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How To Get Off The Trazodone?
Question: i want your advise on how to get off the med trazodone . i was having trouble sleeping at nite so i take 50 mg of this med at bedtime. now i have started having heart papations, blood pressure increases, have chills,and can't sleep either. i am a diabetic so during the day time i am very tired. please help me ! thanks
Brief Answer:
Please see details below.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
I read your query and understand the distress that you seem to be having due to your symptoms. Insomnia as a symptom can be quite distressing.
I would have liked to know since when are you taking trazodone and after how many days on trazodone did you start having the symptoms of palpitations, etc.
The symptoms that you have mentioned can be due to anxiety as such. It can also be due to trazodone which can occur in the initial few days of starting trazodone.
Depending on which condition is applicable, it can be decided to either increase the dose of trazodone which can take care of the anxiety symptoms as well as insomnia. Alternatively, trazodone can be tapered off and some other medication can be started for insomnia and anxiety. Options for other medications would include sedating anti-depressants like mirtazapine or tricyclic anti-depressants like amitryptilline or other anti-depressants like escitalopram together with a sedative (like clonazepam). Since, these medications are prescription drugs, you will need to consult a psychiatrist so that proper evaluation and adequate management can be done.
In the second case, trazodone can be tapered. It will be advisable to taper it slowly. Initially, it can be reduced to 25 mg at night for around one week and then can be stopped.
In addition, it is necessary to make sure that the management for diabetes is continued as required.
I do hope that I was able to answer your query. In case you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to ask.
Best wishes,
Dr. Sunil Gupta
Please see details below.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
I read your query and understand the distress that you seem to be having due to your symptoms. Insomnia as a symptom can be quite distressing.
I would have liked to know since when are you taking trazodone and after how many days on trazodone did you start having the symptoms of palpitations, etc.
The symptoms that you have mentioned can be due to anxiety as such. It can also be due to trazodone which can occur in the initial few days of starting trazodone.
Depending on which condition is applicable, it can be decided to either increase the dose of trazodone which can take care of the anxiety symptoms as well as insomnia. Alternatively, trazodone can be tapered off and some other medication can be started for insomnia and anxiety. Options for other medications would include sedating anti-depressants like mirtazapine or tricyclic anti-depressants like amitryptilline or other anti-depressants like escitalopram together with a sedative (like clonazepam). Since, these medications are prescription drugs, you will need to consult a psychiatrist so that proper evaluation and adequate management can be done.
In the second case, trazodone can be tapered. It will be advisable to taper it slowly. Initially, it can be reduced to 25 mg at night for around one week and then can be stopped.
In addition, it is necessary to make sure that the management for diabetes is continued as required.
I do hope that I was able to answer your query. In case you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to ask.
Best wishes,
Dr. Sunil Gupta
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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