Does Trazodone mess you up?

By Dr Milena Locci de Oliveira (PhD)
Page last updated: 25/01/2024 | Next review date: 25/01/2026
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Author bio

Dr Milena Locci de Oliveira is a Pharmacist and Doctor of Philosophy in Sciences from the University of São Paulo (USP). She has experience in microbiology, analytical toxicology, and clinical pharmacokinetics. She writes and reviews content on these topics.

Dr Milena’s Highlights:

-PhD in Sciences, University of São Paulo, Brazil, 2019. 

-University College London (UCL) – Semester of remote collaboration in the areas of Pharmacometrics and Population Pharmacokinetics, 2018.

-Bachelor in Biochemical Pharmacy, University of São Paulo, Brazil, 2013.

 

“Science can be translated, and it is essential that everyone has access to quality information to make informed decisions” – Dr Milena Oliveira, PhD.

 

Professional Experience:

 

With a decade-long career as a researcher, Dr Milena has amassed extensive experience in conducting research projects in microbiology, analytical toxicology, and clinical pharmacokinetics.

 

Her expertise also extends to the preparation of technical and scientific reports, literature reviews, data analysis, and scientific communication, both oral and written.

 

Dr Milena has served as a Clinical Pharmacist, providing expert supervision and guidance to teams during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in the ICUs of two reference hospitals for patient hospitalization.

 

In her most recent role, Dr Milena worked on the implementation of the deliberatives of the São Paulo State Government Pharmaceutical Assistance Coordination. These decisions were aimed at ensuring medication access within the Unified Health System.

 

A widely multidisciplinary background enabled Dr Milena to become a professional capable of integrating scientific knowledge into private initiatives, education, and healthcare, delivering consistent services in patient safety and population health.

 

Professional Memberships & Affiliations:

 

Dr Milena Oliveira is a member of the Regional Council of Pharmacy of the State of São Paulo, Brazil.

 

Education:

 

-PhD in Sciences, University of São Paulo, Brazil, 2019. 

-University College London (UCL) – Semester of remote collaboration, 2018.

-Bachelor in Biochemical Pharmacy, University of São Paulo, Brazil, 2013.

 

Relevant Published Work & Citations:

 

Oliveira ML de, Rocha A, Nardotto GHB, Pippa LF, Simões BP, Lanchote VL. Analysis of daunorubicin and its metabolite daunorubicinol in plasma and urine with application in the evaluation of total, renal and metabolic formation clearances in patients with acute myeloid leukemia. Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis. Nov 2020. 191:113-124. 

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Abstracts. CPT: Pharmacometrics & Systems Pharmacology. 2020 Nov; 9 (S1).

 

Pippa LF, Oliveira ML de, Rocha A, de Andrade JM, Lanchote VL. Total, renal and hepatic clearances of doxorubicin and formation clearance of doxorubicinol in patients with breast cancer: Estimation of doxorubicin hepatic extraction ratio. Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis. 2020 Jun 5; 185:113-231. 

‌

Godoy ALPC, De Jesus C, De Oliveira ML, Rocha A, Pereira MPM, Larangeira DF, Lanchote VL, Barrouin-Melo SM. Determination of Allopurinol and Oxypurinol in Dogs Plasma by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with an Ultraviolet Detector: Application for Pharmacokinetic Studies. J Chromatogr Sep Tech. 2017; 8 (4). 

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Clímaco EC, Oliveira ML de, Pitondo-Silva A, Oliveira MG, Medeiros M, Lincopan N, et al. Clonal complexes 104, 109 and 113 playing a major role in the dissemination of OXA-carbapenemase-producing Acinetobacter baumannii in Southeast Brazil. Infection, Genetics and Evolution. 2013 Oct;19:127–33.

 

Conference Papers:

 

Oliveira, M. L.; NARDOTTO, G. H. B.; PIPPA, L. F.; ROCHA, A.; SIMOES, B. P.; LANCHOTE, V. L. . Daunorubicin metabolism and urinary excretion in patients with acute myeloid leukemia. In: 84th Annual Meeting of the German Society for Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology (DGPT) and the 20th Annual Meeting of the Association of the Clinical Pharmacology Germany (VKliPha), 2018, Göttingen. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg’s Arch Pharmacol, 2018. v. 391. p. S76-S76.

 

Oliveira, M. L.; NARDOTTO, G. H. B. ; ROCHA, A. ; SIMOES, B. P. ; LANCHOTE, V. L. . The low contribution of urinary excretion in the elimination of daunorubicin and its metabolite daunorubicinol in patients with acute myeloid leukemia. In: 49th Brazilian Congress of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics., 2017, Ribeirão Preto. Livro de Resumos, 2017. p. 64-64.

 

Oliveira, M. L.; PIPPA, L. F. ; ROCHA, A. ; SIMOES, B. P. ; LANCHOTE, V. L. . Quantification of daunorubicin and its metabolite daunorubicinol in human plasma by LC-MS/MS. In: I International Meeting of Environmental Health and Toxicology (IMEHTOX), 2016, Ribeirão Preto. Livro de Resumos, 2016.

 

Oliveira, M. L.; Clímaco, E.C. ; OLIVEIRA, M. G. ; Lincopan, N. ; Darini A.L.C. . PFGE typing of Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii isolated from different University Hospitals. In: V International Postgraduate and Research Symposium, 2012.

 

Clímaco, E.C. ; SILVA, A. P. ; Oliveira, M. L. ; OLIVEIRA, M. G. ; Lincopan, N. ; Darini A.L.C. Relação clonal entre linhagens de Acinetobacter baumannii produtoras de carbapenemases da família OXA em quatro hospitais no Brasil. In: XXI Latin American Congress of Microbiology, 2012, Santos. XXI Latin American Congress of Microbiology, 2012.

 

Oliveira, M. L.; Clímaco, E.C. ; OLIVEIRA, M. G. ; Darini A.L.C. . Dissemintion of OXA carbapenemases genes in carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in University Hospital of Juiz de Fora, MG. In: 8th CIFARP – International Congress of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2011, Ribeirão Preto. 

 

Clímaco, E.C. ; Oliveira, M. L. ; OLIVEIRA, M. G. ; Darini A.L.C. . Avaliação do sequenciamento parcial do gene rpoB e de seus flanqueadores para identificação de espécies de Acinetobacter na rotina laroratorial. In: 2° International Symposium on Clinical Microbiology, 2010, Florianópolis.

 

You can view some of Dr Milena’s work below and links to her professional profile. 

 

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dra-milena-locci-de-oliveira-28986042/?locale=en_US

 

ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Milena-Oliveira-6

 

Escavador: https://www.escavador.com/sobre/5394254/milena-locci-de-oliveira

 

Lattes: https://buscatextual.cnpq.br/buscatextual/busca.do

 

Scopus: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=57199779361

 

Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?view_op=list_works&hl=pt-BR&user=1YUBDIQAAAAJ

 


Dr Milena Locci de Oliveira (PhD)
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Does Trazodone mess you up?

Trazodone does not necessarily mess you up. It just doesn’t work well for some people and they may feel terrible on this antidepressant. Trazodone is commonly prescribed for both depression and anxiety and is generally considered a well-tolerated antidepressant (1). 

However, it is associated with a number of side effects, which may affect some people to the point where they are unable to tolerate the medication any longer. 

If often results in discontinuation of treatment with Trazodone. It is generally a known fact that antidepressants take time to kick in and your body doesn’t adjust to them right away. 

This time duration may be a bit difficult for some people, as they fail to see any positive change in their condition and may experience side effects. However, these side effects begin to subside on their own as your body adjusts to the antidepressant.

What are the side effects associated with the use of Trazodone?

Trazodone is commonly associated with the following side effects (2,3):

  • Restlessness 
  • Anxiety 
  • Drowsiness 
  • Dizziness 
  • Skin rash
  • Muscular pain
  • Joint pain
  • Headache
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting 
  • Tiredness 
  • Sweating
  • Loss of appetite/increased appetite
  • Loss of sexual desire 

Serious and rare side effects include:

  • An allergic reaction 
  • Irregular heartbeat 
  • Loss of consciousness 
  • Seizures
  • Bruising or bleeding
  • Headache
  • Hair loss
  • Excessive weakness
  • Severe muscle twitching 
  • Motor impairment 

These side effects can vary from person to person. Not everyone feels this way and most people function well on Trazodone. However, overuse or misuse of Trazodone can put you at higher risk of side effects (4). 

Some rare people are allergic to Trazodone and some just can’t bear the medication. Every case is different and we can’t really put a label on Trazodone that it is a bad antidepressant or it messes you up. It just works for some people and doesn’t for others. 

Make sure you properly take Trazodone if prescribed by your doctor and don’t take it more often. If you’re concerned about any of the side effects, just talk to your doctor. 

How to ensure the safe and effective use of Trazodone?

The following are some important tips to ensure the safe and effective use of Trazodone (2,5):

  • Take Trazodone exactly as prescribed by your healthcare provider. Do not take more or less than the recommended dose.
  • Take Trazodone with a meal or shortly after to help with absorption and reduce the chance of stomach upset.
  • It’s best to avoid alcohol while taking Trazodone as it can increase the sedative effects and may cause dizziness or drowsiness.
  • Inform your healthcare provider about any other medications, supplements, or herbal products you are taking to minimise any possible drug-drug interactions.
  • Regularly follow up with your healthcare provider to discuss your progress and any concerns or side effects you may be experiencing.
  • If you and your healthcare provider decide to discontinue Trazodone, it’s important to gradually reduce the dosage under their supervision.

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References

1.-

Haria M, Fitton A, McTavish D. Trazodone. A review of its pharmacology, therapeutic use in depression and therapeutic potential in other disorders. Drugs Aging. 1994 Apr;4(4):331-55. doi: 10.2165/00002512-199404040-00006. PMID: 8019056. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29262060/

2.-

Shin JJ, Saadabadi A. Trazodone. 2022 Jul 10. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan–. PMID: 29262060. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470560

3.-

National Library of Medicine. Trazodone: MedlinePlus Drug Information [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): U.S. National Library of Medicine. Available from: https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a681038.html

4.-

Lesar T, Kingston R, Dahms R, Saxena K. Trazodone overdose. Ann Emerg Med. 1983 Apr;12(4):221-3. doi: 10.1016/s0196-0644(83)80600-3. PMID: 6838028. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6838028/

5.-

Cuomo A, Ballerini A, Bruni AC, Decina P, Di Sciascio G, Fiorentini A, Scaglione F, Vampini C, Fagiolini A. Clinical guidance for the use of trazodone in major depressive disorder and concomitant conditions: pharmacology and clinical practice. Riv Psichiatr. 2019 Jul-Aug;54(4):137-149. doi: 10.1708/3202.31796. PMID: 31379379. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31379379/

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