Depression may affect anyone – especially, during times of distress. An unpleasant or a sad event is known to trigger spells of feeling low or being worthless; which may soon lead to disturbed sleeping pattern, loss of appetite, strange thoughts and being restless. Most of these are distinctive symptoms and signs of depression. Doctors prescribe a genre of meds known as antidepressants to treat such mental conditions. Trazodone is one among the most widely prescribed antidepressant meds. Its dosage and administration needs to be as per instructions of your treating physician. Can you dissolve this med under your tongue or crush it in your mouth? It is important to know the safe practices prior to commencing your treatment plan.
Sudden death of a family member or a close friend, loss of one’s livelihood or meeting with a life-altering accident – none of these are very pleasant events. These may occur to anyone; the trauma of any such sad events may push you into grief. Being sad for a few days is a normal thing. But, if your sadness persists for long, and if you are losing your sleep over it for several days, it may denote the onset of depression.
In light of rapidly changing and demanding lifestyles we lead, one cannot bear to remain sad or sleepless for a long time. You may need to seek medical attention if your sleeplessness as well of loss of appetite persists for more than a few days. Doctors prescribe meds called as antidepressants to treat depression, anxieties and restlessness. Trazodone is a potent drug used in such treatment plans.
Most of the popular antidepressants belong to either selective serotonin reuptake inhibiting class (SSRI) or serotonin noradrenaline reuptake inhibiting meds (SNRIs). Trazodone is known to have a lot of capabilities that are quite similar to SSRI genre of meds. Owing to a few minor differences in the chemical structure, trazodone is categorized under a unique genre known as serotonin receptor antagonist and reuptake inhibiting drug.
Safe use of trazodone
Trazodone is used for the treatment of restlessness as well as anxieties; this med has the needful clearance of the food and drug administration (FDA) for this line of treatment. However, FDA has issued warnings about excessive use of this drug. Larger doses of this drug may cause added traces of serotonin to build-up in your central nervous system and brain. When taken at low dosage levels (i.e., as prescribed by your caregiving team), you may witness calming of your nerves, ability to sleep properly and also a slow & steady restoration of your appetite level.
Since trazodone makes you to sleep as it restores serotonin balance in your brain, it is never consumed with intoxicants (such as alcohol, marijuana or cannabis). In fact, this med can make you feel very dizzy. It is unsafe to pursue sporting activities like cycling or jumping; you may also need to avoid driving or working on heavy equipment / machinery. Those who are not depressed must not take this drug. This med is however used for people living with sleep-related disorders; for such extended use, it is always recommended to follow the instructions of your caregiver.
Can I make trazodone to dissolve under my tongue?
This antidepressant med is available in multiple forms. Two popular forms include an immediate release version and an extended release form. The version / form prescribed to you may depend on several factors; key among them are your age, bodyweight, severity of your mental condition as well as sleeplessness. If you are living with prior ailments such as cardiac problems, liver related ailments (such as inflammation of liver and cirrhosis) or renal dysfunction (mainly, a drop in the filtering efficiencies of your kidneys), strength of trazodone is altered accordingly.
The immediate release version of trazodone (widely available under brand names like desyrel, etc.) can be dissolved under your tongue. You may also split the pill into quarters or halves. The immediate release pill can also be crushed inside the mouth. These are considered safe – as long as the version consumed is of the immediate release genre. But, if you are prescribed with an extended release form of trazodone, additional care needs to be exercised. Such extended release versions (for example – brand names like olestra) must never be dissolved under the tongue. This may disrupt the release mechanism of the drug; in other words, dissolving such pills may lead to a sudden availability of all active ingredients. For the same reason, such pills must never be bitten, split or cut. Some people may crush tablets; in case of extended release, crushing is also considered as an unsafe practice.
In general, added care and caution is needed while taking the extended release version. However, if your dosage is of a low strength, you can cut the extended release pill. But, such pills – once cut into half – must never be crushed, bitten or made to dissolve inside your mouth. It is highly recommended to talk to your treating physician and / or pharmacist about safe ways to take the extended release version of trazodone.
Both versions of trazodone may trigger a few side effects; common discomforts include headaches, weird dreams / thoughts, stomach upset as well as abdominal pain, vomiting or nausea. In some cases, cramping or pain in muscles is witnessed. Most of these discomforts may not last long; as soon as your system gets used to the active ingredients, these may cease to show up. However, if discomforts are persisting for more than 5 days or a week, you are advised to consult with your caregiving team as soon as you possibly can. Last but not least, trazodone is categorized as one of category C drugs. The risks it may trigger in pregnant women are not fully known. It is hence a safe practice to consult with your treating physician and / or pharmacist to know how safe it is for fetal wellbeing as well as for pregnant women.
In sum, trazodone is one of the widely used meds for treating depression and other mental conditions. Its immediate release form can be dissolved under the tongue. But, needful care is required while taking the extended release form; this must not be dissolved under your tongue. Such a practice may disturb the efficacy of the med. If you need more inputs on how to take trazodone, it is recommended to talk to your caregiver and / or pharmacist.
Education: Master’s in Clinical Nutrition from Tufts University. Experience: 6 years of experience as a registered dietitian and freelance writer, creating content on nutritional science and weight management for various health websites.
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