Seroquel and Twitching

Hi, All:

When I first began treatment with an LLMD in December of 2016, he put me on Seroquel and Gabapentin for insomnia, which was pretty severe at that point. Around the same time, I began experiencing muscle twitches all over my body and nearly continuously.

Over the last nine months, most of my symptoms have gotten better, but the twitching has continued and often gotten worse. I have always attributed it to Lyme, Bartonella and Babesia, as has my LLMD.


A couple of days ago, I read a disturbing story about how Seroquel has some fairly significant side effects and should never be used to treat insomnia. So, on Tuesday, I stopped taking it.

Since then, my twitches have all but gone away. Not yet sure there is a connection, but the longer I go without twitching, the more it seems that there is.

Has anyone else experienced muscle twitching while on Seroquel? Any input would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

Girlie: Knowing what I know now, I agree 100 percent. Frankly, I was really taken back when I recently read about the reasons Seroquel should never be taken for insomnia.

My dosage was rather low, so I went "cold turkey," and I've slept fine , taking magnesium malate and melatonin right before bed. I still to take the Gabapentin, but I'm tapering that down too.

Not only is my twitching greatly diminished, I just feel much more clear headed and energized.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Girlie,
How very sad about the treatment your father received. I'm so sorry. Why do doctors prescribe away without thinking about the consequences?

Invictus67, I agree with Girlie to stay off of the Seroquel or anything in that family of drugs. Very scary stuff. Just fyi, I had a lot of facial twitching/spasms months after being infected with Lyme and I was not on any prescription drugs at the time.

Make sure you're also taking a lot of Magnesium for the twitching which you probably are. I also take it at night because it helps me sleep. Another thing that helps me get to sleep are some homeopathic lozenges that I get at the health food store called "Calm". The same brand has another for sleep called Moon Drops" but for some reason, it's the Calm drops that help me to fall asleep easier. Found that out accidentally. Also, some yoga-style breathing exercises for relaxation just before bedtime can do a lot to relieve any stress from pain or worries.

Best of luck to you.

Although the mechanism of action of Seroquel is unknown, it is a nitrogen rich compound that affects the neurotransmitter pathway. In theory, it should have multiple effects on dopamine, serotonin, and muscarinic receptor stimulation. The latter is more plausible for causing twitching.