Stopping Medication

I take 150mgs of Luvox daily and was taking 50mgs of Trazodone daily at night for a couple of months to help me sleep.  I recently stopped taking my Trazodone as I have been sleeping with no problem.  I have not been in therapy for about one month and need to return but have no one to ask:  what can happen when one discontinues taking his/her medication cold turkey?  What are the dangers?  Can there be side effects?  Can stopping taking only 50mgs of Trazodone a day cause problems?  I believe I'm experiencing side effects but am not sure.  Why is it necessary to slowly go off of medications?  Should I go back on Trazodone and stop with supervision?

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

okay to discontinue Trazodone just as you have. no need to go back unless you are having trouble sleeping.  Usually want to wean off drugs that effect the brain because of the possibility of seizures, but that is not a problem here.

[Doggies4]

I take 75 mg of Trazadone every night in order to sleep.  I have tried to go off of it before, cold turkey, with my doctor's approval and I did not experience side effects.  If you feel you are experiencing some, you could just cut the 50 in half for a few days.  I would think that would be such a small amount that it wouldn't cause side effects.

I take Effexor and when you go off of that it the side effects are miserable!  Even tapering slowing causes misery for me.  So you may be experiencing withdrawal from Trazadone when I never did.

[MGW]

Does anyone know if Paxil and buspar can be taken together?  I'm on paxil for anxiety and either can't ween off it or my  symptoms return - the withdrawl (withdrawal) sysmptoms sound similar to my anxiety symptoms.  I'd like to take buspar for a couple weeks while weening off paxil again.

[Suep]

I was recently taken off lithium cold turkey. I had a major manic reaction and developed severe dehydration. I also left the hospital too soon where they were suppose to be watching me. Was it wise to go off this medicine so suddenly? I am back on it and am afraid to go off it again.