Trazodone Side Effects – Depression is a serious mental disorder. Most people do not like to talk about any kind of mental disorder as it does not have a good reputation in society. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention believe the United States records more than 3,000,000 cases of clinical depression each year.
A few decades ago, everyone thought that depression or mental health disorders were for weak people, but in the last decade, it has proved that anyone can get depression.
As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most cases of depression happen in youngsters rather than old age people. Career, success, parents, education, and relationships are putting much more pressure on youngsters these days than they can handle.
If you are also among those people who are suffering from depression, then there is a probability that your doctor will suggest you take Trazodone. Before you start taking medicine, let’s take a look at all the side effects of Trazodone.
What is Trazodone?
Trazodone is an anti-depression medicine, and doctors suggest it to adults who are suffering from depression. It is a prescription drug, so you won’t be able to buy it as an over-the-counter drug.
Trazodone is available as both a generic drug and a brand name. You can find every strength in the brand name, but you might not be able to find every strength in generic form.
Similar to other antidepressant medicines, Trazodone also has several side effects. Some of these side effects are common and may go away on their own after a few days. At the same time, some side effects are serious, and You should consult with your doctor or call 911.
# Common Side Effects of Trazodone
Let’s start with the common side effects of Trazodone. Most health experts believe that everyone who is going to take medicine is also going to experience some or all of these common side effects.
Sleepiness and Dizziness
Once you start consuming Trazodone for depression, you might experience sleepiness and dizziness. It is among the most common side effects of taking medicine, and it may last for a few days or a couple of weeks once you start taking medicine.
Health experts suggest everyone not operate heavy machinery or drive vehicles once they take medicine. You should try to rest as much as possible.
Diarrhea And unwanted weight loss
The next thing you can experience once you start taking medicine is diarrhea and unwanted weight loss. Even though the intensity of diarrhea is going to be mild to moderate, it can trigger weight loss as you won’t be able to digest anything.
If you are experiencing diarrhea, then you should be very careful because you never know when diarrhea can become severe and cause weakness. Health experts suggest everyone consult every side effect, whether it’s serious or common with their doctor. Kindly do not take any medicine on your own to lower the intensity of these side effects.
Vision problems
Vision problems are also very common when you first start to take Trazodone. People who experience sleepiness and dizziness are also going to experience vision problems such as blurry vision and watery eyes. Kindly do not take any medicine on your own without consulting with your doctor.
Swelling
Lastly, you may also experience swelling on your hands and feet once you start taking Trazodone. Swelling is a bit rare as compared to vision problems and sleepiness. Usually, the swelling goes away on its own after six to seven days once you start taking medicine.
# Serious Side Effects of Trazodone
Now, let’s take a look at some serious side effects of Trazodone. You should never ignore these side effects and consult with your doctor right away. These serious side effects can also cause life-threatening conditions.
Suicidal Thoughts
There is a very high probability that Trazodone can worsen your depression and create fresh suicidal thoughts. You should be very careful once you start taking medicine. If you are experiencing verse depression, thoughts like death or suicide, panic attacks, trouble sleeping, impulsive behavior unusual mood changes, then you should call your doctor right away as these are all related to suicidal thoughts and serious side effects of Trazodone.
Serotonin Syndrome
Apart from suicidal thoughts, Serotonin Syndrome is also a very serious side effect of taking Trazodone. In case you are experiencing hallucinations, confusion, trouble thinking, fast heart rate, tight muscles, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, then you should consult with your doctor as these are the classical signs of Serotonin Syndrome.
Fast heart rate
Trazodone is also known to cause fast heart rate or high blood pressure in some conditions where side effects are getting serious. When you first start to take medicine, you should keep an eye on your blood pressure and heartbeat. You should let your doctor know about any irregularity in your heartbeat and blood pressure. In case of an emergency, you should not hold yourself to calling 911.
Warnings Related to Trazodone
Along with serious side effects, Trazodone also comes with a black box warning. The Food and Drug Administration of the United States requests everyone not to ignore any black box warning, as it can cause life-threatening conditions.
As you are already aware, Trazodone is known to treat depression, but under some conditions, it may also increase suicidal thoughts and actions. The probability of serious side effects, including suicidal thoughts, is much higher in children and teenagers as compared to adults.
You should be very careful if your children or teenager has been advised to take medicine. Usually, the risk of serious side effects is higher in the first month of the treatment.
What is the right dose of Trazodone to prevent side effects?
There is no right or wrong dose of Trazodone to prevent side effects. Your doctor will suggest your dose depending on several factors. Health experts believe that every person is going to experience some common side effects, and these are going to go away on their own after a few days.
