Posted by ed_uk2010 on August 31, 2010, at 7:17:49
In reply to Re: Anyone thinking or planning to take Oleptro?, posted by bearfan on August 31, 2010, at 6:16:00
> Nope, is it somewhere between an SSRI and Tricyclic? Apparently its suppose to have some antagonism like fluoxetine?
Trazodone is a strange med. It appears to have various mechanisms of action but the relative importance of each is not known. It is often claimed to be less effective than most other antidepressants for severe depression. A lot of people take a small dose at night (eg. 50mg) as a sleep aid whilst taking other meds for depression.
I am not aware of any reason why controlled-release trazodone would be more effective than normal trazodone, although it will undoubtedly be a lot more expensive. Oleptro is essentially a marketing gimmick which exists to make money, not to benefit patients. The approval of Oleptro was based on a single clinical trial of unremarkable design. No evidence of any special benefits. All the usual trazodone adverse effects were reported eg. drowsiness, fatigue, dizziness, nausea and mild dry mouth.
Normal trazodone can be given as a single dose in the evening, or in divided doses (usually as a small dose in the morning + a larger dose at night).
poster:ed_uk2010
thread:960739
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20100829/msgs/960782.html