1. < Depression & Anxiety

Trazadone use for insomnia for seniors

Posted by briarrose @briarrose, Nov 22, 2023

I am 68 years young and suffering from insomnia since age 53. Multiple life stressors/changes kicked it off. I had hoped once I retired, remarried and relocated to a lovely home it would finally stop but it has not. I can fall asleep fairly quickly, my issue is staying asleep & once I wake up can take up to 3 hours to fall back to sleep. 3 AM I am always awake to about 530...but always after just 3 1/2 hours of sleep I start my awakenings. Tried sleeping aids, ambien the best but suffered from the amnesia side effects...& belsomra same. Now looking at trazadone. I am also on Zoloft for a severe panic d/o, some depression & PTSD. Multiple health issues. Any thoughts on trazadone for a 68 y.o. woman?

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kawanhee | @kawanhee | Feb 6, 2024

I see a sleep therapist and she recommends trazadone, doxepin, or mirtazapine.
My sleep patterns were similar to yours. Trazadone affected my liver enzymes (which I’ve had issues with previously) and you can’t take doxepin if you have glaucoma. So I’ve been on a very low dose of mirtazapine and it’s been a life changer for me.
Good luck!

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bearbayou | @bearbayou | Jun 18 4:46am
In reply to @taylorju "I took a course in Transcendental Meditation many years ago and was disciplined to practice it..." + (show)
@taylorju

I took a course in Transcendental Meditation many years ago and
was disciplined to practice it twice daily. Before breakfast and before dinner. It kept me calm through a stressful job and 3 Children. Occasionally, I used it at bedtime and cleared my mind
preventing the ruminating I am now doing.
I am working to get back to my schedule. Retired and in smaller quarters with a new husband, I need to find a quiet space for my
discipline. Very important.
Also exercise daily.
I highly recommend the two.

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Yes for Meditation and for exercise!!

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mitfit | @mitfit | Jun 18 7:46am

I have found Trazodone to be the answer. It is non-addictive and it really works. No morning drowsiness.

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1 reply
mwendt54 | @mwendt54 | Jun 19 9:39am

I’ve taken trazadone for over 30 years and it’s been a godsend. I’m 70 and I’ve never felt groggy the morning after.

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mwendt54 | @mwendt54 | Jun 19 9:46am
In reply to @con123 "I took clonazepam 1mg at bedtime for almost 20 years. As soon as I turned 65,..." + (show)
@con123

I took clonazepam 1mg at bedtime for almost 20 years. As soon as I turned 65, I had to taper off it. This despite a long history of same dose, never increasing and consistently helping me sleep through the night. It was one of the hardest thing I ever did, and although we did it very slowly over 9 months, everything the clonazepam treated came back in full force. Totally sleepless nights, anxiety, and my focal dystonia. Tried Remeron for 5 months and it did basically nothing for me. Eventually started using CBD/THC gummies and 5/7 nights are very good. For some reason, I have a lot of difficulty sleeping 2 nights a week even with the gummie. I hope to one day learn to sleep without any aid. Trazadone was prescribed many years ago for anxiety and it made me feel nauseous dizzy.

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@ con123

I can relate. I’ve been on alprazolam 1mg three times a day as needed for over 30 years for debilitating anxiety. I live in fear that when my psychiatrist retires I’ll never find another physician to prescribe it for me. I just turned 70 and I know that if I stopped it would need to be tapered very slowly. Truth be told, I hope to stay on it until the day I die. I could never live with the extreme anxiety I’d have without it. I’ve built a tolerance to it, but it still takes the edge off.

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1 reply
orioncecilebarnes | @orioncecilebarnes | 6 days ago

I have been on Trazadone for years does not work I am awake most of the night

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orioncecilebarnes | @orioncecilebarnes | 6 days ago
In reply to @mwendt54 "@ con123 I can relate. I’ve been on alprazolam 1mg three times a day as needed..." + (show)
@mwendt54

@ con123

I can relate. I’ve been on alprazolam 1mg three times a day as needed for over 30 years for debilitating anxiety. I live in fear that when my psychiatrist retires I’ll never find another physician to prescribe it for me. I just turned 70 and I know that if I stopped it would need to be tapered very slowly. Truth be told, I hope to stay on it until the day I die. I could never live with the extreme anxiety I’d have without it. I’ve built a tolerance to it, but it still takes the edge off.

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I too haveç xtreme anxiety what a battle

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ericamonique | @ericamonique | 6 days ago

I'm 70 years old and I've used Trazodone for the past 15 years. I've had no side effects, but I've had to increase my dose from 1 tablet to 3 tablets at night. I still wake up a few times during the night but I'm usually able to get back to sleep. However, I would like to slowly taper off my dose back to 1 tablet/night. I'm looking into melatonin - not sure if that will work!

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1 reply
adrienne9484 | @adrienne9484 | 5 days ago
In reply to @mitfit "I have found Trazodone to be the answer. It is non-addictive and it really works. No..." + (show)
@mitfit

I have found Trazodone to be the answer. It is non-addictive and it really works. No morning drowsiness.

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I take 200mg Trazadone at bedtime. It works

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1 reply
kawanhee | @kawanhee | 3 days ago
In reply to @ericamonique "I'm 70 years old and I've used Trazodone for the past 15 years. I've had no..." + (show)
@ericamonique

I'm 70 years old and I've used Trazodone for the past 15 years. I've had no side effects, but I've had to increase my dose from 1 tablet to 3 tablets at night. I still wake up a few times during the night but I'm usually able to get back to sleep. However, I would like to slowly taper off my dose back to 1 tablet/night. I'm looking into melatonin - not sure if that will work!

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I use mirtazapine for sleep and used to take 1 mg of melatonin with it. I now just take the melatonin when I travel because I don’t sleep well when I’m away.

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