Trazadone

@mmwagner46
At the time I was taking it I was really having a bad time with PTSD and anxiety/panic disorder. I had gone through an event where I really needed help sleeping and coping. I was taking in every night. I told my psychiatric medication counselor/specialist that I would prefer not being dependent on it long term.

We worked out a plan to slowly come off and move it to a "use as needed." I was able to do some lifestyle changes including exercise routine I like doing that allowed to slowly taper off. I was at that time also taking Xanac which I also went to "as needed."

I did though find Trazodone very effective for me. It stopped my mind from racing and allowed a good night sleep. I did though have very vivid dreams. Being able to get a full good night sleep did wonders for me. My psychiatric specialist said that vivid dreams were common (something about serotonin?) side effects and not something unique to me.

Hope that helped. I have not taken Trazodone for over a year now. I did take Xanax during last year a couple of days. My wife was undergoing eye surgery, and I was extremely worried and anxious.

I hope I answered your question.

@jc76 How are you sleeping now? Are you taking anything for sleep? Trazedone has been wonderful for me without vivid dreams...although I seem to remember parts of dreams better.
So , are your vivid dreams disturbing?

If you read the labels on any medication you would never take anything.
Unless you have an MD after your name find a good PCP and follow their advice.
Relying on Doctor Google for advice is a fools errand.
Good luck to everyone out there but please don’t try to play doctor. It doesn’t end up well.

I check out any medication but only use reliable source ( not Reddit or google) like Mayo and Cleveland clinic. You should be getting patient info sheets from your pharmacy and the pharmacist should alert you to possible problems when two meds are contraindicated. An example I was given a new med which slowed my heart rate and was already one that did the same thing so they were hesitant to fill it but did so when I told them my doctor was aware and it was the purpose of giving me two. We have to be our own advocate but that doesn’t make us doctors or pharmacists but knowledge to discuss with our care team. A good doctor will not be offended by your questions.

@mmwagner46
I am sleeping fine. I do play some tricks like balance my checkbook and or count my calories for todays eating, etc. It just makes my mind not wander and seems to work fine for me.

I don't take anything for sleep anymore. My trazadone prescription is "as needed" but have not had to refill it in couple of years now.

My dreams are not disturbing at all. Just very vivid and life like. You know when you asked yourself in your dreams is this real? Or you wake up and say wow was that a dream? Like you mentioned I think biggest thing was remembering them and could recall them when I woke up when I was taking the medication.

FYI: My original prescription was for Ambien. Did nothing for me at all. Surprising as I had heard many other posts saying could fall asleep easy with it. The trazadone really gave me a good night's sleep. I did have some drossinies (spell) when I woke up much like the same feeling with I have taken melatonin in the past.

I have been taking trazadone for several years now for sleep. It is working great. I was recently prescribed Melatonin to take at night also, it helps with my restless legs.

I take trazodone for sleep and it seems to be working fine. I have heard that Benadryl is dangerous for older people because it can lead to dementia. I was taking clonazepam before trazodone, but was asked to get off of that due to gait and balance problems. I’ve been working on getting off of it for several months. I am down to .25 mg currently I do have vivid dreams with the trazodone, but I actually like having them.

@tslayden
I have to agree with your comment on liking the trazodone vivid dreams. It is kind of like watching a movie on your T.V. versus the same movie on I Max Theater.

Everyone is different on what works. Trazodone worked for us but for some it does not. I was asked if my vivid dreams were frightening. I answered no just so vivid during dream. I would asked myself in dream am I dreaming and when woke up would be wow that is quite a dream.

I could remember them and be able to talk about them. My Psychiatric mentioned something about it raising serotonin but I don't remember exactly what she said.

I was a little groggy in the mornings when I woke up when I was taking it. But that was fine with me as I had a good night's sleep. I was originally on .50 and worked down to .25 then half of that. Have not taken over a year now but is always there if needed.

@jc76 Not clear...how much Trazodone do you take? Are you saying 50mg., then 25mg and now half of that? And that little helps you sleep through the night? I'm taking 150mg and think tonight I'll try going down to 100mg.

@mmwagner46
I wanted to make sure I answered accurately on dosage so went and got bottle.

Yes the dose I have is 50 MG tablet. I was prescribed to take 1 tablet at bed time. That dosage really worked.

My psychiatric medication specialist asked me when (this was some time ago) I felt I could lesson dose to try going to 25 mg. The pill has a crease in it to break in half.

When I went to 25 mg I could tell the difference between the 50 mg. and 25 mg. Then over time started skipping a night and eventually stopped taking all together. I think in the last year have not take at all but it took about a year to get to the point of not needing a dosage.

I think I mentioned that I still have the tendency to have my mind focus on something bothering me or race between things. So I have developed a technique of focusing on something that requires me to focus on one thing. Like last night I went to bed and when I found myself starting to worry about something and mind moving around I tried to add up all the calories I ate at breakfast, then lunch, then dinner, and any snacking inbetween. Never got to dinner. I guess it is a form of counting sheep which trying to count sheep. Counting sheep never worked for me as could not visualize the sheep jumping over a fence.

My wife also takes Trazodone for anxiety disorder and to help her get to sleep. She has had a lot of surgeries over the last few years and a person who has trouble relaxing.

She will take a 50 mg when she is suffering to get to sleep and a 25 mg when she is not upset or worrying. She too has tried to wean off and for most part lately she has not had take every night.