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I. How We Work in Washington. Based on your preferences, we provide you with information about one or more of our contracted senior living providers ("Participating Communities") and provide your Senior Living Care Information to Participating Communities. The Participating Communities may contact you directly regarding their services. APFM does not endorse or recommend any provider. It is your sole responsibility to select the appropriate care for yourself or your loved one. We work with both you and the Participating Communities in your search. We do not permit our Advisors to have an ownership interest in Participating Communities.
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IV. No Obligation or Commitment. You have no obligation to use or to continue to use our services. Because you pay no fee to us, you will never need to ask for a refund.
V. Complaints. Please contact our Family Feedback Line at (866) 584-7340 or ConsumerFeedback@aplaceformom.com to report any complaint. Consumers have many avenues to address a dispute with any referral service company, including the right to file a complaint with the Attorney General's office at: Consumer Protection Division, 800 5th Avenue, Ste. 2000, Seattle, 98104 or 800-551-4636.
VI. No Waiver of Your Rights. APFM does not (and may not) require or even ask consumers seeking senior housing or care services in Washington State to sign waivers of liability for losses of personal property or injury or to sign waivers of any rights established under law.I agree that: A.I authorize A Place For Mom ("APFM") to collect certain personal and contact detail information, as well as relevant health care information about me or from me about the senior family member or relative I am assisting ("Senior Living Care Information"). B.APFM may provide information to me electronically. My electronic signature on agreements and documents has the same effect as if I signed them in ink. C.APFM may send all communications to me electronically via e-mail or by access to an APFM web site. D.If I want a paper copy, I can print a copy of the Disclosures or download the Disclosures for my records. E.This E-Sign Acknowledgement and Authorization applies to these Disclosures and all future Disclosures related to APFM's services, unless I revoke my authorization. You may revoke this authorization in writing at any time (except where we have already disclosed information before receiving your revocation.) This authorization will expire after one year. F.You consent to APFM's reaching out to you using a phone system than can auto-dial numbers (we miss rotary phones, too!), but this consent is not required to use our service.
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You may want to check this site Drugs.com – Know More. Be Sure.
Drug.com includes most of the information published by the pharmaceutical companies I think it may answer some of your questions.
If you want a more in-depth level, try Medscape and you will find peer reviewed studies on particular drug. Medscape is part of NIH.
I also would recommend speaking to your pharmacist and your doctor. If you still feel you are not getting the information you need or that you have a sensitivity. You could seek a consult with a psychopharmacologist at a major medical center.
I took trazodone every day for years for anxiety and sleep issues. I have been off it for 5 years and I still have issues with short term memory and the ability to learn new things, which I first noticed while taking trazadone. It may not be an especially common longterm effect, but it DOES happen.
I take Trazadone for sleeping THRU the night. I have no problem falling asleep. I'm home alone and I have absolutely no problem falling asleep during the day. I think it is more of an age thing. I used to service copiers in nursing homes. It does looking like that is what they do in nursing homes is sleep. My problem is, does Trazadone cause contipation?
Yes, constipation is a known and common side effect of trazodone. It can occur because the medication has anticholinergic properties, which can slow down the movement of the intestines.
Managing Constipation Caused by Trazodone If you experience constipation while taking trazodone, several lifestyle adjustments may help manage the symptom: Increase fiber intake: Eat more high-fiber foods such as fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain cereals.
Stay hydrated: Drink several glasses of water and other fluids throughout the day (unless your doctor has advised fluid restrictions).
Exercise regularly: Physical activity can help stimulate bowel function.
Consider over-the-counter aids: Fiber supplements (like Metamucil) or stool softeners may be recommended by your healthcare provider if other measures are not effective.
When to Contact Your Doctor While often a mild side effect, you should contact your healthcare provider immediately if the constipation is severe, does not go away, or if you are unable to pass stool at all, as this could indicate a more serious issue like fecal impaction.
I took trazodone once and refused to take it again! The fact is I accidentally took it for the 1st time after taking 2 hydrocodone APAP 5-325. I was in a lot of pain and my doctor told me I could take trazodone with 1 hydrocodone at bedtime. I was thinking pain when I took 2 pain pills. I rarely take 2. I even forgot about trazodone until 2 or 3 hours later when I still couldn't sleep. I took 1, then remembered I'd taken 2 hydrocodone. I figured oh well, I'll be fine. I went to sleep and woke a couple hours later feeling like I took too much meds, but of course I had. Didn't worry. Went back to sleep. Later I woke with hot flashes and trembling, not severe but scary since it wasn't a normal thing for me. I googled interactions between the two meds. According to ai it was symptoms of serotonin syndrome which can be much worse and result in death. I had those symptoms, not very strong ones, for at least a couple weeks, maybe still do but not frequently. My point here is trazodone is one of of those meds doctors prescribe a lot but don't know much about except it's approved by the FDA. It is probably safe for most people, but we are not all alike. Doctors do not test serotonin levels before or during use of drugs that interact with it. It's considered the happy chemical and for the right people, maybe it's wonderful to take a pill that helps their moods. For others who have high levels of it already, it's not so good.. my family convinced me to take sertraline and I took it for many. I can say if helped at all it might have been with my temper, but not sure. It also caused me to not experience my normal emotions, joy, sorrow, etc.I didn't sweat the whole time I took it either. I learned my reaction meant I already had high serotonin levels. I weaned myself off it slowly. Anyway sertraline and trazodone both interact with serotonin in kind of opposite ways! One being sleep, and 1 for moods. No doubt both can be useful, but there absolutely needs to be more studies done on it and doctors need to be watchful with how these sleepy/happy drugs work for individuals. That also means they can possibly effect cognitive issues in different ways especially as older people tend to more sensitive to drugs, or in some instances less sensitive. The point being don't just push pills at people! Listen to their families are saying about their behaviors. Don't take workers word foe everything. They're very busy. They can't be aware of everything, and unfortunately there are a few who couldn't care less how a person is effected. Being a caregiver is exhausting, but you are your loved one's most important advocate. If something feels wrong, research their meds and interactions between meds. Many a person has been diagnosed with dementia and alzheimers when it was actually their meds, and it can be the least likely med causing the problem.
I don't believe there is a connection between the Trazodone and short term memory loss. It is more likely her dementia which is affecting her short term memory. I started my husband with dementia on Trazodone 6 years ago. I have not noticed any changes in his memory using this medication. I felt it was like a "miracle drug". He finally could relax enough to sleep well at night. He had tremors which stopped after using the medication. It made him very, very sleepy, and physically weak at first. Now he is used to it. But, being in that half-asleep state could cause a person to appear incoherent and not seem to remember.
My mom did not show any change in her short-term memory. She started it when she was in the middle stage though so it may not have been noticeable. Being able to use three times a day as well as prn made a huge improvement on everyone's quality of life. She wouldn't get as fixated on "going home" which made the interventions much easier. Definitely discuss with her doctor there may be alternatives or the doctor may suggest cutting the dosage to see if there is any change. It may be that even if it is causing problems with STM, it may be better than not using it.
I started taking Trazadone many years ago for depression at first. My doctor actually had me taking 5 of them at bedtime-5!!! They did help me sleep but didn't really help me with my depression so my doctor prescribed celexa for my depression and ambien for my insomnia (as well as xanax for my anxiety). Years later, I asked my new doctor to discontinue the ambien and start prescribing me trazodone for my insomnia which did work (he didn't prescribe 5 of them though like the other doctor). I now have a new psychiatrist who started me on quietapine (Seroquel) for my mental health issues. It would knock me out so I took it right before bed. The trazodone did cause me to feel like I was in a fog the next day. Even now there are times when I have problems staying asleep due to my severe chronic pain so I'll end up taking a trazodone just to help me fall back asleep. I don't like doing that because of how I feel the next day. I also use to take clonazapam for my anxiety but had to discontinue it because my new pain management doctor refuses to prescribe me my pain meds while I'm taking the clonazapam. I still have a lot of it left over so sometimes I'll take one of those instead of the trazodone if I wake up during the night. Problem is that the clonazapam stays in your system much longer. Also, because of the death of Bob Saget, trazodone kind of freaks me out now. He fell twice and hit his head and the only thing in his system was trazodone and clonazapam. Even if I take just the trazodone only instead of along with the clonazapam, I do get dizzy, even when I'm laying down. You definitely need to address this issue with her doctor or get a new doctor. You and your mom will be in my prayers!
Trazodone as a sleep aid helped me sleep, it sure did.....but turned me into a total zombie the next day to the point I was unable to function. Meds affect people differently. I'd rather stay up all night than ever take Trazodone again, personally.
My mum has very severe alzheimers disease, she doesn't know me from at least, 2021, although she is mobile, she is on 2 quietapine daily and a trazodone at night, I only give her a quarter or a half, when she is really heavily singing, shouting, swearing and not being able to settle. She hates it. It reminds and makes me wonder if it has any relationship with tramadol that was given to me, instead of the derivate of morphine for pain control after a series of hardcore operations. It was a very weird drug. This trazodone does send my mum to sleep if I give her half, the most, if I give her the whole tablet she behaves like a drug addict all night, not being able to settle and circling and mumbling and getting up all night. Perhaps, I have to be more consistent with dosis and medicines but I recoil a bit when I see a medicine having the opposite effect to the one we wanted. I couldn't tell you if it affects her short time memory, because she hasn't got any. I have noticed that it kind of paralyzes her speech a little bit, as in she struggles to move her mouth, which for me is a blessing but I understand that it may be scary to find yourself kind of paralyzed. So in two words, small dosis work, if given everyday, I have noticed that after a couple of days she is less "lively" next day, which I am not sure it is a bad or a good thing. Well, guess what? I have just looked it up and quietapine and trazodone cannot interact. I don't understand my mum's doctor. Perhaps I seem too desperate and insistent and they just give me anything. This is why I prefer to look after my mum. No wonder she can't stop when I give her the whole tablet, and then I am annoyed and it turns out that it can produce some serotonin syndrome or something. I am angry because my father who died last year from something different but same doctor who has been for 27 years and seems lovely, I trust her intrinsically didn't seem to move things quickly. They seem to want to not take the responsibility and for them to go to a nursing home but I don't want to do that. I thought it was because of me as I am very outspoken but to be honest, I think is a general attitude with old and fragile people. I know alzheimers is a terrible illness but she is still my mum
I was on Trazadone to help me sleep but when my psychiatrist prescribed me the Quietapine, I stopped taking it because the Quietapine would literally knock me out. I've had sleep problems since I was in elementary school where it would take me 1-2 hours to fall asleep, even at that young age. With the Quietapine, I fall asleep in about 1/2 hour to 45 minutes but there are times that I do have difficulty staying asleep so I either take a trazodone or a clonazapam. I am a recovering addict so taking the meds together doesn't really affect me. It actually really freaked me out when Bob Saget died because he fell twice and hit his head. The meds in his system were trazodone and clonazapam and I could definitely see how that would make him dizzy because when I would take the two together, I would also get very dizzy. I started to take them after I was already in bed and tried not to get out of bed at all afterwards. I hope things work out with your mum!
I’ve been taking trazodone for several years. My husband came out of surgery with no short-term memory and was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s a couple of years later. My PCP was first giving me anti-depressants but I hated the way I felt on them. He sent me to a neuropsychiatric Dr who then put me on Trazodone for sleep and another med for anxiety. I’ve consulted with the Dr. Several times to ask about Trazodone having an affect on short term memory and she has assured me it is not known to have that issue.
What dosage is your Mom taking? It might be too much so try cutting it in half and monitor the results. Sending well wishes your way!
My mother with Alzheimer's and dementia was on Trazadone for several months and was falling asleep in her dinner plate and could barely stay awake. Long story short, I finally was able to talk to her geriatric psychiatrist who said it was probably the Trazadone causing it. She switched Mom to Temazepan for anxiety and within a day or two Mom was more awake and coherent. It was a remarkable difference! (I also searched online at Alz.org and Mayo Clinic and saw Mom should not have been taking Rivastigmine any later than her evening meal, and the staff had been giving it to her at 8 pm at night. Now she receives it at 4 pm, and that has helped her to sleep more through the night.)
I am 81 years old and have been taking trazadone to help me sleep since 2010. So far I have no memory issues. Trazadone is a godsend. Without it I would be awake 24/7.
My mom took it for sleep, and it never made her memory problems worse. I have not heard of that before. Myself, I also take it, and do not have that issue.
Discuss this with your doctor. It may be worth stopping this medication. She may simply be more relaxed, and less anxious, and less determined to answer every little question. Or she may be too sleepy. Hopefully others here on Forum will have had an elder on this medication, and can let you know their own experience of it, but WHATEVER that experience is it is truly irrelevant to your own. What your experience is should be discussed with your doctor who knows your mom best, and who has the power to experiment with withdrawal of medications he has prescribed.
Let us know how otherwise you feel this medication is working? Is mom more relaxed, less anxious, less depressed overall.
In my experience sometimes there is an adjustment period before side effects subside so give the drug a fair chance, you also need to weigh the benefits against the harms when you reevaluate. My mom was also prescribed a drug "off label" for sleep problems, in her case mirtazapine (remeron). For us it was nothing but positive, in fact her cognition seemed to improve.
Memory problems is not listed as a side effect, but again, I think you should ask her doctor.
My dad had really severe insomnia for decades and was diagnosed with bvFTD in his 70s. After trying a few different medication protocols, his neurologist settled on Seroquel for behavioral agitation and obsessions plus Trazodone at bedtime which helped him fall to sleep. His memory was good up until the last year or so. But memory is usually not affected until very late in the progression of FTD (unlike Alzheimer’s).
Maybe the dementia is making your mom’s memory worse, rather than the Trazodone?
Trazodone was originally formulated as a drug to treat refractive depression, not sleep. The only reason it’s even prescribed is because most drugs designed to cause sleep are controlled, and docs are now scared of any of that.
By proceeding, I agree that I understand the following disclosures:
I. How We Work in Washington.
Based on your preferences, we provide you with information about one or more of our contracted senior living providers ("Participating Communities") and provide your Senior Living Care Information to Participating Communities. The Participating Communities may contact you directly regarding their services.
APFM does not endorse or recommend any provider. It is your sole responsibility to select the appropriate care for yourself or your loved one. We work with both you and the Participating Communities in your search. We do not permit our Advisors to have an ownership interest in Participating Communities.
II. How We Are Paid.
We do not charge you any fee – we are paid by the Participating Communities. Some Participating Communities pay us a percentage of the first month's standard rate for the rent and care services you select. We invoice these fees after the senior moves in.
III. When We Tour.
APFM tours certain Participating Communities in Washington (typically more in metropolitan areas than in rural areas.) During the 12 month period prior to December 31, 2017, we toured 86.2% of Participating Communities with capacity for 20 or more residents.
IV. No Obligation or Commitment.
You have no obligation to use or to continue to use our services. Because you pay no fee to us, you will never need to ask for a refund.
V. Complaints.
Please contact our Family Feedback Line at (866) 584-7340 or ConsumerFeedback@aplaceformom.com to report any complaint. Consumers have many avenues to address a dispute with any referral service company, including the right to file a complaint with the Attorney General's office at: Consumer Protection Division, 800 5th Avenue, Ste. 2000, Seattle, 98104 or 800-551-4636.
VI. No Waiver of Your Rights.
APFM does not (and may not) require or even ask consumers seeking senior housing or care services in Washington State to sign waivers of liability for losses of personal property or injury or to sign waivers of any rights established under law.
I agree that:
A.
I authorize A Place For Mom ("APFM") to collect certain personal and contact detail information, as well as relevant health care information about me or from me about the senior family member or relative I am assisting ("Senior Living Care Information").
B.
APFM may provide information to me electronically. My electronic signature on agreements and documents has the same effect as if I signed them in ink.
C.
APFM may send all communications to me electronically via e-mail or by access to an APFM web site.
D.
If I want a paper copy, I can print a copy of the Disclosures or download the Disclosures for my records.
E.
This E-Sign Acknowledgement and Authorization applies to these Disclosures and all future Disclosures related to APFM's services, unless I revoke my authorization. You may revoke this authorization in writing at any time (except where we have already disclosed information before receiving your revocation.) This authorization will expire after one year.
F.
You consent to APFM's reaching out to you using a phone system than can auto-dial numbers (we miss rotary phones, too!), but this consent is not required to use our service.
Drug.com includes most of the information published by the pharmaceutical companies I think it may answer some of your questions.
If you want a more in-depth level, try Medscape and you will find peer reviewed studies on particular drug. Medscape is part of NIH.
I also would recommend speaking to your pharmacist and your doctor. If you still feel you are not getting the information you need or that you have a sensitivity.
You could seek a consult with a psychopharmacologist at a major medical center.
I wish you the best.
Managing Constipation Caused by Trazodone
If you experience constipation while taking trazodone, several lifestyle adjustments may help manage the symptom:
Increase fiber intake: Eat more high-fiber foods such as fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain cereals.
Stay hydrated: Drink several glasses of water and other fluids throughout the day (unless your doctor has advised fluid restrictions).
Exercise regularly: Physical activity can help stimulate bowel function.
Consider over-the-counter aids: Fiber supplements (like Metamucil) or stool softeners may be recommended by your healthcare provider if other measures are not effective.
When to Contact Your Doctor
While often a mild side effect, you should contact your healthcare provider immediately if the constipation is severe, does not go away, or if you are unable to pass stool at all, as this could indicate a more serious issue like fecal impaction.
I went to sleep and woke a couple hours later feeling like I took too much meds, but of course I had. Didn't worry. Went back to sleep.
Later I woke with hot flashes and trembling, not severe but scary since it wasn't a normal thing for me. I googled interactions between the two meds. According to ai it was symptoms of serotonin syndrome which can be much worse and result in death. I had those symptoms, not very strong ones, for at least a couple weeks, maybe still do but not frequently. My point here is trazodone is one of of those meds doctors prescribe a lot but don't know much about except it's approved by the FDA. It is probably safe for most people, but we are not all alike. Doctors do not test serotonin levels before or during use of drugs that interact with it. It's considered the happy chemical and for the right people, maybe it's wonderful to take a pill that helps their moods. For others who have high levels of it already, it's not so good.. my family convinced me to take sertraline and I took it for many. I can say if helped at all it might have been with my temper, but not sure. It also caused me to not experience my normal emotions, joy, sorrow, etc.I didn't sweat the whole time I took it either. I learned my reaction meant I already had high serotonin levels. I weaned myself off it slowly. Anyway sertraline and trazodone both interact with serotonin in kind of opposite ways! One being sleep, and 1 for moods. No doubt both can be useful, but there absolutely needs to be more studies done on it and doctors need to be watchful with how these sleepy/happy drugs work for individuals. That also means they can possibly effect cognitive issues in different ways especially as older people tend to more sensitive to drugs, or in some instances less sensitive. The point being don't just push pills at people! Listen to their families are saying about their behaviors. Don't take workers word foe everything. They're very busy. They can't be aware of everything, and unfortunately there are a few who couldn't care less how a person is effected. Being a caregiver is exhausting, but you are your loved one's most important advocate. If something feels wrong, research their meds and interactions between meds. Many a person has been diagnosed with dementia and alzheimers when it was actually their meds, and it can be the least likely med causing the problem.
I started my husband with dementia on Trazodone 6 years ago. I have not noticed any changes in his memory using this medication. I felt it was like a "miracle drug". He finally could relax enough to sleep well at night. He had tremors which stopped after using the medication. It made him very, very sleepy, and physically weak at first. Now he is used to it. But, being in that half-asleep state could cause a person to appear incoherent and not seem to remember.
I would talk to her Dr. about your concerns.
Well, guess what? I have just looked it up and quietapine and trazodone cannot interact. I don't understand my mum's doctor. Perhaps I seem too desperate and insistent and they just give me anything. This is why I prefer to look after my mum. No wonder she can't stop when I give her the whole tablet, and then I am annoyed and it turns out that it can produce some serotonin syndrome or something. I am angry because my father who died last year from something different but same doctor who has been for 27 years and seems lovely, I trust her intrinsically didn't seem to move things quickly. They seem to want to not take the responsibility and for them to go to a nursing home but I don't want to do that. I thought it was because of me as I am very outspoken but to be honest, I think is a general attitude with old and fragile people. I know alzheimers is a terrible illness but she is still my mum
What dosage is your Mom taking? It might be too much so try cutting it in half and monitor the results. Sending well wishes your way!
Let us know how otherwise you feel this medication is working?
Is mom more relaxed, less anxious, less depressed overall.
My mom was also prescribed a drug "off label" for sleep problems, in her case mirtazapine (remeron). For us it was nothing but positive, in fact her cognition seemed to improve.
I looked it up here:
https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-11188/trazodone-oral/details
Memory problems is not listed as a side effect, but again, I think you should ask her doctor.
My dad had really severe insomnia for decades and was diagnosed with bvFTD in his 70s. After trying a few different medication protocols, his neurologist settled on Seroquel for behavioral agitation and obsessions plus Trazodone at bedtime which helped him fall to sleep. His memory was good up until the last year or so. But memory is usually not affected until very late in the progression of FTD (unlike Alzheimer’s).
Maybe the dementia is making your mom’s memory worse, rather than the Trazodone?