What do you mean by Trazodone?
Trazodone belongs to the category of antidepressant medication. Doctors prescribe this antidepressant medication to patients only when other antidepressants are not showing effective results or causing more side effects to you.
It is still unknown to people how it actually works. It restricts the function of serotonin receptors in the brain.
Serotonin is responsible for many things as it influences the persons
- Mood
- Emotions, and
- Sleep
Therefore, it has been observed that raising serotonin levels in the brain can ease the symptoms of mental health conditions like mood disorders, anxiety disorders, personality disorders, psychotic disorders, and depression.
Is the FDA approved this drug for anxiety?
Food and drug administration approved this drug to treat major depressive disorder. Nevertheless, people use this drug to reduce their anxiety levels as it is prescribed as an off-label in the treatment of anxiety.
One of the most common reasons for doctors regarding why they are prescribing off-label medication is if the patient tried all types of antidepressants that are approved by the food and drug administration (FDA) which is not showing any results then your doctor may prescribe you to try these off-label medications.
Before using this drug to treat anxiety, people used Trazodone to treat other health conditions. These include:
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Insomnia or difficulty sleeping
- Substance abuse
- Unipolar depression
What are the after-effects of Trazodone?
Spinning sensation, blurred vision, urinary retention, dizziness, difficulty sleeping, drowsiness, double vision, dry mouth, anemia, fatigue, mild headache, acne, vomiting’s, anxiety, constipation, hair loss, swelling, sedation, confusion, sexual problems such as erectile dysfunction or premature ejaculation, swelling, changes in weight, disorientation, tremor, nasal congestion, and feeling faint or dizzy when standing up are the common side effects associated with Trazadone.
Can Trazodone treat anxiety?
The efficiency of Trazodone for anxiety has been evaluated with the help of many older types of research.
In persons with generalized anxiety disorder, Trazodone alleviated anxiety at a similar level to valium as per research in nineteen ninety-three
In a certain community of persons with agoraphobia along with panic attacks or panic disorder, consuming Trazodone enhanced symptoms as per research made in nineteen studies.
The bad dreams related to post-traumatic stress disorder and inability to sleep soundly can be reduced with the use of Trazodone, as per the two thousand and one studies.
Going to sleep in a comfortable manner is one of the advantages of using Trazodone for anxiety. Experiencing drowsiness and being sleepy is a general after effect using Trazodone. Certain times Trazodone is given as a drug other than that for which it has been officially approved.
Like Xanax is Trazodone a drug for anxiety?
When compared with Xanax, Trazodone is usually a distinct variety of medicine. Xanax is generally a variety of anti-anxiety medications known as benzodiazepine. Certain types of benzodiazepine medicines are Klonopin and valium.
Benzodiazepine medicines function by intensifying activity at receptors in the brain called GABA receptors. This has an influence on decreasing the functioning of the nervous system that makes you more comfortable and peaceful.
Feeling exhausted and sleepy are certain consequences that are resulted in the use of Xanax like Trazodone. Your daily activities can be influenced, when these consequences take place during the day.
Drugs such as Xanax and other benzodiazepine drugs can be addictive if you use it for a long time or sometimes there are chances of addicted to this drug is high even though you are taking that drug as per your physician. Due to this reason, it is advisable to use this drug for a short period of time.
What are the Potential risks of Trazodone?
There are some serious effects associated with this prescription antidepressant medication along with the common side effects.
Potential risks of Trazodone include:
- sudden changes in behavior especially in children and young adults
- chances of getting diagnosed with priapism, a condition which causes a painful erection
- Heartbeats can be moderate than usual, rapid than usual, or inconsistent, also known as cardiac arrhythmias.
- A really major allergic condition, known as anaphylaxis
Symptoms to look out for Trazodone overdose:
Seizures, feeling extremely tired or sleepy, issues with your heart or breathing, dizziness or fainting, confusion, loss of interest in sex, and vomiting are the symptoms of a Trazodone overdose. Call 911 or consult your physician immediately, if you are experiencing any of the above symptoms.
There is no clinical evidence that Trazodone overdose can cause death but you need to discuss with your doctor if you are taking this drug along with the other medications.
Are there any chances of addicted to this drug?
Trazodone drug is not addictive when compared to Xanax and other benzodiazepine drugs.
If you stop taking this medication suddenly, it may cause you discontinuation syndrome. That is why it’s better to reduce the dosage first. The following are the symptoms of the abrupt stoppage of the Trazodone drug. These include:
- anxiety
- agitation or being irritable
- difficulty sleeping or trouble sleeping
Trazodone’s association with other drugs:
Your physician might be knowledgeable of any potential drug associations if he has suggested you to take Trazodone and he might be keeping an eye on you for them. It would be advisable that you don’t abruptly stop taking or altering the dosage of any drug, before consulting with your physician. You previous encounters of any heart attacks or bipolar disorders or attempting suicide, let it be personal or relating to family should be shared with your physician.
Tranylcypromine, arsenic trioxide, terfenadine, astemizole, sotalol, cisapride, saquinavir, disopyramide, procainamide, eliglustat, pimozide, ibutilide, phenelzine, indapamide, and isocarboxazid are the serious interactions of trazodone with the other drugs.
Conclusion
Instead of using as an antidepressant, Trazodone is mainly utilized for its influences that cause sleep. Unlike certain other substitutes, only general forms are accessible which makes Trazodone low-priced, and it is not categorized as a regulated substance. The abrupt stoppage of using Trazodone can lead to withdrawal symptoms.
