Trazodone and Nausea: What Users Say

• Cai...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 19, 2021

For Anxiety "I really had a rough time starting trazodone. But I gave it two weeks, and wow. I now have 0 panic attacks! If I start worrying now, and get those body feelings, they completely go away once I refocus. I am so grateful that I got prescribed. The appetite suppression was rough. For the first month, or if you take your meds too late before bed, you will have a hard time waking up, headaches, and grogginess after waking. But this will all be worth it! The thought of food was nauseating and I had to live off protein shakes just to go on. But seriously, it helped me lose weight and stop my anxiety, I'm so so so beyond happy with it."

• 218...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 23, 2019

For Depression "I have insomnia and depression. I’ve tried a lot of antidepressants and I found I’m also having trouble sleeping and struggling with depression. I’m 63 years old. My doctor prescribed trazodone 50 mg and I’ve only had it one night so far. I haven’t had a good night's sleep in a long time and I actually feel human today. I’m very sensitive to meds so I had to cut the 50 mg, and I’m going to try 25 mg tonight because I felt a bit groggy this morning, but I am sensitive to meds. I really am hopeful for this to work. A bit soon to have an opinion, but I haven’t felt this good in a long time. Also told it’s not habit forming. I was sleepy 15 minutes after I took it. And, oh yes, make sure there’s food in your stomach. Made me feel a bit nauseous so I had a couple of soda crackers. Hope this helps some people. I’ve seen a lot of positive comments made. Have a great day. ❤️"

• ora...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 8, 2015

For Insomnia "I can honestly say this medication has saved my life. For years, I had been taking diphenhydramine (Benadryl) and had no sleep-wake cycle and never felt completely awake. About 8 months ago, I tried out Ambien and Lunesta but my doctor wouldn't let me take them for any longer than a couple of weeks. Then, Trazodone was recommended, and while the first night was absolutely terrible (nausea, insomnia, overslept), and I am never going back. I can take it long term, it's cheap, it makes me feel genuinely tired and not drugged tired, and I finally have a sleep-wake cycle again. It is also very calming, which helps sleep come a lot faster. I can now get up in the morning and not hate my life. Bless this drug. I don't know where I'd be without it."

• anx...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 5, 2016

For Sedation "I was prescribed 1/2 to 2 tablets of 50 mg Trazodone to help with my disturbed sleep, and it has been a miracle! I do not know how long it has been that I have slept at least 7 hours straight without waking up several times during the night. I also have anxiety and depression and have been prescribed Effexor. The combination of these two drugs has helped tremendously thus far. It has only been a week, and I have had very mild side effects of headache, nausea, and dry mouth. Those are slowly dissipating and becoming less and less. I used to wake up with this worry feeling in the pit of my stomach, in a head fog, and fatigued. So far, those feelings have gone away. My personal problems haven't gone away, but I am able to handle them."

• ben...
• March 1, 2018

For Depression "I was prescribed Trazodone for insomnia. I started by splitting a 50mg in two about a half hour before bed. I managed to get 'good' sleep for about 3-4 hours before waking up in the middle of the night, so on the 3rd night I took a full tablet and slept like a champ. Within 7 days, I was not only sleeping better but feeling better than I had in years. I went back to my PCP and requested to be kept on Trazodone (I do still take Lamotrigine as well). I'm at 3 weeks (full effectiveness) and could not be happier. My anxiety, depression, paranoia, and exhaustion have all but vanished. Here are some of the side effects I experienced during the first two weeks of being on Trazodone: dizziness, confusion, and mild nausea. All of these have passed. I exercise daily and eat right. No coffee, no tea, and a limited amount of sugar. No pot. Going to bed at the same time every night is also a plus."

• Pal...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 19, 2014

For Sedation "I take 100 to 150 mg at night and an additional 50 mg if I wake up during the night. I have bipolar and ADHD. I stopped all other psychotropic medicines because of side effects, and I'm following the 'Grain Brain' Book Plan. No sugar, carbs, or gluten (reduced by 60-80%). Doing fantastically with energy, much reduced depression, reduced impulsivity, better decision making, and ability to do housework. LOVE IT. I did experience nausea and depression when reducing dosage."

• Ano...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 22, 2020

For Headache "I don’t recommend trazodone at ALL for headaches. It did make me sleepy, but it also made me feel a bit dizzy and nauseous, which gave me major anxiety. The next day, I woke up with a pounding headache, and I couldn’t move my head. It was terrible. It lasted 2 days. I wasn’t sure if it was the medication at first or not, so I waited about a week to try it again, and the same thing happened. I’m aware everyone is different when it comes to the tolerance of medication, but I hope this was helpful."

• Dan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 17, 2018

For Depression "The first night I used trazodone, it made me unbearably dizzy, lightheaded, and nauseous. I actually ended up passing out in my kitchen. Every time I would sit up from a lying down position, I felt like I was going to pass out, and honestly, the whole experience really scared me. I let the fear take over for quite a while, and the medication sat in my bedside table untouched for about four months, maybe longer. Until I reached a point where I felt like I had no choice but to give it another try. I have struggled with severe insomnia, depression, and anxiety for as long as I can remember. I have refused to take medication out of fear of addiction and the lengthy list of side effects associated with most of them. I have been taking trazodone every other night to every night for about three weeks now, and I have never slept better. I feel generally happier, and my anxiety is better controlled. Definitely worth a try for those who can relate."

• Oph...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 24, 2014

For Anxiety "I was prescribed Trazodone for anxiety, insomnia, and depression. It worked very well after the first week of the nausea and strange feelings that come with a new medicine. It helped me sleep, I was less depressed and found it easier to find things to look forward to. HOWEVER. If you are prone to side effects in psych meds, be careful. In less than two months my hair thinned to about half of what it was before. I have since quit and am taking supplements to help regrow my hair, and bathing in my own tears."

• 13y...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• April 19, 2023

For Insomnia "People with chronic conditions are often prescribed antidepressants for various 'off-label' uses, but the healthcare providers fail to explain some of the potential side effects, such as anxiety, depression, and nausea. They also neglect to mention that these side effects can take time to develop and intensify, sometimes for weeks or even months. As a result, people may not initially suspect that the antidepressant they are taking is causing these negative side effects. I personally suffered from severe nausea for 13 years, which was worsening over time. I had no idea that the antidepressant I was taking was the cause of it until I finally stopped taking it, and the nausea disappeared immediately. However, I also realized that this antidepressant was the cause of the intense anxiety that had plagued me for years. I lost everyone in my life, including my son and granddaughter, who were the only sources of happiness in my life."

• tra...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• February 15, 2021

For Depression "I got prescribed trazodone 23 years ago for a sleeping aid. My doc thought I was depressed, so gave me 300 mg. I am still on 100 mg every night, and I am severely depressed. I am in bed for around 16 hours a day. I have lost all interest in everything in life, no motivation for anything. I am drained within 2 hours of getting up and have to go to bed again. I have tried a few times to get off trazodone, but I get to around 55-60 hours awake and give up and take the trazodone again. My wife left me 10 years ago as she had enough of the way I was. Concentration and listening to people is difficult as you're not interested in what anyone's saying. I have been awake 33 hours so far (trying to get off trazodone again) and a bit teary thinking of the 20+ years I have slept in my bed for-it's a bad drug for a lot of people."

• Mus...
• February 14, 2016

For Insomnia "I've been on Trazodone for years. Went into menopause due to hysterectomy and suffered from insomnia, and my sister was on it, so I tried. My experience is a positive one, I started at 50 mg and made my way to 100 mg at bedtime only. I have found on an empty stomach I can suffer nausea, so I tend to eat a few crackers prior so this doesn't happen. Occasionally, I'll feel hyper, but that's a rare occasion. All in all, I've been using it for years, and now I'm actually only taking 50 mg at bedtime, and if I wake and can't get back to sleep, I'll take another 50 mg. I've never woken groggy like I have with other sleep aids, so for me, it works."

• LJa...
• August 25, 2020

For Insomnia "My doctor's been trying to get me off Ambien for chronic insomnia because of supposed side effects with long-term use and prescribed me trazodone. But trazodone either made me very drowsy the next day when I took the full dose or didn't get me to sleep for very long when I cut it in half. Since it takes longer to work, taking half a dose in the middle of the night was useless. I also had bad dreams many times, some nausea, my nasal passages seemed to get constricted, making breathing not so smooth, and gave me slight headaches. With all that, I became moody. I never had any of these issues with Ambien. I will say that when I did fall asleep with trazodone, I slept well and hard. But out of the week I tried trazodone, I had only one full night of good sleep. The other nights were pretty miserable, mainly because I couldn't get enough sleep."

• Anonymous
• January 15, 2010

For Insomnia "I've spent my whole life not able to sleep at night. Been taking 25mg of Trazodone at bedtime for over a year. I am asleep within 30 minutes and sleep until my alarm goes off, usually 8 hours. If I do not take the pill at night, it takes at least an hour to fall asleep and I wake up each hour or two. The only side effect I have is feeling a little nauseous in the morning, but I think this would subside if I took the pill with food as suggested. Sometimes if I really have a hard time sleeping, I take another 25mg and I am out. I recommend this to anyone who has a problem sleeping."

• Nic...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 18, 2023

For Anxiety "Prescribed 50 mg for anxiety and depression for a 28-day period. I didn’t find it helpful, it made my depression worse, and I started to have panic episodes for the last 2 days of use and stopped it. Please consider this drug with caution, as the withdrawal symptoms are truly awful… panic symptoms, palpitations, nausea, headache, tinnitus, and gastrointestinal disturbances, these still persist after 6 weeks of cessation."

• 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!"

• 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."

• 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."

• Rav...
• March 1, 2009

For Insomnia "I haven't slept this well in years. Trazodone worked better than other medications I've used, and I wasn't a zombie in the morning. The only thing I don't like is the minor nausea. It went away in about 10 minutes. Taking Trazodone with food prevents the nausea."

• mid...
• December 26, 2009

For Insomnia "I have been taking trazodone for over 7 years. I was prescribed it for insomnia, and as long as I take it, it's fantastic. I sleep like a baby. It takes about an hour for it to work and will cause nausea on an empty stomach. If I don't go to bed within an hour of taking this medicine, I will be staggering around, running into walls, furniture, etc. I have tried many different sleep medications, and this one was the only one that worked for me. I believe it has also provided benefits with treatment for depression and anxiety, although I have never been formally diagnosed."

• 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."

• Noe...
• February 11, 2017

For Insomnia "I am 31 yo female, 5'6, 115 lbs. Prozac helps with anxiety but not insomnia. Doctor prescribed Trazodone, start at 50mg for a few weeks, move to 100mg if needed. Last night was the first 50mg dose. In 30 minutes, I was very relaxed and slept really well. Woke up with a bad headache, but it's gone now. I believe this prescription will work and will try 25mg for a few nights as my body adjusts. For Ambien users, beware that your body isn't only adjusting to the new prescription, but also you are having withdrawals which can cause sickness, nightmares, sweating, nausea, etc. Maybe slowly reduce Ambien and then try Trazodone. Just a suggestion, everybody is different and reacts differently. Very good sleep, little side effects that should lessen over the next week of use. I have tried natural remedies over several years with no help."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 11, 2019

For Insomnia "I have been taking trazodone 50 mg for a month. It has helped me sleep. I, however, did not know that it has been used for alcoholism. I have lessened my bad drinking habit. I get awfully nauseous and headaches anytime I drink. I do recommend this drug to help stop drinking. Also, I don’t get cravings for beer as much."

• Blo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 8, 2019

For Sedation "Omg. This is one of the worst meds I have ever taken. If you never had a diagnosed mental illness, you would after trazodone. And no, you’re not going crazy. Those horrific side effects are really happening: feeling like you’re being pricked by “pins and needles,” they call it nervousness, but it’s really an immense feeling of agitation, extreme sluggishness upon waking, which lasts most of the day, and feeling like you’re going to vomit all day. No kidding! Never again!! Did put me to sleep, but good does not outweigh the bad."

• Amb...
• February 4, 2016

For Insomnia "I work nights and have struggled to sleep during the day for over a year. I've tried melatonin, OTC sleep aids, a completely darkened room, etc., etc. I went to my doc last week and was prescribed trazodone to start at 25 mg. I still didn't sleep better than usual. Yesterday I took the 50 mg and became violently ill an hour after, my heart was racing for the remainder of the day, and I was dizzy. I admit I was terrified I was dying because I'd never felt that way before. Needless to say, I'm not going to continue with this drug."