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.

I have been on it for nearly 2 years and ive lost 2 of the 4 and a half stones i put on with olanzapine..I dont get side effects other than the fact I cant lose anymore weight so i realy hate my weight but I sleep fine and live a normalish life for some one with mental health issues. when im having a spell of good health i can funcction fine and lead a normal life thanks to seroquel. However if my meds need to change then I like something that doesnt cause a slow motabilism. Everyone is so different and what works for me may be realy bad for another i take 300mg have gradualy cut down from 400. xx

I take Seroquel to help with my insomnia. I like it because not only does it put me to sleep in a timely manner, but it helps me stay asleep. I noticed that when I first started to take it, it would sedate me to the point where it was nearly impossible to move my body, but my MD assured me it was just my body getting used to it.

Have you seen jacobsmums post? She managed to lose 22 pounds of the 30 she gained ,whilst still on Seroquel ,by adjusting her diet without giving up the Seroquel, as it is more important to stabilise your mood and be able to function surely , as out of control moods can have such devastating consequences, though I can appreciate the weight gain can be absolutely miserable at times. She shows tjhe weight it can be lost with consitent effort to look honestly at what you eat and how much exercise could help to speed up the metabolism. Good Luck. If she can do it, so can you ! The hardest thing is getting started. You can counteract the metabolism issue !

Firstly , I would not attribute the symptoms you are experiencing to the increased Seroquel. It is more likely to be symptoms of the illness, partaicularly an emerging hypomania or mania, and that you either needa higher dose of Seroquel or that it is not yet working for you. Agitation and extreme irritability are symptoms of hypomnia and mania, and most people are Under Presrcibed, not over presrcribed. All too often we think how we feel is due to the drugs, forgetting that these are common symptoms of the ilness, particularly in the case of hypomnia and mani awhich is often not recognised as that. Equally so many people have written about not being able to get uo whilst on Seroquel due to excessice drowsiness, however extreme depression can cause dreadfuo tiredness, and either fitful sleep or hypersomnia in Bipolar 2 where people sleep for 12 hours or more in the depressive phase, but just into the next day rather than at night when they want it. Over sleeping can cause that groggy feeling.

I am not overlooking the fact that these are powerful drugs, and they do have unpleasant side effects of some unwanted tiredness in adition to that caused b y possiby much los sleep during previous months of mania, or in broken sleep when in low moods, Sleep deprivation is cumulative and exhaustion will not be resolved overnight.
Constipation, dry mouth, all of which can be counteracted by drinking extra water which will increase alertness too, relieve dryness and constipation, helped too by taking additional fruit and vegetables and friut juice, and doing more walking and exercise , but many of the side effects are attributable not just to the drugs but are actually symtoms of depression . Daytime tiredness especially if Seroquel is taken in the day ( Usually onlky when mixed or hypomnic or manic symptoms are more of a problem, otherwise taken just at night ) or if taken too late the night before will cause day time drowsiness, but mood swings themselves of a bipolar nature are also powerful , and well worth managing as the consequences if untreated can be so damaging to all concerned. I think the side effects are worth working on if the medication works, but it can take taime to achieve optimal thera[eutic dosages. Many give uo before they reach it sadly and do not reap the benefits. I wish there was an easier way. Hopefully one day the medications will be far more fine tuned and specific to individuals.

Would love to know how you get on as I am really struggling with exactly the same issues with my partner, who just wants to give up. after a 6 month high and now in an extreme low, and having only recently started Seroquel. It has been confirmed to me by a Professor of Psychiatry that It will not work to prevent hypomania or mania from re emerging , or will not stop a current mania / hypomanic episode, or relive depression in anything less than 300mg to 400mg( If High ), and my partner is reluctant to go above 1 tablet of 150mg. He says it is not working, but he is nit at a level where it will do anything other than make him sleep. Atleast it is alleviating the insomnia. It can take some time before the tiredness side effects are less problematic, like any new drug.
I am sure your irritability and agitation is the illness ( Dysphoric mixed mood, ) and not the Seroquel. I would Persevere with the Seroquel for your own and your childs sake having come this far.

I really do think that the irritability you notice having reduced the Seroquel or when you are not on it is due to the re emergence of the very symptoms you took it for in the first place. Irritability, especially fur no reason, out if the blue in someone with Bipolar Disorder is a sign of hypomania or mania, so is it advisable to stop the Seroquel. That is why it is presrcibed ? Most peopel do mpre damage by stopping their medication, and allowing the ilness to take hold again, esepecially ifa rapid cycler. I suppose it is perhaps possible for those who have a pattern of long periods of Euthymia in between episodes of mood swings , Lows or Highs or Mixed,who want to try without medication. But I would not recommend stopping fir anyonne with Rapid cycling or an unstable mood pattern with lots of hypomanias or frequent or severe depression. Naturally everyone goes through this resistance to medication at some point in their ilness, but the reality is that is usually to their detriment and their families and loved ones and their jobs or finance. Is it worth risking this, if you are already noticing the return of obvious hypomnic symptoms of irritability ?

Hi. I'm still feeling my way around here. Does anyone take seroquel with Lamictal? I was on Lithium for some time when it lowered my threshold for seizures, and I started having them. I've been on 200 miligrams of Lamictal for a while now, and my rapid cycling just keeps getting faster with the ups more up and the downs crushing me. My pdoc just wrote me a script for the Seroquel, and I'm hoping it will help. One benadryl a night (mixed with the Lamictal) knocks me out to the point I can't get up in the morning (except for when I'm manic and nothing knocks me out), and I'm a bit worried about the sedating quality of it. Does it really just take some time for your body to adjust, or is it always so sedating?

Starting to feel like no meds will work for me, and if they do, the side-effects are too severe. I'll keep you all posted on how this turns out...