Trazodone and Dizziness: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Noz...
• December 3, 2013

For Insomnia "Have been fighting insomnia for years. Previously on Lunesta then Ambien because of insurance approval. Ambien was no longer working after a year and I came to the conclusion it was due to dependency and I wanted to quit. My doc suggested trazodone as it is non-habit forming. Tried 50mg and it knocked me out through the night and most of the next day. Horrible hangover and dizzy feeling. I layed off for a few days then cut the pill in half to 25mg and was not at all effective. Next night took 3/4 of the tab and again knocked me out and zonked most of the next day. Think I'm giving up on this."

• Shi...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 3, 2019

For Depression "I take this as a mood enhancer/sleep aid alongside my antidepressant, Zoloft. Within an hour of taking this medication, I need to sleep. If I wake up within 3 hours of taking it, I get extremely dizzy and begin to stumble around. If I do manage to sleep after waking up, I wake up with a terrible headache and brain fog. If I don’t wake up after taking this medication, I sleep very soundly but still wake up a bit disoriented (brain fog)."

• Sle...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 13, 2016

For Insomnia "Update: I have been on Trazodone for almost one week. I no longer have any side effects. The dizziness, hangover feeling that lasted all day does not happen anymore. My dose is 100 mg. My body has gotten used to the drug, and now the medication is helping me sleep very well. I have a small snack with the dose and take it 30 minutes before going to bed. Sometimes I take a lower dose, like 50 mg or 75 mg, to see if I can fall asleep with that amount. Sometimes it works, other times, I have to increase up to 100 mg (around 2 hours later if I haven't fallen asleep). I almost quit this drug, but I worked through the side effects. You need to stay on it for at least one week, and it should start working well for you, and the side effects will lessen or cease."

• Jbo...
• June 22, 2017

For Insomnia "I suffer from anxiety/depression and recently started taking Zoloft. I was having sleep issues prior and even worse sleep issues after taking Zoloft. Been on just about all the sleep meds there are out there except for Trazodone. The doc prescribed it, and the first several nights my sleep was rocky, and I'd get up in the morning with a pounding headache and some dizziness and confusion. I stayed the course for a couple of weeks, and I do have to say it works great! I was on 50 mg for a week, and the doc told me to increase to 100 mg after a week. I never had to do that, and now I only need about 25 mg for it to take effect and allow me to sleep. I believe a lot of people lose patience 'cause I'm guilty of it. I would recommend staying on the course."

• The...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 9, 2023

For Anxiety "Trazodone made me worse. The anxiety, depression, and feeling of being overwhelmed were bad before, but after, they got worse. Before, I could drive and, on better days, meet friends in cafes. Now, I can’t leave the house alone. My husband takes me everywhere. I’m gripped with irrational fear 24/7. Dreams take me to childhood places that I don’t wish to revisit, not that I dream much on 3-4 hours of broken sleep per night. I was on 25 mg for 12 nights, 50 mg for 8 nights, 100 mg for 19 nights, and 125 mg for 4 nights. A week after increasing to 100, I knew I’d struggle with this and the next increase, but I stuck with it. When I saw my GP, I was experiencing very bad insomnia, had no appetite, had palpitations (bradycardia 38 bpm, tachycardia 174 bpm for up to half an hour), internal tremors, headaches, dizziness, blurred vision, etc. It was reduced by 25 mg every third night, but I was in crisis by day 7 of the reduction, so I took lorazepam to calm me down. Avoid at all costs or start slowly and think hard before increasing the dose."

• Bel...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 5, 2016

For Insomnia "I was prescribed Effexor XR 75 mg for depression/anxiety. The first week I had maybe 2 hours of sleep a night, so my doctor prescribed me trazodone 50 mg. The first night I broke it in half. I had anxiety taking it, so I felt really dizzy and lightheaded. The next night I took 25 mg, and I woke up 4 hours later. Now I take the whole 50. It kicks in after 20 minutes. I feel so relaxed laying in bed while it kicks in, I sleep a solid 10 hours. I take it at 8:30 every night. I love it! I do wake up a little tired. But once I get up and move around a little, I'm okay."

• Anonymous
• August 5, 2011

For Depression "I have been taking trazodone for about 8 weeks and the first 3-5 weeks were fairly rough. I felt dizzy standing up, had bad headaches, and nausea, especially just after taking the medicine. However, it is a wonder, helping me fall off to sleep. 9 times out of 10, I'm out in 15 minutes and in a very deep sleep, nothing will wake me for 8-9 hours. As long as you put your head down and close your eyes! If you stay awake, you will feel terrible and very sick! The past week, I have noticed anxiety has reduced and my mood has improved slightly. My motivation is still pretty low. However, I had terrible side effects on several previous medicines and ended up in the hospital with some nasty ones! A few dizzy spells for a few weeks is pretty good really!"

• Buc...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 26, 2016

For Insomnia "Doctor prescribed this after a bad reaction to Zoloft. Minus the dry mouth, I am having great results. I take 50 mg. I am able to get to sleep easily. I still dream, but it has greatly reduced the tossing, turning, and night terrors. I wake up refreshed, which is helping to reduce my depression as well. I have none of the dizzy spells or groggy feelings. This is much better than the Ambien I was on years ago."

• Isl...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• September 18, 2019

For Insomnia "For folks that start taking trazodone and feel like they have a big, fat hangover the next day (headache, groggy, lethargic, dizziness, nausea, etc.), most of it passes when your body gets used to it. It certainly gets a whole lot better. I hated it at first. For the sinus issues, I told my doctor I felt I was going to drown while I was sleeping, and she put me on nasal fluticasone, which helped immensely with that and allergies. I've been on it for years now, and I sleep all night with very few exceptions (really severe fibro pain). Since I weigh 110 lbs and take 150 mg/night, I'm wondering if some of the not working issues is the dosage people are currently on."

• Pum...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 6, 2016

For Fibromyalgia "I started Trazodone 2 weeks ago and have had major side effects to the point I had to stop it! Severe muscle and joint pain, fibromyalgia (hurting everywhere on the body), severe headaches, serious memory loss, dry eyes and sinus congestion, vivid dreams, dizziness, blurred vision! I stopped it yesterday and now everything has significantly improved, thank God!! I know this drug affects everyone differently, but my husband tried it for his insomnia as well and he had the SAME symptoms. We both feel much better now... hope this was helpful. I was taking 50 mg and tried 100 mg a couple of times... Symptoms were getting worse each day."

• efr...
• August 16, 2022

For Insomnia "Took it once and never again. 50 mg for sleep. I took it around 11:30 pm and was sleepy by 12:15 am and went to bed. This caused me to have nightmares all night, which kept waking me up multiple times and made me scared and paranoid. It is now the next day, and I feel completely out of it: brain fog, dizzy, can’t concentrate, fatigued. I have no idea how anyone functions on the “medicine.” Xanax is habit-forming, but at least it works."

• BBP...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 16, 2017

For Insomnia "I was on 150 mg of Trazodone for about a year and a half. My sleep was awesome. A little groggy in the morning, but I got used to that. Unfortunately, after a few months of starting the med, I began having all-day severe dizziness. Didn't think that it could be from the Trazodone and ended up seeing two neurologists trying to figure out what was happening. They couldn't find a cause. Out of frustration, I quit the Trazodone cold turkey to see if it could be the cause. Sure enough."

• rpg...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 13, 2022

For Insomnia "I do not recommend this medication. For two reasons: 1. It's easy to build up a tolerance, meaning you will need more and more of the medication for it to work. At some point, it won't work anymore. When I stopped taking it, I was up to 3 1/2 pills per day, prescribed by my doctor. I stopped taking it because it stopped working. 2. This is the biggest reason I would not take it: If you are prone in any way whatsoever to developing SSRI discontinuation syndrome, this medication can cause this in susceptible individuals. This means symptoms such as brain zaps, dizziness, nausea, and a general feeling of unwellness. I experienced SSRI discontinuation/withdrawal syndrome when I stopped taking trazodone. I had to very gradually wean off it, and even then, I experienced the symptoms of brain zaps, etc. If you have taken a medication like Paxil and had to slowly withdraw in excruciating slowness due to this syndrome, I would highly suggest never taking this medication."

• the...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 4, 2017

For Insomnia "I have not slept more than an hour or two for literal years without pain waking me due to my chronic nerve pain. I now take the 50 mg dose, and wow, I sleep almost immediately and do not wake drowsy or dizzy. I also notice a pain relief benefit, I do not wake in raging pain wondering how I am going to walk! I am also on Effexor for anxiety and medical marijuana for pain, all seem like a well-oiled machine weeks in."

• Rec...
• June 11, 2019

For Depression "I started trazodone 150 mg to treat anxiety and depression 9 weeks ago. I’m still feeling awful and have bad anxiety, terrible mood swings, emotional, I get a horrible feeling after I’ve taken it, like I’m on drugs. It definitely helps me sleep, totally knocks me out! So I take it just before bed. Mornings awful, like having a terrible hangover, and I’m in recovery 15 months free from booze and cocaine. My doc advised me to increase to 300 mg. I tried that for 2 days, side effects were awful: hideous diarrhea and panicky. I’m now on week 10, and this isn’t subsiding. I’ve been told to drop back down to 150 mg. Will this improve? Anyone experienced similar, pushed through, and got a different result? I trust my GP, but I’m not sure how long I can continue to feel like this. I'm so panicked and awful. All day I feel confused, dizzy, mix my words up, forget everything. I’m also on a reduction from diazepam, that is nearly gone."

• Clo...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 23, 2016

For Insomnia "I have suffered from insomnia for over 10 years. I have tried many drugs, developed a tolerance, and switched drugs. None ever gave me more than 4 hours of sleep. I started trazodone about 6 weeks ago. I take 50 about 45 minutes before I go to bed, and if I wake up, I take another 25 and easily fall back to sleep. I have no effects in the morning and even feel better than I have in the past. I do sometimes feel a bit dizzy after taking it, but I know that may happen and plan for it."

• glu...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 16, 2016

For Insomnia "I almost never experience side effects from medicines, Rx or OTC, and trazodone was definitely an exception. When I say it made me dizzy, that is an understatement. I woke up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom with the room spinning so fast I couldn't grip my nightstand tightly enough. When I attempted to make my way to the bathroom (10 feet away), I fell on the floor twice and nearly off the toilet! I couldn't see, stand, sit up – I could hardly even tolerate lying flat without moving at all. And this lasted nearly 10 hours!! 10 hours of pure misery. I'll take the sleep deprivation over that hell any day."

• Eze...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 2, 2019

For Insomnia "I’ve taken this for insomnia, caused by anxiety since years ago. Got a bit hooked to benzos in the past, and now I was scared as anything of any pill. I knew the first days were going to be hard, and they were, even starting with 25 mg. I woke up at 4 a.m. every night for the first week, couldn’t go back to sleep. Dry mouth, dizziness, anxiety, headache, etc. On the 7th and 8th day, I took 50 mg, and it was even worse. I felt pretty sick and decided to go back to 25 mg. That same night, I slept pretty well, and it’s been like that for another 3 nights so far. Keep taking it for a couple of weeks, it might be worth it."

• Liz...
• August 15, 2015

For Insomnia "I have been taking Trazodone for a little over about 2 months now. I had been having trouble going to sleep at night, and my doctor recommended Trazodone. I am 26, female, probably 98-100 lbs. My doctor put me on 150 mg. This medicine worked out great to begin with. But then one night, I had a really bad episode. My blood pressure dropped dangerously low. I had gone to the kitchen to get myself a drink to take back to bed with me. And I couldn't even make it back to the bedroom. I dropped my drink on the floor and became really weak, lightheaded, dizzy, and hot. I was so weak I had no control over my body. My legs wouldn't hold me up. I even blanked out a few times."

• Med...
• April 13, 2016

For Insomnia "Trazodone is my miracle drug! I take it, and within 30 minutes, I feel the need to go to sleep. I have very few side effects. Mostly, grogginess in the morning. I also have to go to bed right after I take it, or I get dizzy and my heart races. Those side effects don't happen if I go to bed before the med sets in! I highly recommend this to anyone who has sleep issues."

• Red...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 6, 2020

For Insomnia "My doctor prescribed 50 mg of Trazodone for insomnia. It did not help me sleep, and I experienced these side effects: vertigo, tremors in hands, lightheadedness, weakness, stiff achy calf muscles that made sleep difficult."

• pon...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 8, 2019

For Insomnia "I've always had issues with insomnia. After getting sick of taking increasing amounts of Benadryl every night, I was prescribed clonidine, then trazodone. Oddly enough, they don't work well for me by themselves, but together, I'm finally able to get a good night's sleep. Pretty sure the clonidine didn't sedate me much and only helped with my restless legs, but the trazodone pretty much knocks me out within about an hour. Be careful, because your vision may start to get blurry and your balance might be off after it really kicks in, but it basically forces you to go to bed. In my case, that was a good thing! Just be patient and don't give up on it."

• pic...
• August 11, 2009

For Insomnia "It's been two weeks since I started taking Trazodone. I started taking 100 mg, slept great but woke up with headaches and pain in my neck that lasted throughout the day. Switched to taking half a pill, seems plenty but dizzy and slowness at times during the day. Waiting for better effects."

• Nig...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 22, 2025

For Insomnia "I have had infrequent insomnia for the last 15 years (since I became a teacher, haha). I usually take 2.5 mg Valium when I can't fall asleep, which works great-fall right to sleep, no sleep hangover, no other side effects. My doctors have become very reluctant to continue prescribing Valium, even though I go through one Rx of 30 pills per year. My doctor gave me 50 mg Trazodone to try. I did not have good sleep-I kept starting to dream and then woke up multiple times. I had weird dreams. I had nausea and dizziness the next day, and my head felt heavy, like with a head cold. I also had very dry eyes, which is a big problem-I have had dry eye syndrome my whole life, to the point where my eyelids have stuck to my cornea during the night and ripped my cornea upon waking. Extremely painful, and something I avoid at all costs. No more Trazodone!"

• Wes...
• April 22, 2016

For Insomnia "It's tough to give an accurate rating for this drug because my first experience is really all I have to go on. I was prescribed this as a doctor's recommendation over Ambien (which I love and will return to). My reaction to this drug was bad. I am prone to panic in reaction to body sensations, and trazodone was loaded with them. About 25 minutes after taking 50 mg, I began to feel dizzy, off balance, and had a drugged feeling. I became very edgy and worried, got a strange taste in my upper gums, my nasal passages closed up, and I experienced a spinning sensation. I personally did not react well and went to bed with a racing heart. Ironically, I fell asleep and slept pretty well. Woke up once and the room was spinning. Felt very hung over the next day. Not pleasant."