Overview Of Trazodone
Potential Side Effects
Headaches, dry mouth, constipation, confusion, and blurry vision are some of the most common side effects associated with trazodone. Patients who use the medication frequently report ringing in the ears, dizziness, fatigue, weight loss, and loss of appetite as well. Nausea and vomiting could develop, and some individuals may notice sensations of numbness, burning, or tingling. Serious side effects such as chest pain, seizures, heart rhythm changes, fainting, and breathing difficulties have occurred. Patients might have panic attacks or notice unusual bleeding or bruising. If these side effects occur, the patient should seek urgent medical care.
Patients should also seek emergency care if they experience suicidal thoughts or worsening depression. In rare cases, individuals using trazodone have reported auditory hallucinations. Patients should be closely monitored for mood changes while taking this drug, and they should mention any side effects to their physician. If side effects are bothersome, reducing the dose could make the drug more tolerable.
Precautions to Remember
Trazodone may not be safe for patients with epilepsy, long QT syndrome, narrow-angle glaucoma, bleeding disorders, or heart disease. Before taking this medicine, patients should let their doctor know about any history of heart attacks, liver disease, kidney disease, bipolar disorder, substance use, or suicidal thoughts. Patients who are pregnant should discuss the risks and benefits of trazodone use with their physician. They may be placed on a pregnancy registry to monitor the pregnancy and the impact of trazodone on the newborn baby. Researchers do not know if trazodone passes into breastmilk, and patients who are breastfeeding should discuss this with their doctor.
Trazodone should be taken with food, and it can be taken with a meal or a snack. The medication needs to be stored away from light, moisture, and heat. It usually takes around two weeks of treatment with trazodone for patients to begin to notice an improvement in their symptoms. Taking this medicine with alcohol could be fatal, and the medicine can slow down an individual's reaction time. Patients should not drive or operate heavy machinery until they understand how the medicine impacts them. To reduce the risk of dizziness, it is advisable to get up slowly from a sitting or lying position. If the patient misses a dose of trazodone, the missed dose can be taken as soon as it is remembered. However, the missed dose should be skipped if it is almost time for the next one, and the patient should never take two doses at once. Patients who want to discontinue trazodone should speak with their doctor about tapering the dose to avoid withdrawal symptoms.
