Is Trazodone any good for anxiety relief?

[karenp]

I've tried it once for 18 days but what I thought was start up effects turned out to be withdrawal from Mirtazapine so I quit the wrong drug. I just wasn't getting any better on Mirt and TG am finally off it (it's not nice to come off at all). I'm also sensitive to SSRI's causing me to have panic attacks on start up so got put on Venlafaxine last week but though it's not quite as bad as the SSR's, it did give me some heightened anxiety but it sadly made me violently sick so I've had to come off that too.
I'm now wondering if I should ask for Trazodone back and give it a proper go but has any one taken it for anxiety?

[bernie1977]

It is prescribed off label for anxiety with a starting dose of 75mg. I started at 75mg on Monday as like you I can't tolerate SSRI's & SSRN's. I've had no side effects except for feeling sluggish on a morning but compared to the side effects of other meds I've had this is a walk in the park.

[gregcool]

My side effects are different . Im on 50mg and had to build up to this dose for about 2weeks ..taking only around 10mg for a dew nights then 20 then 30 and 40 then 50mg... im so unlucky with meds ...i just got more anxious even on these small amounts... i need to move upto 75 but will have to do the same again....to increase....i had an extra 10mg last night and had a crap night and all day felt anxiety high...

[gem7]

no its no good i am on trazdone and it dont help my anxiety i.m on 100mg i take them every day been on them a long time they dont help my depression or anxiety in fact i think they just make me worse cos since ive up my dose i feel more anxious so my advice dont take them ask for diffrant ones from your doctor

[gregcool]

shit !!!!!!!! THIS DOSNT SOUND GOOD ATALL

[karenp]

Poor you Greg, have you not been given anything at all to help you cope with the start up? No Diazepam or anything? Are you sleeping well? Are you very tearful?

[karenp]

How are you Greg? I've decided to give Traz another go mainly as I aren't sleeping at all and Mirtazapine (which I was on) never helped me get well and no longer even made me sleep. (I think Mirt made me more poorly Gem too!)
I'm starting on 50mg's, I was on 100 before but can't tolerate most ad's so this is my last hope. I recently tried Venlafazine but had terrible anxiety and was just sick every time I took it. I don't remember having any probs on Traz, just that it made me feel very weepy but I was trying to stop Mirt at the time too so don't know if I was withdrawing as having now done that, Mirtazapine is an horrible ad to come off.
How long have you been on Trazadone then Greg? I'm so sorry it's not helping you even sleep, maybe it's not the ad for you darl.

[gregcool]

Guys i must say that , its been about 6 weeks now since iv been on the 50 mg and they have helped me to sleep for sure... i get the odd night where if i wake early i cant go back to sleep,but that's down to me getting my mind in a negative way of thinking,,,, ,saying to myself that i wont go back to sleep if i wake etc .....but in general i sleep 6-7 hrs on them,which has been really good for me.when i take my 50mg around 9.30 pm, by around 10- 10.15pm im drifting quite nicely..the only thing i don't think they are helping with is my depression or anxiety,but i have heard that i need a higher dose to treat this , so will be moving it up....As for feeling tearful ,,,,,,No i haven't at all so been lucky there...i think these meds can take a few months to properly get into your system,so im going to sit it out for a couple more and see if there is any change .But one thing is for sure , they have been great for my sleep aid......

[karenp]

I'd got to the point Greg where I couldn't even sleep an hour so after my first 50mg tablet last night, I am so happy becasuse I slept from 9pm last night till 6am this morning and then fell back asleep till 8! I feel a bit groggy but it's starting to ease off quickly now I'm up and about. Only other wierdy sensation so far is my nose feels a bit numb and chin and my heart rate was a bit palpy at first but I can't feel it anymore but it's so good not to have had a panic attack this morning and I've had terrible panic attacks for days during the night due to not being able to sleep a wink. Sleep has become a nightmare for me or lack of it. It's become more of a problem than what actually triggered my anxiety.
Yer, you probs need a higher dose to get the theraputic one for treating your depression Greg (I think I read you have to go quite high for Traz to treat dep depending on how severe your depression is) and 6 weeks is still early on such a low dose. I was put on 100mg's last time. I know you've mentioned your doses are low as you are sensitive to heightened anxiety, me too darl which is why I can't tolerate ssri's but I seem ok on this 50mg and will move up if I need to as htough I do get depression sometimes, it's GAD I suffer with and the depression kick sin if I haven't slept for night or being really anxious. I feel for you as anxiety and depression together are horrible but this won't last forgver Greg, so the time syou feel extra bad, just tell yourself one day this will all be a bad dream as I have been here 4 time snow and always end up back to my old self in the end (:
Keep in touch on how you are getting along xxxx

[gregcool]

Hi again Karen.thanks for your kind words of advice....I will be upping my meds real soon so will be interesting to see what happens when i do, but for now they are helping me sleep well...still feel a bit head fog the next day and slight anxiety, But will have to see...i know you are right about it will go one day and i do always prey for that day...I hope you have plenty of sleep.....thanks again

[karenp]

I had a few weirdy side effects for the first 2 days, mainly feeling like I couldn't breathe or swollow anything properly but that could have been anxiety too only it's felt like something was supressing it! I've also felt a bit sick too and like I needed to do a huge burp, ha ha! But those side effects have pretty much gone away quickly even the horrible dry mouth and I've actually slept brilliantly for the first time in months so I'm so pleased I've given Traz another go and will def stay on it this time now. I'm still waking up pretty panicky but hopefully as I get the dose right that will all go too, are you just anxious first thing now then Greg or are you still getting anxious during the day too? For me, first thing on a morning and my sleep has always been the last thing to ever come right when I have suffered with anxiety before. Hope you are feeling back to your old self in no time at all. Have you managed to get up to 75mg's yet? I know you said you are real sensitive to hieghtened anxiety with ad's, I'm just the same Greg which is why I am on Trazodone not an SSRI. Last time I was started off on 100mg's of Trazodone and was still taking Mirtazapine too so I think it was all just too over stimulating. It took me 7 months to convince my doctor that Mirtazapine actually made me more anxious and I am so happy to be finally off it. :D

[bernie1977]

Hi Karen, glad you seem to be doing okay on the Trazodone this time round. I'm on day 17 of 75 mg. I'm still waking up with a dry mouth and feel more tired than usual but compared to past experiences on SSRI's and SNRI's it's no problem at all.

[karenp]

Thanks Bernie xxx I'm finding Trazodone really easy to start up on and only have the dry mouth SE too now but Im still waking up feeling pretty paniky so hope that starts to pass once the Traz gets more into my system or once I up my dose. I've been ill for 7 months now going through a divorce and I've tried 4 ad's that have all made me feel even worse so I'm really hoping Trazodone can kick this anxiety into touch once and for all. :mad: How are you feeling now you've been on Traz almost 3 weeks???? I was on Traz 18 days last time at 100mg's but I was taking Mirtazapine at the same time and withdrawing from it. So it's hard to say just what Trazodone was really doing for me being mixed with a meds that made me more ill and what was hard to withdraw from!

[bernie1977]

I must admit my head feels a lot clearer. Before I couldn't think straight as I was so anxious and felt in turmoil most of the time. Felt really a little anxious the last few days but just started my period so I think it's down to that.

I'm looking to increase up to 150 mg but think I will wait another week before I do that. I was on Mirtazipine in the past and it did nothing for me except making me fat! Soon as I stopped it the weight came off.

All in all I'm happy with this medication so far. Hope you see an improvement soon

[karenp]

Argggghhh, the dreaded hormones hey Bernie. Hope you feel less anxious in about a week then! :winks: But it's good to hear you are showing some signs of getting better after only 17 days on Trazodone.
Luckily I never put on any weight whilst on Mirt but it's weird no longer wanting to dash to the food cupboard every night, which I was defo doing but I was so anxious during the day I walked such a lot and could barely eat antyhing during the day but come 7pm and the munchies set in.

[Timisnotmyname]

I have been on 200mg daily for the past three years. I did cut down to 150mg for about ten months last year but found that my anxiety levels were increasing due to a change in my personal life.
It does tend to help me sleep but I do feel tired and lacking in energy all day.
Still, it's much better than citalopram that I was on before. That just turned me into a zombie (no eating human flesh though!) :)
250mg I believe is the maximum dosage outside hospital.
It dose take up to six weeks to become fully effective.