Take Trazodone on a need basis

Posted by silmil93 @silmil93, Dec 22, 2025

Hello everyone,

I've just been prescribed Venlafaxine 75mg and started taking it on the 19th of December. Since then I have a terrible insomnia, I can barely sleep 3 hours per night. Prior to Venlafaxine I was talking clonazepam for panic attacks 2mg before bedtime, which I'm still taking but unfortunately it doesn't help with the insomnia caused by Venlafaxine.
My doctor suggested taking Trazodone on a need basis in addition to clonazepam 2 mg but I am wondering if that might cause some side effects as it's an antidepressant and usually antidepressants take up to 6 weeksto work. Would that be different for insomnia? Has anyone taken on a need basis? If so, what was your experience?
Thank you

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Depression & Anxiety Support Group.

I take clonopin for panic disorder and anxiety. I’m “allowed” 1mg 3x daily. I have Tardive dyskinesia, but this doesn’t help with my symptoms. Anyway, if it wasn’t for Trazadone, I’d never sleep again! Just make sure you’re in your bed when you take it, it acts fast.

REPLY
Profile picture for sandysurf @sandysurf

I take clonopin for panic disorder and anxiety. I’m “allowed” 1mg 3x daily. I have Tardive dyskinesia, but this doesn’t help with my symptoms. Anyway, if it wasn’t for Trazadone, I’d never sleep again! Just make sure you’re in your bed when you take it, it acts fast.

Jump to this post

@sandysurf thank you for sharing that. Do you take it on a regular basis and how much?

REPLY

I use Trazedone on an as needed basis for sleeo. It works very well for me. Unfortunately, one has to try psychotopic meds to see how they work for you. Gene Sight testing can assist in knowing how you metabolize a certain med but I have seen people not have the reaction they and their doctor had hoped.

REPLY
Profile picture for karinkb @karinkb

I use Trazedone on an as needed basis for sleeo. It works very well for me. Unfortunately, one has to try psychotopic meds to see how they work for you. Gene Sight testing can assist in knowing how you metabolize a certain med but I have seen people not have the reaction they and their doctor had hoped.

Jump to this post

@karinkb thank you. I'll try it and see how it goes. Fingers crossed

REPLY
Profile picture for sandysurf @sandysurf

I take clonopin for panic disorder and anxiety. I’m “allowed” 1mg 3x daily. I have Tardive dyskinesia, but this doesn’t help with my symptoms. Anyway, if it wasn’t for Trazadone, I’d never sleep again! Just make sure you’re in your bed when you take it, it acts fast.

Jump to this post

@sandysurf unfortunately for me it takes an hour and a half to two hours to kick in and then I don’t have a very restful sleep. Every person is different.

REPLY

The antidepressant dose of Trazadone is generally much higher than that needed for sleep, 150-375 mg per day for depression. For sleep docs usually start at 50 mg a night. You don’t need to build up blood levels when taking it for sleep so taking it as needed is ok. It’s only when using for depression that you need to stay on it every day to let blood levels build up.

I hope this answers your question

REPLY
Profile picture for laura1970 @laura1970

The antidepressant dose of Trazadone is generally much higher than that needed for sleep, 150-375 mg per day for depression. For sleep docs usually start at 50 mg a night. You don’t need to build up blood levels when taking it for sleep so taking it as needed is ok. It’s only when using for depression that you need to stay on it every day to let blood levels build up.

I hope this answers your question

Jump to this post

@laura1970 thank you so much for the clarification!

REPLY

I had severe insomnia. I was treated by two doctors, I drank everything and anything. And lo and behold, I went to the next doctor. He prescribed me Zoloft 100 mg. In the morning + Trazadone 50 mg. in the evening. After two weeks, a miracle happened, I started sleeping for 6-8 hours without waking up. My experience tells me that you have to be persistent. And even changing the psychiatrist brings results.

REPLY
Profile picture for silmil93 @silmil93

@sandysurf thank you for sharing that. Do you take it on a regular basis and how much?

Jump to this post

@silmil93
Every single night, or I’d never sleep again!

REPLY
Profile picture for voja1953 @voja1953

I had severe insomnia. I was treated by two doctors, I drank everything and anything. And lo and behold, I went to the next doctor. He prescribed me Zoloft 100 mg. In the morning + Trazadone 50 mg. in the evening. After two weeks, a miracle happened, I started sleeping for 6-8 hours without waking up. My experience tells me that you have to be persistent. And even changing the psychiatrist brings results.

Jump to this post

@voja1953 that’s so interesting as Zoloft is generally considered sleep neutral (it causes sedation at the same rate it causes insomnia). Is it possible that you had an undiagnosed depression?

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.