Trazodone and Nightmares: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Sle...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 3, 2019

For Insomnia "I have tried this drug Trazodone a number of times over the last 20 years. Most recently, my doctor prescribed it as an add-on to Ambien so I can stay asleep longer. But Trazodone scares me. I get terrible sensations in my head that people have described as 'zaps.' It's one of the symptoms of serotonin overload. I have horrible nightmares and wake up in a cold sweat. And it feels like every joint in my body is on fire, the arthritis I do have notwithstanding. So no. Perhaps it's my particular body and brain chemistry. But I'm going to have to just say no to Trazodone."

• Pka...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 20, 2019

For Insomnia "I hope that everyone who has been having terrible dreams reads this...!!! I also had horrible nightmares until I started listening to movies, hypnosis every night during my 8 hours of sleep. Your subconscious will hear the TV, hypnosis, and you can get to sleep! Try it, I swear if I do not have it on, or if the movie goes off, the dreams start! I use my cell most of the time and have it on YouTube continuous setting, and I have NO dreams. Please let me know if this helps anyone! I suffer from interstitial cystitis, fatty liver, chronic pancreatitis. Take care."

• Dan...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• September 25, 2019

For Insomnia "I was on trazodone for many years. I finally got sleep and woke up ready. The dreams were very vivid and scary. Even though it was great for me for the first years, things started to change for me. The physiology of our bodies change, and last year, I had a TIA or seizure. They still don't know which. My symptoms before were mental confusion, dizziness, numbness in my hands. After my 'episode,' my symptoms continued, the worst being pain from my shoulder down to my hand. It would wake me. Even though people had told me previously that trazodone was an awful drug, I didn't care - I was just so grateful for sleep. I stopped the med on August 7th. OMG, the horrible pain in my arm stopped, along with all the other symptoms. Now, I feel great physically, but I can't sleep. I'm mad that my doctors, including a neurologist, couldn't figure out what was wrong with me. Yes, I miss the sleep I got on traz, but not enough for what happened to me."

• Sle...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 9, 2016

For Insomnia "I got prescribed this stuff for sleep. It did help me sleep a little better, but it has given me consistent nightmares ever since day one. I also have had a 'brain fog' for weeks. It's a win-win situation because it's extremely good for sleeping and an antidepressant, but the nightmares and inability to focus on anything outweigh the good. Going back to the doctor to try something else. I would recommend this to someone for sleep, but not for long if you have nightmares and brain fog."

• pro...
• June 21, 2015

For Insomnia "Causes nightmares, horrible nightmares, and I still can't get more than an hour or two of sleep and sometimes go all night without sleeping for two or three days, sometimes same as before I started taking this so-called sleep aid."

• Swe...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 16, 2019

For Insomnia "I have been taking Trazodone for about two months now. My doctor prescribed it due to anxiety and not sleeping well. I take anywhere from 75 to 100 mg at night to help me sleep. Works pretty well for the most part. I also take 75 mg of sertraline for depression. Better mood and less anxiety the next day after taking it as well. However, my pharmacy recently switched me to the ZYDUS brand, it does not work very well. I wake up earlier and I have scary dreams."

• kla...
• April 9, 2015

For Insomnia "My doctor prescribed this yesterday because I have had horrible insomnia. My girlfriend warned me that she had taken it years ago, and it made her feel like a zombie the next day, on top of horrible nightmares. Unfortunately, I had the exact same experience last night. I took the medicine at 8:30 pm in hopes of being asleep by 9, 9:30 at the latest, as I am up at 5 am for work. Well, 12 am rolls around, and I am still wide awake in bed, but crazy dizzy and out of it. It did absolutely nothing to help with my mind racing. I finally fell asleep between 1 am or 2 am and had horrid nightmares to the point that I would wake up in a sweat, go back to sleep, and have the same nightmare all over again. This morning, I feel dizzy and have no focus."

• elu...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 28, 2018

For Insomnia "I have insomnia from Zyprexa withdrawal. My nurse practitioner prescribed trazodone because I didn't want to go back on Zyprexa solely due to the insomnia. The first night was fine. I slept relatively well, only waking up once to go to the bathroom. The second night, however, I had the most vivid nightmares that I've ever had in my life. I kept trying to wake up because I realized that I was dreaming, but no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't wake up and end the nightmares until 5 am. It was the most awful night of my life. I also felt extremely tired the next day both times after I took it. I am switching to prazosin now and will hopefully get better sleep."

• Xca...
• January 3, 2021

For Depression "I was put on Trazodone (brand name DESYREL) back in the late 1980s for depression and anxiety brought on by childhood trauma/abuse. Doc also had me take L-Tryptophan every 12 hours. Trazodone 150 mg at bedtime. Now I am an adult, 52, and a recent trigger plunged me back into nightmares/anxiety/depression with thoughts of suicide. I asked my family doc for Trazodone 50 mg before bed. I will start there and work up to a dose that puts my life back in order. L-Tryptophan is an OTC vitamin. 50 mg gives me about 4 hours of 'decent' sleep. The nightmares are still happening. I will work to slowly increase to 150 mg or to a dose that keeps the nightmares away. A good side effect is it tends to work kind of like Viagra with regard to morning erections. As a teenage male, I didn't notice this side effect. At 52, it is definitely a welcomed side effect."

• Sto...
• September 6, 2010

For Depression "I have been taking trazodone for nearly 18 years. For the most part of this period, I have taken a 150 mg dose. I have never experienced any severe side effects on this medication. However, if I miss a dose, I have incredibly bad nightmares and feel very agitated. To a lesser degree, while taking these tablets, I have a very dry mouth and slight dizziness when standing. The positives are a slightly lifted mood and reduced anxiety. More recently, I have been prescribed 300 mg, this was to help with anxiety and extreme depression. The increased dose worked brilliantly for the anxiety and depression, however, I experienced priapism and was reduced back to 150 mg."

• Ed-...
• August 4, 2015

For Insomnia "I've suffered insomnia for the past 2 years, the doctor wanted to take me off Ativan since I've been taking it for a few months now. I could not get any sleep at all. When I did get to sleep, I would have nightmares. It did not work at all."

• Mik...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 22, 2019

For Major Depressive Disorder "I've been taking this drug with Lamictal for sleep/anxiety and bipolar disorder some nights. This drug will make me fall asleep quickly and oversleep, or on some others make me not sleep at all. I have horrible nightmares on this drug and wake up every day feeling stoned (and not in a good way). I have trouble thinking and speaking, almost like I'm just brainless. I have visual effects also. I'm only 18, I do not recommend this drug."

• sea...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 26, 2018

For Insomnia "It put me to sleep, though I had some awful recurring nightmares that would shock me out of my sleep. The nightmares started with the medication and ended when I stopped the medication. I stopped taking this medication due to the nightmares."

• JJ...
• October 22, 2016

For Insomnia "After 10 years of taking Ambien for insomnia, my doctor switched me to Trazodone because the Ambien had become ineffective, giving me only 3-4 hours of sleep per night. The Trazodone, while different, does seem to work somewhat. The nightmares many of you speak of are most likely being caused by the withdrawal from the Ambien or whatever other sleep drug your Trazodone has replaced. I know that horrific nightmares have always been an issue for me when missing a night of Ambien on an occasion when I had run out."

• jen...
• November 17, 2017

For Insomnia "While this drug worked in terms of making me tired, I was woken and spent a good portion of the night fighting off sleep paralysis and horrendous nightmares of my kids having died... So for me, the purpose was defeated. Now, this may work for you, so please don't let my experience scare you away. I want to just point out what may happen. Good luck, and hopefully, good sleep to all of you."

• Irn...
• December 11, 2016

For Insomnia "Worst time with this medication. Nightmares, sleepwalking, severe headaches, vomiting, didn't help me sleep at all, I would wake up and sleepwalk into different rooms knowing I was sleepwalking but so disoriented I had no idea where I was. One night, I walked to a storage building and stripped and fell, breaking my arm. I was there until the next morning because I couldn't get up and didn't have a cell phone. My father had tried calling, but with no answer, he finally drove up and eventually found me. I hated the hangover effect. I hope others benefit from it."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 5, 2017

For Insomnia "Doctor prescribed 50 mg for insomnia (with anxiety). She said I could increase the dosage if necessary. I have tried the prescribed dosage four times. Three of the four times I had nightmares to the point of screaming aloud. One time, my husband could not wake me up. The next mornings I do not feel good; I do not feel rested. I am not going to use this Rx anymore but asking the doctor for an alternative."

• laz...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 4, 2021

For Insomnia "Trazodone 50 mg was the first prescription my doctor put me on for persistent insomnia after OTC meds stopped working for me. For the first couple of nights, I had nightmares, but after that trial period, I had no side effects. Got to sleep and stayed asleep all night. It worked like a charm for years. Unfortunately, I subtly and slowly gained 40 lbs over the course of 2 years taking Trazodone. I am now on Seroquel as my insomnia got more aggressive and the Trazodone stopped working. No weight gain on Seroquel as of 2 years, and I was able to shed all the weight Trazodone put on me. I recommend Trazodone as a good starting medication for treating insomnia. If it is too weak for you, as it became for me, I would recommend asking your doctor/psychiatrist about Seroquel. Be careful though, Seroquel is a lot stronger than Trazodone. If you can stay with Trazodone, I would say it’s the better option, even considering potential weight gain, as it is not as powerful and overwhelming as Seroquel."

• Rai...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 2, 2016

For Insomnia "3/10 to help me sleep, but had bad nightmares, broken sleep, felt drugged, lifeless, and no motivation when I couldn't sleep any longer. Length of broken, vivid, nightmare-filled sleep approx 5 hrs. Throwing this Trazodone away. Days of use, only 3."

• Rya...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 17, 2022

For Sedation "I have major depressive disorder and have always had trouble sleeping. Trazodone is great at making you fall asleep but hit or miss when it comes to staying asleep. Half the time I’ll only get 3-4 hours and can’t fall back asleep (I take 75 mg). I feel fine in the morning in terms of grogginess. People have complained about nightmares, but I’ve only had nightmares for 5 years straight, so I can’t comment on trazodone's contribution to that. It seems to vary from person to person quite a bit (effectiveness/side effects), so you’d have to try it to really know. Don’t make decisions off these comments."

• gra...
• October 24, 2009

For Insomnia "I took Trazodone for a week for insomnia. I took 25 mg around 8 p.m. and was asleep by 10 p.m. Unfortunately, each night I had nightmares or vivid dreams (worse than with my PTSD, and those were pretty bad). The last night I stayed in a hotel room and had a dream that some frightening people came into my room and were saying that it was their room. When I went to call the front desk, they disappeared, then I was suddenly in a different room and could hear their laughter surrounding me, but no one was there."

• Kik...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 15, 2020

For Insomnia "I have had insomnia due to OCD and anxiety for some time. I was taking flurazepam with mixed results, but it was taken off the market. My psychiatrist prescribed trazodone 50 mg as a replacement. I only took it one night because it gave me a migraine and nightmares. I also had a stuffy nose and felt so groggy the next day I assumed I picked up a cold or the flu. After reading these reviews, I am now assuming it was a side effect of the drug."

• cac...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 3, 2022

For Insomnia "I started taking it for chronic PTSD nightmares/night terrors, and it only made it worse. It helped getting to sleep, but the nightmares became much more vivid, I could remember them more clearly instead of instantly forgetting them. After I woke up from the dreams, I couldn’t tell if I was still dreaming or awake. I would be stuck in a liminal psychosis for hours."

• Roo...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 24, 2021

"I've been taking trazodone for about a year now. I have had minimal side effects, but I sleep through most nights. I never had a problem going to sleep but was always up about 55 minutes after I fell asleep. Couple this with horrible dreams. I still have dreams but don't flail, jerk, and kick nearly as much as I used to. I would call this drug a success for me so far. Less irritable, not as depressed, and better rested. I just started Wellbutrin to help with quitting smoking... I am starting to see a few differences in my sleeping and mood, but that also may be the nicotine withdrawal."

• Cau...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 17, 2021

For Sedation "This medication causes me to have very vivid and disconcerting dreams that are disorienting and, at times, downright disturbing. I take a 100 mg dose one time a day and have started Prazosin for the dreams. If this doesn't work, it's back to the drawing board."