seroquel

[Tommaso]

this medicne is listed as an anti psychotic, but at lower doses can treat various forms of anxiety and mania - the type that affects you at night. If you take anyweher from 50 to 200mg of this 45 minutes before going to bed, it will put you out for sure. The next day you'll feel calm and not as anxious. It's not really medicine, it's more of a treatment.

[John]

Seroquel is a potent Anti-psychotic, but you're right, it is very effective for anxeity and insomniaic disorders. Lexapro is better for more mild cases without psychosis.

[Guest]

on Seroquel as its side effects include some rather nasty and permanent problems such as Type 2 Diabetes when taken in higher doses over longer periods.

[sleepless-in-SA]

Hi- I used seroquel intermittently for a while, and yes it did often help, although it is very unpredictable, and sometimes knocks you out, or does nothing at all. I have not used it for a long time, and am glad becuase I read the following regarding it on this forum:

Some might suggest Seroquel which is efective but I'd strongly recomend against using it long term in medium to higher doses. It has some nasty side affects that are dangerous.

here is an excerpt of the worrisome ones:

"By using Seroquel, insomnia may be relieved, but it is important to be aware of the potential adverse side effects of taking this medication. Seroquel has been proven to cause Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS), Tartive Dyskenesia, Hyperglycemia, and Type 2 Diabetes in some users. These are all potentially fatal, irreversible and difficult to treat. Seroquel is heavily processed in the liver, and may have adverse effects on hepatatic functioning."

[Guest]

I have been using Seroquel for over 18 months and it took almost a year to alleviate my depression. Seroquel doesn't seem to have nearly the side effects of others such as Celexa and especially Efexor. I don't like the idea of taking such medication but without it I can't sleep, start with anxiety and end with serious depression and suicide. Are the side effects worth the cure? I have to live with the gun to my head.

[Guest]

the case that meds have and upside and downside. People have medical problems that range from mild to life threatening. Everyone has to decide for themselves what risks are worth what gains medically and in quality of life. The warnings you see here are just so the decision is made educated about potential problems to weigh against the benefits. In your case, it sounds like the benefits outweigh the risks in your judgement. Thats the best any of us can do. My only problem is that doctors don't typically have time to tell you about the risks before their 15 minute clock expires. Forums like this give you insight you can research and learn more about making your judgement which is a good thing.

[Guest]

I've been on Seroquel for sleep for several years. I went off of it last March to see if it would be easier for me to lose weight, as 1 of it's side effects is weight gain. Going off of it, I did start to experience major anxiety. I was not prescribed Seroquel for anti-depressant purposes, and at the time I began I was on some other SRRI for depression which I had had for years. While taking Seroquel for sleep, my depression improved past the point that it had been for a long, long time and I went off all the other anti-depressants. When I went off of it, I realized that it was working very well as a sleep aid and to help my moods (I'm not now or never have been psychotic). So, anyway, my psychiatrist has me get blood work every 6 months or so to watch for the side effect mentioned. so far, everything is fine. It was just a "happy accident" that it really seemed to alleviate the severe depression that I had for years. So, for me, if I monitor my bloodwork, I feel that the risks are worth it.

[lindadn]

HI all,
Thanks for your input. I have been on Seroquel for about 3 1/2 years. I am now down to 300MG/night for sleep. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. It usually takes a couple hours to kick in. and I never stay asleep for more than 2 hours. Once back to sleep I usually wake about each hour. I have vivid dreams and occasionally get paranoid. I never fell well rested and have averaged 23 pounds/year weight gain. Today the Dr. gave me a trial of Rozerem. I will try it tonight. Hopefully to get off the Seroquel. I have tried numerous other products (Ambien, Lunesta, Restoril, Xanax, so many that I can't remember all) and they don't work unless I take the Seroquel. I am seeking new insurance coverage and have been declined by 3 due to the Seroquel use.

I read somewhere (not sure if on this forum or not) that 25MG will put you to sleep for days! Hard to believe when you take 300MG and still not sleeping. At one point I was on 600MG.

Does anyone have any suggestions in the event the Rozerem doesn't work?

High BP and Diabetes runs in my family and my weight is approaching obesity!
Thanks again for your input.

[sleepless-in-SA]

H linda

I think that it is time for a chamge with your seroquel regime. It is doing you more harm than good (there is always a price to pay when using medication). If you suspect that the seroquel is the cause of your weight gain (and at those doses that would not be surprising) then maybe you should quit. I know that not sleeping sucks, but there are other things to worry about. Health-related issues considering your weight are important.

I use seroquel occasionally (my GP sometimes relents and gives me 5-10 100mg tabs) which I spread out over like 2 months, and I take 25- 100 mg per night, but from all the things I have read I am aware that it ends up causing hectic certain side-effects, so I am not interested in using it intensively. So I only use it for about a week and a half every second month (I rarely can get my hands on it anyway, as my GP is not too obliging with it, and I can certainly understand why).

Best regards T

[jazzy68]

I've been on Seroquel for several years and it was originally prescribed for insomnia. It worked really well most of the time, but i've always had to take something else as well. But, now, it is not working at all and my doctor wants me to stop taking it. My triglycerides are very high and so is my cholesterol. And of course i've gained weight. The thing is, it is the best med that i've had for depression. In the past 2 or so years, my depression has been better than I can remember in years. Anyway, since the Seroquel has stopped working for sleep, I do want to stop it. But, I do not know what is going to happen because my insomnia is severe. My Psych sent me back to my sleep doc, and neither of them know what to do at this point. I have been on absolutely everything there is. Every single medication stops working eventually. I was having good luck with rozerum for a couple of months, now it's not working at all. I don't know what else to do at this point. My insomnia is not from the depression, and I also use a CPAP, and that works very well for my apnea. I am afraid I will never have a good nights sleep again.

[sleepless-in-SA]

Hi Jazzy

I am sorry to hear about your problem, I can identify- it seems that insomnia plays havoc with too many people's lives.

There is another post about neurotransmitters and adrenal functioning... maybe you should get those checked out. (I have an adrenal problem which has just been diagnosed, which is related to my insomnia) Although I was diagnosed by medical professionals, (endochrinologist), I have decided to not be treated by them at this stage, as I kind of crossed paths with a kinesiologist, who is now treating me naturally through diet. I feel wonderful compared to a while back.

I would definitely recommend going to see a kinesiologist- they are alternative practitioners who have some wierd, but amazing theories that go beyond medical science, and get to the root of the problem. I am sure that there is always a more natural solution to any problem. Drugs are the enemy in this sort of situation. I still use painkillers for sleep often (yep I lnow it's terrible) but I am slowly but surely trying to wean off of my med-for-sleep habit. And my kinesiologist chastises me constantly about it, but compared to the way I used to be, this is a lot better.

Good luck!

T