Hi @faithshouse - Your husband's symptoms must be terribly draining - for you and him. I can relate to a time after my husband had some minor surgery and couldn't sleep well. Everytime he got up, it woke me up! Nothing worse than getting to sleep and then waking up and not being able to get back. You may get some good help here in the Just Want to Talk group, but you may have better luck in one of the more specific groups. If I were you, I would definitely check out the Sleep Health Group to help connect with people who may be having similar symptoms. Here is a link to help you get started:
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/sleep-health/

It also sounds as if mirtazapine is sometimes used to treat depression. If your husband has issues with depression or anxiety. Here is a group that may help:
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/depression-anxiety/

Meantime, how long has your husband had this problem? Do you think it may be associated with other health issues?

Hi, @faithshouse - if you click VIEW & REPLY in your email notification, you will see the whole discussion and can read a few comments about this drug from members like @gettingbetter75 and @acea.

Has he started on this medication already, faithshouse, or are you gathering more information first before he starts?

@faithshouse

I just happened on to this discussion, and thought I'd tell you what my experience has been with Mirtazapine.

It was maybe a year ago that I was feeling that my long term antidepressant, Wellbutrin, wasn't quite keeping up with my depression. I met with the psychiatrist, who prescribed Mirtazapine to enhance the effects of Wellbutrin. I raised the dosage until I started seeing a lifting of my depression, at 45mg. I was already taking the maximum dose of Wellbutrin, so I couldn't add to that medication. I don't recall any side effects. I have sleep apnea and use a Bipap machine, and with the help of the BIPAP, I sleep well perhaps too well, as my sleep doctor told me to work on sleeping for only 9 hours and avoid naps.

I haven't read through this discussion, so I don't know if a sleep study has been suggested. Back in 2000, I told my PCP that I was feeling poorly, and the symptoms indicated possible depression, but I wanted to rule out any organic problems I might have. I had a bunch of tests that year, one of them being a sleep study, where sleep apnea was indicated. During the first month or two, I slept at least 12 hours per day - I was really sleep deprived! When I told my mom, she said that when I was a child, she noticed that I'd stop breathing and she wondered if I would take another breath. She had never told me that. Anyway, I felt immensely revived.

Another series of tests revealed that my gall bladder was hardly functioning, and I had it removed. Again, I felt much better. And on it went until I was feeling increasingly depressed and attempting suicide.

My journey has been an interesting one. I'm glad I asked the doctor to look at all of the possibilities of why I was feeling so bad. I found that depression wasn't the only thing going on in my aging body. It seemed like I started falling apart when I turned 50. I wasn't ready for it. The next milestone is #70, next year. That is making me feel old.

Where are you by now with Mirtazapine? I hope sleep is going better.

Jim

I used it for anxiety and loved it the best drug ever I only stopped taking it because I was gaining too much weight . It's known for weight gain apart from that I slept well and had no anxiety or depression, hope that helps you