Need info about Trazodone

ripscott

My father's doctor just put him on 50mg of Trazodone.  Does anyone have any info on how effective this drug is and possible side effects? Reading online about this drug or almost any drug scares me. My father is 101 and his sleeping at night has gotten worse and worse. He talks, yells, shouts, and gets up to use the bathroom10-15 times a night. He sleeps in 10 minute bursts and then starts yelling. Is trazodone effective in treating this? is it safe? Just wondering if anyone has any experience with it. It's gotten to the point where trying to take care of him all day and then getting almost no sleep at night has made it very difficult for me to function.

FloydSnax

Hey Rip...I can only tell you about my experience with this drug, or actually my mom's. She had been saying forever that she only slept a few hours a night and since her doctor put her on Trazodone, she sleeps a solid 8..9...sometimes even 10 hours a night. But I do give her a ZzzQuil chaser. Without the ZzzQuil I noticed that she would get to sleep but wake up a few times a night. With this over-the-counter drink, she seems to get some good constant hours. But I'm no doctor and when I've brought to their attention, some say, "No problem" and some say I shouldn't, but I'd rather have a rested mom with dementia than one without any sleep. And it's been probably more than 2 years that I've been doing this, and I don't see this harming her. Her progression within this disease hasn't increased dramatically though again, I'm not a doctor. Hope this helps and good luck.

Ed1937

Hi Rip. Here is a link to a site that will give you all the information you need on medications. You can even make a list of current medications, then save it. It's easy to edit, and you can check interactions and side effects of drugs. Hope it helps. https://www.drugs.com/  

NanaPam

I took my dad off aricept (stopped a his hallucinations,  anger issues), and put him on trazadone. He sleeps about half the time now. Better than 2 hours a night, and doesn't wander as much. Its been a good thing, but he's on a high dose.

Margueritejudy

I have been on Trazadone (25 mg) for about 30 years. I take it as an antidepressant but it really helps me sleep. It’s scary when you read the details about drugs but almost all of them will scare the hell out of you when you read the details. Give it a try. It should really help sleep.