Seroquel

[BunnyPunch]

I've been prescribed 400mg of it for years. Too many years. Over the last twenty years or so I've been diagnosed with a variety of psychiatric disorders - they've finally decided on Treatment Resistant Depression (in other words, they don't know what the fuck to do with me) and of all the meds I've been on, it's one of the ones I've loathed the most. Yes, some nights I'll sleep after a fashion when taking it, but it makes me feel thickened, slow, more depressed not less, congested, breathing is harder, and I end up hungry, and both craving crappy food and finding it ridiculously difficult to resist eating said food - result? obesity.

Just as a bonus, when trying to discuss the issue of my severe anxiety that was getting worse over the last 2 years, the best the psychiatrist could offer was increasing the dosage of the Seroquel. Needless to say,I poltely declined.

I'm glad it helps some people - particularly you, cwcville - but my personal experience of it was grim.

Don't get me wrong, if your diagnosis and symptomology is appropriate, it's definitely worth a shot - but for some it's a nightmare.

 

[cwcville]

@BunnyPunch after 3 months Ive just let it sit in my medicine cabinet , it seemed in the honeymoon period it was great. But after my tolerance went up those effects went away with my anxiety still present . Now it just makes me feel groggy all day like I'm on cloud 9 (not in a good way). I would have to agree with you 100%. I had the same experience with anxiety too, they just wanted to up the dose. Ugh its frustrating to say the least! 

 

[DoomKitty]

@BunnyPunch@cwcville Similar experience for me.  I was prescribed it to help with Bipolar issues, and my psych was like "oh and it works great for anxiety!"  It ended up not helping with my BP issues but my doc wanted me to keep taking it for anxiety and insomnia.  Cuz of the bipolar issues i was taking 700mg at one point.  Blergh.  I have friends who will occasionally take llike 25mg to fall asleep and it works like a charm, and im on 700mg (400mg ER and 300mgIR daily) and im up to the wee hours.  Was on it for years.  Took about 8 months to full wean myself off.  Was hell but so glad i did.  A number of anti-psychotics (only taken short-term tho) have saved my life, but that is not one of them!  Happy that it works for some.  These days it seems one of the go-tos for docs prescribing for anxiety or sleep.  That and gabapentin.