Trazodone withdrawal symptoms

Hello everyone.  I am so happy that I have found this blog.  I have been on 150mg of traz for almost 2 years now, as well as cymbalta and other anti-depressants.  I finally got to the point where I was tired of being foggy and consistently just going through the motions day to day.  I knew some thing had to change.  I have been seeing a Osteopathic Doctor who is specialized in addiction medicine and he is literally a grace from heaven!  I could never have gotten to where I am without him.  I would highly recommend anyone who is struggling with prescription dependency to seek services through someone in this field.  They surely know what they are doing and although I do feel some of the symptoms (tremors, headaches, some insomnia), they are closely monitored and I feel much more at ease.  I hope this helps anyone who is going down the same road as I am!

Hi.  I'm new to this message board and I admit, I haven't read all of the past posts, but I've read quite a few.  I've been on Trazodone for over a year, 100 mg at night, which is what my (Canadian) doctor told me was the highest dose that is safe to take (?).  It was prescribed to help with the insomnia I experience as a side effect of depression.  I also take Celexa (20 mg) and Wellbutrin (150 mg).  To the person wondering if 50 mg Trazodone pills are still available, I can tell you they are (at least north of the border). I'm 36 years old and recently married for the first time.  My husband and I want to start trying for a baby and my doctor said it is not safe to take Trazodone during pregnancy.  So I have cut back from 100 mg to 75 mg (one and a half pills) at night for the last two nights.  Yesterday I didn't notice any withdrawals, but today I feel a weird sensation in the front of my head, on the left side, and a bit of cognitive "fuzziness".  No gastro-intestinal side effect so far.  Just wondering if anyone else has experienced these withdrawal symptoms or been advised not to take Trazodone during pregnancy?

i was prescrbed 50 mg for sleep, but only take 25 mg at bedtime.  it is working for me!!  I have 2 friends that have been on it for years and no problems either.

Hi Rhonda, I had trouble coming off this too, but the doctor switched me to Mirtazapine because Trazadone has stopped being produced and I was able to come off that no problem. Now they have got me on another one which is working well. I hope you managed to come off it in the end, which I should think you have because it was over a year ago that you wrote this post.

I have just started about 1 week ago of being slowly taken off Trazodone. I was on 100mg at bedtime for sleep. I had been taking it for sleep. My dosage now it 50 mgs for 2 weeks, then 50 mgs every other night for 2 weeks. Then I should be finished. I have just finished my first week and I am experiencing arm and leg twitches. It is most annoying but I know it will stop. I have a little bit of anxiety but I manage to deal with it.

My doctor left her practice. The doctor left would not prescribe it for me. It's been 6 days. I'm going crazy

Hello.  I also stopped Trazodone suddenly because I simply ran out and haven't been able to refill.  I'm feeling all these withdrawal symptoms described here, plus creappy crawly feelings on my skin, sweats, severe headaches, etc.   Do these feelings go away?  Please help

JC

Your testimonial was very helpful. I went through something very similar after going cold turkey three days ago. Lack of sleep and really bad depression...no fun at all. I have been on 10.25 mg for a long time but will wean myself off little more gradually now. After five years of taking this stuff I am somewhat doubtful that I can get off completely. It worries me that my body stopped producing enough serotonin on it's own (or whatever substance Trazodone works with) that it will be impossible to get off. I just really hate meds. :(

Everyone breaks down drugs differently. For some people, regardless of the dose, stopping the medication will cause withdrawal symptoms. We are all biochemically and genetically wired differently from one another. Since this medications affects neurotransmitter substances in the brain and other parts of the body, withdrawal from the medication can cause symptoms as others have described above. Since the medication is also given for a sleep disorder, insomnia, it affects the area of the brain that is involved with the sleep-wake cycle. When you stop taking it, for some people, it may cause insomnia, because the brain has been changed as a result of the drug. Some of the literature from the FDA and drug companies state that it does not cause withdrawal. This is not true. All medications that are given for mood and mental disorders change brain chemistry. They affect the absorption and secretion of neurotransmitter substances such as serotonin and dopamine, to name a few. Abrupt removal of any of these medications, regardless of dose, can cause moderate to severe withdrawal symptoms in some people. I am grateful for the internet because people can share their experiences and stories. This cuts through the misinformation given by drug companies to avoid liability. It is only recently that information regarding discontinuation syndrome from many of these medications is available to the public. I am not a physician. I am a nurse who reads quite extensively. What I have read regarding withdrawal of these medications is as follows: wean very slowly and in smaller increments if you have incapacitating withdrawal symptoms. Try not to add more medications to handle the withdrawal symptoms. Every weaning schedule has to be individualized. Hang in there and keep on trying.

My 15 yr old daughter that is on 100 mg traz for sleep and anxiety from a concussion, having difficulty with aching joints and extreme weakness. Dr said to go off without tapering, she has been crying all day, afraid that we aren't doing this the correct way????

Yes, it is possible the crying is from trazodone withdrawal. The same thing happened to me when I tried to stop it cold turkey - crying for no apparent reason at all (I am a male in his mid-20s). About 9 months later, I have cut the dosage from 50 to 25 to 12.5 to 6.25 mg to nothing over a period of several months. (I was taking it for sleep.) My first night without it I slept poorly but had a lot more energy when I woke up than I usually do. Won't know for several months how things will be long-term. And if things go well after that hopefully I can come off Zoloft (generic). We'll see.

thank you so much ,I was getting ready to go to the emergency room ,I feel horrible.

I have been taking traodone for 3 years now or a little longer I was put on it for to help me sleep....I went from 50 mg a night to 75mg to 50 mg and now I just started taking 1/2 of a 50mg which is 25mg for  4 days now,  and I feel very irratible, very sad and I cry alot I also thought about suicide..but I want to get of this medication cause it don't really help me sleep no more....so to anyone taking Trazodone becareful when trying to stop because there are side effects after taking it for years....good luck and god bless...

Btw this is my post :)
Hope it helps!!!

Slowly tapper her of and if she is anything like me she will still have withdrawals :(I have been on trazodone for 3 years..