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Prescription Anxiety Medications »
Anxiety is both a normal and useful response to potentially stressful or dangerous situations. It helps by increasing our awareness of what's going on around us and in other ways. For most people, the anxiety is short lived and normally goes away once the situation has passed. But that is not the case for an estimated 40 million adults in the United States who have some type of anxiety disorder and experience ongoing and unwarranted psychological distress. That distress may also manifest itself in physical symptoms such as muscle tension, headaches, or chest pain.
Anxiety medications include multiple types of drugs that are used to treat the symptoms of anxiety disorders. The three most commonly prescribed types of anxiety medication are antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications -- also known as anxiolytics -- and beta-blockers. The first two types of anxiety medications work primarily by affecting the ba...
Trazodone is an antidepressant medication. It affects chemicals in the brain that may become unbalanced and cause depression
Trazodone is used to treat depression.
Trazodone may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.
Stop taking trazodone and call your doctor at once if you have a penis erection that is painful or lasts 4 hours or longer. This is a medical emergency and could lead to a serious condition that must be corrected with surgery.
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Call your doctor at once if you have any new or worsening symptoms such as: mood or behavior changes, anxiety, panic attacks, trouble sleeping, or if you feel impulsive, irritable, agitated, hostile, aggressive, restless, hyperactive (mentally or physically), more depressed, or have thoughts about suicide or hurting yourself.
Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:
Less serious side effects may be more likely to occur, such as:
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Before taking trazodone, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have bipolar disorder (manic depression), schizophrenia or other psychiatric illness, a history of drug abuse or suicidal thoughts, or if you have recently had a heart attack.
You may have thoughts about suicide when you first start taking an antidepressant, especially if you are younger than 24 years old. Your doctor will need to check you at regular visits for at least the first 12 weeks of treatment.
Trazodone works best if you take it after a meal or a snack.
Call your doctor at once if you have any new or worsening symptoms such as: mood or behavior changes, anxiety, panic attacks, trouble sleeping, or if you feel impulsive, irritable, agitated, hostile, aggressive, restless, hyperactive (mentally or physically), more depressed, or have thoughts about suicide or hurting yourself.
Trazodone can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.
Do not drink alcohol while you are taking trazodone. Alcohol can increase drowsiness and dizziness caused by trazodone.
Stop taking trazodone and call your doctor at once if you have a penis erection that is painful or lasts 4 hours or longer. This is a medical emergency and could lead to a serious condition that must be corrected with surgery.
Report Problems to the Food and Drug Administration
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit the FDA MedWatch website or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
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