whenartdeparts

Right... I was just prescribed with Citalopram and Seroquel. While Citalopram affects me really really well, I'm not too sure about Seroquel (50mg a day)...I mean, I find it quite strong. My mind is a total blur post-use, even now I can't really collect my thoughts in order to write an eloquent post. I can see how it would be helpful for schizophrenia (my mum has schizophrenia, she is taking it), but (at least for now) I'm just slightly manic depressive with more depressive episodes than manic ones...and I have panic disorder. ****, I'm actually not even sure I can be classified as bipolar. I have a bit of mood swings and impulse control issues, but on the whole I think it is just depression and panic disorder that I should be treated for.
Also, the thing that mortifies me is the weight gain associated with seroquel. I have seen it first hand (my mum again) and it is MIND BLOWING! I am a professional at eating disorders... I was suffering from anorexia for 2 years. Until I switched to bulimia which I have been battling for 7 years. Weight gain is the LAST thing I want from a medicine esp. one that is supposed to alleviate my depression. At the same time, there is weight gain associated with meds like Carbamazepine, Cipralex(escitalopram) and Flupentixol, which I have taken in the past. And I actually lost weight then, prob. with the help of bulimia but oh well! After reading some of the reviews of seroquel I start to think that even if I restrict my calorie intake, exercise and (god forbid) purge, I''m still gonna gain shocking amounts of weight.
Anyone have any experience of this stuff and any advice! (sorry my question mark isn't working lol)

kiki5711

i take seroquel, BUT only at night. there's no way i could manage through the day with that crap during the day.

i take pristique antidepressant in the morning

whenartdeparts

yeah, i figured that's the only appropriate timing for this med, it was stupid of me to take it in the afternoon
have you noticed any side effects
like weight gain or inability to express emotions and general loss of expression in the face...'cause these possible side effects mortify me

kiki5711

NO. I just know that I can finally sleep wit it. during the day, actually in the morning I take the Pristiqe and that seems to be just fine so far. I have been more calm, for time being, can't say if some trigger is going to set me off, but so far ok.

I do little exercize in the morning and watch my foods during the day. I've kind of stable with my weight.

whenartdeparts

oh that's amazing to hear, i was quite worried after reading all those reviews on the web
i try to exercise during the day, walk a lot and always watch what i eat so hopefully i wouldn't have weight issues.
thanks for sharing

dbearw

I took seroquel for a year- for bipolar. I liked sleeping finally but it did make me crave sweets badly. It was impossible to lose a lb on it too. I switched to trazadone at night and I love it. I'm much more alert in the morning and I sleep well. Plus I can lose weight again. If seroquel doesn't agree with you talk to your doc about trazadone.

kiki5711

It weird but everyone has different reaction to every single medication. Some people lose weight, some gain. Some get sick, some don't....etc... I don't know why that is other than just our bodies are all different. I have not been craving any sweets until recently and I was in rehab last April. So that's almost a year. I have my ice cream at night if I feel like it, but during the day, I try to eat fruit when I get hungry instead of something else.

whenartdeparts

I noticed I became overwhelmingly hungry last night, like the type of hunger you get after smoking pot, but decided not to act upon it 'cause it seemed like if I start eating, I'll never stop lol well not till I passed out from exhaustion at least
But I read some anecdotes about people sleep walking and sleep eating after taking Seroquel, like waking up with crumbles all over them and not remembering a thing. lol
Anyway, it also seems the food cravings are mostly for carbs so I've decided to cut down on them majorly if I decide to give Seroquel another chance. Also, I'd make sure I take it right before bed this time, not keen on zombifying myself for the entire afternoon/evening and then staying up till 3 a.m. only to wake up dazed and confused at 5, unsure if it's p.m. or a.m. (was a.m.)

Ainslie

I take Seroquel at night for sleep. I usually take it about 2 hours before bed and feel that my appetite is increased as a result. My psychiatrist explained that this is a result of the relaxation that seroquel induces, ie I feel relaxed enough to eat - im usually pretty highly strung and often have to force myself to eat during the day. So I just eat low-cal stuff after the seroquel because I dont want to become a lard-ass.

Everyones different I guess, ive slept better on seroquel than any other drug. I love it!

kiki5711

I take mine half hour before I'm ready to pass out. No time for munchie munchie...LOL...just pass out.

loveon2legs

Hi! I find it too strong, I take just half a pill and it knocks me right out..good for sleeping but I find it stays with me allllllll day, so I'm tired and just feel out of it... I've switched to trazodone as well and it agrees with me more....

selman2

I have taken Seroquel for over 5 years now.I have recurrent clinical depression.
I see alot of people posted they use it for sleep.While that is not the main function for this medication it does help with sleeping.I will tell you fist hand that it is addictive. I have tried several times to go without it and it affects your sleep pattern to the extreme.It also caused alot of weight gain for me,and also can cause diabetes. My opinion is this is not a good drug to get hooked on. Look it up on the internet.It has also been associated with heart attack

Bozo

I agree.

Bozo

what is pristique?? Is it new??

kiki5711

yes, it seems to be fairly new. you may want to ask your doctor about it.

so far, so good with it for me. Of course everyone has different reaction to different meds. It's more of trial and error to find the right one for you. It's an antidepressant.

I've tried many others. I hate it if it makes me feel like a zombie or totally out of it. I need something to give me alrertness.

Spookyfrog

I love Seroquel. I take 800 mgs at night and 100 mgs in the morning. The mgs will probably drop. Citalopram and Nortriptyline threw me into a manic episode. Still trying to come down. I wasn't sleeping at all on 300, then 400, then 500, well you get the picture. So, no more anti-d's. I am going to ask my pdoc for maybe Lamotrigine or something like that. Sucks.

room19

I felt that Seroquel addressed my bp very well...

But golly it made it nearly impossible for me to awake in the morning!

GailJ

Just adding my two cents worth, there are two forms of seroquels, the fast acting little pinks and the slow acting, bullet whites.
I am back on the fast acting again for sleep mainly as well along with effexors, They help tremendously, I am allowed up to four a day for panick attacks but find I only need a day time one if the panick attack is really sever, heart palps, chest pains, overwhelming hypersensitivity and such.

Two of my sons have developed scitzophenia over the past two years, one is delusional scitzophenic and is on consta injectable(doing very well on it), the other is paranoid scitzophrenic and is on high doses of the slow acting seroquels. I have other friends as well on the slow acting variety. I think it works much differently for them.

Remember to keep a mood journal for yourself and your doc especially if your concerned.
I find the effexors will not let me sleep ( I flashback mainly at nightime as well which causes insomnia)
In my case the low dose fast acting seroquels help balance my sleep cycles and really do help with the high onset panick attacks when needed. I am groggy a little in the mornings but it fades relatively quickly. I find planning ahead on an eight hour sleep ahead of taking it helps. Seems to be out of my system by eight hours. A morning cup of tea helps.
The day time panick I will split a 25mg or take only one depending on the severity of the attack. I don't get too groggy to function that way, but it does work very well that way.

This is my own experience with it but I hope this helps.