Hi everyone, again.

I recently posted an thread about being a med newbie and all that jazz. I explained how I was prescribed Lexapro (10mg) and having the dosage go up to 20mg within only one week. I am also on an anti-anxiety (that is not a psych. med) called Propanolol. It only really takes care of the constant heart palpitations that I have.

Last visit with the P, she wrote a script for Klonopin (2mg) and also gave me three box samples of Seroquel XR (50mg). I took it before bedtime and man, was I gone the next day. My P hadn't explained what this medicine is for. She did comment that it was a sleep aid, and a sleep aid only. "It does the trick" as she said. The only trick I experienced while being on this drug FOR ONLY ONE EVENING was hallucinations the next day and feeling extremely groggy, even more groggy when I started my new, higher dose of Lexapro.

Seroquel XR, when I finally had the time to investigate it online, I found it was a drug for schizophrenia- bipolar. This was not told to me. I feel with the mixture of an anti-depressant SSRI and this Seroquel XR whatever it is, that it would cause a battle in my head, almost like a boxing match between the two drugs. That is what it was like.

I had 5 suicide attempts over taking it once. I am not prone much to resorting to suicide but it put me down in the dumps more than I have ever been. It was like Swamp Thing's humble home, but worse.

May I ask your opinions on how this drug works/worked for you? Did any of you have great positive effects? If I do decide to take it again (which I dread to), will the sleepy/groggyness go away after a few weeks or days even?

I feel this pill is a lobotomy. I read that many prisoners will get a hold of this drug in order to sleep through their entire sentences. That scares me.

So please, if you have any feedback for me, I would be grateful. I would appreciate it very much.

Thank you,
K

Hi Caeti, I took seroquel for two days approx 7 yrs ago and it immediately made me suicidal so I stopped it at once...not saying it may not be good for you, though. I have a history of depression, social anxiety, eating disorder and occasional hallucinations w/paranoia...I now take Abilify along with Effexor XR and that combin. seems to work...mlc

Hey mIc,
Thank you for sharing your experience. You know, I keep hearing this about Seroquel XR. I am sorry you had the same thing happen as I did (and probably many others). I just can't believe that a psychiatrist can sit in their chair and say this medicine is unbelievable! My P was saying that so many women decide this over ALL their medications and end up solely taking just the Seroquel XR! I am amazed. I am also amazed that I was only trying out a 50mg of Seroquel XR... I can't imagine what 2500mg would be like!!!!

Maybe there is a way I could persuade the P into letting me try out Ablify and Effexor XR. I've heard good things about both.

Thanks.

I think I tried Seroquel once, and only once. It's in the "anti-psychotic" class of drugs - so far every single anti-psychotic I have tried has made me horribly unsettled, antsy, didn't want to stay still or move around, like I wanted to crawl out of my skin. The only drug in that class that I'm willing to take is Riperdal, and only a little, and only "as needed" - I refuse to take it regularly.

As with all these things, it works better for some people then others. I think most of these drugs change a little (or a lot) after you take them regularly for a while.

Me, personally, I don't want to have anything to do with Seroquel.

Hi Z,
I had the opposite effect with this anti-psychotic. I wanted to sleep, sleep and sleep some more but I wasn't able to because my job is a high-stress and a high-pace environment. Haha, it sounds bad, but I wish it gave me the uplift it gave you.

I don't want anything to do with Seroquel XR anymore either.

Thanks for your input.
K

Hi Caeti, I tried several antidepressants before landing on a combination of Seroquel XR 50-75 mg and Strattera which I have taken for an extended period of time and on which I am doing well. It is unconventional but it works for me. Thankfully, my P warned me to expect to take several days adjusting to the medication. I made sure I started it when I had a long weekend off work. I slept 12 hours the first night and ten the following night. I wake from a deep sleep but once I get moving I am wide awake and usually rested for the day. It does help me get the rest I need to function during the day and do intense therapy. I also usually sleep through the night in spite of occasional bad dreams and nightmares.

While I was still learning to listen to my body, tolerate stress and regulate my emotions I needed to supplement with Xanax to help me with anxiety and panic attacks but I rarely need to take that anymore. Medications that worsen my depression or intensify negative emotions I avoid by giving feedback to my P and her making adjustments and changes. Your MD will benefit from the feedback you give and will keep exploring the best options until the right combination of meds and dosages that are best for you are found. Hang in there!

DeeplyRooted

Heya deeplyrooted,

quote:

I tried several antidepressants before landing on a combination of Seroquel XR 50-75 mg and Strattera which I have taken for an extended period of time and on which I am doing well.

Well, I am very happy for you having a success with the Seroquel XR. I believe I would be able to handle the drug if I could have the same thing as you--- a week off from work. That is nearly impossible at my job. Maybe I could discuss getting a medical note from my P in trying to get that time off which I need, otherwise I am not going to be in good shape at all. That would be incredibly ideal! Getting sleep, no stressful job, having my meds work within that time.

Thank you for the well wishes, I wish the same for you.

K

Hi Caeti,

I'm sorry to read that things have been so rough for you - that's really, really awful.

I don't know what you should do about your job - no doubt there are lots of factors to take into consideration - but I do want to say that no benefits are worth your life. As good as this job may be (and actually it sounds like your experience of it is just really damaging), there will be other jobs, in one direction or another.

You need to get safe and get well. You need to get yourself out of danger really fast. If you have to let some things go in that process, okay. You WILL be able to put together a more stable and happy life for yourself once you are through the crisis. But please take your health and wellbeing as the absolute priority in this time.

We are thinking of you and wishing you well.

Hi I have been on Seroquel (I don't think it is the XR though, does that mean it is extended release, maybe you would have less side effects during the day if it wasn't the XR one??) since May. I take between 25-50mg at night just before bed. This means I can sleep and during the day I am much less anxious and can actually cope and not being a screaming wreck.

When I wake up it takes a long time to fully wake up, I like the drowsy feeling but as soon as I get up I am wide awake and fully functioning.

I have put on a lot of weight and only just recently noticed it has coincided with starting the Seroquel. I have put on 14kg since May - that is a lot of weight in just a few months and I have not changed my eating habits in that time.

I did some research on the net and found it is quite common to put on weight with this drug and that it maybe due to slower metabolism but also insulin resistance. Since I have type 2 diabetes I am suspecting it is due to the insulin resistance mainly for me. I am seeing my dr today and I am looking forward to starting to resolve the weight issue because it is very depressing.

I also take 300mg effexor in the morning and 45mg avanza at night.

Hi Jones,
Thank you for all of your kind words. I hope to be well, and soon.

quote:

I don't know what you should do about your job - no doubt there are lots of factors to take into consideration - but I do want to say that no benefits are worth your life. As good as this job may be (and actually it sounds like your experience of it is just really damaging), there will be other jobs, in one direction or another.

Well, when I saw my Psychologist and my Psychiatrist tonight they wrote me a medical leave script. I can always call them to have them lengthen the absence I will need to take. I will only use it for emergency. I have off work for tomorrow and the next day. I hope to get some decent sleep while my new med (Abilify) is tested out. I think it will be difficult to kiss my current job goodbye, but I do know one closed door opens another and I keep reminding myself of that saying.

Again, thank you for your sweetness. Take care,
K

Hi Halo,
Wow, I am actually surprised that you had such a good experience on the Seroquel. When I took the Seroquel XR before bedtime I woke up the next day feeling like a complete zombie. I had hallucinations, my eyes were sort of stuck in one place from the tiredness and I literally couldn't help but to fall asleep while on the job. It was miserable. I am happy to hear you had a pleasant experience though. You are one of the first people I've read having a positive experience.

I hope to find a drug that gives me energy in the morning. I have to wake up very early for my shift so, this is very important to be to be on my tip toes ... as alert as a doberman doggie watching an expensive home. (hehe)

Thank you for your contribution!
K

Hi Caeti,

I have had experience with Seroquel 25-50mg, although I have not taken the extended release form. I have worked with clients prescribed Seroquel XR and for many, they seemed to become more symptomatic resulting in increases in hospitalizatons and then being switched to another med. It is scary to see client's react like that..and the docs didn't seem to think that would be the outcome...not from the drug company's advertising, I guess.

My experience with regular Seroquel...was that I took 25mg to 50 mg to sleep at night. It seemed to give me a guaranteed 6-7 hours, however, I found I was not functioning my best at work. I felt like my mind was slowed down so thinking was just not happening very well. I would sit at my computer and NO THOUGHTS would come up. It was pretty weird, I would forget what people said to me and I was very concerned about errors.
I stopped that med and am now taking 25mg-100mg of Trazodone at bedtime for sleep. I seem to function in the daytime a lot better.

I wish you all the best,

Itshardtosay.