Trazodone for Anxiety

[lisa2712]

Hi,

 

I was prescribed Trazodone 50 mg for severe anxiety. I was only on it for 2 days. After I took it I felt the anxiety lift (which has never happened on any other medicine I've tried, except for Buspar). The SSRI's, Seroquel XR, and clonazepam have never lifted my anxiety like that, they just numbed some of my anxiety. I also felt weak and shaky, and I began living totally in my head and not wanting to face reality or go outside of my room. I had no energy or motivation to exercise, and when I exercised I was barely able to break a sweat. I didn't want to face anything unpleasant, and the most pleasant place became inside my head, in fantasy land. I started becoming obsessed with certain actors (which is to be expected considered I'm lonely in real life and never had a boyfriend at 31 yo). I didn't want to deal with real life anymore, which for me has been painful and full of anxiety since I was a teen. I absolutely didn't want to go out of my house (or room), or even study inside my room, because I hate studying and I hate the pressure of school. I also think the medicine got into the air and effected the people I live with, including my cat.

I also was very, very tired when I took it (which is to be expected b/c it's used also for a sleeping aid). I would take it at night and wake up the next morning exhausted and confused, not wanting to get out of bed. I felt tired, forgetful, and dazed the whole day, not just at night. Although it lifted my anxiety from my body and mind, I decided to stop taking it b/c of the unwanted side effects, and I was afraid I would fail school, b/c I absolutely couldn't motivate myself to open the books and study, and when I tried to study, I couldn't.

The same thing happened when I took Wellbutrin (where I began living totally in my head and refused to do anything unpleasant for me, like going outside my house and going to school, and I ended up dropping out of college). On both meds, I couldn't get myself to care about anything unpleasant in reality (which was everything- school, going out of my room, etc.), because reality was too uncomfortable and painful for me since I was about 11 yo. I started living totally in my head and on the internet, in a fantasy life where everything was nice.

 

I know I only gave it two days before I got nervous about the side effects and quit it. Now I'm thinking that despite the unwanted side effects it had on me and my parents and sister, I should try Trazodone again, because it lifted my anxiety more than any other med I've tried (besides Buspar, which also had bad side effects for me). 

Has anyone taken Trazodone 50 mg for severe anxiety (social) and does one's body get used to it after a certain amount of time? Are there any other meds out there that are good for lifting anxiety? Besides the SSRI's, Seroquel XR, and clonazepam, and hydroxyzine, and buspar?

 

Thank You,

 

Shana

Edited October 14, 2014 by lisa2712

[robotmeds]

I am interested to find out why you were prescribed Trazodone for anxiety. I was under the impression that the general tools were SSRI/SSNIs, Xanax, and/or talk therapy. 

 

I thought Trazodone was prescribed for anxiety a long time ago, but had fallen out of favor. (However, I could be wrong!)

 

I was prescribed it once as a sleep aid. I found that while it did help me go to sleep, I felt as if I was being 'pushed' into sleep by a steel boot, instead of the more pleasant relaxing feeling of 'drifting off to sleep'. 

 

I used to have severe anxiety disorder, and Cymbalta fixed me completely! I have recently switched to Fetzima, in the hope that it won't have Cymbalta's sexual side effects.

 

I have never tried Trazodone for anxiety, but I would be willing to try it.

Edited October 19, 2014 by robotmeds

[carlossong]

I tried trazadone 50mg but I never knew why my pdoc gave it to me. He also gave me celexa before and I never knew why he gave it to me. Such a bad pdoc imo. He also refused for me to try newer meds until I changed psychiatrists.

Unfortunately it took me about 5 years to find out I wasn't taking the best combination of meds possible. I changed to a new pdoc and things are much better now.

I didn't know that pdoc was a federal free government pdoc. Things are better now with a private one.

 

Again trazadone didn't help me with my sleep and I couldn't notice anything different that's why I got off it in 2 months.

[lisa2712]

I am interested to find out why you were prescribed Trazodone for anxiety. I was under the impression that the general tools were SSRI/SSNIs, Xanax, and/or talk therapy. 

 

I thought Trazodone was prescribed for anxiety a long time ago, but had fallen out of favor. (However, I could be wrong!)

 

I was prescribed it once as a sleep aid. I found that while it did help me go to sleep, I felt as if I was being 'pushed' into sleep by a steel boot, instead of the more pleasant relaxing feeling of 'drifting off to sleep'. 

 

I used to have severe anxiety disorder, and Cymbalta fixed me completely! I have recently switched to Fetzima, in the hope that it won't have Cymbalta's sexual side effects.

 

I have never tried Trazodone for anxiety, but I would be willing to try it.

Sorry about the long time responding; I hate to say but sometimes I post things on here than lose interest in what I wrote.

 

I talked to the psychiatrist, and he said it was prescribed only for insomnia, not for anxiety.