Like all medicines, trazodone can cause side effects in some people, but many people have no side effects or only minor ones.
Common side effects
Some of the common side effects of trazodone will gradually get better as your body gets used to it. There are things you can do to help cope with them:
Feeling sleepy or tired
Take trazodone in the evening and try to cut down the amount of alcohol you drink. If you take trazodone twice a day, talk to your doctor. Feeling sleepy should become less of a problem after a few days as your body gets used to the medicine. Do not drive, ride a bike or use tools or machinery if you're feeling sleepy or tired.
Headaches
Make sure you rest and drink plenty of fluids. Try not to drink too much alcohol. Talk to your doctor if the headaches last longer than a week or are severe.
Feeling sick (nausea)
Try taking trazodone with or after food to see if that helps. It's best to avoid rich or spicy food while you're taking this medicine.
Constipation
Eat more high-fibre foods, such as fresh fruit and vegetables and cereals. Try to drink several glasses of water every day. If you can, it may also help to do some exercise.
A dry mouth
Try sugar-free gum or sugar-free sweets.
Tell your doctor if this advice does not help or the side effects do not go away.
Serious side effects
Serious side effects are rare and happen in less than 1 in 1,000 people.
Call your doctor or call 111 now if:
- the whites of your eyes turn yellow, or your skin turns yellow although this may be less obvious on brown or black skin – this can be a sign of liver problems
- you have difficulty pooing (constipation) or you're unable to pee
- you are bruising more easily than usual or have unexplained bruising
- you get more infections than usual, such as a sore throat or skin infections
- you have a fast, slow or abnormal heartbeat
Immediate action required: Call 999 or go to A&E now if you have:
- a long-lasting and painful erection that lasts longer than 2 hours – this may happen even when you're not having sex
- a seizure or fit
- thoughts of self-harming or ending your life
Do not drive to A&E. Ask someone to drive you or call 999 and ask for an ambulance.
Bring all the medicines you take with you.
Serious allergic reaction
In rare cases, it's possible to have a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to trazodone.
Immediate action required: Call 999 now if:
- your lips, mouth, throat or tongue suddenly become swollen
- you're breathing very fast or struggling to breathe (you may become very wheezy or feel like you're choking or gasping for air)
- your throat feels tight or you're struggling to swallow
- your skin, tongue or lips turn blue, grey or pale (if you have black or brown skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet)
- you suddenly become very confused, drowsy or dizzy
- someone faints and cannot be woken up
- a child is limp, floppy or not responding like they normally do (their head may fall to the side, backwards or forwards, or they may find it difficult to lift their head or focus on your face)
You or the person who's unwell may also have a rash that's swollen, raised, itchy, blistered or peeling.
These can be signs of a serious allergic reaction and may need immediate treatment in hospital.
Do not drive yourself to A&E.
The person you speak to at 999 will give you advice about what to do.
Sexual side effects
Trazodone can cause problems with ejaculation. Some people say it gives them a higher sex drive, others say it makes it lower.
Other side effects
These are not all the side effects of trazodone. For a full list, see the leaflet inside your medicines packet.
Reporting side effects
You can report any suspected side effect using the Yellow Card safety scheme.
Visit the Yellow Card website for more information about reporting side effects.