... along with 15 mg of mirtazapine & 20 mg of paroxetine, to help with depression, anxiety and insomnia. My problem is that these medications are making me continually tired and extremely sleepy during the day. Is it possible that I just need to get used to these medications for the extreme fatigue to go away? I've been taking them for almost 2 months now. Any help you can offer is greatly appreciated. :)
I am currently taking 100 mg of trazodone at night?
Question posted by JenMHall on 28 Sep 2013
Last updated on 11 October 2016 by Sigmundfriend
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6 Answers
Sigmundfriend
11 Oct 2016
Is there any reason you are taking three different antidepressants? The mirtazapine is usually sedating enough without adding trazodone. I would use one or the other and personally would choose mirtazapine over trazodone. I would also ask your prescribing doctor about the risk of developing serotonin syndrome while using three drugs that affect the amount of neurotransmitters in the brain.
pickles503
4 Oct 2013
Hi Jen.
I take 25-50 mg of Trazadone when I take my other 2 meds just before my I go to bed. No hangover. The difference is the amount of it we take. I just started a mos. ago, so I don't need as much yet. I wonder if you could get away with a smaller dose. The other meds I need to do research on.
Okey, this is the info I found. I suggest you get a bag of popcorn and a pepsi, cuz this is reaaaaaly long. Maybe you can find something you need:
Talk to your doctor before using traZODone together with PARoxetine. Combining these medications can increase the risk of a rare but serious condition called the serotonin syndrome, which may include symptoms such as confusion, hallucination, seizure, extreme changes in blood pressure, increased heart rate, fever, excessive sweating, shivering or shaking, blurred vision, muscle spasm or stiffness, tremor, incoordination, stomach cramp, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
You should contact your doctor immediately if you experience these symptoms while taking the medications.
Talk to your doctor before using traZODone together with mirtazapine. This med, mirtazapin, has the same effect as PARoxetine and trazadone medications.
Trazodone (Desyrel)
Brand Name: Desyrel
Available strengths: 50 mg, 100 mg, 150 mg, 300 mg tablets;
150 mg scored tablet (Desyrel Dividose)
Available in generic:
Drug class: Antidepressant, but prescribed primarily for sleep.
At one time Desyrel (trazodone) was widely prescribed for treatment of depression. However, at the effective dosages for depression, most people could not tolerate. Desyrel’s pronounced tendency to cause sedation and drowsiness, especially during the daytime when these side effects interfered with work and daily activities, Isomnia and other sleep difficulties. As a result, physicians began augmenting SSRI antidepressants with low dosages of Desyrel at bedtime to exploit the sedative effects of the medication and thus counter the insomnia. It is used primarily for treating insomnia, especially when caused by SSRI antidepressants. It is prescribed at lower dosages when used for sleep The brand name “Desyrel” is hardly ever used. It is better known to patients by its generic name,trazodone,
Besides its use for treatment of insomnia, trazodone was reported to be effective for reducing agitation and aggression in patients with brain disorders. Also, at low doses, trazodone has an antii-anxiety effect, treating generalized anxiety disorder.
Dosing Information
When prescribed for insomnia and sleep disturbance, the usual dose for trazodone is 50–100 mg at bedtime, but some patients may need doses as high as 150–200 mg. Desyrel Dividose comes as a 150-mg scored tablet with three segments of 50 mg each that allow the patient to take 50 mg, 100 mg, or 150 mg at bedtime as needed.
That's it. Did you finish your popcorn?
Anna
smileyhappy
29 Sep 2013
Hi Jen,
Your dose of Trazodone might be high for you try to go down 25mg for a week and if that is still making you tired go down another 25mg for another week until you feel fine and still sleeping properly. It could be the other meds too, those I do not take so I cannot help you there. Maybe someone else on here can help you there.
Take care,
JenMHall
30 Sep 2013
Hi, thanks for your help with my question. I have started taking half a pill of Trazodone at night and will start to also take half of the dosage of Mirtazapine tonight. The doctor said to try this to see if it will help with the drowsiness.
I also am prescribed Vistaril 25mg that I can take up to 3 times a day 'as needed' for anxiety. I usually only take one, if I feel I am getting extra anxious, as it makes me sleepy too.
smileyhappy
30 Sep 2013
Good luck with the change of meds dose!
kaismama
3 Oct 2013
Vistaril will make the side effects of the others worse too, so that its no wonder you're sleepy.
kaismama
28 Sep 2013
I'm going to suggest you see your pharmacist for a med consultation. They can go over it and advise you what would be the best course of action for you, so you don't feel tired all the time. This is one of the functions of a pharmacist.
pickles503
29 Sep 2013
You know, kai. When I tried to have a consult with my pharmacist, he said I need to talk to my doc, and not to believe anything on line. I am very disappointed because I've advised that to our friends over and over and REALLY thought that they helped. Maybe my pharmacist is an exception to the real. I sure pray so. L, Anna
kaismama
3 Oct 2013
Either that or he's lazy. That is their function. A trained monkey can fill pills, they are supposed to know about things. Drs only know what the salesmen tell them. I have never had a problem with asking about something and getting an appropriate answer. Was it in a chain store or a mom and pop pharmacy, because places like cvs and walgreens have consultation areas for you to sit and talk to a pharmacist.
pickles503
3 Oct 2013
Kai, it was Rite Aid. I expected a lot more. Yes, it was a consult. I've decided that I'm going to go to another pharmacy if and when I need a consult again. This was my home pharmacy. I purchase the majority of my meds from Rite Aid. I expected a lot more. Thank you for your response. I appreciate it immensely. I must have got a crappy pharmacist. L, Anna
HeadStarter
28 Sep 2013
Hello JenM and welcome to DC. I am just wondering what time of day you take your meds. I do know when I was taking Trazodone that I had to take it around dinner time or 5 to 6pm because of that drowsy, almost hungover feeling.
I do hope you are getting plenty of sleep. With meds such as these you really do need to dedicate 8 to 9 or better hours to sleep. I know we all don't have that luxury... that is why I had to take the Trazodone so early.
Time of day can matter with the others. When do you take those?
Mary
JenMHall
30 Sep 2013
Hi Mary, thanks for your help with my question. I take the meds around 8:30pm. I get about 8 hours of sleep a night. Maybe I should try taking it about an hour earlier...
HeadStarter
1 Oct 2013
Another thing to consider besides the time that you take your meds... is to avoid all alcohol (just in case you do drink now and again), eat a well balanced diet with concentration on breakfast to break the "fast" from overnight fasting. I hope you drink lots of water, too. Maybe that doesn't sound too important but sometimes stating the obvious gets one to think...
Be safe, be well and take good care of yourself because you ARE worth it!
Mary
Factfinder411
28 Sep 2013
I know trazadone used to make me sleepy until noon. You may need an adjustment to the others.
Related topics
depression, anxiety, insomnia, generalized anxiety disorder, mirtazapine, paroxetine, trazodone, medication
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