Trazodone- any one used it or using it?
#174084 - 04/26/05 06:49 PM
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After meeting with the doctor on Friday she prescribed trazodone 50 mg to help me sleep. I have been sleeping for about an hour and half to two hours and then wake up for thirty minutes to hour and fall back asleep, repeating until my alarm goes off. Since I am not getting any decent sleep she is worried that it will effect my IBS more. I put off taking it because I was nervous about the side effects, but I am to the point of just wanting to sleep.
I just wondered if anyone had used it and if they had good or bad results. I planning to go have a piece of pumpkin bread and take it and hoping for a restful nights sleep. Thanks in advance!
-Michelle
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If you have C-IBS, this drug has a possible constipation side-effect, in addition to lots of other side-effects. It's actually an older class of anti-depressant, but one of its side-effects is causing drowsiness, so it's used sometimes to help people sleep.
As an MD myself, I think that ambien is a much better choice if a person needs a sleep Rx for the occasional night's use. It has few side-effects and no residual effect the next day [as long as you can sleep for at least 7-8 hours after taking it, b/c that's how long it takes to wear off]. Big bonus is that if you're C, it actually causes mild to moderate diarrhea in some people [not all drugs cause the same side-effects in all people. That's why every person has to try each drug for themself].
BTW, ambien is currently not recommended for longterm use but that's only b/c the company didn't originally seek FDA approval for this purpose. Since the patent is running out next year for ambien, the manufacturer of ambien [Sanofi] is doing the clinical trials currently to have the data to seek FDA approval for longterm use, which would then give them another 17 years of brand name marketing of it. However, it would also be available as a generic drug starting next year, which is of course a good thing in terms of cost.
If the trials data is as good as is expected, it's very likely that the FDA will give its approval. Many people have been taking Ambien already on a longterm basis [as prescribed by their MDs for chronic insomnia] with few to no problems. Hope this helps.
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Many years of C-IBS and pain too for past 2 years-
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Elavil is usually prescribed for sleep - unfortunately I'm one of the rare people it gave insomnia! 
Docs are afraid of Ambien long-term b/c of the addiction risks...which are minimal (and if you're dependent on it b/c w/out it you don't sleep, what's the difference?  ). My GP won't give it to me...so I'm going to try and get it off my Fibro specialist next time I see him. 
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Update
#174337 - 04/27/05 09:05 AM
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Well I took the trazodone as prescribed last night and the one 50 mg tablet seemed to work great since I finally slept all night!!!! My fiance had to wake me up this morning since my alarm was blaring and he could hear it in the shower. Was finally nice to greet the day having had 8 hours of sleep.
I am not sure why the doctor prescribed the trazodone when there are other medications out there, but probably since I have such a sensitivity to medications and usually experiencing all the wonderful side effects. At least it worked the first night, will keep the fingers crossed for the other future nights I need it.
Thanks for all the advice.
Michelle
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I'm an ambien user and wouldn't trade it for the world! I've been using it now about 4 months and its so much easier to deal with "life" after a full nights sleep! I am an IBS C and have noticed a bit more D lately, I hadn't put the two together until the above poster mentioned D as a possible side effect but its nothing I would complain about! My dr told me she doesn't have any issues with me using it long term and me not sleeping is so much worse for me. I'm already prone to depression and anxiety and when I don't sleep all that is even harder to keep under control!
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Taking it one day at a time.....
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