What are your views on the drug Quetiapine/Seroquel ?

[skyblue]

I was just interested in peoples views on this drug.

Thanks in advance.

 

[TOONAFISH]

they put me on it when i was manic, and it didnt do much if i remember correctly. however they gave me it once when i was depressed and i fell asleep after ten mins every time i took it. dont know much about it.

 

[jax]

I swear by seroquel!! When I had a very big manic episode in 2005 and was in hospital for 6 months, I was put on 50 mgs twice a day to start and I finally got sleep. I was going a week with 15 minutes of sleep about 3 nights a week. The seroquel gave me an entire nights sleep. It didn't bring my mania right down - so lithium and epilim were added. If I don't take my lithium, I can't sleep. It's like a sleeping pill too for me. I was very, very sedated on it for well over a year. I could barely function. But I think it's a great drug.

 

[Elvis100]

It's been great for me, couldn't survive without it!! It did make me really tired when i first started taking it but that wore off after a while. I also take lithium and for now all is well

 

[IntrospectionFtw!]

best neuropletic ive taken i Was functioning at my highest on it but had to come off it because my heart rate shot up to like 130bpm but if it wasnt for that i wouldnt of come of it it literally sorted all my problems out my social skills came back concentration creativity mood all that stuff but they all effect people differently like playing the lottery with these meds.

 

[Sarah-Jayne]

There have been some difficulties with it in America- some people have experienced severe weight gain. There is quite a lot of controversy about whether that is a side effect of taking the drug. The company that makes it have been accused of covering up evidence of this.
I worked with older people who have dementia and it was commonly prescribed to them. It is now not considered to be a suitable drug in that capacity. As with all medication that effects the brain it has different effects on different people, it depends on personality, metabolism, mental condition etc.

 

[jax]

In the states, it has also has been known for causing people to have high blood sugar.

 

[emski]

I have been well suited to quetiapine. I've been on it just over a year, the same length of time as lithium. Prior to that I was on Depakote and olanzapine which did nothing for me, and I gained 3 stone!

Lithium has stabilised me. Quetipine affords me a normal sleep pattern. Really for me it is a sleeping med, and it is the only thing that works for me. I currently take 200mg at night and it does mean that I am asleep well within an hour of taking it. The long term side effects are a concern, and I do have the odd bit of racing heart beat or blood pressure drop on standing (I fainted the first time I took it in hospital!). But on balance I find the benefits more valuable than the side effects, and I haven't had any additional weight gain. If I take it and make sure I'm in bed in half an hour, I manage just fine. I do plan to come off it in the long term but worry how I will sleep without it.

 

[the burd]

Views on Seroquel/ Quetiapine?

Howdy, I've been taking it now for 4 years, feel like I'm hit by a bus every morning after taking the night before but I take it just now to remain "well". It has usual side effects but I way up the advantage vs disadvantage. I get the urge to eat after I take it and others report this, so it probably hasn't helped my weight, but that is prob' me too! I have been down to 200mcg at night alongside depakote and have done well for about 4 months. That I believe is the lowest daily does recommended, and my cpn didn't recommend me dropping below this but other people/ nurse's views might differ? Hope this of interest or helps?!

 

[nattyone]

i couldnt live without mine , it really helped me in the beginning when i was at my worst, stopped the nightmares and hallucinations .

 

[mypd]

I like seroquil, although some docs prescribe too high a dose. I'm on the XR version which is a slow release and I take it to start my day. Works like a charm. For me, it takes harshness out of me. (If that makes any sence).

Of course, I also take lithium, doxepin and lorazepam(PRN).

 

[mdlks]

I was on seroquil and lithium years ago and I gained SOOOO much weight! After I lost some of the weight I said I would never go back on either of them. But, this January I needed help sleeping so bad that my doc talked me back into taking it again. In the first few montah or so I gained about 10 pounds. But, when i realized how well it helped me sleep and staibalized me, I decided to stay on it and just change what I was eating and try to get out and walk more. This past month since I started doing that, I have lost 7lbs so far. So, althogh it definetely makes me hungry and tired, I am just watching myself to make sure I eat healthy and things so I can continue taking it without all the weight gain.

 

[Yorkshirelass]

Hated the stuff. Made me fat as a sea cow, didn't help my psychotic symptoms, and gave me panic attacks. Made me really dopey too - I have never been so scared I was going to die as I was in the early days of taking it, I felt so ill. I did get over the dopey feeling after a while. It works for a lot of people, but I will never take it again as long as I live. In fact, it put me off all atypical antipsychotics.

 

[tiltawhirl]

interesting and not what I would have expected. For those of you on lithium, why is it prescribed, lithium is pretty solid mood stabilizer.
If it's for sleep, I think that is very scary choice out of the many things available to aid sleep and the possible long term side effects are sobering.
The first time I was prescribed it and took it, felt completely doped up.
A couple years later was given to me for mixed symptoms and sleep. I loved being able to sleep for one month, then it no longer worked. It didn't curb the mixed symptoms, depression, intrusive thoughts..none of that. In fact it proved to be very dangerous to me. Like Yorkshire Lass...between that and few other trial of atypical antipsychotics.....I want nothing to do with any of them.
Yes my heart rate shot up, my legs, ankles and feet swelled like ballons....many things.
Very disabling to me at best.
I would NEVER consider taking it again.

The responses I see here surprise me....as my impression as it being used as a mood stabilizer was that it was not very effective. (from reading the forums)

The only atypical I would consider possibly is lamictal. still thinking about that...for my own reasons.

 

[prairiechick]

I wish I had never started taking it. It seemed to help for awhile, but now I almost think the cost outweighs the benefit. I would really, really like to come off quetiapine.

I was just interested in peoples views on this drug.

Thanks in advance.