Remeron vs. Trazodone

• Are Trazodone and Remeron the Same Thing?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Remeron?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Trazodone?
• What is Remeron?
• What is Trazodone?
• What Drugs Interact with Remeron?
• What Drugs Interact with Trazodone?
• How Should Remeron Be Taken?
• How Should Trazodone Be Taken?

Remeron (mirtazapine) and trazodone are antidepressants used to treat depression.

Remeron may also be used to treat nausea, anxiety, posttraumatic stress syndrome, and as an appetite stimulant.

Remeron and trazodone are different types of antidepressants. Remeron is a tetracyclic antidepressant and trazodone is a serotonin modulator.

Side effects of Remeron and trazodone that are similar include drowsiness, changes in weight, dizziness, and nausea.

Side effects of Remeron that are different from trazodone include increased appetite.

Side effects of trazodone that are different from Remeron include vomiting, diarrhea, tiredness, blurred vision, headache, muscle ache/pain, dry mouth, bad taste in the mouth, stuffy nose, constipation, or change in sexual interest/ability.

Both Remeron and trazodone may interact with alcohol, other drugs that make you sleepy (cold or allergy medicine, sedatives, narcotic pain medicine, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicine for anxiety), antifungal medications, HIV/AIDS medicines, blood thinners, St. John's wort, tramadol, migraine headache medicines, or seizure medications.

Remeron may also interact with cimetidine, conivaptan, imatinib, isoniazid, lithium, antibiotics, antidepressants, and heart or blood pressure medications.

Trazodone may also interact with digoxin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), or MAO inhibitors, diuretics or (water pills), and medicines to treat mental illness.

Do not stop using Remeron suddenly, or you could have unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.

Common side effects of Remeron include:

• drowsiness
• increased appetite
• weight gain
• dizziness, and
• nausea

Tell your doctor if you experience serious side effects of Remeron including agitation, hallucinations, fever, fast or uneven heart rate, loss of coordination or feeling unsteady, stiff muscles, confusion, tremors, flu symptoms, memory problems, weakness, overactive reflexes, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of coordination, sweating, feeling like you might pass out, chills, body aches, white patches or sores inside your mouth or on your lips, headache, or trouble concentrating.

Common side effects of Trazodone include:

• drowsiness,
• sedation,
• dizziness,
• lightheadedness,
• constipation,
• headache,
• blurred vision,
• nausea,
• vomiting,
• dry mouth, or
• change in sexual interest/ability.

Tell your doctor if you have serious side effects of Trazodone, Oleptro including:

• extreme mood swings,
• restlessness,
• sleep problems,
• dizziness,
• fainting,
• fast or pounding heartbeat,
• easy bruising or bleeding,
• agitation,
• hallucinations,
• fast heart rate,
• overactive reflexes,
• diarrhea,
• loss of coordination,
• very stiff (rigid) muscles,
• high fever,
• confusion,
• fast or uneven heartbeats,
• tremors,
• trouble concentrating,
• memory problems,
• weakness,
• loss of appetite,
• unsteadiness,
• seizures,
• shallow breathing or breathing that stops,
• chest pain or heavy feeling,
• pain spreading to the arm or shoulder,
• nausea,
• sweating, or
• general ill feeling (malaise).

Remeron is a prescription medicine used to treat depression. It is important to talk with your healthcare provider about the risks of treating depression and also the risks of not treating it. You should discuss all treatment choices with your healthcare provider.

Talk to your healthcare provider if you do not think that your condition is getting better with Remeron treatment.

Trazodone is a triazolopyridine antidepressant used to treat major depressive disorder (MDD) in adults.

Remeron may interact with other drugs that make you sleepy (cold or allergy medicine, sedatives, narcotic pain medicine, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicine for seizures or anxiety), cimetidine, lithium, blood thinners, other antidepressants, or migraine headache medicines.

Remeron may also interact with conivaptan, imatinib, isoniazid, St. John's wort, tramadol, antibiotics, antifungal medications, heart or blood pressure medications, HIV/AIDS medicines, or seizure medications.

Trazodone may interact with monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), alcohol, barbiturates, other CNS depressants, ritonavir, ketoconazole, indinavir, itraconazole, carbamazepine, digoxin, phenytoin, serotonergic drugs, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), aspirin, other drugs affecting coagulation or bleeding, or warfarin. Tell your doctor all medications you use. During pregnancy, Oleptro should be used only if prescribed. This medication may be passed in breast milk. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding.

• Take REMERON exactly as prescribed. Your healthcare provider may need to change the dose of REMERON until it is the right dose for you.
• Take REMERON at the same time each day, preferably in the evening at bedtime.
• Swallow REMERON as directed.
• It is common for antidepressant medicines such as REMERON to take up to a few weeks before you start to feel better. Do not stop taking REMERON if you do not feel results right away.
• Do not stop taking or change the dose of REMERON without first talking to your doctor, even if you feel better.
• REMERON may be taken with or without food.
• If you miss a dose of REMERON, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the regular time. Do not take two doses of REMERON at the same time.
• If you take too much REMERON, call your healthcare provider or poison control center right away, or get emergency treatment. The signs of an overdose of REMERON (without other medicines or alcohol) include:
  • confusion,
  • memory problems
  • drowsiness
  • increased heart rate.

The symptoms of a possible overdose may include changes to your heart rhythm (fast, irregular heartbeat) or fainting, which could be symptoms of a life-threatening condition known as Torsades de Pointes.

The recommended starting dose of Trazodone is 150 mg once daily in adults. The dose may be increased by 75 mg/day every three days (i.e., start 225 mg on Day 4 of therapy). The maximum daily dose should not exceed 375 mg.