PrincessJJ: Quitting trazodone

[PrincessJJ]

To be honest I'm not even sure how to start this post so please bare with me if I ramble on and on.

 

I have been taking trazodone (prescribed) for sleep for the past 9 years.  I've had many issues during that time and didnt put two and two together until a few days ago.  I trusted my doctor when he said this was a safe drug and now I'm kicking myself for believing him.  

 

Since starting the drug I have had major problems with my short term memory.  I know everybody has issues with remembering names but I don't even remember meeting people.  I was diagnosed with essential tremors at the age of 12 and thought they were getting progressively worse due to my age (I'm 38 now).  I later found out that is also a side effect of trazodone.  My balance is awful and I often look like I've had two drinks too many.  Again I never linked it to the trazodone until a few days ago.  I want off this stupid drug.  

 

I did my research online and told my doctor I was ready to get off trazodone.  He told me that it was a safe drug that is even prescribed to the elderly because it doesn't effect their memory.  I told him my research said it could be related and I'm interested in getting off the drug to see if it makes a difference.  He finally agreed and told me to drop from my usual dose of 150mg to 100mg and decrease it by 25mg a week.  I brought up the research I did and said I wasnt comfortable with dropping so much so quickly so he told me to drop to 125mg for the first week then drop 25mg a week.

 

I took my first 125mg dose last night.  My Fitbit sleep score dropped to a 79 (its usually in the 80s).  I know Fitbit isnt the most accurate way to monitor sleep but it's all I have.  I also got my flu shot yesterday and lucky me managed to get hit with the side effects (low grade fever, feeling like I've been hit by a truck which reversed itself to run over me again).  The lack of sleep could easily be related to the side effects so I want to give it a few more nights before I get an accurate idea.  

 

I've been feeling extremely aggravated today but again I turn into a raging B when I don't sleep well so I'm not going to blame the trazodone.  

 

I forgot to mention I did have a sleep study done and it determined I have pain related insomnia.  I was prescribed vicodin for several years (always took as directed) but like most chronic pain patients, I was cut off because of the opioid epidemic.  I don't have any issues with addiction so I don't know why I am so terrified of quitting trazodone.  I did forget it when we went out of town a few years ago and the withdrawal symptoms were awful but I went from 150mg to nothing so that's to be expected.  

 

Well I managed to babble on and on.  I'll finish this with saying how grateful I am to find the page.  Its always nice knowing your not alone.  I hope you don't mind if I use this as a journaling opportunity.  

 

I'm also open to any natural alternatives than can help with this taper.  MMJ is not an option.  My husband lost his job and finances are too tight to even consider it.  

 

 

[Altostrata]

Welcome, Princess.

 

Adverse reactions to trazodone are common and well-known, despite your doctor's beliefs. Your flu-like reactions could be trazodone withdrawal symptoms.

 

When did you stop the Vicodin?

 

Please review Tips for tapering off trazodone (Desyrel) but do not taper yet until we figure out a plan.

 

To help us out, follow these instructions Please put your drug and withdrawal history in your signature You may need to use a computer to do this.  

[PrincessJJ]

I think I set my signature up the right way.  Please let me know if I need to fix anything.  

 

I've been taking 125mg since Thursday. The worst withdrawal symptom has been hot flashes and not getting enough deep or rem sleep until last night.  My fitbit sleep score was in the low 70s.  Last night I managed to get an 88 with the correct amount of REM and deep sleep.  

 

I'm feeling kind of down today which surprises me after getting 8 hours of sleep last night.  It's also raining and it's my son's first day back to school after breaking his foot so I could just be blah from all the activity the past few days.  I never quite realized how much my son does for me, especially running stuff up and down the stairs so that's taken a lot out of me.  

 

I've also been off vicodin since November of 2017.  I started taking it in October of 2010 and I was taking 10mg three times a day when I stopped.

[Altostrata]

Your trazodone dosage is higher than what we usually see.

 

Since you had this spell of disturbed sleep with at a 16.66% reduction of trazodone, you may wish to reduce by smaller amounts as explained in Tips for tapering off trazodone (Desyrel)

 

How often do you take Ambien?