Can you stop taking trazodone cold turkey without side effects?

6 Jun 2011

For 98% of people no, you will have side effects, if you don't want side effects i would tapper off the drug, but if you want to chance it that is your choice, if you want to tapper that would be better for you. If you want to tapper write back how much a day you take and how long you have been taking?

6 Jun 2011

Please keep in mind that each of us reacts differently-for me after taking it 5 plus years, my dosage ranged from 50 to 150 up to 300 mg nightly before sleep. Worked great but I was still having nightmares from PTSD which wake me up, no matter what dosage my Pdoc gave me.
Doing an abrupt stop gave me a few days of insomnia, and slight zaps while resting. I went back to a gradual step down, now back at my starting dose.
It takes the mind a while to re adapt to what it once was before starting. Guess that's the reason they're called drugs huh?
Onto the next trial, good luck with yours.

6 Jun 2011

Hey Donehead,

The prescribing literature points out the following for trazodone:

Patients should be monitored for withdrawal symptoms when discontinuing treatment with trazodone hydrochloride. The dose should be gradually reduced whenever possible.

So it is best to reduce your dosage slowly over time. Your doctor is the best to advise you of the best taper plan.

Best wishes,

Laurie

6 Jun 2011

I don't imagine that it is recommended, but I was on it to help me sleep at 100mg. After a while it stopped helping so I stopped it. I had no side effects, but that doesn't speak for everyone...