It is used to treat depression and works by increasing the action ofserotoninin your brain.
In addition to being used for managing depression, it can be used to treatinsomniaand anxiety.
Trazodone comes in a tablet and an extended-release tablet.
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Common brand names include Desyrel, Desyrel Dividose, and Oleptro.
Uses
Trazodone is used to controlsymptoms of depression, but it cannot cure depression.
Your healthcare provider may start you at a low dose and gradually increase it.
Trazodone increases serotonin activity in your brain.
Trazodone may interact with many other medications.
Talk to your healthcare provider about all medications, supplements, and vitamins that you currently take.
If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, your healthcare provider may explore other treatment options for you besides trazodone.
Precautions and Contraindications
Trazodone should be used with caution in teenagers and young adults.
Trazodone should not be used in patients with a history of heart disease or a recent heart attack.
If you have a history ofglaucoma, trazodone could worsen it.
Your healthcare provider may ask you to have an eye exam before prescribing it.
It is available in a generic form.
You may go up by 50 mg every few days, with a maximum dose of 400 mg.
The maximum daily dose for extended-release tablets is 375 mg per day.
All listed dosages are according to the drug manufacturer.
Check your prescription and talk to your healthcare provider to confirm you are taking the right dose for you.
How to Take and Store
Aim to take your prescription at the same time each day.
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember.
If your next dose is coming up, skip the missed dose, and never double your prescription.
Because trazodone can cause drowsiness, you may need to wait until the evening to take your dose.
It is safest to keep this medication in its original bottle with the lid tightly sealed.
see to it it is out of reach of children and kept in a cool, dry place.
Talk with your healthcare provider about changes in mood or thoughts that you should look for.
Have a list of emergency phone numbers to call for help if you notice yourself thinking of self-harm.
When taken with other antidepressants, trazodone could causeserotonin syndrome.
This happens when there is too much serotonin activity in your body.
You could experience shivering, diarrhea, fever, seizures, and loss of consciousness.
If you notice any of these symptoms while taking trazodone, talk with your healthcare provider right away.
Your practitioner will most likely give you a schedule for gradually reducing your dosage.
Trazodone(Oral Route) Precautions.
Food and Drug Administration.Trazodone highlights of prescribing.
OleptroTM (trazodone hydrochloride) extended-release tablets.P T. 2011;36(2):2-18.
