New Member-LexiVonA

LexiVonA wrote:

Hi all, I'm new here!

Was reading all your posts and I just wanted to give my experience so far.

I was prescribed seroquel two and a half years ago to treat severe depression and slight personality disorder that was described to me as a "bipolar type disorder" by my psychiatrist.

I had been treated by family doctor up until then with Prozac which basically did nothing for me.

Seroquel saved my life. I had been planning my suicide until my husband intervened and got me the help I needed.

I was taking 450mg and I've been able to completely rebuild my life so I will always be grateful to this drug for helping me do that.

I'm slightly over-weight but thankfully, I didn't get the raging hunger or weight gain that a lot of people describe. However, it completely slowed my metabolism down and found it impossible to lose weight despite really stepping up the exercise and cutting my calories drastically.

I would get some really awful side effects when I forgot a dose though - insomnia, flu symptoms, shaking, hot and cold flushes, splitting headaches, nausea, cramps etc so i was a little anxious about coming off this drug.

December just gone, I felt ready to come off and psychiatrist recommended I drop by 150mg to 300mg for a month, then halve the month and then off the next.

BIG mistake! The side effects were horrendous so I gave up.

I've now cut down by 50mg over the last three weeks to 300mg and I feel absolutely fine. No sleeping issues and no flu symptoms. I've also lost 5lbs which is great having been unable to shift even a pound before!

I hope the next six weeks go well and no doubt I'll update then.

Sorry if I've bored you but I just wanted to give people hope that I you can make that first step. Just take your time and listen to your mind and body.