Author: Charles Frank

Trazodone Uses, Dosage, Side Effects & Warnings

For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully. Do not stop taking trazodone without talking to your doctor. Your doctor will probably decrease your dose gradually. Your doctor should check your progress at regular visits. Do not use this medicine if you have used an MAO inhibitor in the past 14 days.

Trazodone is also sometimes used to control abnormal, uncontrollable movements that may be experienced as side effects of other medications and for the management of alcohol dependence. Talk to your doctor about the possible risks of using this medication for your condition. Some young people have thoughts about suicide when first taking an antidepressant. Your doctor will need to check your progress at regular visits while you are using trazodone. Your family or other caregivers should also be alert to changes in your mood or symptoms. If any of these effects last or get worse, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly.

You should not stop using this medicine suddenly, or you could have unpleasant symptoms (such as dizziness, vomiting, agitation, sweating, confusion, numbness, tingling, or electric shock feelings). Ask your doctor how to safely stop using this medicine. Check the labels on all your medicines (such as allergy or cough-and-cold products) because they may contain ingredients that cause drowsiness. Ask your pharmacist about using those products safely.

This means your doctor will need to get approval from your insurance company before your insurance company will pay for the prescription. You should not need a new prescription for this medication to be refilled. Your doctor will write the number of refills authorized on your prescription. Trazodone may pass into breast milk and may cause side effects in a child who is breastfed. You may need to decide whether to stop breastfeeding or stop taking this medication. Talk to your doctor if you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant.

What happens if I miss a dose?

CYP1A2 inhibitors may increase trazodone concentrations while CYP1A2 inducers may decrease trazodone concentrations. An interaction with trazodone could cause a serious condition called serotonin syndrome. This drug can cause a life threatening condition called serotonin syndrome. This risk is higher when you first start taking this drug or during dosage changes.

1. To help you remember to take trazodone, take it around the same time(s) every day.
2. As a result, more of a drug stays in your body for a longer time.
3. Do not drive, use machinery, or do anything that needs mental alertness until you know how this medication affects you.
4. But if you remember just a few hours before your next scheduled dose, take only one dose.

If you need to stop taking this drug, your doctor will slowly lower your dose over time. This list may not describe all possible interactions. Give your health care provider a list of all the medicines, herbs, non-prescription drugs, or dietary supplements you use. Also tell them if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs. For some teenagers and young adults, this medicine can increase thoughts of suicide.

Other Interactions

You shouldn’t drive, use machinery, or do other activities that require alertness until you know how this drug affects you. Your healthcare provider will want to see you often while you are taking trazodone, especially at the beginning of your treatment. Be sure to keep all appointments for office visits with your doctor. The easiest way to lookup drug information, identify pills, check interactions and set up your own personal medication records. Trazodone is used to treat major depressive disorder. Older adults may be more sensitive to the side effects of this drug, especially drowsiness, dizziness, and QT prolongation (see above).

Talk to your doctor about your condition, symptoms, and personal and family medical history. You and your doctor will decide what type of treatment is right for you. Be especially watchful for these symptoms when a new antidepressant is started or when the dose is changed. Check with your doctor right away if you have anxiety, restlessness, a fast heartbeat, fever, sweating, muscle spasms, twitching, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or see or hear things that are not there. These may be symptoms of serious conditions called serotonin syndrome and neuroleptic malignant syndrome-like reactions. Your risk may be higher if you also take certain other medicines that affect serotonin levels in your body.

Drugs used to treat depression, including trazodone, may cause an increase in suicidal thoughts or actions. This risk is higher in children, teenagers, or young adults. It’s also higher within the first few months of treatment with this drug or during dosage changes.

Ask your doctor before using opioid medication, a sleeping pill, a muscle relaxer, or medicine for anxiety or seizures. This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. Before having surgery, tell your doctor or dentist about all the products you use (including prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and herbal products).

Trazodone may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

Since untreated mental/mood problems (such as depression) can be a serious condition, do not stop taking this medication unless directed by your doctor. If you are planning pregnancy, become pregnant, or think you may be pregnant, immediately discuss with your doctor the benefits and risks of using this medication during pregnancy. Trazodone may cause a condition that affects the heart rhythm (QT prolongation). QT prolongation can rarely cause serious (rarely fatal) fast/irregular heartbeat and other symptoms (such as severe dizziness, fainting) that need medical attention right away.

Related treatment guides

If you have any questions, consult your doctor or pharmacist. This list may not describe all possible side effects. Trazodone (Desyrel®) is a medication that treats depression. It works by increasing the amount of serotonin in your brain. Serotonin is a hormone that helps regulate your mood.

If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines. However, experts are not sure about how great this risk is and how much it should be considered in deciding whether a child or teenager should take an antidepressant. Children younger than 18 years of age should not normally take trazodone, but in some cases, a doctor may decide that trazodone is the best medication to treat a child’s condition. Trazodone may cause a serious condition called serotonin syndrome if taken together with some medicines. The tablet is usually taken with a meal or light snack two or more times a day. To help you remember to take trazodone, take it around the same time(s) every day.

Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use. If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended.