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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
[email protected]Shown: posts 1 to 13 of 13. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by janejj on February 21, 2002, at 0:03:57
Hello,
Experience with Trazodone ? Does it help with sleeping problems ?
Thanks Jane
Posted by KimberlyL on February 21, 2002, at 1:32:16
In reply to Trazodone, is it good ?, posted by janejj on February 21, 2002, at 0:03:57
It does for me at a very low dose. 25 to 50 mgs. More than that and I'm a bit sluggish the next day. Improved the overall quality of my sleep and helped me to fall asleep quicker. Take it about an hour before bed time. I think what I learned is that it isn't used that often anymore for its antidepressant qualities because at the dose needed it is too sedating. But for a sleep aid it works well.
Good luck,
Kim
Posted by skills on February 21, 2002, at 4:40:42
In reply to Trazodone, is it good ?, posted by janejj on February 21, 2002, at 0:03:57
Trazodone is very good at first for sleeping. It was effective for me at 50 mg and then 100mg. However over three months a tolerance developed and it was no longer useful. Unlike most ADs it is not a problem to stop immediately. Trazodone also rapidly elevated my overall mood after 2 weeks....very useful especially for depression.
Posted by Jaynee on February 21, 2002, at 10:40:39
In reply to Trazodone, is it good ?, posted by janejj on February 21, 2002, at 0:03:57
I tried 50mg of Trazodone when my anxiety was really bad. It didn't put me to sleep. I didn't bother to try 100mg, instead I went on Celexa, which has helped me somewhat. My friend recommended the Trazodone, she has taken 50mg for over 2 years to sleep. It works very well for her. Everyone is different. Another Girlfriend took Trazodone for 4 months when she was having a very bad bout of anxiety/depression. She had to take 150mg. It worked well for her as well. She only took it for 4 months. This last bout of clinical depression she decided to take Zoloft. It didn't help her much, so she is now trying Celexa as well. I haven't talked to her in a week since changing to Celexa, so I'm not sure if it working for her.
Take care and good luck, Jaynee
Posted by Elizabeth on February 23, 2002, at 21:37:32
In reply to Trazodone, is it good ?, posted by janejj on February 21, 2002, at 0:03:57
(Sorry about the length of this message; I started out just answering the question, but then I found myself rambling about trazodone.)
I've tried using trazodone for insomnia on several different occasions. I started out at 50 mg. I found that it worked well for the first couple days, then I would have to raise the dose. Eventually I got to 400 mg and decided that was enough. Hey, if it didn't make me drowsy at 400 mg, maybe I should try it as an AD (the effective antidepressant dose range is 150-400 mg/day).
Desyrel (brand-name trazodone) was originally marketed as an AD, but the sedation was too much for it to be practical for most people, and today it's almost exclusively used as a sleep aid. It was approved in the USA in 1981, making it the first of the new-generation ADs. Unlike the TCAs, its actions targeted serotonin and not norepinephrine, although it isn't considered an SSRI because it acts at several sites in addition to the serotonin transporter (it's also a relatively weak serotonin reuptake inhibitor). Its actions include blockade of alpha1-adrenergic, H1 histaminic, and serotonergic (particularly types 1a, 1c, and 2) receptors. It has an active metabolite (m-chlorophenylpiperazine, or mCPP) that is a direct serotonergic agonist. The net effect on serotonin receptors is that of a mixed agonist/antagonist. Unfortunately, the significance of this complex combination of effects on the serotonergic system is unknown.
Trazodone was prescribed on a large scale as an AD for a brief time after it was approved, but it became apparent that the sedation made it impractical to use as an AD. When the SSRIs appeared on the market, therefore, it didn't pose any serious competition. Many pdocs have a perception that it's a weak antidepressant. There is some evidence suggesting that it may be ineffective in patients who have severe major depression with psychomotor retardation, although this is controversial. Trazodone does seem to be something of an anxiolytic. I've used it during the daytime a
I've heard of some people having nightmares or "bad trip" experiences on trazodone. Something to watch out for. (The metabolite mCPP can trigger panic attacks in susceptible individuals, and this might be responsible for these "bad trip"-like events. mCPP tends to accumulate because it has a longer half-life than trazodone itself does.)
So, there it is: more about trazodone than you ever wanted to know. Enjoy. :-}
-elizabeth
Posted by janejj on February 23, 2002, at 21:57:25
In reply to Re: Trazodone, is it good ?, posted by Elizabeth on February 23, 2002, at 21:37:32
Hi Elizabeth,
I really appreciate your long response, thankyou !!
regards
Janejj
Posted by TSA West on February 26, 2002, at 1:52:12
In reply to Trazodone, is it good ?, posted by janejj on February 21, 2002, at 0:03:57
Trazodone is ideal for many because one does not ever develop a tolerance to its sedative effect.
Posted by Elizabeth on February 27, 2002, at 1:05:15
In reply to Re: Trazodone, is it good ? » janejj, posted by TSA West on February 26, 2002, at 1:52:12
> Trazodone is ideal for many because one does not ever develop a tolerance to its sedative effect.
If you read my previous post, you would find a counterexample to your assertion. I developed tolerance very rapidly to trazodone. As such, it wasn't practical for me to use, since I needed something I could use every day. Ambien worked very well, so that's what I ended up using (and am now using again).
Trazodone is a good sedative-hypnotic for some people with long-term insomnia, but not for all. As a rule, making generalizations is not a good idea. True statements rarely contain words like "all," "never" [or "not ever"], "every," etc.
-e
Posted by mdertinger on March 6, 2002, at 8:43:09
In reply to Re: Trazodone, is it good ? » TSA West, posted by Elizabeth on February 27, 2002, at 1:05:15
I'm having trouble sleeping due to the great work of my anti-depressants. After reading these posts, I talked to my pdoc yesterday about Trazodone.
She told me it was very sedative, and that Serzone was a "cleaner" version of Trazodone. I'm going to try 100 mg each night.
Just an alternate idea... ask your pdoc.
Posted by beardedlady on March 6, 2002, at 8:53:20
In reply to Re: Trazodone, is it good ?-Try Serzone, posted by mdertinger on March 6, 2002, at 8:43:09
Hi. I've had chronic insomnia for three years. I've tried both.
I can't remember having any side effects from Trazodone. I think, if I'm not mistaken, it's not a drug that has to build up in your system; the effects are immediate. For me, though, they didn't last. I often had to take it with Xanax, because my sleep-related anxiety was so bad. And it pooped out after a month. I went straight to Serzone after that, got off the Xanax in just three days with no withdrawal, and felt the sleep effects of Serzone after just a week. It's been three successful Serzone years. I'm on no other meds except Sonata, occasionally, when I'm just too stressed out. Now I only take 250 mgs. At 300 mg., it reduces anxiety. At higher doses, it acts as an anti-depressant. You may find that it could work as your only med. At 375, I felt in better spirits and still slept great.
One tip: take it at night. Some nights, I sleep so hard that I have trouble getting out of bed after nine hours of sleep.
Luck.
beardy : )>
Posted by mimijean on October 19, 2004, at 7:31:40
In reply to Re: Trazodone, is it good ? » TSA West, posted by Elizabeth on February 27, 2002, at 1:05:15
> > Trazodone is ideal for many because one does not ever develop a tolerance to its sedative effect.
>I've been taking trazodone 50 mg for sleep for a year and want to stop now that I'm over the stressful period for which it was prescribed.
At 25 mg I toss & turn and wake up during the night. At zero traz I get almost no sleep and am a zombie at work. I feel addicted to the stuff. Any advice on getting off it?
Thanks!
MimiJean
Posted by jboud24 on October 20, 2004, at 1:06:46
In reply to Re: Trazodone, is it good ?, posted by mimijean on October 19, 2004, at 7:31:40
Taper like this:
Week 1 12.5mgs (1/2 25mg tab)
Week 2 6.25mgs (1/4 25mg tab) + 25mgs benadryl
for breakthrough insomnia as
needed
Week 3 50mgs benadryl / night
Week 4 25mgs benadryl / nightI've done this for 2 years with Remeron. It always works for keeping the side effects to a minimum.
I dont know. You've probably tried this before.
Just my .02Justin
Posted by mimijean on October 20, 2004, at 7:02:27
In reply to Re: Trazodone, is it good ?, posted by jboud24 on October 20, 2004, at 1:06:46
> Taper like this:
> Week 1 12.5mgs (1/2 25mg tab)
> Week 2 6.25mgs (1/4 25mg tab) + 25mgs benadryl
> for breakthrough insomnia as
> needed
> Week 3 50mgs benadryl / night
> Week 4 25mgs benadryl / night
>
> I've done this for 2 years with Remeron. It always works for keeping the side effects to a minimum.
>
> I dont know. You've probably tried this before.
> Just my .02
>
> JustinThanks, Justin.
At least I have someplace to start. I feel drowzy during the day and really want to normalize my sleep hygiene!
I had cut back to 25 mg for 2 weeks but sleeplessness was affecting my work, I stayed up too late, slept in too late. You know, the vicious cycle. So went back to 50 mg.
I'm also on Wellbutrin XL 300 and Zoloft 50 along with Topamax 100. The Topa has changed my life from a 37-yr hell of bulimic binging and purging, to finally having a normal appetite, being able to control my weight without obsessing about food. It's been 18 months now that I've felt like a human being again.
Been on just about every TCAD, SSRI and a few anti-psychotics since 1990 and recently went back to the WB & Zoloft combo.
My pdoc says the Topa should make me tired, which it did at first, but not anymore. Certainly not enough to outweigh the WB. I just want to get off the traz. I will try your titration formula, Justin. Thanks again!
MimiJean
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