TRAZODONE-ORAL (cont.)
PRECAUTIONS: Tell your doctor your medical history, especially if you have: heart disease, liver disease, kidney disease, blood pressure problems, any allergies (including nefazodone). Use caution performing tasks requiring alertness such as driving or using machinery. To avoid dizziness and lightheadedness when rising from a seated or lying position, get up slowly. Alcoholic beverages can add to the drowsiness caused by this drug. Limit alcohol intake. Though uncommon, depression itself can lead to thoughts or attempts of suicide. Tell your doctor immediately if you have any suicidal thoughts, or other mental/mood changes. Keep all medical appointments so your doctor can monitor your progress closely. Elderly patients may be more sensitive to the effects of trazodone. Use cautiously. Trazodone should be used only when clearly needed during pregnancy. Discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor. Trazodone is excreted into breast milk. Though to date, no problems have been reported to nursing infants, consult your doctor before breast-feeding.
DRUG INTERACTIONS: Tell your doctor of any over-the-counter or prescription drugs you are taking, especially: digoxin, phenytoin or other anti-seizure drugs, antihistamines, medicine for allergies or colds, sedatives, tranquilizers, barbiturates (e.g., phenobarbital), narcotic pain relievers, drugs which affect certain liver enzymes (CYP 3A4 substrates, inhibitors, and inducers such as azole antifungals, macrolide antibiotics, cimetidine, rifamycins, St John's wort, certain anti-seizure medications), other drugs which can cause bleeding/bruising (e.g., thrombolytic drugs such as TPA, anticoagulants such as heparin or warfarin, antiplatelet drugs including NSAIDs such as ibuprofen), other medicine for depression (e.g., SSRIs such as fluoxetine), sleeping aids, drugs for high blood pressure, ginkgo. Low-dose aspirin (usually 81-325 mg per day) for heart attack or stroke prevention should be continued unless your doctor instructs you otherwise. Aspirin is similar to NSAID drugs, and can increase the risk of bleeding in combination with this medication (see above). Discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor. Before you have surgery with a general anesthetic, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist you are taking trazodone. Do not start or stop any medicine without doctor or pharmacist approval.
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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