PlainMeds provides educational information only. This is not medical advice. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist.

codeine vs trazodone

Side-by-side comparison of codeine and trazodone. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.

minor Known Drug Interaction

Examples of these drugs include, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), triptans, 5-HT3 receptor antagonists, drugs that affect the serotonin neurotransmitter system (e.g., mirtazapine, trazodone, tramadol), certain muscle relaxants (i.e., cyclobenzaprine, metaxalone), and monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors (used to treat psychiatric disorders and also others, such as linezolid and intravenous methylene blue) (see PRECAUTIONS; Information for Patients/Caregivers ).

Recommendation: Watch for signs of serotonin syndrome, such as a fast heartbeat or confusion, and talk to your doctor about using these together safely.

Drug Class
codeine Opioid Analgesic
trazodone Serotonin Antagonist and Reuptake Inhibitor (SARI)
Type
codeine Prescription
trazodone Prescription
Summary
codeine

This medicine contains acetaminophen and codeine. It is used to treat mild to moderate pain when other pain medicines are not strong enough.

trazodone

Trazodone is a medicine used to treat depression. It helps to improve your mood and can help you sleep better.

What It Treats
codeine

This medicine is used to manage mild to moderate pain. It is for when an opioid medicine is appropriate. You should only use it if other pain treatments are not working well enough for you.

trazodone

Trazodone is used to treat major depressive disorder (MDD) in adults. This medicine can help improve your mood and reduce symptoms of depression. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions about why you are taking this medication.

How It Works
codeine

Codeine works in the brain to change how your body feels and responds to pain. Acetaminophen also helps to relieve pain. Together, they provide pain relief.

trazodone

Trazodone is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). It works by increasing the amount of serotonin in your brain. Serotonin is a chemical that helps regulate mood.

Common Side Effects
codeine
  • Feeling drowsy
  • Lightheadedness
  • Dizziness
  • Feeling sleepy
  • Shortness of breath
trazodone
  • Swelling
  • Blurred vision
  • Fainting
  • Drowsiness
  • Tiredness
FAERS Reports
codeine
  • Allergic reaction to the medicine 806
  • Feeling sick to your stomach 487
  • Feeling unwell 374
  • Throwing up 364
  • Head pain 356
trazodone
  • Tiredness 1,129
  • Feeling sick to your stomach 1,097
  • Head pain 906
  • General discomfort 806
  • Loose stools 792
Serious Warnings
codeine

This medicine can be habit-forming, leading to addiction, abuse, and misuse, which can result in overdose and death. Serious, life-threatening breathing problems can occur, especially when starting the medicine or after a dose increase. Accidental ingestion, especially by children, can cause a fatal overdose. Do not give this medicine to children under 12 years old, or to children under 18 after tonsil or adenoid removal, due to the risk of life-threatening breathing problems. This medicine can also harm your liver. Taking this medicine with certain other medicines like benzodiazepines or other CNS depressants can cause serious side effects, including death.

trazodone

Antidepressants may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in young adults. Your doctor will monitor you closely for worsening depression or suicidal thoughts. Trazodone is not approved for use in children.

Pregnancy
codeine

This medicine can cause withdrawal symptoms in newborns if taken during pregnancy. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if this medicine passes into breast milk.

trazodone

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is important to consider the risk of untreated depression during pregnancy. There is a pregnancy registry to monitor outcomes in women exposed to antidepressants during pregnancy. You can register by calling 1-844-405-6185.

Also Compare, Nearby Drugs

How to Read This codeine vs trazodone Comparison

codeine is classified in the Opioid Analgesic drug class, while trazodone sits within the Serotonin Antagonist and Reuptake Inhibitor (SARI) class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.

Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, codeine has 2,387 submissions while trazodone has 4,730. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known minor interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to both of these drugs affect a chemical in the brain called serotonin. taking them together can cause serotonin levels to become too high, which can be dangerous.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.

A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between codeine and trazodone - always consult your physician or pharmacist first.

Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.