Dr. Prescribed Trazodone For Insomnia After Having Baby. Severe Anxiety, Taking Zoloft. Side Effect Of Drug ?

Posted on Wed, 23 May 2012

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Wed, 23 May 2012 Answered on

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 Last reviewed on

Question : My doctor prescribed trazodone (75 mg) for insomnia after having a baby. I have had a severe reaction of anxiety on this and zoloft. My Dr advised me to stop taking after one dose. The next day I am still feeling the anxiety. How long does the drug stay in my system. When can I expect it to be totally out?

Answered by Dr. Pavan Kumar Gupta (2 hours later)

Hello and thanks for the query.
Drugs like TRAZODONE and ZOLOFT are antidepressants and can cause number of side effects in people using them.
TRAZODONE causes confusion,Nervousness,decreased ability to concentrate while ZOLOFT may cause anxiety and panic attacks.
Your doctor has rightly stopped the drugs and their effect normally wears off in next couple of days.
Just relax and don't worry,you shall be alright soon.
I hope to have answered your query however you may revert to me for any other further query.
Thanks and best of luck.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Pavan Kumar Gupta (14 minutes later)

Does Ambien cause anxiety or just the anti-depressants?

Answered by Dr. Pavan Kumar Gupta (35 minutes later)

Hello.
The most common side effects of zolpidem are drowsiness, dizziness, and a "drugged" feeling, which probably reflect the action of the drug. Other side effects include confusion, insomnia, euphoria, ataxia (balance problems), and visual changes.
So your anxiety seems to be mainly due to the use of antidepressants.
Thanks

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar