Seroquel Withdrawal

[Shadow]

Bonnie Dust wrote:

I've gradually weaned myself of Seroquel,again! This time for good.I was initially put on about 200 mg.for P.T.S.D & possible Bi-polar.The bi-polar was mis-diag.for 35 years & still is.Going off my last 25mg. of Seroquel even makes a big difference in my functioning,mentally & physically.It served a purpose in controlling my thinking for a few years while I recovered from childhood sexual abuse & other trauma which followed.Trying 50mg.Trazodone for sleep.

I tryed trazadone first, it made me sick and did not help me sleep I was awake all night with racing thoughts runnying through my head. Sorry that this may discourage you, just my experience.

[stickman713]

i've been on 8oo mgs of seroquel for 6 months now. at first it was great slept well ate well stopped hallucinating, hearing things. i felt great then i gained 60 pounds in 4 months. i was underweight so the dr thought the gain was good. then other things started happening got weird muscle aches, back spasms that laid me out. i lost strenght like over night. i was in good shape before blood draws were normal in dec. now i'm a anemic my chlrorestorol is of the charts and i'm diabetic. i eat a well balanced diet. i have'nt had the crazy food cravings alot of you have had. now it does'nt even put me to sleep anymore. and my bp and shizo syptoms are back. can it just stop working like overnight? told the dr but it seems like the standard line just stick it out. it is truly amazing how stupid psychiatrists and drs are. i missed one dose of it and i stayed up for 2 days and that was when i first started in dec. i shudder to think what it will be like now after so long and such a high dose the withdrawal will be. this shit makes the xanax addiction seem like nothing at least i was healthy. deal with a few side effects or be crazy? tough one. through ranting.

[Dean]

I hate seroquel. I was prescribed it as a guinea pig and it damaged my memory - I'll get it back. I also had a minor stroke while on it. Love the doctors, hate the meds....

I stopped taking 25 mg a few days ago - the doc didn't agree with me but my counselor said it's ok you do what you feel you want to, etc. Encouraging.

Last night I barely slept, tonight, I drank a large oversize mug of CALM (magnesium drink), and took my lithium as usual as well as 930 mg of choline, which calms your mind.... I hope this works for a good night's sleep!

Thanks for your posts, gang.

-Dean

[adamiano311]

hey i have been off for about 3 weeks now i made a journal that you can follow to see what and how far i have gotten. you can go here to check it out

http://seroquelsucks.blogspot.com/

[Rose]

My husband has been on Seroquel since Oct 08..He has dementia, early alzheimer. Fear of going to sleep at night. Just found out from neurologist that the reason they give these patient this pill is because it helps the 'CAREGIVER' get some rest. Sure I did not get much rest, but whey would I want a zombie for a husband every morning. I was giving it to him at bedtime. Neurologist now suggested giving it to him before dinner. I has been 4 days and at bedtime he takes only 1 xanax. She told me because seroquel is a long acting drug, it does not get into the system immediately, it relaxes him somewhat so at bedtime when I give him his hbp bills with 1 xanax he goes right to sleep. Sleeps about 6-7hrs and then gets up and goes out to lanai to sleep on recliner, will not come back to bed. Sleeps another couple of hrs, but at least he is not a zombie in the morning. Much clearer with eyes open. His short term memory has not really improved with the exelon patch, but at least he is sleeping better. I know that can last for just a short time and then something else starts. You take what you can get when its given to you. He originally started with 100mg, then 150mg,finally to 300 for about a month, now he does better with the 150mg before dinner. 200mg makes him very sleepy and confused. He also has numerous other problems that make it so hard for all these doctors to help. He is a diabetic, kidney transplant (12yrs), hbp, high choles. and is now starting to retain liquid. More pills helped that. He is on 15 kinds of pills each day. He is 85yrs old and we are just plugging along. Good luck to all and keep your stories coming as they do help the caregiver too.

[TIM]

Seroquel has worked for me,but now I have no insurance and am forced to stop.I am so scared because I take effexor xr also and am running out of those too.I also take ativan which has a very very bad withdrawl!I dont know what to do anymore,I know I am going to end up in the hospital or worse.I have three children and I will be affraid to be around them when all of my withdrawls occur,I dont want to scare them into not wanting to spend time with me.

[Need Advice and Help]

I am stopping Seroquel. I was on it for five years and was up to 300mg. The last few nights I took a half a pill and last night I didn't take it at all. Is it possible to get off this nasty shit? How long should I expect the withdrawl symptoms.

[katielou82]

ROSE!!!!!!! PLEASE read the package insert that comes with your RX to Seroquel. ATYPICAL ANTIPSYCHOTICS INCREASE THE RISK OF SUDDEN DEATH WHEN USED FOR DEMENTIA IN OLDER PATIENTS!!!!! This is a well documented and REAL risk. I am appalled that doctors still are rx-ing this class of medications for patients with dementia. The medication is NOT for dementia, it is for SCHIZOPHRENIA and a lesser extent mood disorders. The risks and side effects, but mostly the dangerous to ones physical health and wellbeing and staying a live- RISKS, should EXCLUDE the use of this medications for lesser serious disorders such as insomnia, anxiety, irritability etc... ESPECIALY CONSIDERING there are already soooooooooooooooooooo many OTHER medications one can take for these conditions that do not carry the risks of: tardative diskinesia, diabieties, sudden cardiac arrest, liver damage, pancreatitis, massive wieght gain, just to mention a few.
But especialy in the case of the fact that it greatly increases the risk of the patient DIEING if they are being given it for dementia. It is a crime that people are given this medication still for dementia even with this knowledge BEING A BLACK BOX WARNING on EVERY one of these medications in this class.
ROSE - did your doctor ever tell you this risk? Do they give you the PI sheet/package insert (with ALL the info about how the drug works, side effects etc) with your husbands rx? If they don't you need to go to the pharmacy and ask for a copy. Right there at the very top of the sheet there will be some text within a black box, this text should warn of the increased risk of death in elderly patients put on this med for dementia. Maybe if your husband is younger there is not as much of a risk for him, but still, if your doctor has not warned you of this risk then your doctor is an incompetent idiot.

[Diana]

Iv been on serquel for 12 years for my anxiety in aug of 08 i started to decrese from it because i did not need it anymore since then i have had server reashes, my skin is dry and i have peeled layers of my skin of causeing so much damage it looks impossible to repair, it has calmed a little down since being off the medication for 2 months but it will not heal up. Does anyone know why serquel might cause skin problem like this? aI also have been having menstral problem it first started as spotting two week before my period with late period all the time, and now it periods every 2 weeks and spotting any suggestion on when the side effect go away??

[Mandy]

I have been on seroquel for two years and went from 142 to 170 pounds. I look and feel awful. I am not taking it anymore because it has ruined my life!

[Rose]

I lowered my husband's Seroquel from 300 to 100 and he is more alive and not a zombie anymore. I wish I can get it down to 50. He still has a problem sleeping. Some nights sleeps on the recliner all night, some nights sleeps in bed until about 4a.m. and then goes directly into the recliner until 7-8am. I have also lowered his xanax from 2 to 1.(.50mg) He is also on Citalopram and shortly will be on Namenda for combination therapy with Exelon Patch. He also takes meds neoral-cellcept-prednisone-met ropolol-lisinopril-amolopine-c restor-flomax-torsemide...He is a walking candy shop. But I still have him with 60yrs of marriage together. His memory started failing before he took Seroquel so I know that did not cause it. His short term memory is very bad, but can tell you many stories from the past. I think whatever helps each person is what you try to achieve. Bless you all..

[Diana]

I had the same problem with sleep for a couple weeks after a few week off it completly it went away.

[Gretta]

Thanks for sharing Melinda. I too have similar concerns. I started Seroquel (Sp?) yesterday! I had the restless leg thing within 2 1/2 to 3 hrs after my 1st dose. I hear alot of negitive so what my plan is to give it a try and do everything needed to make sure the side effects do not cause more harm than help. I love my Dr. I feel she really hears me. I see her in one month or earlier if I feel the need, I will share my concerns and make a plan for the next step: if the drug stops working and I need to wean off or if the side effects are too much. I do think that in reading all of this info we make ourselves hyper sensitive and expect the same bad effects our fellow bloggers are having. Alot of people were happy with it for a few years. I am worried about weight gain, because I do not work out and am a little overweight now. I will keep in touch with my progression. Hope this was helpful for someone to read :)

Melinda wrote:

I have been on it for 5 days for insomina for bipolar II and severe insominia. My doctor wont prescribe any thing addictive. I feel awful and am already overweight. I have severe depression problems right now. I am now sleeping 11- 12 hours a day and this fog on my brain is awful. Coffee wont lift it. By the time it does lift it is time to take it again. I dont need any more weight gain. I have not got anything done in 5 days. I was getting some things done with the insominia before now I feel "stoned" all day. I know I am sleeping now, but at what cost...Maybe its time for a new doctor.. I wish there was something that didn't cause such harsh side affects... I feel so lost..I sleep good on ativan, but I know the addiction problems are there. I have pain in my legs after taking the seroquel before I fall asleep I wander if it is causing restless leg.. Thanks to all who have posted . I dont know if it worth it now.

[Rose]

katielou82 wrote:

ROSE!!!!!!! PLEASE read the package insert that comes with your RX to Seroquel. ATYPICAL ANTIPSYCHOTICS INCREASE THE RISK OF SUDDEN DEATH WHEN USED FOR DEMENTIA IN OLDER PATIENTS!!!!! This is a well documented and REAL risk. I am appalled that doctors still are rx-ing this class of medications for patients with dementia. The medication is NOT for dementia, it is for SCHIZOPHRENIA and a lesser extent mood disorders. The risks and side effects, but mostly the dangerous to ones physical health and wellbeing and staying a live- RISKS, should EXCLUDE the use of this medications for lesser serious disorders such as insomnia, anxiety, irritability etc... ESPECIALY CONSIDERING there are already soooooooooooooooooooo many OTHER medications one can take for these conditions that do not carry the risks of: tardative diskinesia, diabieties, sudden cardiac arrest, liver damage, pancreatitis, massive wieght gain, just to mention a few.
But especialy in the case of the fact that it greatly increases the risk of the patient DIEING if they are being given it for dementia. It is a crime that people are given this medication still for dementia even with this knowledge BEING A BLACK BOX WARNING on EVERY one of these medications in this class.
ROSE - did your doctor ever tell you this risk? Do they give you the PI sheet/package insert (with ALL the info about how the drug works, side effects etc) with your husbands rx? If they don't you need to go to the pharmacy and ask for a copy. Right there at the very top of the sheet there will be some text within a black box, this text should warn of the increased risk of death in elderly patients put on this med for dementia. Maybe if your husband is younger there is not as much of a risk for him, but still, if your doctor has not warned you of this risk then your doctor is an incompetent idiot.

YES, THAT WAS MY VERY FIRST QUESTION WHEN I RECEIVED THE BOX, BUT THEY DO NOT FEEL THAT THE RISK IS AS GREAT AS STATED ON THE BOX. SOMETIMES THOSE RISKS CAN BE OVERWHELMING. MY HUSBAND TAKES 12 DIFFERENT KINDS OF DRUGS FOR SO MANY DIFFERENT REASONS AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, WHENEVER ANOTHER MEDICATION IS GIVEN TO HIM, HE NEVER NEVER HAS ANY EFFECTS. ONLY THING IS PENICILLIN.
HE HAS AMAZED ALL THE DOCTORS. EVEN THOUGH OUR NEUROLOGIST SAYS THAT I PROBABLY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO EVER TAKE HIM OFF IT, I AM SLOWLY REDUCING THE MG...HE WENT FROM 300MG TO 100MG AND HE STILL IS NOT ABLE TO SLEEP IN OUR BED. HE SLEEPS ON A RECLINER ALL NIGHT. MY ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO GET RID OF SEROQUEL AND XANAX AND SEE IF HE WILL SLEEP ALL NIGHT WITHOUT THEM ON THE RECLINER. HE IS ON A ANTI-DEPRESSANT (CITALOPRAM) AND WILL SHORTLY GO ON COMBINATION THERAPY WITH THE EXELON PATCH AND NAMENDA....WE TAKE ONE DAY AT A TIME. 2 DIFFERENT NEUROLOGISTS HAVE SAID THAT WHEN SEROQUEL DOES ITS JOB...IT OUTWEIGHS THE RISKS. WE JUST TRUST IN THE LORD....THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONCERNS.

[Rose]

Also we do not pay for it, we get Seroquel through Astra Zeneca

katielou82 wrote:

ROSE!!!!!!! PLEASE read the package insert that comes with your RX to Seroquel. ATYPICAL ANTIPSYCHOTICS INCREASE THE RISK OF SUDDEN DEATH WHEN USED FOR DEMENTIA IN OLDER PATIENTS!!!!! This is a well documented and REAL risk. I am appalled that doctors still are rx-ing this class of medications for patients with dementia. The medication is NOT for dementia, it is for SCHIZOPHRENIA and a lesser extent mood disorders. The risks and side effects, but mostly the dangerous to ones physical health and wellbeing and staying a live- RISKS, should EXCLUDE the use of this medications for lesser serious disorders such as insomnia, anxiety, irritability etc... ESPECIALY CONSIDERING there are already soooooooooooooooooooo many OTHER medications one can take for these conditions that do not carry the risks of: tardative diskinesia, diabieties, sudden cardiac arrest, liver damage, pancreatitis, massive wieght gain, just to mention a few.
But especialy in the case of the fact that it greatly increases the risk of the patient DIEING if they are being given it for dementia. It is a crime that people are given this medication still for dementia even with this knowledge BEING A BLACK BOX WARNING on EVERY one of these medications in this class.
ROSE - did your doctor ever tell you this risk? Do they give you the PI sheet/package insert (with ALL the info about how the drug works, side effects etc) with your husbands rx? If they don't you need to go to the pharmacy and ask for a copy. Right there at the very top of the sheet there will be some text within a black box, this text should warn of the increased risk of death in elderly patients put on this med for dementia. Maybe if your husband is younger there is not as much of a risk for him, but still, if your doctor has not warned you of this risk then your doctor is an incompetent idiot.

[maria]

I went from 600mg of Seroquel to 450 mg with my doctor's approval. I decided I didn't want to take any of me meds ( seroquel, cymbalta, and wellbutrin) about 6 weeks ago and went off of them completely. I went through horrific withdrawals ( vomiting, shaking, insomnia, hallucinations, and a suicide attempt. After the attempt I went back on just 200mg of Seroquel, and 400 mg of Wellbutrin. I decided to stay off cymbalta. As of now, I'm doing well. I still have problems going to sleep and need to have the air conditioning on with a fan blowing on my face. I sleep on two pillows, need the blinds open, and need a night light. I feel like I'm going to suffocate if I don't have those things. I know it's crazy, but at least I can get some sleep after a couple of hours.
I hate meds and hate the fact that I need them to stay alive, but I don't know what else I can do. I'll be seeing a new phychiatrist soon and hope she has some other suggestions for me. I do know this. I'll never try to get off that many meds at once. It just about killed me. Please everyone be careful.

[texasgirl33]

I have been on Seroquel a few weeks after my Lexapro stopped working and I tried Pristiq, which gave me anxiety attacks. I have depression, not bipolarism or schizophrenia so I was a little concerned that my doctor called this in for me without consulting me. It makes me tired, irritable, pale, and my usually flat belly is huge and bloated. I did not take my dose last night (100 mg) and I am going to try cold turkey. The risks do not outweigh the treatment, which by the way, doesn't seem to really help me or my depression.

[wantoff]

I am sorry that I have not posted for so long .... yes, the insomnia continues for a long time ... I am still suffering that. My immune system also has been severely weakened and I am tired all of the time. The weight is not going off easily. You all hang inthere, keep trying. Best to all of you.

[Diana]

I see a lot of people are having problems with weight with it, hoiwever i had the oppsitate effect in which i always lost weight or stayed at the same weight no matter what happened. I ended up with skin rashes and skin peeling.

[Comment to texasgirl33]

Your situation sounds similar to mine. I have minor depression, anxiety with some sleep issues. I had a Doctor put me on Seroquel and I was on it for over five years. I really recommend you have your Doctor NOT prescribe the drug for you. Try something that is actually been designed or your issue. What your Doctor is doing is called prescribing off label, basically using a drug it was not initially designed for. I know sometimes this works but I don't recommend it here due to the severity of the drug.

I am a big guy normally but even still I gained 50 lbs in five years. The drug ramps up your desire for sweets. I wasn't much of a sweet person before but I ate so much sugar it was ridiculous.

Symptoms I attributed to Seroquel was crazy weight gain (even though it I don't think I was eating more overall), cloudiness, leg cramps, water retention, constipation, crappy feeling in my stomach and I developed a temper I never had.

I went cold turkey three weeks ago tomorrow. The first week, about five days in was brutal due to nausea. Pristiq and Cymbalta didn't work for me either. Currently I am on 3mg of Lunesta which helps my sleep. I think in some ways the Seroquel masked my underlying depression. I wanted to sleep because I was unhappy and the drug certainly helps with that. But to me the side effects far outweigh the sleep.

I just wanted to send you a note because your situation sounded similar to mine.