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Looking for Trazadone Withdrawal Success Stories


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Hi. I'm looking for positive stories of kicking Trazadone. Anyone finally done with Traz and feel good?

 

I need encouragement for my taper (I'm down to .45 from .75).

 

What was it like one week out, one month out, three months out being Traz free?

 

Thanks everyone.

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I want to hear some more stories too. I know the worst for me was at the end of my taper, and one week after jumping. Then it started to clear up, but I still did not have a window. So I would like to see how others are doing. (I'm less than 2 months out, see my signature) I must say the tapering was much more hell than afterwards.
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Hi, Becky and Corsair.

 

It's hard to find success stories of AD's on this site because many people use them to get through benzo withdrawal and are still on them when they leave the forum.

 

However, there are many AD success stories on Surviving Antidepressants: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/forum/28-success-stories-recovery-from-withdrawal/

 

I didn't see one specific to Trazadone, but I've read many of these stories and given time, people do heal from AD withdrawal.

 

The biggest problem people seem to have is getting hit with a "delayed withdrawal" which happens sometimes 2 or 4 months out or even a year out from their AD jump date. The re-occurrence of  withdrawal may be mistaken as a new depression and most doctors will misdiagnosis it as such and encourage patients to re-start their AD.

 

Please be aware that this can happen. With this knowledge and some self care, you'll be able to ride out the waves / window patterns of AD withdrawal and heal.  :)

 

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I went down last night to about .37. Woke up a couple times and a little early, but got decent hours. Have a little headache, but the coffee will help that. What's nice though, every cut I make I feel a little bit more like myself.

 

I forgot to add that this is my second attempt to stop Trazadone. The first time was one month out after jumping from Ambien.  This October I will be 1 year free of Ambien. I used Trazadone to get me off Ambien, and it did work for that.

 

I also take 7.5 Remeron which will be on my hit list after the Traz taper.

 

 

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Hi Corsair. How are you doing now? You said that it was worse at the end tapering and jumping from Trazadone but it has gotten better for you. Can you explain a little. Thanks.

 

I guess there aren't many success stories with Trazadone out there.

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Hi Corsair. How are you doing now? You said that it was worse at the end tapering and jumping from Trazadone but it has gotten better for you. Can you explain a little. Thanks.

 

I guess there aren't many success stories with Trazadone out there.

 

I didn't sleep much anymore when I went under about 20/15 mgs (can't remember exactly) also had a lot of panic attacks and mental break downs, extreme!! hormonal issues, lots of muscle cramps and twitches. (much more stuff but don't remember again)

One week after jumping I started sleeping again, and I have less sx now, and they are not as bad as they were, but I have still: eye twitch, muscle spasms, slight muscle tension (it was worse back then) sometimes I sleep less, but it's ok-ish, dryness of the eyes and the occasional hyperactivity. (there is also some benzo stuff but half of these sx started with the trazodone taper)

Ow I did not have any mental breakdown since that one week post trazodone. So that's nice. I must say I was in hell at the end of my taper, I just felt I needed to jump. I'm just saying at the end of my taper I wanted to die. I cannot imagine that feeling right now, but I wrote it down. It was terrible. But it passed after a week so.

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Yes, I understand how you felt at the end of your taper Corsair. When I was near the end of my Ambien taper at .20 I jumped. I had to, the side effects were so bad it felt like I was taking poison. So I jumped from the Ambien.

 

I see that you take Seroquel or used to. That must help for sleep.

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Yes, I understand how you felt at the end of your taper Corsair. When I was near the end of my Ambien taper at .20 I jumped. I had to, the side effects were so bad it felt like I was taking poison. So I jumped from the Ambien.

 

I see that you take Seroquel or used to. That must help for sleep.

 

Yes, but I want off it, wish I didn't polydrug ;) but I didn't know back then! There was so much I did not know.

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I  took trazadone for about a month and half. Then started to taper. When I first Started I was taken 50 went to 150 and sometimes still could not sleep. When I  Tapered down I took 50 and kept cutting that in half for a few weeks 25 mg and after that .125. I did not have a good experience with trazadone I was also on remeron. They both made my depression and anxiety worse. I had not no problem stopping after .125 no symptons whatsoever. Good luck
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Thanks Hunter. Nice to know one can come of Trazadone with no issues. I'm on it longer so I guess it's to be expected to have some s/e's. I'll just take it very slow with the tapering. I slept 5 hours straight last night so that's a good thing!
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I was on 100mg of Trazadone at one point for sleep after my Ambien got cut. Then I went down to 50mg without really doing a complete taper (yep just cut my dose in half one night). Then went from 50mg to nothing in about 5 days. Sadly, I was so messed up because I was in acute withdrawal from Ambien and tolerance withdrawal from Ativan (which was actually toxic to me at the time), that I really never noticed any withdrawal that I could directly attribute to Trazadone  :o But from what I understand... it should be a fairly mellow withdrawal as long as you gradually taper. It shouldn't be anything like a benzo withdrawal. Best of luck
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Glad someone asked.  Eventually I'll need to face this too.  Looks like hell but relatively short lived.  I may whack off 10% now just for the heck of it.
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tapering trazodone is hell. It's because its side effects mimick its withdrawal sx. (I read that somewhere, and going through it I believe it) If I would have hold too long at the end I sometimes think it would be worse. I would go slow in the beginning but if it's waay too difficult in the last few crumbs, just jump. You'll feel better after a while. My opinion though
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God, this is also one more thing on my list.  I've been postponing it until I stabilize from my latest thyroid decrease, it was 3 months ago and I'm not back to where I was mid summer before the decrease.  Not looking forward to this taper, gonna take it slow!

 

Thanks for starting this thread.  I'm going to check in with all of you in the future if I need encouragement.  I've been on this since 2008 after my husband's suicide.  But, if I can do the z-drug withdrawal, I can do ANYTHING!

 

:smitten:

 

Alison

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I took trazodone daily for about 3 years or so. I had no problem with withdrawal when it was time for me to get off, but then again i switched it for klonopin daily, so that may have covered symptoms. Did weird things with my blood pressure when i was on it, and i did not like the way it made me feel. Gross.

 

I was on 150mg a day most of the time.

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I might have tapered a bit too fast. Got down slowly with small cuts from 75 Traz to 45 Traz with not too much difficulty. This last cut from 45 to 37 has gotten to me. I guess it's cause it's almost a 20% drop. Of course I am dry cutting and estimating by eye so who knows what dose I'm getting. Sleep being the worst effect,  last night was sucky--11 PM to 3:30 AM.

 

Asked dr. for a compound script and he said no. Last visit told him I cut down to 45 Traz and he asked, "How did you do that?" I said with a razor, and he just gave me a look. He thinks I should just cut them in half for a week. How the hell else can I taper small amounts? Which is easier water titration or weighing them with a scale? Ugh.

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I might have tapered a bit too fast. Got down slowly with small cuts from .75 Traz to .45 Traz with not too much difficulty. This last cut from .45 to .37 has gotten to me. I guess it's cause it's almost a 20% drop. Of course I am dry cutting and estimating by eye so who knows what dose I'm getting. Sleep being the worst effect,  last night was sucky--11 PM to 3:30 AM.

 

Asked dr. for a compound script and he said no. Last visit told him I cut down to .45 Traz and he asked, "How did you do that?" I said with a razor, and he just gave me a look. He thinks I should just cut them in half for a week. How the hell else can I taper small amounts? Which is easier water titration or weighing them with a scale? Ugh.

 

Becky,

 

Honestly, this made me laugh.  Doctors are so clueless.  I've been on the trazodone for 7 years now, I know I have to go slowly.  I'm going to go down a quarter at a time and hold for a month each decrease.  It may take me 8 months but I'm determined and I'll slow it down if I hit any rough patches.  I've got the time and I don't want to tank my brain, thank you very much, it got tanked enough through this withdrawal.  Slow and steady.

 

:laugh:

 

SS

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Yes SS slow and steady is the way for me. I've stabilized on the 37 Traz, sleep improved, little blue and anxious but nothing terrible. Also, my sinuses feel better and my breathing feels improved. Another 2 weeks I'll make another small cut.

 

I'm looking forward to getting free of this med. I get a little worried when I read the Remeron threads though, that's next and it looks like a tough one to taper.

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I went from 100 mg to 50 for the last 2 days.  I don't notice a thing, except a little hypomania yesterday.  But no racing heart and I slept better!  I'm tired today, but I  have a sick dog....I quit C/T some time ago.  I had anxiety for a few days, but it went away quickly.  I wasn't hooked on benzos then, though.  Interdose WD on Xanax led me back to it.  I have evened out my Xanax doses every 6 hours.  I plan to be off of Traz by the end of the weekend.  I know it is not advised, but I can't stand the side effects.  I have read many stories elsewhere (Benzo FB sites) of some quitting C/T without incident.  Not saying that's what you should do BTW.  I just think I have paradoxical effects with it and it makes me more anxious!  We shall see....
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Thanks Becky for the feedback.  I'm going to start my decrease in October on the 1st of the month.

 

Remeron REALLY didn't agree with me.  I only used it for 2 nights at 1/2 a pill or 7.5 mg?  The first evening I took it, despite knowing its reputation for making people ravenously hungry, I found myself down in my kitchen stuffing my face.  I simply couldn't stop eating.

 

The next day, I had a HUGE startle reflex and frankly felt quite homicidal or very irritable.  DID NOT feel like myself at all!  The following night, back in the kitchen, stuffing my face again.  I gave up after that.  Didn't need the extra weight gain and certainly didn't want to murder any innocents in my reach!

 

Trazodone worked really well for me for such a long time.  My Mom on the other hand, used Remeron and is still on a tiny amount to help with sleep.  Go figure.

 

I think you are very wise to go super slowly and take your time.  Me too.  The last thing I need is to trigger a depression on top of this protracted withdrawal journey.  My moods have been rock solid since I went on the bio-identical hormones in 2010 and got diagnosed with adrenal fatigue.  Came off all the antidepressants I was put on after my late husband's suicide.  Never looked back.  I am convinced that much of what we call mood disorders is actually endocrine systems pushed beyond the pale.  We are collectively so stressed out.

 

Will keep you all posted how the taper goes.  I waited until now as I have really started to heal from the z-drug, it took me damned near 2 years in protracted withdrawal despite a long (10 month) taper.  I am so glad to see a light at the end of this tunnel.

 

:smitten:

 

SS

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Yes Shadow I understand the desire to stop it quickly cause of the side effects. I had to jump from Ambien at the end when the s/e's were just over the top. One way or the other we'll both be free of this med. Good luck.
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I went from 100 mg to 50 for the last 2 days.  I don't notice a thing, except a little hypomania yesterday.  But no racing heart and I slept better!  I'm tired today, but I  have a sick dog....I quit C/T some time ago.  I had anxiety for a few days, but it went away quickly.  I wasn't hooked on benzos then, though.  Interdose WD on Xanax led me back to it.  I have evened out my Xanax doses every 6 hours.  I plan to be off of Traz by the end of the weekend.  I know it is not advised, but I can't stand the side effects.  I have read many stories elsewhere (Benzo FB sites) of some quitting C/T without incident.  Not saying that's what you should do BTW.  I just think I have paradoxical effects with it and it makes me more anxious!  We shall see....

 

Oh Shadow, I wish you well.  You'll have to keep us posted.  I'm so sorry that it is so tough to figure all of this out.

 

:smitten:

 

SS

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The Traz works well for me for sleep too SS, and it really cushioned the withdrawal from coming off of Ambien. It's time now to come off of Traz. I'm thinking that the Remeron will cushion the withdrawal from the Traz.

 

That's good you are starting your taper soon. You'll notice as you cut some of the s/e's that you are feeling now will lessen in severity. Good luck on your taper.

 

It's funny you mentioned the endocrine system. I'm at the age where I should already be in meno. Lately when I have a withdrawal side effect, I just blame it on my hormones. Seems to work.

 

 

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Thanks you guys, I will keep you posted.  BTW I notice the talk about PMS and hormones on here.  I remember that, that would make all this so much harder.  I am a few years past menopause.  I remember how I never thought PMS would end and when it did, month after month the window and relief was so good.  I kind of try to think of my WD as that, temporary.  Thank you for the good wishes.  I hope I have a good story to tell you soon about this.  We are all so different.  Talk to you soon, and wishing the best for everyone  :smitten:
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Just an update.  I went to 25 mg Traz last night.  I also did a .0625 cut to my 2nd dose of Xanax.  It's been too long.  I slept relatively well  and so far so good.
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