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Seroquel experiences Please. I'm afraid to take it!

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Posted 6/26/2007 10:50 PM (GMT 0)
I started my Trileptal and I feel fine so far except a bad headache. I take 150mg twice a day. It's not making me sleep better yet. I up my dose to 300mg in the morning and evening on Thursday.

 

My Dr. also prescribed 25mg of Seroquel as needed for sleep, and I'm thinking about taking one tonight before bed since I'm not sleeping well. I can take one or half of one 25mg tablet.

 

But I've heard so many horrible things about it like twitching & hallucinations, so I'm a little reluctant. But I really need a good nights sleep.

 

What is everyone else's experience with Seroquel?

 

Thanks

Posted 6/27/2007 12:45 AM (GMT 0)
Zomese,

Sorry to say this but I did not have a good experience with it, but everyone reacted differently to medication. What workd for me, may not work for you and vice-versa.

I am very sensitive to side effects in medication, and usually get them. When I took Seroquel, I slept way too much. Had migraines and uncontrollable leg movement (that happened mostly when my legs were in a resting position). I also had eye problems, I would get pain above my right eye, then I would have to close my eyes is I staired too long because it would be painful. I also had sensitivity to light, daylight and especially florescent light.

I have talked with peope who have taken Seroquel without a problem. Some of them are here on HW, so you could wait till they respond or take it and see what happens. You maybe the lucky one who has no side effects at all.
Posted 6/27/2007 10:29 PM (GMT 0)
I am terrified of all new meds. I have panic attacks every time I start a new one. I also am prescribed 25mgs of Seroquel for sleep. The only thing I would suggest is make sure you won't have to drive after taking it. I sleep like a rock with seroquel. No after effects, and I wake up fine in the morning. I did make the mistake of trying to pull my van into the garage an hour after I took it once and in the morning found the van about an inch from the forward wall, (connected to the downstairs bedroom no less) lol. I LOVE seroquel. 25 mgs is an EXTREMELY small dose. I know people who take hundreds of mgs.
With 25 mg I would expect NO twitching or hallucinations. My pdoc said with that small a dose that side effects were not a concern.
Posted 6/27/2007 10:52 PM (GMT 0)

My pdoc gave my 25 mg (or half, it was up to me) for sleeping and it made my anxiety so severe, I will never take it again.  It definitely knocked me out for the night, even that small dose, but I was too freaked out and sick w/it afterwards.

On the other hand, so many ppl in my BP support group took it and loved it...So it really does depend, b/c every med is different for every"body".

Try it, and see how you do, if you don't do well, talk to your doc.  All the best...

Posted 6/28/2007 3:12 PM (GMT 0)
Didn't do anything to my anxiety, Zomese, but make me sleep. I slept for 14 hours. That's one way to calm down! Definitely start it on a night when you've got some "cushion" when you can see how you'll react to it. I didn't have any other side effects though. Because I slept so deeply, my doc "reserved" it for when I really need it.

serafena
Posted 6/28/2007 3:29 PM (GMT 0)
I had Seroquel but only took a couple of doses as I was not comfortable with the side effects and I use Trazodone at 150mg which has helped me much more.
Of course everyone is different and this was just my decision.
Good site to read on use of Seroquel
http://www.healthsquare.com/newrx/ser1402.htm
Posted 6/28/2007 5:16 PM (GMT 0)
Hye there

I have taken Zyprexa which is very similiar to serq. MY experience was actually pretty good to start with the medicine slept like a baby gained some much needed weight, and to be honest it didnt really slow down my thinking that much, kinda made me not wanna do anything though and eventually (both times tryed) I got akithesia (sp). So I had to stop taking it.

You shouldnt be afraid to give it a shot, if I didnt get the akathesia id still be taking the zyprexa.

Also from dosing perspectives for serq 25mg is a very low dose.


A site that is always good/bad to read is www.askapatient.com you can read peoples reviews on over 3000 medications.

I wish you good luck, look forward to an update at how it is working for you.
Posted 6/28/2007 5:25 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks. I'll look at that website later. I was just looking at another one reading about other peoples experience on Trileptal and I upped my dose an a little over an hour ago (I was suppose to) and I think I gave myself a panic attack.

 

It's hard for me to tell if it's a panic attack or a reaction to the higher dose.

 

I may try the Seroquel in a couple of days once I get used to taking this medicine. I'm very apprehensive to take medicine because I freak myself out all the time. My doctor told me to not read about the side effects but I can't help myself. Then I think I'm having everything that is listed.

 

I definately can't take it tonight because I have to get up early tomorrow.

Posted 6/29/2007 10:39 PM (GMT 0)
I really think there is a good chance from reading your posts that popping that 25mg Serq might me agood idea. Im no doctor of course. But it can help with alot of the issues you are having such as anxiety, but then hell.... for someone else it might cause anxiety. But for the most part I think it is more helpful, and youll sleep like a baby !
Posted 7/8/2007 12:17 AM (GMT 0)
I take seroquel and in the beginning it made me very lethargic but am doing better. No Hallucinations That happened when I was on clonopin. Twitching hardly none. I am up to 300 mgs of seroquel and I take it at night. Although in the morning I feel like I have a hangover and it takes me until about noon to be totally functional. I love it because it works and it is the only medication that I need to take. 
Posted 7/12/2007 7:34 PM (GMT 0)
I was on 25mg of seroquel a night to help me sleep. Plus I would take more if manic.
Now I'm having my medication changed completely because the weight gain from Epilim has been way too much, so we're trying using seroquel as a mood stabiliser.
So in a few weeks I've gone from 25mg a night (50mg would knock me flat) to 150mg a day (50 morning, 100 night) and I'll probably end up on 200mg a day.
I was quite scared that I'd be in bed all the time, but actually I've got used to it surprisingly easily.
50mg in the morning doesn't knock me out!

I find it's very good for mania.

Nicola
Posted 7/12/2007 7:48 PM (GMT 0)
took seroquel for almost two years. I was always tired, I could have slept for the rest of my life, dozing off at work and stuff. I did sleep though knocked me out like a brick to the side of the head. But I was always drug hung over even with low dose of 25mg's. One thing I will say though is once you start using it for sleep if you try to go off it you cannot sleep at all, took me about a week of no sleep to get one night decent sleep. It also made me super itchy sneezy when I went off it. Also becareful when you take it cause if you do not get enough sleep and try to get up it will make you super dizzy, I took it on a bus once for a nighttime ride, everytime the bus stopped the driver turned on the lights and I woke up.. it made me so dizzy I fainted 3 times in a row. But if you want sleep .. sleep you will certianly get with it
Posted 4/2/2013 5:18 PM (GMT 0)
I am not a physician, so I cannot give you medical advice. All I can do is tell you of my
experience with Seroquel--it gave me the shakes. I'm sure it made my blood sugar skyrocket. I felt
strange most of the time. My doctor prescribed it for sleep. I slept maybe two or three hours and woke; this was an every night occurrence. I gained thirty pounds, which was shocking because I've always
been slim. It affected my vision and my sensitivity to light. Every day I found myself gasping only for a moment--it's hard to describe. I was thirsty all the time. I had no appetite, even though I gained weight. I ate very little. I changed doctors, and my new doctor was appalled that I was taking this stuff, 150 mg, and he told me to STOP. I am on day thirteen. I've had horrible nausea and no sleep, but I don't care. Talk to your doctor and tell him or her that you would like to try something else. I've read numerous stories like mine.
Good luck. And remember you have friends out here.

brenda in new york

Post Edited (alphatwin) : 4/2/2013 11:21:45 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 5/12/2013 4:36 AM (GMT 0)
I am bipolar only but have a girlfriend that is OCD and another one that has panic. I just want to hug you like I do to them and tell you give your meds a chance. They take up to 6 weeks sometimes before you know if they are going to work...I can't imagine for someone with OCD and panic that this is going to be a comfort but you need to find someway to relax. Try yoga or meditation something to get your mind off of the immediate gratification that is not going to happen....it takes time for the medications to work. Also sometimes they are not the right ones and then you have to start over...it took me 8 years before I got it right. Not comforting I know and I am sure some people took less time some more some people are still struggling. You need to have a good doctor who listens to you and you need to be patient and you need to pray....I wish you the best and will be reading the thread to see how you are doing
Posted 5/13/2013 12:33 AM (GMT 0)
I took 300 mg of Seroquel at bedtime and I have never gotten tired from it but instead got Anxiety and I also got Restless Legs. I also gained 75 pounds. have never been this big ever and I am 51 yrs old. I I am weaning off of it now and I am already down to 50 mgs @ bedtime. I no longer have restless legs, I know longer feel like eating everything in sight and I have not had any anxiety or panic attacks or restless legs. By going off of Seroquel I am able to loose three Medications.


1-Seroquel
2-Requip which I took for Restless legs
3.Ambien-I needed to take this for sleep. Even at 300 mgs of Seroquel i never slept. I am already sleeping 8 hours and i am not so worried anymore. Everyday I worried why am I not sleeping? Will I sleep tonight? Will I be up all night with restless Legs? Also I don't spend my days wanting to just take anything i could that would make me sleep. I am starting Trazodone soon and have heard it is great for insomnia.
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