Trazodone

(traz' oh done)

Brand name(s): Desyrel

Why is this medication prescribed?

Trazodone, an antidepressant (mood elevator), is used to treat depression.

This medication is sometimes prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

How should this medicine be used?

Trazodone comes as a tablet to take by mouth. It is usually taken one or more times a day with food. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take trazodone exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor.

Continue to take trazodone even if you feel well. Do not stop taking trazodone without talking to your doctor, especially if you have taken large doses for a long time. Your doctor probably will want to decrease your dose gradually. This drug must be taken regularly for a few weeks before its full effect is felt.

Other uses for this medicine

Trazodone also is used occasionally to treat anxiety and cocaine withdrawal. Talk to your doctor about the possible risks of using this drug for your condition.

What special precautions should I follow?

Before taking trazodone,

tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to trazodone or any other drugs.

tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription drugs you are taking or have taken within the last 2 weeks, especially anticoagulants [warfarin (Coumadin)]; digoxin (Lanoxin); fluoxetine (Prozac); MAO inhibitors [phenelzine (Nardil), tranylcypromine (Parnate)]; medication for high blood pressure, seizures, asthma, colds, or allergies; muscle relaxants; sedatives; sleeping pills; thyroid medications; tranquilizers; and vitamins.

tell your doctor if you have had a recent heart attack or have ever had heart disease or high blood pressure, glaucoma, an enlarged prostate, difficulty urinating, seizures, an overactive thyroid gland, or liver or kidney disease.

tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while taking trazodone, call your doctor immediately.

if you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are taking trazodone.

you should know that this drug may make you drowsy. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how this drug affects you.

What special dietary instructions should I follow?

Trazodone should be taken shortly after a meal or light snack to decrease the chance of dizziness or lightheadedness.

What should I do if I forget a dose?

If you take several doses per day, take the missed dose as soon as you remember it and take any remaining doses for that day at evenly spaced intervals. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule.

If you take trazodone once a day at bedtime and do not remember to take it until the next morning, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one.

What side effects can this medication cause?

Side effects from trazodone are common:

What storage conditions are needed for this medicine?

Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom). Throw away any medication that is outdated or no longer needed. Talk to your pharmacist about the proper disposal of your medication.