Trazodone
Medication
serotonin antagonist antidepressant
mental health
Not medical advice. Check with your doctor or pharmacist before you start, stop or change the timing of anything you take.
How to use
What it’s for
Prescribed for depression; also used for poor sleep
When to take
NHS: once or twice a day; often at bedtime if drowsy
Take with
Food · NHS: tablets swallowed whole with water
Pros & cons
Pros
- NHS: thought to raise serotonin levels linked to mood
- HealthHub: also prescribed for difficulty sleeping
- NHS: can be used in pregnancy if a doctor decides
Cons
- NHS: sleepiness, dizziness, headaches, dry mouth
- FDA: boxed warning on suicidal thoughts, under 25s
- HealthHub: rare priapism — erection over four hours
Sources
- HSA — Listing of Registered Therapeutic Products (data.gov.sg open dataset, 5,511 rows, cached in full and filtered locally) · read 2026-08-27
what it says
“The register carries one trazodone product: SIN10777P TRITTICO TABLETS 50 mg, Activeingredients 'TRAZODONE HCl', Forensicclassification 'Prescription Only', ATC N06AX05.”
- NHS Medicines A-Z — Trazodone: what trazodone is for · read 2026-08-27
what it says
“Trazodone is an antidepressant medicine used to treat depression and anxiety. It's only available with a prescription … It's thought to work by increasing the levels of chemicals in your brain linked to mood, such as serotonin.”
- NHS Medicines A-Z — Trazodone: how to take trazodone · read 2026-08-27
what it says
“swallow tablets or capsules whole, with water, once or twice a day; take it with, or just after food, to reduce the risk of side effects; take it at bedtime if you're having trouble sleeping”
- NHS Medicines A-Z — Trazodone: side effects · read 2026-08-27
what it says
“Common side effects of trazodone include: feeling sleepy, dizzy or tired; headaches; feeling sick (nausea); difficulty pooing (constipation); muscle pain; a dry mouth”
- NHS Medicines A-Z — Trazodone: who can and cannot take it · read 2026-08-27
what it says
“it may not be suitable if you have: ever had an allergic reaction … ever had thoughts of self-harming or ending your life; a history of bipolar disorder; heart, kidney or liver problems; epilepsy; an overactive thyroid”
- NHS Medicines A-Z — Trazodone: pregnancy · read 2026-08-27
what it says
“Trazodone can be used during pregnancy if needed. Your doctor will talk to you about the risks and benefits … your doctor will prescribe the lowest possible effective dose.”
- NHS Medicines A-Z — Trazodone: taking it with other medicines · read 2026-08-27
what it says
“other antidepressants, such as amitriptyline, fluoxetine or moclobemide; antifungal medicines … epilepsy medicines, such as carbamazepine or phenytoin; sleeping pills, tranquilisers or other sedatives … warfarin … Do not use the herbal supplement St John's wort”
- HealthHub (Pharmaceutical Society of Singapore) — Trazodone: what is this medication for · read 2026-08-27
what it says
“Trazodone belongs to a class of medications known as Serotonin Antagonist and Reuptake Inhibitor (SARI). It is used to treat symptoms of depression … Your doctor may also prescribe Trazodone if you have difficulty sleeping”
- HealthHub — Trazodone: how should I take this medication · read 2026-08-27
what it says
“Trazodone should be taken with or after food. Take your medication according to the instructions stated on the medication label.”
- HealthHub — Trazodone: rare but serious side effects · read 2026-08-27
what it says
“Rarely, this medication may cause: Seizures (fits) … Painful erection of the penis (male sexual organ) lasting more than four hours (also known as priapism) … signs and symptoms of serotonin syndrome”
- HealthHub — Trazodone: what food or medication should I avoid · read 2026-08-27
what it says
“Avoid drinking alcohol while taking Trazodone as it can worsen the symptoms of your depression and cause excessive sleepiness.”
- US FDA label — trazodone hydrochloride tablets, section 1 Indications and Usage, via openFDA drug/label.json · read 2026-08-27
what it says
“Trazodone hydrochloride tablets are indicated for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) in adults.”
- US FDA label — trazodone hydrochloride tablets, section 2 Dosage and Administration, via openFDA drug/label.json · read 2026-08-27
what it says
“The maximum dose for outpatients usually should not exceed 400 mg/day in divided doses. Inpatients … may be given up to but not in excess of 600 mg/day in divided doses.”
- US FDA label — trazodone hydrochloride tablets, boxed warning, via openFDA drug/label.json · read 2026-08-27
what it says
“Antidepressants increased the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in pediatric and young adult patients in short-term studies … Trazodone is not approved for use in pediatric patients”
- US FDA label — trazodone hydrochloride tablets, section 4 Contraindications, via openFDA drug/label.json · read 2026-08-27
what it says
“contraindicated in: Patients taking, or within 14 days of stopping, monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), including MAOIs such as linezolid or intravenous methylene blue, because of an increased risk of serotonin syndrome”
- US FDA label — trazodone hydrochloride tablets, section 7 Drug Interactions, via openFDA drug/label.json · read 2026-08-27
what it says
“CNS Depressants: Trazodone may enhance effects of alcohol, barbiturates, or other CNS depressants … Digoxin or Phenytoin: Monitor for increased digoxin or phenytoin serum levels … Warfarin: Monitor for increased or decreased prothrombin time”
- US FDA label — trazodone hydrochloride tablets, section 2.1 Dose Selection, via openFDA drug/label.json · read 2026-08-27
what it says
“An initial dose of 150 mg/day in divided doses is suggested … The dose may be increased by 50 mg/day every 3 to 4 days.”
Updated 2026-08-29. Every line above traces to a numbered source. Kozen-X is not a medical device and does not give medical advice. It lists what published sources have written down — nothing more. A pair not listed is unrecorded, not cleared. Before you start, stop or re-time anything, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.