About one year ago I went to another country for studying, at that time I was totally new to live in another country. I felt anxious in doing everything, taking courses, talking with foreigners etc., It was like I cannot see the future of this "boring life". From that time I had long-term insomnia, usually as waking up too early at 5-6am and unable to go back to sleep again. After prescribed many kinds of anti-anxiaties and sleeping pills the doctor suggested me to take anti-depreesion.
I have to say it helps a lot! I took 7mg Mirtazapine in the first two weeks and increased to 15mg for three months. During this period I also learn many self-aid techniques from books like meditation and making schedule for sleeping. These do work but just the speed is quiet slow. About one month later my situation gradually became normal, still wake up once at night but can sleep again. I do enjoy the feeling of "I can sleep for ten more minutes" lol.
Three months later I started to decrease the dose. First 7mg again for one and a half month, then 3.5mg for another one and a half month. And on 7th this month I had my last 3.5mg pill. Everything was fine in the coming two days. But three days ago after taking a red-eye flight I start to feel stomach upset with flu-like symptoms (very tired and a little bit dizzy). I though it was just I didn't have enough rest but anyway I found myself having irritability and insomnia. I checked this site and finally realized they are withdrawal symptoms.
However, the most strange thing is my symptoms are not stable. In the first day I was really tired and had flatulence, they were better in yesterday, but not the insomnia. Today the uncomfortable feeling in stomach improved a little as well as dizziness, and I accidentally fall into sleep for an hour during lunch break. But NEW symptom is while I am going to sleep I have a small panic in my heart, although it disappears in minutes.
So now I would like to inquire someone for help. Does someone have similar symptoms? My dose seems very small and I showed no significant disorder during two decreasing dose, why I still feel sick when completely stopping it? For now only stomach upset and insomnia (hard to sleep and wake up relatively early) are the most annoying symptoms, so what I can do to get through this period? Should I go see the doctor again and ask her to prescribe extra Mirtazapine. I found this time Zolpidem doesn't work, perhaps I should try ant-ihistamine？