Published on 22 November 2021

How Long Does Trazodone Stay In Your System?

Trazodone (Desyrel) HOW-LONG-DOES-TRAZODONE-STAY-IN-YOUR-SYSTEM
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The antidepressant drug works effectively to relieve the symptoms of depression and anxiety in people; it will work in the brain by changing the chemical present called a neurotransmitter.

Therefore experts say these are the leading cause responsible for mood and behavior. There are many groups of antidepressant drugs available to treat the condition, 

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) are one of the antidepressant classes which help treat major depressive episodes.

Trazodone belongs to a group of antidepressants; thus, see more about it in detail. 

What is Trazodone (Desyrel)?

Trazodone is an antidepressant from a class called serotonin receptor antagonists and reuptake inhibitors (SARIs). Trazadone shares many characteristics of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) class of antidepressants. Trazadone is used to treat major depressive episodes in people.

Trazadone is used in adults and has proven effective compared to other antidepressant drugs in treating depression. Trazadone has a distinguishing factor: it does not stimulate sexual symptoms, anxiety symptoms, or insomnia, which are usually associated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) and serotonin-norepinephrine receptor inhibitors (SNRIs) therapies.

It helps in improving the mood, appetite, and energy level while at the same time decreasing the anxiety and insomnia related to depression. It is not available over the counter though you can buy Trazodone online from a certified pharmacy.

Trazadone is an effective tolerated antidepressant in treating MDD (Major depressive disorder) as monotherapy or combination therapy. 

Dosing Information In Adults:

INITIAL DOSAGE INCREASED/GENERAL DOSAGE MAXIMUM DOSAGE
150mg/day in divided doses 50mg/day for 3-4 days - 600mg/day(inpatients) - 400mg/day( outpatients

Regulation:

  • Patients should take the drug shortly after a meal or light snack.
  • Dosage should be reduced after an adequate amount of positive response.
  • Patients should be transparent about their personal/family medical history related to bipolar disorder, mania, or hypomania before getting a prescription.
  • The patient should be monitored for withdrawal symptoms when discontinuing therapy.

Frequently asked questions

While taking Trazodone, many factors say gaining extra weight by changes in the appetite, fat storage, and sedation lead to slowing the metabolism in the body.
This drug leads to serotonin syndrome; The risk will be higher if you consume with a higher dosage than recommended and take medications with similar products to Trazodone.
The drug is unsafe for people with heart disease, mental illness, pregnancy, or breastfeeding conditions. Consult with your doctor about your health before taking the medication.

How Long Does Trazadone Stay In Your System?

Trazadone isn't a one-time drug; it is a treatment that may continue for days or weeks, depending on the severity. Following is the time to eliminate a single dose of Trazadone from your system.

After the initial dosage, your body will take around one to three days to eliminate the exact dosage.

Half-life refers to the time taken by our body to reduce the drug level in the blood by half. The half-life of Trazadone is around 5 to 13 hours, meaning, every 5-13 hours, the Trazadone concentration in your blood will decrease by half. Depending on the half-life of Trazadone, it will take around 32 to 75 hours for the drug to be gone completely.

Although, the stay of Trazadone is not fixed and is influenced by various other factors, such as,

  • Metabolism rate: the metabolism rate of the patient influences the time taken by the body to eliminate the drug. People with a slow metabolism rate will take longer to stop the medicine from their system and vice-versa.
  • Age: the person's age also affects the time Trazadone is in your system. Generally, it will take longer for elderly patients to eliminate the drugs than teenagers.
  • Weight: how long Trazadone stays in your system is also affected by your body fat percentage.
  • Frequency of the drug: the dosage amount prescribed to you also impacts the stay of the drug in your system. If your treatment is for an extended period at high dosages, then, in turn, the remain of Trazodone will also expand.

Usually, the smaller you are and the more of the drug you take, the longer the drug will be in your system. Doctors typically consider these factors in prescribing the dosage of the drug.  

How Long Does It Take For Trazadone To Start Working In Your Body?

On average, Trazadone relieves depression 1 to 2 weeks after your initial dose. However, Trazadone does not provide instantaneous results. It may take, on average 2 weeks for the drug to completely set in.

In the initial treatment, patients may experience worsening symptoms. Common side effects of Trazadone include,

  • Headache
  • Nausea/Vomiting
  • Confusion
  • Dry Mouth
  • Muscle Pain

Other than these, there are a few severe symptoms one should look out for, like,

  • Chest Pain
  • Fast, Pounding, Or Irregular Heartbeat
  • Loss Of Consciousness (Coma)
  • Fainting
  • Seizures
  • Shortness Of Breath
  • Unusual Bruising Or Bleeding.

Trazadone can cause painful erections in men, some cases may even involve surgical treatment, and there have been rare cases where permanent damage has occurred. Consulting a doctor about the risk of taking Trazadone is advisable. 

Also, Read

Bottom Line From Practical Anxiety Solutions

Trazadone is an effective drug for depression because it resembles a few characteristics of serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrine receptor inhibitors (SNRIs). However, using this drug long-term may develop a dependence on the drug.

The patient becomes used to the drug, and it can get complicated to withdraw this medication after the treatment is complete. One should always consult a doctor before taking a prescription and be transparent about their personal/family medical history since Trazadone can also be fatal.

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