest my eyes, but sometimes that is the only thing I can do to get any relief from the eye strain, while keeping my brain accupied by a podcast(for example).

I guess I'm just writing this, on this particularly rough day to reassure myself that this won't last forever, that in MOST cases Insomnia is curable because I do not think I could live like this forever.

I'm struggling a lot right now, the most I have since the sleepless nights & it's rough.

3 weeks ago insomnia seemed to have hit me out of nowhere, days of no sleep, then a couple random crashes or broken sleep every other day or so...

Then the past few days I started sleeping nightly but in VERY broken fragments. Sometimes I will wake up & fall right back to sleep, sometimes I will stay awake for an hour or so...

The broken sleep leaves me feeling just as tired as having no sleep, which was unexpected since I've never felt insomnia like this before.

The past 2-3 nights I been falling asleep around 2-5am until about 9am - 11:30am, the sleep is very fragmented, I sometimes wake up anxious, sometimes not, sometimes I feel "okay" for the first hour then the tiredness comes back & all I want to do is close my eyes but my body is too sore from laying down so often.

I can be extremely tired much earlier in the day/night but I can't fall asleep so my anxiety comes off & on in waves so I'm doing my best to not acknowledge it, just letting it pass through me.

I hope, as awful as this feels right now, it means my body is slowly recovering.

It has been absolutely abismol to my Mental Health.

I have an appointment to see my Mental Health Practitioner on the 29th, it is now the 22ed - I'm trying to get in sooner, my fingers are cross 🤞🏻

I do not have a Family Doctor yet, though I'm on the waiting list.

It started with 4 days of now sleep, then I slept for a few hours, then a couple more days of no sleep, then a slept for a while, then another day/night of no sleep.

For 5 nights, I thought I was finally recovering because I was having a few hours of broken sleep, even if it left me exhausted & waking up every 1-2 hours for a max of 4-6 hours, it was something & it was at night.

The night before last, I got no sleep again, then last night I didn't sleep until about 4:30am - 9am, waking up every hour or so.

I feel horrible, I can't stop crying, I'm so tired that keeping my eyes open is a struggle but I'm also tired/bored/sore from laying in bed.

I never been suicidal, I don't want to get to that point, I want to live life, I want to have a life, I'm only 32.

It has been about 3 weeks of this, I've never had it for more than 36-40 hours before I'd crash for 8-12 hours, none of this broken sleep, which can feel worse than not getting any sleep at all.

I'm breaking, I'm crying, I need help, I need something to bring me normal, long, none broken sleep again.

I have tried Zopiclone, Trazodone, Seraquel & Dayvigo

Zopiclone, Trazodone & Dayvigo never put me to sleep on my sleepless nights

Seraquel put me to sleep but I felt worse the next day, it was awful...

Dayvigo didn't seem to keep me asleep the 3 times I took it during the nights I was sleeping

I'm feeling hopeless feeling this tired/sleepy 24/7...

I don't wanna die, but it feels like I am...

I'm scared if things keep going this way...

I been going through about 14 days of this horrid insomnia episode, I only started sleeping on night 10 but now it's a whole different problem I wasn't expecting...

I'm sleeping but it's very fragmented so I'm waking up often & still feeling pretty damn tired during the day. Of course some days/nights have been better/worse but phew... it's exhausting trying to exist like this, mainly when being tired/sleepy makes me anxious when I'm trying to stay awake to only sleep at night time. I want my body to know night time is sleep time & 9am is up time even if I need to rest my eyes/nap during the day here & there.

I was given Dayvigo 5mg to help me stay asleep, if anything I felt like I woke up more than usual last night but I will double it tonight & see how it goes as per the Nurse Practitioner's advice, I also have some Lorazepam 0.5 for if my anxiety spikes at night, thankfully only had to use it twice so far!

If anyone has any advice, recommendations, experiences, let me know!

For those curious, this is a link to my original post for my full experience up till now: https://www.reddit.com/r/insomnia/comments/1t90niy/i_dont_know_how_much_more_i_can_take/

Hello, I am 32 F

I was referred here by a different Redditor from r/insomnia because of my discription of the bout of insomnia I am going through right now

Shortened Version:

It is now 10days since this insomnia first started, I have only slept in chunks on the 4th day for about 5-6hours(on Seroquel, stuff left me feeling worse the next day), the 7th day off & on for 12 hours(7 hours after taking Trezodone) & yesterday from 1pm - 7pm(no medical assistance)with only one wakeup, but was so tired I kept sleeping in chunks off & on until now, 4am. I woke up rather dizzy(not as bad while still) whenever I move, mainly my head, that's new.

What made them think I belong here:

Forn many years, I can even remember some in young childhood/teenhood, I often slept late, even now before this all started my most comfortable time to sleep was usually 3am-12pm & from time to time 5am - 3 or 5pm.

I just need some helpful advice & suggestions, going though this insomnia has left me rather hopeless & emotional 😭

Here is a link to my original post for anyone interested: https://www.reddit.com/r/insomnia/comments/1t90niy/comment/ol1jgsg/

Over the past 9 days( it is now 330am, the morning will mark the start of the 9th day) I have not been able to sleep properly.

I have tried Zopiclone, Seroquel, Trazodone & now Dayvigo + Larazapam

I have only had 2 chunks of sleep over this period.

One on the fourth day when I took Seroquel(but it made me feel awful the next day, worse even) for about 6 hours ish?

I then slept for 12 hours off & on not yesterday but the day before so I thought I was finally recovering & tonight is finally sleep a few hours mainly with this new medication but now I'm crying & hopeless, I want my life back so desperately...

I am so exhausted just shifting in bed feels like a lot of effort...

I can't keeps my eyes open, yet the sleep does not come.

(I did sleep on my own this afternoon for about an hour after hours of laying there, but that was it so I decided to take the Dayvigo + Larazapam + Magnesium Glycinate)

Can anyone help me? Will this be forever? Will I get my life back?

I feel like I'm reaching the end of my rope & that terrifies me...

If you get the tital reference, we are friends now!

You may have seen my username on here through the past few days(& on r/sleep) because I was going through(& now hopefully recovering from) the WORST bout of insomnia I've EVER had. I used to think going a night or two(which was "normal" for me most of my life since I've always been a night owl) was hell, but I went 6 days, 6 nights, on the 7th Day, I feel asleep around 8-9am(7 hours after taking Trezodone 50mg, it didn't feel like it did anything for me, but neither did Zopiclone & Secoquel is the DEVIL 👿) off & on, in I think 2-3h fragments? Until about 10pm last night, which I haven't slept since, just been resting my still heavy eyes & my body that feels like an absolute trashcan 🗑️(I assume barely eatting or bed upright for a week will do that to a person on-top of the sleep deprivation).

Here is where y'all come in because I still need some advice after something like this:

1. Nighttime gives me the worst anxiety(I still have it in general but I'm getting better at controlling it since this all started) because those where always the loneliest, drawn out times to be awake. It makes you feel(even if someone is sleeping next to you) so alone to be awake when the world is at rest, something you want more than anything.

Part of me is terrified I won't sleep again later today/night once I start getting SUPER sleepy again. I'm still heavy eyed as is & would love to sleep again now/asap, but it's just not coming for the time being(I assume from sleeping so much off & on yesterday afternoon).

2. Is it normal for my head to ache? Still feel heavy eyed? My stomach to be super upset, my legs to be weak? Overall just GROSS 🤢 feeling? My head to feel light?

3. Is this the start of recovery?

4. Should I ask for something stronger to take tonight?

All I want is to be normal again.

But this experience is also making me realize, dispite my depression, my life really isn't all that bad. It's oddly motivating me to do so much more & better once all this is over & I'm fully back to normal.

Thanks!

This is the morning of my 7th day with barely any sleep, I maybe got 10-12 hours total.

I have no idea why this suddenly started. If I miss a night, I can usually sleep fine during the day, but this time, I haven't been able to.

I seen Doctors & been to the ER- I have tried Zopiclone, it did nothing for me, I tried Trazodone, it did nothing, I tried Seroquel, it worked but thee side effects left me feeling even worse!

What do I do now!? I'm on the edge, I don't care when I sleep, I just need a few nights of restorative sleep!

First off, hello!

I'm Naylor (32F) Canadian

I have always struggled a bit with sleep in my life since I hit my early 20's

On top of that, I have always struggled with anxiety & depression

Usually if I miss a night of sleep, I can usually pass out on my own, early the next day & sleep for the whole day

At worst, I've gone about 36-48 hours without sleep & would eventually knock out on my own after I kept trying enough

This brings me to this past week...

I didn't have anxiety at first because I gotten used to these insomnia cycles happening from time to time, I figured I'd pass out naturally on my own HOWEVER once the 3rd day arrived & I still didn't sleep, anxiety started to sleep in, thankfully I was able to fall asleep for about 6 hour that afternoon. BUT when I woke up, I felt awful, like I didn't sleep at all, I was just as exhausted as before I slept 😭 but I stayed up because I had stuff to do. Once I felt like I could not longer keep my eyes open even more, laid in bed, but the night came & went, no sleep. The next day I couldn't handle it anymore with how tired I felt, how desperate for restorative sleep I was & went to a Walk In Clinic. The Doctor gave me Zopiclone, I was hopeful to finally get some sleep, I didn't care if it was during the day, once I'm normal again, I can slowly taper it to fit more consistent sleep times.

I took the medication, tried my damnest to be as calm as I could be with my anxiety, it took hours before fell asleep & it was only for a couple of hours at best, I was feeling really overwhelmed. I figured I'd keep trying but the rest of the day & into the week hours of the morning came.

I still haven't slept, this will be the 5th day without proper sleep or no sleep.

I panicked, full on attack & felt like I was dying so my boyfriend woke up & rushed me to the ER.

The doctor there game me Seroquel(12.5mg), a low dose of an anti physotic medication for Bipolar & Scitzaphriena. I was hesitant on taking it for that reason but also desperate for sleep...

He said if the first 12.5mg don't put me to sleep, take the other one too.

Once I took the first 12.5, I waited & I felt it kick in, like it was really trying to knock me out, so I waited about another hour, I was still awake so I took the other 12.5mg. Not sure when I feel asleep that(yesterday) afternoon but I slept off & on.

When I woke up around 8:45pm to use the bathroom, get some water & a snack, I was still extremely exhausted, felt like I barely slept at all really but on-top of that my anxiety was back because of thee side effects of the medication & how it was making me feel...

Light headed, detached from reality, weak & heavy limbs, shakey, exhausted. It is now 3:30am & I can still feel the side effects, not as intense as they where by sure are still noticeable.

I been trying to sleep it off since I do still feel tired, but I haven't been able to get back to sleep. Soon it will be 5:30am & my bf will have to go to work for 12h. I will be alone for the first time since all this started & it has me spooked, mainly if these symptoms keep lingering or I can't even get a nap in on my own this morning/afternoon.

If anyone can give me help, advice, stick around, I'd appreciate it. Thanks!

First off, hello!

I'm Naylor (32F) Canadian

I have always struggled a bit with sleep in my life since I hit my early 20's

On top of that, I have always struggled with anxiety & depression

Usually if I miss a night of sleep, I can usually pass out on my own, early the next day & sleep for the whole day

At worst, I've gone about 36-48 hours without sleep & would eventually knock out on my own after I kept trying enough

This brings me to this past week...

I didn't have anxiety at first because I gotten used to these insomnia cycles happening from time to time, I figured I'd pass out naturally on my own HOWEVER once the 3rd day arrived & I still didn't sleep, anxiety started to sleep in, thankfully I was able to fall asleep for about 6 hour that afternoon. BUT when I woke up, I felt awful, like I didn't sleep at all, I was just as exhausted as before I slept 😭 but I stayed up because I had stuff to do. Once I felt like I could not longer keep my eyes open even more, laid in bed, but the night came & went, no sleep. The next day I couldn't handle it anymore with how tired I felt, how desperate for restorative sleep I was & went to a Walk In Clinic. The Doctor gave me Zopiclone, I was hopeful to finally get some sleep, I didn't care if it was during the day, once I'm normal again, I can slowly taper it to fit more consistent sleep times.

I took the medication, tried my damnest to be as calm as I could be with my anxiety, it took hours before fell asleep & it was only for a couple of hours at best, I was feeling really overwhelmed. I figured I'd keep trying but the rest of the day & into the week hours of the morning came.

I still haven't slept, this will be the 5th day without proper sleep or no sleep.

I panicked, full on attack & felt like I was dying so my boyfriend woke up & rushed me to the ER.

The doctor there game me Seroquel(12.5mg), a low dose of an anti physotic medication for Bipolar & Scitzaphriena. I was hesitant on taking it for that reason but also desperate for sleep...

He said if the first 12.5mg don't put me to sleep, take the other one too.

Once I took the first 12.5, I waited & I felt it kick in, like it was really trying to knock me out, so I waited about another hour, I was still awake so I took the other 12.5mg. Not sure when I feel asleep that(yesterday) afternoon but I slept off & on.

When I woke up around 8:45pm to use the bathroom, get some water & a snack, I was still extremely exhausted, felt like I barely slept at all really but on-top of that my anxiety was back because of thee side effects of the medication & how it was making me feel...

Light headed, detached from reality, weak & heavy limbs, shakey, exhausted. It is now 3:30am & I can still feel the side effects, not as intense as they where by sure are still noticeable.

I been trying to sleep it off since I do still feel tired, but I haven't been able to get back to sleep. Soon it will be 5:30am & my bf will have to go to work for 12h. I will be alone for the first time since all this started & it has me spooked, mainly if these symptoms keep lingering or I can't even get a nap in on my own this morning/afternoon.

If anyone can give me help, advice, stick around, I'd appreciate it. Thanks!

I went 2 days & 2 nights without sleep, then I slept for about 6hours yesterday afternoon, but I wolw up feeling worse than ever...

I been trying to sleep all night tonight because my eyes are so heavy I can barely tolerate keeping them open, but when I try to sleep all my symptoms go wild.

I get panic/anxiety, my whole body(but mainly my legs) feel weak, I feel shakey, I feel sick to my stomach, I feel overheated, I feel a bit light headed & now a headache.

I have tried breathing exercises, I have tried relaxing in bed with my eyes closed, just resting them, I've tried listening to something that would usually help me sleep, I know melatonin does not work well for me.

I will keep resting & hoping I fall asleep, but it sure is an awful feeling going through this right now.