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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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Posted by debijaiden on December 29, 2003, at 19:27:36
In reply to Re: seroquel withdrawal syndromes? (side effects ) » Tony P, posted by helloieeees on March 15, 2002, at 23:01:07
In response to helloieeees on March 15, 2002, at 23:01:07...
I've been on 200 mg of seroquel for about 2 years.. and YES..about 20 minutes after I take the med, I have to eat.. and eat.. and eat. The problem is.. one of the side affects of the med is that I have trouble swallowing. These two "side affects" are part of the reason I stopped the med... I did this a week and a half ago.. I've never felt so bad in my life. Vertigo.. itching.. irritable. I'll never go back on it... I dont care if I dont sleep for weeks. I've been treated for BPMD for 10 years... I've been on scores of meds... experienced withdrawals from several different types.. (anti depressents... anti-anxiety... mood stabilizers.. etc.) and I've NEVER felt this bad when I've stopped anything before. If anyone has any ideas on how to deal with these withdrawal symptoms, I'd be GLAD to hear your advice. Yes.. it's been a week + and I STILL feel like my head is reeling. I also stopped effexor (150 mg)... so I'm not completely sure that all the symptoms are from the seroquel alone. All I DO know .. without a doubt.. is that I'd not recommend this med for anyone. I hate it.. hated the way it made me a zombie.. hated the way it made me a slave to it. I like sleeping.. but I also like waking up as myself and not a lifeless puppet. There's no quality of life in that.. at least not for me.
Posted by Lyrical13 on January 10, 2004, at 7:10:01
In reply to Re: seroquel withdrawal syndromes? (side effects ), posted by crepuscular on March 16, 2002, at 14:09:35
Hi
I was looking for info on side effects when tapering off Seroquel and then I noticed several of you mentioned taking Seroquel for BP. My pdoc and I have just realized that I do not have depression w/ GAD but rather BP2. It's been in the back of my head for several years, but I didn't want to accept it. And I didn't even know there was more than one type of BP. But the more I read about BP2 it sounds like me.Here's the confusion...my pdoc is taking me OFF of Seroquel now that he thinks it's BP2. He says it's not the way he would go for that dx. I was originally put on it to boost the effects of Effexor for depression. I'm also on Synthroid for the same purpose. His plan is to get me off of Seroquel and Synthroid and start me on Lamictal as a mood stabilizer. The predicted end result is Lamictal alone or perhaps with a lower dose of Effexor to help with depression. So now I"m wondering...it sounds like you are taking Seroquel for BP but my pdoc says not for BP so now I don't really understand how that med works and for what dx.
The other thing is, I plan to taper down my Seroquel. My pdoc had said just to stop it, but I'm leery of stopping any med cold turkey. I am only on 50mg but I tend to be very sensitive to meds. I felt awful when I first started it at 25mg. The first 3 days I was nauseous and wiped out. I haven't had problems since then. Well, actually when I increased to 50mg I was so groggy that I fell down the last few stairs when I was coming down to let the dog out early in the morning. I called my pdoc and told him that I wanted to start tapering the Seroquel. He seemed unconcerned but said it was OK with him. I have an appt with him on Jan 21 so I wanted to start the taper now and see how I am then.
anyone have any thoughts on any of this?
thanks for listening
Posted by Sabina on January 10, 2004, at 15:11:42
In reply to seroquel BP2, posted by Lyrical13 on January 10, 2004, at 7:10:01
i'm on seroquel and topamax (100mgs each) for BPII. they're working great for me. i have ZERO tolerance for any ssri's and seroquel has been a real blessing for me. i have read posts by other BP's on this board who have also mentioned taking seroquel, so i'm not certain what your pdoc's bias against it could be. i can't speak to going off the med, but if/when i do, it certainly won't be immediate. good luck to you.
Posted by Lyrical13 on January 12, 2004, at 4:27:15
In reply to Re: seroquel BP2 » Lyrical13, posted by Sabina on January 10, 2004, at 15:11:42
Anyone know any reason why I can't still be on Seroquel when I start the Lamictal next week? I started tapering the Seroquel SAt night..took 25mg instead of 50mg. My sleep has been affected in a big way. I've been awake off and on since about 1am (went to bed at 11) and finally got up at 5am instead of lying there wide awake. My pdoc wanted to just stop the Seroquel cold turkey when I start the Lamictal but I'm not comfortabe with that. That's why I started to taper off now. But I really need my sleep. Thinking about going back up to 50mg tonight.
L13
Posted by CareBear04 on January 12, 2004, at 11:21:47
In reply to Re: seroquel and lamictal, posted by Lyrical13 on January 12, 2004, at 4:27:15
What is a really small dose of Seroquel, approximately equivalent to 2.5 of Zyprexa? If anyone knows, please post.
Posted by Emme on January 12, 2004, at 14:57:09
In reply to Re: seroquel and lamictal, posted by Lyrical13 on January 12, 2004, at 4:27:15
> Anyone know any reason why I can't still be on Seroquel when I start the Lamictal next week? I started tapering the Seroquel SAt night..took 25mg instead of 50mg. My sleep has been affected in a big way. I've been awake off and on since about 1am (went to bed at 11) and finally got up at 5am instead of lying there wide awake. My pdoc wanted to just stop the Seroquel cold turkey when I start the Lamictal but I'm not comfortabe with that. That's why I started to taper off now. But I really need my sleep. Thinking about going back up to 50mg tonight.
>
> L13
My pdoc had me start Seroquel to help with insomnia caused by Lamictal. She said it would also have some moood stabilizing properties. A crumb of it helps with intense anixety. I use it very sporadically, though for a time I was using it fairly regularly. Aside from having to dose carefully so I wouldn't be too zonked, I had no problems. I'm not sure why your doctor would think that you cannot take both. Did she/he say why?Emme
Posted by Lyrical13 on January 14, 2004, at 5:57:31
In reply to Re: seroquel and lamictal » Lyrical13, posted by Emme on January 12, 2004, at 14:57:09
So were you able to take it PRN for restless/ anxious feelings? Did it zonk you or make you nauseous? Those are SEs I had when initially starting on it. I'm still keeping my dose at 25mg despite the sleep problems. I'm getting about 6 hours so it's not too bad. Maybe it would be better if I went to bed before midnight but I'm so wide awake! I did doze a bit on the couch while watching TV with hubby. But wide awake at 6am though I usually get up at 7am.
I decided to ride it out since I see my pdoc next week and am supposed to start Lamictal then. Functionally pretty well and no mood problems.
L13
Posted by Laree on January 14, 2004, at 21:09:49
In reply to seroquel occasionally, posted by Lyrical13 on January 14, 2004, at 5:57:31
I was taking a low dose of Seroquel on an "as needed" basis for insomnia for a while--actually, i still do when I am absolutely desperate for sleep and my mind won't shut off! It definitely works--i have been on many sleep meds, and this has been the most potent for me by far. It's strength far outshines that of any benzodiazepine i have ever tried (valium, xanax, serax, ambien) & any sleeping aid, rx or not, for that matter...
It definitely zonks me out at doses of 50 mg.-100 mg./night. Sometimes even at 25 mg. i find that soon after i take it i have a hard time keeping my eyes open, and i have marked insomnia (sometimes not getting a wink of sleep all night/morning). I have ADHD and my mind tends to be hyperactive--and when I lay down to go to sleep at night I think it just runs off and does it's own thing or something ;P I also have perfectionistic tendencies and am a bonafied worrywart...haha...
I usually feel a bit hung-over the next day, but if I take it early enough (ie: 10 p.m.) the hangover is not nearly as bad.
Oh, and it makes me hungry, not nauseous!! :)
Best,
L.
> So were you able to take it PRN for restless/ anxious feelings? Did it zonk you or make you nauseous? Those are SEs I had when initially starting on it. I'm still keeping my dose at 25mg despite the sleep problems. I'm getting about 6 hours so it's not too bad. Maybe it would be better if I went to bed before midnight but I'm so wide awake! I did doze a bit on the couch while watching TV with hubby. But wide awake at 6am though I usually get up at 7am.
>
> I decided to ride it out since I see my pdoc next week and am supposed to start Lamictal then. Functionally pretty well and no mood problems.
>
> L13
Posted by Fifner on May 14, 2004, at 12:41:53
In reply to seroquel withdrawal syndromes?, posted by ttt on November 13, 2001, at 20:57:40
With regards to insomnia from seroquel withdrawal....
My wife is currently trying to stop seroquel and she took her last dose of 75mg three days ago. She has suffered from poor sleep, increased anxiety and itchiness... it was so bad last night that she believed bugs were on her. I took her to emergency and she was given Atavan. This helped her sleep. Atavan can be addictive for many people. As well, I read a really interesting book several months ago called 'The Melatonin Miracle'. I suggest that you look up melatonin on the internet. It helps regulate our sleep and is produced by our pinial glands. In the U.S melatonin can be purchased over the counter. Many people find it very effective for inducing sleep. If you do decide to try it.. start with a very small dose, because I have talked to two different people that started with slightly larger doses and although they slept like a log they both suffered from strange dreams and nightmares.
Posted by ramsea on May 15, 2004, at 11:02:14
In reply to Re: seroquel withdrawal syndromes?, posted by Fifner on May 14, 2004, at 12:41:53
If your wife can't take anymore Seroquel at all then stopping it abrubtly is all you can do. I would personally go down another week to 50, see how that is. Then after a week or so 25, then 12mgs. Slowlu down the tapering has helped me avoid the sickness (headache, irritatibility, anxiety, restless syndrome, etc)that usually comes with sudden withdrawl of anti-psychotics.
Posted by RobertPalsing on May 17, 2004, at 5:32:05
In reply to Re: seroquel withdrawal syndromes? » Fifner, posted by ramsea on May 15, 2004, at 11:02:14
Seroquel is a strongly sedating drug. One night I missed my dosage altogether and could not sleep the night, though I felt not sedated and it was refreshing.
It went away within a few days for me, however, withdrawal from an antipsychotic can have lasting effects (4 weeks+) so hopefully you have started something else?
Good luck,
"Bob"
Posted by Stina on May 29, 2004, at 17:07:41
In reply to Re: seroquel withdrawal syndromes? » Fifner, posted by ramsea on May 15, 2004, at 11:02:14
I was taking Seroquel for many months. Well my aunt thought that I was addicted to it so she stopped me cold turkey. I have been VERY VERY SICk... I can't sleep I can't eat. She did this about2 and half weeks b-4 my doctors appt. I don't know what to do. I thought that your doctor had to take you off of your meds and he is the one that determines if you are addicted or not. I have MPD and it helps me fall asleep without the people talking in my head. Is the way I am feeling very very sick and everything because it is withdraws or is it sleep deprovation? Can anyone please help me??
Stina
Posted by shadows721 on May 29, 2004, at 17:26:13
In reply to Re: seroquel withdrawal syndromes? » ramsea, posted by Stina on May 29, 2004, at 17:07:41
I don't ever think it's a wise idea to go cold turkey off of these meds unless someone has an adverse reaction or allergic reaction to them. Your aunt isn't your doctor and is making a medical judgment. If the med is helping you, why do you need to go with out it? I too have MPD, but I don't find it quiets the voices at all. It does help me sleep which helps my overall functioning. Sleep deprevation can make your condition worsen. I am confused. How does she think that going without a good night sleep would help your condition? You must have been put on it, because you couldn't sleep. I am sorry, but I just don't understand that at all. Why does she think your addicted? There is a difference between physical dependency and addiction. I never heard of anyone craving this med. Perhaps, she doesn't understand the serverity of your condition and that it does require medication to help you function.
Posted by RobertPalsing on May 29, 2004, at 21:28:24
In reply to Re: seroquel withdrawal syndromes?, posted by shadows721 on May 29, 2004, at 17:26:13
Listen:
You cannot go cold turkey off of these medications. It is very dangerous and the withdrawal effects will very likely make you feel worse than before you started. I have done it. Do not do it. This is one of those "thank God for psychobabble" things. If you are hoping to discontinue with the antipsychotic class of meds altogether and must get off your current one, have your doctor replace your current one with a similar one, and then begin tapering it.
Stopping antipsychotics is (from my experience) an all together terrifying and life changing experience. I had never experienced more fear or intense joy, more emotional pain or bliss, all on opposite tokens of the same pill. As good as they can make you feel, they can make you feel just as bad.
Odds are, if you have felt good at some point during your treatment but have had trouble with antipsychotics recently, you do not need medicine that strong. I was incorrectly prescribed APs and suffered from their withdrawal more than any other mental illness of my own doing. Antidepressants and mood stabilizers are generally less volatile drugs to ingest, and will be safer in the long run.
Please save yourself the pain and take as much care in stopping a med as you would starting it. You wouldn't begin your med at full dose would you?
Good luck, take care.
"Bob"
Posted by ramsea on May 30, 2004, at 4:58:44
In reply to Re: seroquel withdrawal syndromes? » ramsea, posted by Stina on May 29, 2004, at 17:07:41
It's common practice to taper someone off an anti-psych med cause though they aren't addictive (as anyone knows who has had them) the body does get used to their presence and the nevous system can get way whacked out by stopping the meds abrubtly. Not only can original symptoms reappear, but there is a flu0like syndrome that has to be endured and as I went through this once, when I stopped without medical advice, it made me feel so weirdly ill it is hard to describe--sick and horribly anxious too. It was terrible. Your relative may have been trying to help but if she isn;t a doctor, she may not realize that Seroquel might well have been doing you a great service. You really do need good doctoring at this point. I hope you are able to bring your aunt along so she can ask questions too, and maybe learn more. I hope you are feeling a but better now. My misery lasted about three days.
Posted by TJO on May 31, 2004, at 7:07:27
In reply to Re: seroquel withdrawal syndromes? » Stina, posted by ramsea on May 30, 2004, at 4:58:44
Hi,
I take Seroquel so I felt like adding my 2 cents to this. I was taking 3 antipsychotics for a short time-Abilify, Risperdal and Seroquel. The Dr tapered me off of the Risperdal gradually while bringing up my dose of Seroquel. I needed to go up to 700 mg of Seroquel to feel well. At 600mg I was a very sick and groggy person. I was sleepy for about 2 months (more sleepy than normal)and would wake up around 11am.
I feel great at present and my sleep cycle is finally normal. I go to bed at around 10pm and get up at around 6 am feeling rested. The people around me say that I'm doing much better.
My meds are-Wellbutrin 150mg at night, Neurontin 1200mg, 600 in the am and 600 at night, Abilify 30 mg in the am and Seroquel 700 mg-300 in the am and 400 at night. I am considering tapering off on the Abilify but everything seems about right now and I don't want to fix it if it isn't broken.
I have had some dry mouth occasionally from the Seroquel. The sleepiness I had was intolerable (Who wants to be a zombie all the time?) and I was seriously considering stopping the drug when it started to work. My plan then was to gradually add the Risperdal back and then taper off of the Seroquel. I wonder if I would have had W/D symptoms or if adding another atypical antipsychotic until it reaches a thereapeutic dose and then tapering off on the Seroquel is the way to avoid those nasty withdrawal symptoms.Tammy
Posted by Stina on June 1, 2004, at 14:27:11
In reply to Re: seroquel withdrawal syndromes?, posted by shadows721 on May 29, 2004, at 17:26:13
Well I understand what you are all saying. I thank you for helping me. I don't see how she can see the difference from physical dependency and addiction. I am doing alittle I guess. At least I am getting more sleep. I go to the Pdoc on the 16th. My friend said that he will be mad when he finds out that she took me off of it. I am on Lamictal 300mg a day and Lexapro 20mg a day and that is it and Vistral if I get bad anxiety. I have MPD and I have said I also have BiP mixed. I don't work I am on SSDI and SSI. I do the best that I can do.
Thank you all again.
Stina
Posted by ramsea on June 3, 2004, at 3:35:27
In reply to Re: seroquel withdrawal syndromes?, posted by Stina on June 1, 2004, at 14:27:11
As I understand it, addiction is specifically a process which combines physical and psychological dependency on a certain substance. The dependency leads to tolerance and a need to use more of the substance to try and achieve the same result as first achieved. This can be a long battle with the addict never as satisfied as they were in the honeymoon period. The tolerance can lead to ODs and death as the person tries too hard to achieve their hoped for relief. With medicines, like Seroquel, there is no typical euphoria or anything that makes a person crave it. Psychological dependence may occur if a patient likes its effects. And the body may develop tolerance, so higher doses may be used. But that doesn't happen to everyone. Since the nervous system has become used to the Seroquel, and has learned to function with it, it will take time toget the nervous system balanced if the seroquel is stopped. The slower the process of stopping the seroquel, the less shocked the nervous system will be. It's not considered addictive because thevast majority of people don't ever come to crave it. Hope that helps a little.
Posted by Daniel S on June 5, 2004, at 11:33:39
In reply to Re: seroquel withdrawal syndromes?, posted by ramsea on June 3, 2004, at 3:35:27
I can definately promise you that seroquel not addictive in any way. It's a nuroleptic which is in the class as the older anti-psychotic drugs like Thorazine and Mellarill, except of course that Seroquel has much less side effects and more positive effects. While it is an anti-psychotic it's very helpful for anxiety, insomnia (not sure about OCD) it *can* help for mania although there are better drugs out there for that and I thought that I heard that it helps people with disociative disorders better control their switching.
Daniel
Posted by Daniel S on June 5, 2004, at 11:36:15
In reply to Re: seroquel withdrawal syndromes?, posted by Daniel S on June 5, 2004, at 11:33:39
my appologies... I forgot to restate again that just because you cannot become addicted to it that it doesn't mean you can safely stop it suddenly.
Posted by Stina on June 12, 2004, at 0:52:28
In reply to Re: seroquel withdrawal syndromes? » Stina, posted by ramsea on May 30, 2004, at 4:58:44
Well I go to the Pdoc on the 16th. I hope that all works out. I guess that I am doing ok. I am more depressed though. Sometimes I find myself depressed and I don't know why. I feel like I am on a different planet or something. I kinda go to bed early there are some night where I can go right to sleep and then there are night where I just lay there. I find myself waking up when my partner get's up for work (4:30 am) and I don't go back to sleep till about 6-8am. I hear the voices in my head more but they won't come out it that normal? If anyone has MPD can you answer that? I don't now if it has to do without being on the Seroquel or what. Well I will keep you posted. Thank you for your time.
Posted by firestorm on January 22, 2005, at 4:40:15
In reply to seroquel withdrawal syndromes?, posted by ttt on November 13, 2001, at 20:57:40
My DX = Bipolar 1 with more trouble with mania.
I was on depakote 1000mg and seroquel 100mg but I had pretty lousy sexual side effects (SSE). My doc switched me to 600mg seroquel only whiched seemed to improve the SSE's, but it sitll had some. i've been on 600mg for about a year. (yikes). i'm worried that being on such a high dose for so long has re-wired my brain or caused damage or now i have a chemical dependence on it.
Anyway, I just changed pdocs. He wants to switch me to lamictal...which i'm very hopeful will have less side effects. But i'm very worried that when i stop seroquel i will get insomnia.. I have really bad problems with insomnia.
even with 600mg of seroquel i *still* have trouble sleeping. this usually happens if i do anything mental (like work) too close to bedtime. my brain will just keep going ...i can't stop thinking and i can't go to sleep. it sucks. if i can't sleep, i'll take an extra 100-300mg, but then i feel like crap the next day (zombiefied).
anyway, i've read that lamictal can cause insomnia too. has anyone experienced it? what about at 200mg (that's my target dosage)?
Posted by PsychoSally on February 27, 2009, at 17:25:04
In reply to Re: seroquel withdrawal syndromes?, posted by Stina on June 12, 2004, at 0:52:28
I know this thread has been dead for a long time, but I am coming off of Seroquel and this was one of the first pages that came up.
That said I wanted to post my experience for anyone else who came across it.
I'm on 100mg Lamictal 2x a day, 300mg Wellbutrin in the morning, and 30 mg Lexapro at night.
I had been placed on Seroquel and I hated it from the beginning. I had been placed on it to replace my Risperdal which didn't really do much for me and the side effect of lactation was just gross. So anyway, back onto the Seroquel. My doctor upped me from 25 mg all the way up to 200 mg at my highest point. Initially Seroquel made me exhausted, and it was increased to help me sleep better at night. It just made me more tired. My doctor said if she continued to up it, it would eventually make me less tired. Lies. I continued to sleep 10-12 hours a night and was exhausted all day. I couldn't wake up earlier and stay awake without at least 600 mg of caffeine total in a day. I began to taper off because at it's highest Seroquel had kept making my dreams more vivid and at 200mg I began to not be able to tell what was reality or a dream. My dreams were so realistic, I would think that they actually happened, and it was a really disturbing time talking to people about activities that we didn't do together, or forgetting to go grocery shopping because I already thought I did it.
I've been tapering down from 200mg over a 3 week period if not less I'd say. At first I understood that the symptoms I was experiencing were withdrawal, but then I continued to lose touch with myself until I thought that I was going crazy. I only have GAD and major depressive disorder as well as severe panic attacks, so the feeling of disembodiment and psychotic like feelings were very frightening. I've begun to have mild hallucinations, a disconnection from self, severe exhaustion, migraines, nausea, fainting, shaking hands, shaking chills, and rapid fluctuations in temperature, meaning I am either freezing or boiling hot. My mental state is very odd, I just feel apathetically depressed. I've felt that before, but not in this way. It's as if you took that hyper manic feeling right as a panic attack hits its peak and somehow, like slowing down the pace of a song, stretched it out so much so that you can't even call it panic. It's just this sickening calm sarcastic disgust and you're so bitter and outside of yourself that you feel like your drowning in water. It's like no matter what you do you're just a passenger in this car called the purgatory that is rock bottom, and you can't get out of the car or control where you're going. You don't know where the destination is, or what's behind these feelings, you're just stuck and all you know is that whoevers taken over this car can't be you because this kind of darkness isn't depression, it's just pure darkness, the darkness behind insanity. I've come off of Zoloft, Buspar, Paxil, Lithium, and even illegal drugs like white and xtc when I was younger and never have I had withdrawal like this. I hope the makers of Seroquel rot in heck. I hope my post helps someone, somewhere, because at least that'll bring some light into this macabre freakshow I'm going through.
Sorry for the rant and thank you, to all who read this.
Posted by dayandnight on March 19, 2009, at 12:08:04
In reply to Re: seroquel withdrawal syndromes?, posted by PsychoSally on February 27, 2009, at 17:25:04
Hey P.S., just read your post about seroquel withdrawal. I take 50mg at night and have taken a higher dose. Thought it was just me as I could not shake the sleepiness, did not matter how much I took. The dreams were just like you described them and I also could not separate them from reality. I dont think my wife realizes the dream world that I am in at times. I have been like this all of my life as far back as I can remember. I had a thought the other day that it is a good thing that she is there to keep me balanced. Cant imagine what it would be like to be with someone who is also taking meds like seroquel. We would probably both disappear into a world of unreality. I was also taking Lex with seroquel and I had to stop it as it was giving me the same symptoms you mention. Perhaps it is the Lex not the seroquel. I hope your med situation has stabilized. Take care.
Posted by Toph on June 19, 2009, at 20:33:14
In reply to Re: seroquel withdrawal syndromes?, posted by PsychoSally on February 27, 2009, at 17:25:04
I took Seroquel 300mgs for about a month to bring me out of a psychotic manic episode following the death of my mother. On the drug I also had incredibly deep sleep that was not always restful. I too had dreams that surpassed nightmares and became night terrors (nightmare=falling and waking before hitting the ground; night terror=falling and smashing your brains out). Withdrawal was also a nightmare. As the dosage was reduced to 100mg then 50mg I paradoxically became more sedated. Then I suffered a week of nausea. I finally had several days of diarrhea that seemed to be a withdrawal symptom as well. I'm glad to be off the stuff.
This is the end of the thread.
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