This includes serious, life threatening bleeding, and bleeding-related events, such as nosebleeds, bruising, or skin discoloration due to bleeding below your skin. Trazodone belongs to a class of drugs called antidepressants. A class of drugs is a group of medications that work in a similar way. This is because both https://sober-home.org/oxycodone-overdose-signs-risks-and-treatment/ are central nervous system depressants, slowing down the activity of your brain. Taking them together can cause additive effects, increasing the likelihood of adverse reactions, which can be serious and even fatal in some cases. It’s imperative to familiarize yourself with any medications you’re taking, consult a healthcare professional with any questions, and follow the guidelines in place.
Trazodone & Alcohol: Risks, Interactions & Safety Measures
If you stop taking this drug suddenly or don’t take it, your depression may not get better. If you need to stop taking this drug, your doctor will slowly lower your dose over time. Trazodone is an antidepressant that belongs to a group of drugs called serotonin receptor antagonists and reuptake inhibitors (SARIs). While trazodone is not a true member of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) class of antidepressants, it does still share many properties of the SSRIs. As has been touched on earlier, trazodone is often an important component of mental health treatment. When combined with talk treatments like cognitive behavioral therapy, it can do a great deal to improve many people’s quality of life and allow them to gain control over their depression.
FDA warning: Risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors
In case a patient has consumed these two substances, seek emergency medical help for a safer recovery process. However, experts are not sure about how great this risk is and how much it should be considered in deciding whether a child or teenager should take an antidepressant. Children younger than 18 years of age should not normally take trazodone, but in some cases, a doctor may decide that trazodone is the best medication to treat a child’s condition. These avenues should be explored in future investigations.
If I stop taking trazodone, will I experience certain side effects, such as withdrawal symptoms?
Combining both can certainly increase the risk of certain side effects, such as excess sedation, dizziness, and confusion, to name a few. Additionally, since you take trazodone to sleep, your sleep quality might decrease with the combination. Serotonin is a chemical that normally promotes a feeling of mental wellbeing. Trazodone is also indicated for the treatment of insomnia and anxiety symptoms. Trazodone is an antidepressant in the serotonin modulators class of drugs. It is used to treat depression and works by increasing the action of serotonin in your brain.
While the drug is legal for adults to purchase, it is actually more dangerous than many more tightly regulated substances. Alcohol can interfere with this type of treatment, especially if a person is routinely drinking heavy amounts of alcohol as a way to try and reduce negative feelings they’re having. While unfortunately relatively common, this is often a practice that reduces a person’s overall mental health and can result in severe drug abuse and addiction. If trazodone or another medication is being taken for mental health concerns but someone is unable to stop drinking, despite the risks, they may have a dual-diagnosis. This refers to having co-occurring disorders with mental health and substance misuse at the same time. Both trazodone and alcohol are central nervous system (CNS) depressants.
Some people with a long history of heavy drinking may find their liver problems getting worse while taking trazodone. A trazodone overdose can cause serious side effects—and could be life-threatening. It is safest to keep this medication in its original bottle with the lid tightly sealed. Make sure it is out of reach of children and kept in a cool, dry place. Rooms with heat and moisture, such as the bathroom after a shower, are not the best storage place for trazodone. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, your healthcare provider may explore other treatment options for you besides trazodone.
Because of these risks, controlled substances are regulated by the federal government. Doctors must follow specific rules when prescribing them. However, these risks and rules do not apply to trazodone. However, you should not give a dog any medication that’s not specifically been prescribed for it. You should only give trazodone to a dog if it’s been prescribed by a veterinarian.
Always tell your healthcare provider about any prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, vitamins/minerals, herbal products, and other supplements you are using. The most common side effects of trazodone are listed below. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any of these side effects that bother you. The safety and effectiveness of this drug haven’t been established in children. This drug shouldn’t be used in people younger than 18 years. If you have a history of mania or bipolar disorder, your doctor may need to prescribe a different medication.
Desyrel is the brand-name medication that trazodone is based on. There are no known interactions between trazodone and foods or drinks. Tell your healthcare provider if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Your healthcare provider will advise you if you should take trazodone while breastfeeding. Do not share trazodone with other people, even if they have the same condition as you.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Stop taking trazodone and call your doctor at once if you have a penis erection that is painful or lasts 6 hours or longer. This is a medical emergency and could lead to a serious condition that must be corrected with surgery. Overdose symptoms may include extreme drowsiness, vomiting, penis erection that is painful or prolonged, fast or pounding heartbeat, seizure (black-out or convulsions), or breathing that slows or stops. You should not stop using this medicine suddenly, or you could have unpleasant symptoms (such as dizziness, vomiting, agitation, sweating, confusion, numbness, tingling, or electric shock feelings). Your doctor should check your progress at regular visits.
This is another crucial reason why it is not advised to drink when prescribed Desyrel. Take note that no matter what antidepressant a patient is taking, weed must never be consumed as this may produce dangerous adverse effects, including drug abuse and addiction. In case of emergency in terms of this interaction, seek emergency medical help as soon as possible in order to avoid other health dangers. If a patient is seen to be abusing these two substances, consider reaching out to substance abuse centers for a safer recovery process. Check with your doctor right away if you have anxiety, restlessness, a fast heartbeat, fever, sweating, muscle spasms, twitching, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or see or hear things that are not there.
- This includes adults and children ages 24 years and younger.
- Payment of benefits are subject to all terms, conditions, limitations, and exclusions of the member’s contract at time of service.
- Moreover, understand that there is no safe amount of alcohol to consume with Desyrel, and with higher doses of the drug, there is an even greater risk of side-effects.
Symptoms of serotonin syndrome include agitation, hallucinations, confusion or trouble thinking, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Some young people have thoughts about suicide when first taking an antidepressant. Your doctor will need to check your progress at regular visits while you are using trazodone. Your family or other caregivers should also be alert to changes in your mood or symptoms. Some doctors may prescribe trazodone for insomnia, a common symptom of alcohol withdrawal syndrome.
These effects may go away within a few days or a couple of weeks. If they’re more severe or don’t go away, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. Using trazodone with other drugs that make you drowsy can worsen this effect. Ask your doctor before using opioid medication, a sleeping pill, a muscle relaxer, or medicine for anxiety or seizures. This medicine will add to the effects of alcohol and other CNS depressants (medicines that make you drowsy or less alert).
If you or a loved one is struggling with alcohol or substance use, you may want to seek help from healthcare professionals. Various treatment options are available for those living with trazodone abuse or alcohol addiction. I understand your concern about mixing alcohol with trazodone.
They also may be able to recommend tools that can make it simpler to open lids. Your doctor can provide you with details about these interactions with trazodone. With insomnia, you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. It isn’t known whether this side effect was more common in males or females.
Side effects are usually mild, but possible serious side effects include rapid heart rate, vision problems, and increased suicidal thoughts. Do not use this medicine if you have used an MAO inhibitor in the past 14 days. MAO inhibitors include isocarboxazid, https://sober-home.org/ linezolid, methylene blue injection, phenelzine, tranylcypromine, and others. Do not use this medicine if you have taken an MAO inhibitor in the past 14 days. MAO inhibitors include isocarboxazid, linezolid, phenelzine, tranylcypromine and others.
Below is a table of medications that can interact with trazodone. This table does not contain all drugs that may interact with trazodone. The maximum dose of trazodone varies depending on where the drug is prescribed. In some cases, your doctor may prescribe a lower dosage of trazodone, such as 25 mg per day. If you have questions about the dosage that’s right for your condition, talk with your doctor. Keep in mind that trazodone is not recommended for use in bipolar disorder.
