Tapering off Trazodone

[Crystalhiggs]

Thank you, no I haven't tried fish oils, are they good for anxiety?

Having a tough day today! Feel shaky and legs are like jelly. Really struggling. Felt as though I was going to faint earlier. :(

How are you getting on now? X

[Giraffe11]

Yes I've heard they are.. And although I'm a strict vegetarian I am tempted by them.

I've had a little blip actually, so my GP wanted me to up my dose to 100mg from 50mg... I e read a lot about it though and am scared stiff of coming off of this drug. All I have read are stories typical to yours with people suffering terribly.

My GP said when I'm ready to come off, just stop! There's no way I'm doing that!

I've increased my Fluoxetine from 20mg to 30mg instead and am considering tapering the Traz in a few weeks ... I just don't know how to as I'm prescribed 50mg capsules?!

How are you doing now? Xx

[Crystalhiggs]

Hi hun oh I'm sorry you're having a blip :( What are you experiencing?

I hate trazodone it has completely messed me up. I only took it to help me sleep and had no idea I would suffer like this.

I'm a bit better now, Monday was awful. I still feel quite anxious but not as extreme.

How long have you been on traz now?

I take the liquid form so it's easier to taper but perhaps you can cut down to 25 then 12.5 then stop? It hasn't been too long so hopefully you'll be ok.

My advice based on my experience would be to cut down now. I certainly wouldnt go on a higher dose but as I said I'm only going on my experience. It's a horrible drug and the longer you're on it the harder it will be to come off.

Sorry if that doesn't sound positive but in the five months I've been on it I've only had about 2 good weeks!

3 more days and I'm off it. I suspect there will be a couple of tricky weeks but hopefully then back to normal.

We are all different though and you might well be ok!!! Keep me posted! Xx

[SADnomore]

Indeed I can attest we are all different. I found it the absolute ticket to get off of zoplicone (which is addictive). Maybe because I was coming off a strong sleep med, I found it quite mild, and as it is short-acting, had next to no residual effect on rising. Stopped it on my own after a few weeks. No problems whatsoever. I took it again after a few months, when I went through a distressing week and had a tough time getting to sleep, it helped, and once again I stopped taking it with no trouble.

In fact, 50 mg is so mild, it doesn't always work, if I'm too keyed up. Not saying your experience isn't real for you. Just saying, it's not a horrible drug. We are all different, that's all. (To be honest, I think you have just been unlucky with it. I haven't run across anyone else who has struggled coming off of trazodone by itself.)
Good luck

[Crystalhiggs]

I think any drug that can do to a person what trazodone has done to me can be classed as a horrible drug. I'm glad for you that you didn't suffer, but I have and am big time. The Internet is full of withdrawal horror stories, and I am indeed unfortunate to be one of them.

I do wonder if the liquid form is more potent than the pills. Also I am very tiny in height and weight so perhaps that has contributed. Whatever the reasons I need to be off this ASAP. Woke up shaky this morning after only around 3 hours sleep.

Anyway 2 more days at 5mg and then off it. Hope these side effects will wear off quickly!

[Crystalhiggs]

Feeling rough today. Extremely tired and a bit down, this morning I was very anxious and on edge, now I just feel quite low :( obviously not sleeping doesn't help but I can normally get through the day better than this...

Wish I could fast forward a couple of weeks and (hopefully!) have this out of my system physically and mentally!

[MyNameIsTerry]

Crystal, weight does play a part in drug elimination as does speed of metabolism. So, it might make your taper need to be a bit slower but unless you have real metabolic issues it probably won't be by much.

It sounds like coming of the lower dose is the harder part so see it as side effects and keep going. I found coming off the lowest dose of Citalopram was worse in terms of side effects but quite manageable when at a good stage in recovery so keep going.

[SADnomore]

There is also always the option of cross-tapering or switching to something else with a longer shelf-life. It would then make the slow taper from that longer-acting drug soooo much easier to take.

[Crystalhiggs]

Oh well I had another really bad night :( feel quite shaky again this morning. But determined that tonight is my last night on traz and will have to see how it goes.

I really don't want to take any more medication.

It's so hard to think clearly after 2 nights of such little sleep, but Trazodone has just made me feel awful most of the time and I need to be free of it.

I know the side effects will pass, as hard as they are. I just need to be able to sleep naturally again.

Thanks for your replies. X

[Crystalhiggs]

Took my last 5mg dose last night!

Had a good sleep, still feel a bit wobbly this morning.

I hope and pray that there won't be any bad side effects from stopping completely!