Discontinuation of a medication abruptly can lead to withdrawal symptoms. Here is brief information on the symptoms and duration of trazodone withdrawal.
Trazodone is an antidepressant, used in the treatment of depression and all its related disorders like anxiety, mood swings, unexplained weight gain and weight loss, etc. It is also effective in treating insomnia or sleep disorders. Trazodone is found to be useful in treating disorders like manic depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorders, suicidal behavior, etc.
An Overview on Trazodone Withdrawal
Along with their many uses, there are side effects and withdrawal symptoms associated with nearly all depression medications. Therefore, like all depression medications, trazodone should be taken only with the doctor’s consultation and prescription. The treatment starts with a small prescribed dose, which may be increased later. Trazodone may cause dependency, and going cold turkey from it can lead to withdrawal symptoms.
Side Effects
Headache, confusion, feeling of illness and discomfort, back pain, cough, nausea, dry mouth, vomiting, etc., are the general side effects of trazodone withdrawal. Apart from this, following is a list of possible withdrawal effects that one must be aware of:
- Irritability
- Aggression
- Dizziness
- Anxiety
- Nervousness
- Blurred vision
- Brain zaps
- Loss of consciousness
- Palpitation
- Frequent urination
- Headache
- Muscle pain/cramps
- Lack of concentration
- Insomnia
- Liver problems
- Pain in hands and legs
- Impaired speech
- Tremors
- Constipation
- Loss of appetite
- Stomach pain
- Diarrhea
- Hemorrhoids
- Severe chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Chills
- Hot flashes
- Kidney problems
- Eye infection
Sometimes, weight gain/loss is also observed. The number and nature of symptoms are found to vary from one person to the other. It should be noted that suicidal tendency is one significant concern that is observed on withdrawal of trazodone. Secondly, the person may feel excessively aggressive and irritated, and suffer from severe insomnia.
The withdrawal symptoms are immediate and severe in case you discontinue the drug abruptly. Therefore, it is advised never to quit it cold turkey. Gradual discontinuation causes less severe side effects. Secondly, it should be noted that missing a dose can also lead to side effects. Therefore, make sure you take the prescribed dose for prescribed duration.
Treatment
One should remember that the side effects are temporary and disappear over the time. The doctor will prescribe medication to treat the side effects. When talking about withdrawal duration, note that it depends on several factors like the duration of the use of drugs, its amount, etc. The length of withdrawal differs from person to person and can last for several days or weeks.
Because of the possibility of several withdrawal symptoms, trazodone should be discontinued very slowly. It may take a very long time to taper off trazodone for those who take it in higher amounts. However, the gradual discontinuation helps in reducing the severity of the side effects.
As a concluding note, one should remember that antidepressant medications should only be taken in severe cases of disorders and only with the doctor’s consultation, as ignorance about the usage can lead to life-threatening conditions. Take care!
Disclaimer:
The information provided in this article is solely for educating the reader. It is not intended to be a substitute for the advice of a medical expert.
