My Dr. has me taking 50mg of Trazodone every night. Is this to often?

Hi Ruth,

I am not a physician, but I work with many, many clients who take Trazodone.  It is meant to be taken daily in order for it to work properly.  You can read about Trazodone here.  If you have concerns about taking Trazodone, please don't be shy to bring them up with your physician.  If your doctor is not able/willing to take the time to listen to your concerns and address them, then it might be time to find a new doctor.

You may also be interested in reading about insomnia and good sleep hygiene tips!

Regards,

Jennifer L. Fee, Psy.D.

The Stress Masters

*Jennifer Fee, Psy.D. is a Psychologist, not a Psychiatrist. Psychiatrists prescribe medications, Psychologists study them, but the majority of Psychologists are not authorized to prescribe meds. or give you specific advice about them. Dr. Fee's answers are not intended to diagnose or treat any medical or mental disorder. Any information given in a post about medication is for educational purposes only, and primarily to aid you in having an informed discussion with your own Psychiatrist/Physician.

Hi Ruth:

I agree with Dr. Fee. Here's some info on dosages that should help calm your concern:

Usual Adult Dosage: An initial dose of 150 mg/day in divided doses is suggested. The dose may be increased by 50 mg/day every three to four days. The maximum dose for outpatients usually should not exceed 400 mg/day in divided doses. Inpatients (i.e., more severely depressed patients) may be given up to but not in excess of 600 mg/day in divided doses.

I hope this helps,

Dr. Diana Walcutt

*Dr. Walcutt is a Psychologist. Dr. Walcutt's answers are not intended to diagnose or treat any medical or mental disorder. Any information given in a post about medication is for educational purposes only, and primarily to aid you in having an informed discussion with your own Psychiatrist/Physician.

Ruth,

50mg of Trazodone is a very small dosage.  I am presently on 250 mg at night, which I see from your question is also when you take yours.  Trazodone is an anti-depressant with several useful side-effects.  Your prescription probably came with a sticker or wording saying "May cause drowsiness" or something similar.  I have sleep apnea, so I have additional issues to cause my sleep issues.  As long as the 50 mg dosage is allowing you 6-7 hours of restful sleep, you're good to go for approximately 4-6 months. Then, if your doctor hasn't brought it up, ask if it's safe for you to remain on it (some physicians like 'rotating' drugs so you don't develop an imminuty to them). If the 50 mg dosage isn't allowing you that much sleep, contact your doctor immediately and let him/her know; presuming you're healthy otherwise, your doctor should be amenable to increasing your dosage, or linking the Trazodone with another drug (I also take a 50mg Amitriptylin with mine).

Short and sweet of it all? All other indicators being positive, happy sleeping!