What is the most important information I should know about trazodone? Back to top

Before taking trazodone, tell your doctor if you have bipolar disorder (manic depression), heart disease or "Long QT syndrome," liver or kidney disease, a history of drug abuse or suicidal thoughts, or if you have recently had a heart attack.

You may have thoughts about suicide when you first start taking an antidepressant, especially if you are younger than 24 years old. Your doctor will need to check you at regular visits for at least the first 12 weeks of treatment.

Call your doctor at once if you have any new or worsening symptoms such as: mood or behavior changes, anxiety, panic attacks, trouble sleeping, or if you feel impulsive, irritable, agitated, hostile, aggressive, restless, hyperactive (mentally or physically), more depressed, or have thoughts about suicide or hurting yourself.

Do not drink alcohol. Trazodone can increase the effects of alcohol, which could be dangerous.

Trazodone may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert.

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.

What is trazodone? Back to top

Trazodone is an antidepressant medication. It affects chemicals in the brain that may become unbalanced and cause depression

Trazodone is used to treat depression.

Trazodone may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking trazodone? Back to top

Do not use this medication if you are allergic to trazodone.

Do not take trazodone if you have taken an MAO inhibitor such as furazolidone (Furoxone), isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam), or tranylcypromine (Parnate) in the last 14 days.

If you have any of these other conditions, you may need a trazodone dose adjustment or special tests:

• bipolar disorder (manic depression);
• heart disease;
• liver or kidney disease;
• a history of drug abuse or suicidal thoughts;
• a history of "Long QT syndrome"; or
• if you have recently had a heart attack.

You may have thoughts about suicide when you first start taking an antidepressant, especially if you are younger than 24 years old. Tell your doctor if you have worsening symptoms of depression or suicidal thoughts during the first several weeks of treatment, or whenever your dose is changed.

Your family or other caregivers should also be alert to changes in your mood or symptoms. Your doctor will need to check you at regular visits for at least the first 12 weeks of treatment.

FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether trazodone will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medication.

Trazodone may pass into breast milk and could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Do not give trazodone to anyone younger than 18 years old without the advice of a doctor.

How should I take trazodone? Back to top

Take exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not take in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

Your doctor may occasionally change your dose to make sure you get the best results.

The Desyrel brand of trazodone should be taken after a meal or a snack.

Take the Oleptro brand of trazodone on an empty stomach at bedtime, unless your doctor tells you otherwise.

Do not crush or chew an extended-release tablet. Swallow it whole. Your doctor may want you to break an extended-release tablet and take only half of it. Follow your doctor's instructions.

It may take up to 2 weeks before your symptoms improve. Keep using the medication as directed and tell your doctor if your symptoms do not improve after 2 weeks of treatment.

Do not stop using trazodone suddenly, or you could have unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. Ask your doctor how to avoid withdrawal symptoms when you stop using trazodone.

Store at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light.

What happens if I miss a dose? Back to top

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose? Back to top

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. An overdose of trazodone can be fatal when it is taken with alcohol, barbiturates such as phenobarbital, or sedatives such as diazepam (Valium).

Overdose symptoms may include drowsiness, vomiting, penis erection that is painful or prolonged, fast or pounding heartbeat, seizure (black-out or convulsions), or breathing that slows or stops.

What should I avoid while taking trazodone? Back to top

Do not drink alcohol. Trazodone can increase the effects of alcohol, which could be dangerous.

Avoid getting up too fast from a sitting or lying position, or you may feel dizzy. Get up slowly and steady yourself to prevent a fall.

Trazodone may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert.

What are the possible side effects of trazodone? Back to top

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.

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have any new or worsening symptoms such as: mood or behavior changes, anxiety, panic attacks, trouble sleeping, or if you feel impulsive, irritable, agitated, hostile, aggressive, restless, hyperactive (mentally or physically), more depressed, or have thoughts about suicide or hurting yourself.

Stop taking trazodone and call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:

• extreme mood swings, restlessness, or sleep problems;
• dizziness, fainting, fast or pounding heartbeat;
• easy bruising or bleeding;
• agitation, hallucinations, fast heart rate, overactive reflexes, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of coordination;
• very stiff (rigid) muscles, high fever, confusion, fast or uneven heartbeats, tremors, feeling like you might pass out;
• headache, trouble concentrating, memory problems, weakness, loss of appetite, feeling unsteady, seizure, shallow breathing or breathing that stops; or
• chest pain or heavy feeling, pain spreading to the arm or shoulder, nausea, sweating, general ill feeling.

Less serious side effects may be more likely to occur, such as:

• drowsiness;
• mild headache;
• constipation; or
• blurred vision.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What other drugs will affect trazodone? Back to top

Ask your doctor before taking any medicine for pain, arthritis, fever, or swelling. This includes aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), diclofenac (Voltaren), indomethacin, piroxicam (Feldene), nabumetone (Relafen), etodolac (Lodine), and others. Taking any of these drugs with trazodone may cause you to bruise or bleed easily.

Before taking trazodone tell your doctor if you regularly use other medicines that make you sleepy (such as cold or allergy medicine, sedatives, narcotic pain medicine, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicine for seizures or anxiety). They can add to sleepiness caused by trazodone.

Many drugs can interact with trazodone. Below is just a partial list. Tell your doctor if you are using:

• a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin);
• digoxin (Lanoxin, Lanoxicaps);
• any other antidepressant, or a medication to treat psychiatric disorders;
• an antibiotic such as clarithromycin (Biaxin), erythromycin (E.E.S., EryPed, Ery-Tab, Erythrocin), levofloxacin (Levaquin), pentamidine (NebuPent, Pentam), and others;
• an antifungal medication such as ketoconazole (Extina, Ketozole, Nizoral, Xolegal), itraconazole (Sporanox), or voriconazole (Vfend);
• anti-malaria medications such as chloroquine (Arelan), or mefloquine (Lariam);
• heart or blood pressure medication such as diltiazem (Cartia, Cardizem), nifedipine (Nifedical, Procardia), verapamil (Calan, Covera, Isoptin, Verelan), and others;
• heart rhythm medicine such as amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone), disopyramide (Norpace), procainamide (Pronestyl), quinidine (Quin-G), and others;
• HIV/AIDS medicine such as fosamprenavir (Lexiva), indinavir (Crixivan), ritonavir (Norvir), and others;
• medicine to prevent or treat nausea and vomiting, such as dolasetron (Anzemet) or ondansetron (Zofran);
• migraine headache medicine such as sumatriptan (Imitrex);
• narcotic medication such as methadone (Dolophine, Methadose); or
• seizure medicine such as carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Tegretol) or phenytoin (Dilantin).

This list is not complete and there are many other drugs that can interact with trazodone. Tell your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal products. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor. Keep a list of all your medicines and show it to any healthcare provider who treats you.

Where can I get more information? Back to top

Your pharmacist can provide more information about trazodone.