I really need to feel that I'm not alone in this!

My MD recently (mid-April) prescribed Seroquel for me, to treat Bi-Polar depression. I gradually ramped from 50 to 300 mg, and at first, all seemed well (it sure is a hell of a sleeping pill), but in the last two weeks, I've begun to experience extreme bouts of agitation and irritability, and I know this is not me. My 3 year-old son, acting like a normal 3 year-old, drives me up a wall like fingernails on a chalkboard, and I don't know what to do!

I have a follow-up appointment with my MD on June 22nd, but I don't know what to do between now and then. I was in tears today because I felt like I couldn't handle things, and if this is what Seroquel does to me, I'm afraid that the disadvantages far outweigh the benefits! My doctor has advised me to ramp down on the med, but the way I feel right now, I want to quit it altogether! I can't take another day of feeling so D*** irritable!

I guess my question is, is there anyone else out there who has experienced this side-effect with Seroquel? Apparently, it's not a "common" side-effect, but honestly, I don't know what else to attribute this to. Is there anyone else who has experienced this, and if so, how did you remedy the situation? Did stopping this med return you to normal?

Thank you in advance. Any input would be greatly appreciated!

Please disregard my previous post. I have since regulated my dosage of Seroquel, and things are going much better. My irritability has greatly diminished, and I seem to be coping much better. I guess, as with any medication, there is a "breaking in" period.

I've just started on 50mg of Seroquel as well as 20mg of Citalopram, to cope with type 2 Bipolar disorder.

I started taking the Citalopram four weeks ago and the Seroquel three days ago and at school today, I had an unusually (in that I've never had one before) intense anxiety episode. Along with the hard heartbeat I've come to recognize as being associated with being anxious, I was really paranoid, dizzy (I had to consciously focus on how to walk; it made for some interesting moments as I lurched through the crowded quad) and just had no idea what was going on.

I've never experienced this kind of thing before and to be honest, I was really freaked out. I tend to intellectualize things endlessly and not being able to think straight scared the hell out of me.
Needless to say, I'm hoping that this is just a short term side effect.

Someone told me that this caused diebeties. I don't know if its true.

Have any of you experienced weight gain while taking Seroquel? I feel this is a problem for me, however the benefits of this drug outweigh (no pun intended!!!) the negative.

This post has been edited by francine: Nov 21 2007, 09:19 PM

hi,

i started with a 25mgs of seroquell at night. now, six months later i take 600mgs before bed, and am also able to take 400mgs during the day if i get "manic". the sedation seems only to effect me at night, probably due to the efexor i take in the morning. I have found it works very well for me, even if it is only "small steps of progress" at a time. It MAY cause diabetes, don't think there's any firm evidence yet. Watching your diet should help as lifestyle factors are also a main culprit.

good luck :-)

Hi!!

I'm new here and I'm looking for some advice.

I thought orginally that I was prescribed seroquel to help me sleep. But now that I think that it is time to start coming off my Dr is telling me that it was keeping me balanced. I have been on seroquel for about 2 years as well as effexor for about 5. I finally think that I am out of the woods and I am starting to slowly come off....(It has been a solid year of no ups and downs). I have come down from 300mg effexor to 37.5 daily

Seroquel has done wonders for helping get a good night sleep but has done a number on my body. (i have gained 45 pounds in 2 years......It's kinda hard not to feel depressed when suddenly you look like a cow!!!! )

I truly belive that it is time so I have started to come off. I was on 300mg at bedtime and reduced to 150mg for 3 weeks, then 75mg for 2 week ( i have a pill cutter). I have just started on 50mg and have had a lingering headache for 10 days...I am irratible and can't get sleep ( I have resorted to over the counter sleep aids).

Has anyone here come off seroquel?? IF anyone could give me some feedback on if these symptoms are normal and if I will lose all that weight???? What can i do about the insomnia??

Thanks in advance!!!!

GG

This post has been edited by Georgina009: Jan 7 2008, 08:32 PM

Hey

I gained 45 pounds in 2 years with this drug...My dr told me that not only to you gain weight it also severly slows down your metabolism that you can't loose while your on it.....

I'm on Seroquel too, and it's much better than Risperdal.

That's true, I was on Seroquel before and whilst taking such medication, it helped me to a very great extent to enable me to have a very good sleep at night. But when I was at work and hence had to refrain myself from taking such medicine so as not to let its drowsiness effect affect my work performance, I just became quite irritable without any known causes or reasons. And over time, I simply needed such medication to help me sleep at night, and to stop becoming irritable or get angry/frustrated very easily without any reasons.

About one and a half years ago, I was advised by a pyschiatrist that it was possible for a person to quit Seroquel and then lead a very normal life just like other persons. However, it would take a very strong determination and a great deal of emotional as well as counselling /communication support from the other people to achieve that goal.

For the sleeping issue, one would need to cut down the dosage of the Seroquel drug progressively over a reasonable stretch of time, such as starting from 200mg to 100 mg , and then 2-3 weeks later from 100 mg to 50 mg and finally to physically break up the tablet into separate parts to achieve a much lower dosage to finally reduce and then totally quit the intake of such medication for the particular person. However, since a progressively lower intake of Seroquel dosage would definitely cause difficulties of sleeping to the particular persons, he/she would then need to put in certain extra efforts on their own, such as doing some exercise a few hours ago to get oneself tired before sleeping, reading some really boring novels /watching some really boring TV programmes or even listening some sentimental/ sleep-induced musics before getting to sleep.

Next, since Seroquel is meant for the treatment of such sicknesses as bipolar disorders, Schizophrenia symptoms etc, it certainly has its own medicational values as a anti-psychotic drug. Hence, to effectively reduce and eventually quit the intake of Seroquel in order to enable a person to stop becoming irritable to it due it its addiction whilst at the same time to prevent the mental sicknesses mentioned above from getting worsened due to decreased intake or eventual quiting of such medication, one would need to reach out more to and have more communications and interactions with the other people around them, especially the close kin to seek more emotional support, increased fellowships and in some cases, get involved in more social/ religious gatherings /indoor/outdoor activities, engage oneself in a hobby/ meaningful activities for each one has deep interest in such as drawing, doing other sports etc, and obtain more conselling advices from the trained counsellors in order to improve the sanity /state of mental condition of the patient.

As far as my own experience is concerned a cheerful and contented attitude to life as well as a balanced approach of living a healthy life are conducive to developing a greater sanity and sounder state of mind for any patients troubled with any mental sickness. And I hope that my suggestions will be useful to you.

Thank you for your fantastic feedback. I am down to 25mg/day of seroquel now and have been becoming quite irratible...knowing that it's the effect of coming off can help me re-channel my fustration....thanks again

Hi guys and gals...I am new here and was just put on SEROQUEL 2 days ago. I was diagnosed with GAD many years ago and take 225mg of VENLAFAXINE a day. I normally dont suffer from panic attacks, but started to have them after I had spinal surgery.
This is my question.
My Doctor put me on SEROQUEL, but I have read that it is used for bi-polar, manic depression and other mental illnesses. I do not suffer from these. Is this medication used for general anxiety?
Also, I worry about the nasty side effects that CAN happen..
If anyone can tell me their experiences on this medication I would appreciate it

ok this has answered my question about my newly prescribed seroquel... I am NOT continuing it I gained 50 pounds with paxil and it was a nightmare, not only to get off the drug (that stopped working) but to lose the weight....and this ain't good coming from a person who is constantly recovering from bulimia....for me, gaining unnecessary weight- only to find out you have to increase the dosage does not help me at all!

Seroquel ROCKS !!!

I have had no weight problems or anything. It's great.