[AnarchicAngel]

Hi all,

Does anyone have any experience with trazodone? I'm being put on it instead of Sertraline, which I was on for insomnia, anxiety and depression. Anything I should expect?

I'm just hoping it helps me sleep...

[awakeanddreaming]

Trazodone makes me SO SO dizzy. Like dizzy so I can barely walk sometimes. I have it as a PRN for sleep. I started at 50mg but cut it back to 25 because sometimes the dizziness was so bad I'd throw up. All that being said, Trazodone helps me sleep. It works a lot better if you take it with food.

[AnarchicAngel]

Oh dear, that's a bit scary. The doctor has given me 125mg! Eek...I'll report back with how I get on.

[Denise26]

It didn't do anything for my insomnia, anxiety or panic attacks... They switched me to Ativan .5mg

For depression or mood or whatever I'm also on Depakote and Seroquel (Seroquel 150mg also to help me sleep supplement Ativan during the day for anxiety/panic)

[skeksi]

I am on 300mg Trazodone and Sertraline 50mg. I am tapering off the Sertraline, though.

The Trazodone helps me sleep like a normal human being, which has done more for reducing my anxiety than any other drug! I can't say enough positive things about this medication. I have never had any adverse effects and the morning grogginess, even at this dosage, is no different for me than pre-Traz, and once I have a cup of coffee I am fine.

Everyone's experience is different; I hope you find some relief with this.

[theave]

I found it helped with my sleep but not with depression which is why I eventually switched - but I didn't find side effects to be hard to cope with, I could still get up in the morning. I hope it will help you.

[Gently1]

Trazadone started at 50mg then up to 100mg, my dose was for evening for insomnia, left me off balance during the day. Falling over when bending to put my shoes on! But then when I was driving I started looking to the right and turning the car to the right, my doc switched me to Seroquel 75 mg as soon as I mentioned the dizzy episodes. So far so good. I take other medication for depression, but only after my doctor got my sleep back, then she could comfortably prescribe antidepressant medication.
Hope you find the sleep you need soon.

[Christina86]

I've used trazodone to sleep before. It seems to make you dizzy before it makes you sleepy, but not any dizzier than taking something like Gravol or Benadryl to sleep (both make you dizzy and then sleepy).

I took 150mg for sleep. Unfortunately, it didn't really make me terribly sleepy.

[Yoda]

I took it for awhile and it did help me sleep but I would always feel chest pressure about fifteen minutes after I took it until I fell asleep.

[rioseco451]

Before I started Ambien, I took 150mg Trazadonefor sleep for 10 months. It did make me feel quite foggy and I would catch some sleep for a few hours. My primary complaint with Trazadone (and the reason that I requested my Doc to take me off it) was that it caused extreme mouth dryness in my case. No amount of fluids seemed to relieve it, and the discomfort would last for many hours after waking. For insomnia, I have been mostly pleased with Ambien.

[ringtailcat]

I took it for several yrs for both deppresion and sleep. When my P-doc increased my dosage significantly, I would be dizzy for a few days till my body adjusted to the new dosage.

[elliemay]

I've taken it for several years. 50-100mg for sleep. Usually 50 or less.

It's a sleep bomb for me. Taken with food, reliably I am asleep in 20 minutes.

Now, if I don't take it with food, I lie in bed and think about food until I have to get up and eat. Don't know if that will be your experience, but it is with me.

Also, it gives me a stuffy nose, and will dry me out a lot.

Too much gives me a hangover the next day.

[beeutterfly]

Trazodone is a miracle for me. I have an incredibly difficult time sleeping, so the Trazodone combined with the 0.5mg Klonopin I take really help. I still don't sleep all that great, but it helps me so so so much most nights! The only side effect that I really notice is the orthostatic hypotension on occasion. Totally worth being a bit dizzy after standing up when it just happens sometimes. G'luck!

[Kiffygirl0793]

Always take it before bed, never try to drive or work or do anything that acquires you to be alert while on it, I've been taking it for 8 years and it's always put me right to sleep. Unfortunately, I think I'll probably be on it for life, since I have trouble sleeping if I don't take it. You may have to play around for which dose works for you.

[AnarchicAngel]

Hmm...I'm hoping it won't make me too sleepy in the morning. I walk to work so that's not a big deal, but I do need to drive sometimes in the evenings. I'm really really nervous that I'll have horrible side effects.

Thanks for all the advice folks. I'll start it on Friday, so I'll report back!

[Kiffygirl0793]

You'll be fine driving in the evening if you took one the night before. I just woudn't recommend taking one right before you drive.

[PleaseHelp]

I have it as a PRN it really helps me. I can take either 50mg or 100mg. I know I NEED to be ready for bed when I take it b/c it kicks in within 20-30 minutes and then I'm out. If I get 8 hours of sleep, I'm not overly groggy in the morning. I should probably go back on it b/c I've been having problems sleeping. However, I dislike being on all and any medications. (Silly considering all the ones I've been on in the past. But I still don't like to take a pill for everything.) Sorry off topic. Hope it works for you.

[sugahorse1]

It helped me sleep and also with anxiety

[dance59326]

i got it at the hospital in a shot form when I was acting up when I was a kid, it was awkward, but later on, I used it for a regular med for sleep, it's a good tranquilizer to get you to sleep and just to calm down. If you are cycling and manic, it's a good one, but if you really need to be productive, it's not going to be good. It caused me to have dry mouth, so drink lots of fluids and don't get too much sun or you will get dehydrated.
~ dance59326

[Fidel]

I loooooooooooove Trazodone. I can't sleep without them at all.
It does give me dry mouth but other than that it's great.
I can only take it before sleep cuz I fall asleep after 30 min. then wake up in the morning. I definitely take it for insomnia.

[refactory man]

I take 50mg every night and I sleep like a baby. I have no side effects and I'm not groggy the next day. I love it. For me it was a life saver. I had bad insomnia before. The only bad thing was the first few times I took it. You get very vivid dreams, sometimes nightmareish. This goes away pretty quickly so don't let it scare you away from a great drug.

[Pditty]

Oh dear, that's a bit scary. The doctor has given me 125mg! Eek...I'll report back with how I get on.

My P doc started me on 100mg, another 100mg if the first was not getting me to sleep.
I take 100mg most nights, sometimes i feel the need for the extra..
Recently I had Depokote and kolopin added to my drug cocktail..but with taking the traz, and Depokote at night I have been started to remember dreaming..Which has been a long while since I did that

[AnarchicAngel]

Thanks for all the support guys.

I've now been on it for a week, and while I'm getting sleep, I wake up feeling like I've got a MASSIVE hangover. I'm super groggy, my head hurts and it can take up to 3 hours for me to feel like I'm awake. I've actually started to cut down the dosage (taking half a pill) because I couldn't cope with being that groggy and trying to go to work. *sigh* I'm fed up of medication and general mental health woes. I thought I would have grown out of them...

[bitterdregs]

I've taken traz and it was one of the only meds that did not have bad side effects. I do reccommend starting at a low dose, like 25 to 50 mg. if you don't want the buzz until you get used to it. It's iffy when mixed with other psych meds though. Another reason for low doses in the beginning.