Trazadone timing

[butterflydreams]

Ok, so here it is, when difficult child was recently inpatient, the psychiatrist not only added Lithium ER to his medications, but added Trazadone for sleep. difficult child has had huge problems sleeping. difficult child is taking 150 mg Trazadone. He takes all his medications at about 7pm (either my daughter or I visually watch him). Anyway, some nights he is down for the count by 8:30pm or so, but some nights he is wide awake and not sleepy at 10pm. Last night for example, I tried to get him to lay down at 9pm, but he wouldn't saying that he was wide awake and he refused to lay down. I really wanted him down because we had to be at the school by 7:20am for his 504 meeting, this meant we had to leave about 45 minutes earlier than usual. Anyway, some mornings he gets up fine at about 6:30am, others it is a struggle to get him up. This morning, I was able to get him out the door and we were on time for our meeting, but he was so drowsy. His teachers are all reporting that he is very sleepy in the morning. All his morning teachers are saying that he has trouble staying awake. By lunch time he seems to be awake. He has been sometimes falling asleep in his class after lunch, but not always.

Is there a window for taking Trazadone? You know, as far as taking it within so long of going to bed? Or perhaps bumping it up to earlier?

I have placed a call into psychiatrist to ask about moving his medications up, and to let him know about the drowsiness and the reports from the teachers, maybe we need to decrease the dose, I don't know. Once he goes to sleep he is finally able to sleep through the night.

I hate to change any of his medications, we are finally for the first time seeing some real stabilization from him.

 

[klmno]

difficult child never tried that medication but he has huge sleep issues too when he isn't stable. The lithobid showed the biggest help for difficult child's stability so hopefully, after that has been in his system a while at a good therapeutic dosage, it will halp stabilize your son more and he won't need so much assistance with sleep issues. In the meantime, I could only advise what you are already doing.

 

[busywend]

You could try calling the pharmacist for suggestions.

I do not know much about this medication.

Is there ever a common food or drink that keeps him up?

 

[Wiped Out]

We experienced the same thing when difficult child was on Trazadone for sleep and to some extent still do with the Clonidine. Sometimes difficult child (both on the Trazadone and Clonidine) falls asleep within 15 minutes of taking his medications, sometimes an hour and a half.

Wish I had a better answer for you. Hugs.

 

[totoro]

I take Trazadone, I try to take it about 1 hour before bed. I drink some tea before bed. I have a wave/sound machine by my bed. I also take Tryptophan and Melatonin.
My psychiatrist did tell me on Nights when I could not sleep I could take one of my other sleep medications, which I do not take now.
I have Lunesta and Klonopin on hand.
I am not on Lithium though... Lamictal and Topamax.

Trazadone has been the best as far as sleep for me so far. No board Jinx ju-ju!
I have about 3 nights a month when I do not sleep. Which is better.

 

[DammitJanet]

I used to be on trazadone but later found it to activate me after years of taking it.

What I found to help me was to take it about one hour before I wanted to sleep but to also take it with a bedtime snack like a bowl of cereal or a cereal bar. Something like that. Maybe a PBJ sandwich or cookies and milk. Something about a bit of food on my stomach made that medicine work better.

 

[maril]

I can't add any information but wish your son luck with the trazodone. My son just started it last night, so we will see how he does. Lots of interesting posts and good information.

 

[butterflydreams]

Thanks everyone. Lots of good input here.

Busywend, no there doesnt seem to be any common foods that tend to keep him up.

Some nights he will be out early and others he is still wide awake at 10pm. For instance, night before last he was wide awake still at 10pm. Last night he took his medications around 6:15pm and he was out at 7:30pm. He slept all the way through until I woke him at 6:30am. He got up fine, no problems getting ready for school. I am glad because he has to stay after school today to take a math test. Dont know why, though. He told me this morning "dont get any ideas mom, I am not going to be that early every night." I explained to him that he wouldnt necessarily go to sleep that early every night.

marilynne, good luck with your son starting trazadone too.