Anyone on Seroquel?

[sunflower1776]

My MD wants to start me on seroquel, starting tonight, for my bipolar (II). I have been on effexor, lamictal and abilify, but he's going to change everything especially by taking me off of the effexor and abilify (ravenous appetite with abilify though it works well). Anyway, I just read through the side effects of seroquel and am worried about some of them--especially the weight gain. Does anyone have any thoughts on this drug and if it's good or not? Thank yoU!

[shutterbug]

well....i didn't have success from it. It had me craving sugar like a hummingbird...and yeah, i gained quite a bit of weight while on it and docs starting monitoring my blood sugar since it starting getting close to pre-diabetes. And i have diabetes on both sides of my family...so i personally won't ever go back on it.

But that's just me. Meds work different on different people. Have you ever tried adding Welbutrin to the Effexor and Lamictal? (with Effexor around 300, Welbutrin at 300 and Lamictal around 100-200 mg?)

Also, i'd suggest taking a multi-vitamin. Not getting enough of certian vitamins can really affect our depressions.

Lastly....are you seeing a general med doc....or an actual psychiatrist???? This is VERY important. It's hard enough to find a good pdoc and i would most definetly never again trust my mental health to a general physician.

((((((welcome))))))) to the forum!

I hope to help in any way i can.

Hugs,
Jenna

[historyteach]

Hi, Sunflower,
Welcome to SR and the Mental Health forum!

I agree a pdoc is the best way to go.
With you working as a partner, learning all you can about your illness, being compliant in your treatment plan, and taking care of yourself physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually to ensure your best possible health.

I wish you the best, and look forward to getting to know you.

Shalom!

[mattcake79]

Seroquel has a huge advantage over other meds: the doses are extremely flexible, ranging from 12.5mg up to 400-800 mg, depending on your needs. There is an annoying trend floating around: you need to max out the doses for better results. That is simply untrue. While some people benefit from high doses of medication, others do just as well with lower doses. Many patients drop out of pharmacological treatment because their pdocs push the dosages to the limit, too high and too fast, which means extra side effects with no additional benefits. This holds especially true for SSRIs, but applies to most psych meds.

I agree with Shutter and Teach regarding emotional health and finding a proper doc.

Work with your pdoc to find the right amount you need, and give it time Good luck!

[sunflower1776]

Mattcake--he started me on 50mg and I'm supposed to go up to 100mg tonight if I tolerated 50mg ok. I'm sure I've done okay with it or not--it definitely made me tired last night, which I expected, but I didn't get out of bed for good until an hour ago (6 p.m my time). I didn't sleep straight through until then-I was up about every hour or two. Also, when I was sleeping this afternoon I was having a lot of muscle spasms/twitches, but since I've gotten out of bed they have gone away. I'm goign to see him tomorrow, so hopefully he'll let me know. Not sure if I'm goign to take 100mg tonight or just 50mg. I do have a great pdoc and a great therapist, so I am working on myself outside of the meds as well. Thank you all for your information!

[hippyhippy]

I am on 450mg nightly. Saved my life, simple as. I was hearing voices last week .............gone with an increase from 400 to 450. I believed my pdoc was spying on me, my therapist was spying on me. increase from 200 to 300.
Hadn't slept properly in a year..seroquel fixed. I am a lover...........I don't think my US counterparts are!.................................except there is a spider somewhere on my floor and at this moment in time I am scared to put my foot down!
Hippy
xx

[shutterbug]

Sunflower....that's great to hear about all you are doing to help yourself and your life. Much applause.

I'm familiar with having muscle twitches/spasms, but i don't remember ever having them before my ECT treatments. I've mentioned it to both my pdoc (who use to work as an active ECT doc himself) and also to my therapist ...and both just glazed right over it. My therapist is also a certified neuro-psychiatrist ... so i figure it's nothing for me to worry about since neither of these people, whom i respect a great deal for their medical and psychiatric knowledge, don't think anything of my occational twitches. It is possible that I did have them BEFORE the shock treatments since most of the 2 years prior to them are a total blur.

I'm sure the twitches are nothing, but me being just a very slight hypocondriac....i can't help worry about them being a sign of something worrisome like Parkinson's or something.

Anyway, i'm babbling about nothingness. Sorry.

Please keep us updated on how you are doing and how the meds are working! It's great to have you in our SR club.

Hippy, It's nice to see you posting. Though I must tell you I'm a bit worried about you. Have you and your doc explored any other or additional anti-psychotics? You appear to be in touch with reality right now, but still a bit on shaky ground (as you also seem aware of). Sweetie, i hope it doesn't upset you for me to be so frank, but i'm only speaking out of care and concern for you.

I'm also on a reversed sleeping schedule right now so i also didn't wake up for good until about 5 p.m. or so today. I mention this b/c I'd like to offer you my number if you ever need or want to talk to someone in the middle of the night. PM me if you'd like my cell number. GIANT HUGS.

Jenna

[tiburon88]

It does increase my appetitde. I take 200mg and it helps me sleep very well.

[mattcake79]

Sunflower, I hope all is going well with your therapy 50 mg is the standard starting dose for Seroquel, remember to work with your pdoc to adjust the dosage to your needs. Good luck!

[sunflower1776]

I went to pdoc today and we did take me off of seroquel and will be starting geodon tonight. He DID NOT like the muscle spasms I was having, especiall after only 1 dose. Another side effect I forgot to mention on here yesterday was that I was having severe nasal congestion to the point I could not breath in or out of my nose both times I took it. It started about 1 hr after taking it and lasted for about30 min. He said that is a side effect that can be bothersome, so between that, the not sleeping though being exhausted feeling from the med, and the twitches, we thought the best would be to switch. I sure hope this one works. He talked in the beginning about using Geodon and actually I was up for that since it does not have weight gain as a side effect and it is also a drug that gives energy-something I desperatel need. I told him I'll sacrifice sleep to have energy during the day. I started on 80 mg nightly tonight and will go up to 160mg if I don't see improvement by Mon. I'll keep you all posted and thank you for your responses!

[sunflower1776]

Go figure--I started on the Geodon last night and started with a rash on my l arm in the middle of the night. I called the pdoc today and was told to stop the meds. I don't see him until Tuesday so he doesn't want to do anything until then! The rash isn't bad, doesn't hurt, isn't warm to touch, doesnt itch. I really just want to continue on it but the ofc said the rash could get worse. Great--let's see if I turn psychotic over the weekend!! I'm kidding! Maybe I'll see that I'm really okay and don't need these meds--wishful thinking I suppose on my part. Anyone know of this as a side effect or have anything similar? I appreciate any input!

[mattcake79]

Sunflower, sorry to hear about your bad luck with these meds... Congrats, though, on keeping your doctor well informed of the side effects you're experiencing - IMHO compliance and clear communication are very important to achieve successful treatment I pestered and hounded my pdoc until we found something that worked ... somewhere in between bearable side effects and efficacy. Why did he take you off the original combo of meds if it was working?

[shutterbug]

Sunflower, please forgive me if i've already asked this, but has your pdoc tried Lamictal with you? I've been on the med rollercoaster for nearly 5 years and the best combo i've found for me is Lamictal, Effexor 150-300 mg, Welbrutrin 150-300 mg (which also helps me with some energy), Deplin (a new med that acts as 'food' for the anti'd's) and Provigil 100-200 mg.

I would definetly suggest mentioning Provigil to your pdoc next time if you are having trouble with fatigue and day sleepiness. It's a med that is really for narcalepsy (people who can't control when or where they fall asleep, such as while driving), but it's helped me 10-fold.

They started me on it in the hospital when they realized how extremely tired i stayed and after that I asked my then pdoc to prescribe it and he refused, almost laughing at me, saying it's only for people with narcalepsy. He was an idiot (i mean, many anti-d's and mood stabalizers were originaly for epilepsy. who cares what things were 'made' for, what it helps is what matters).

Anyway, i found a new pdoc who is very knowledgable and he respects my suggestions about my own mental health and he is smart enough to understand how much fatigue and sleepiness often comes with severe depression. He didn't have any problem prescribing me the Provigil.

For the first time since, however, i ran out of it nearly 2 weeks ago and life has become MUCH more difficult where my sleeping and fatigue is concerned. I switched back to being awake at night and sleeping during the day...and never feeling rested. Luckily my insurance just kicked in so i'm about to head out to pick up all my refills.

anyway, just wanted to share with you what's helped me. (without it, i'm constantly reaching for strong caffine drinks, like triple shot esspreso's, just to help me feel a little 'normal' for a few hours).

Hugs,
Jenna

p.s. Mattcake --- the colored text is so cute!

[sunflower1776]

Hello! I am on lamictal 200mg, effexor 75mg (was on 150mg but we just dropped it because he wants me off of it) and just stopped ability 4 mg also. I've been on every anti-d ever made (just about) and I've always relapsed into a severe depression within a few months. My pdoc told me that anti-d are almost rarely used now with bipolar (at the time I was onl being treated for depression--past few years is when poeple decided it was bipolar). He said those meds are starting to induce mania in some people and are not controlling the depression. I had tried at one time wellbutrin, but I got worse instead of better. Matt-as for the question why change if meds were working--they weren't working. I've been struggling, really struggling, this past year with depression, and when I'm feeling a little better, my thoughts race so fast I have to take a xanax to calm my mind down. Also, I don't trust the woman I was seeing who was prescribing my meds--I heard more abouther issues than mine! Also, I'm not sure she really knew what to do with me. I really hope when see pdoc on Tues he'll tell me to try the geodon again to see if get rash again--I just want to give it a try. In regards to provigil, I had heard from some of my patients that the energy it gave them was insane and they couldn't handle it, but I also know of some that just reduced their dose and were much better. So, I guess I'll see next week. I hope the weekend goes well as I'm on only the lamictal and small dose of effexor until Tuesday--kind of scared because I haven't been on just these 2 meds ever--hope I don't become psychotic! hehe Thanks for your replies!

[shutterbug]

May i ask if you are bipolar I or bipolar II?

I don't agree with bipolars not be prescribed anti-d's....unless they are bipolar I.

I'm bipolar II and since our main struggles are with depression, well frankly...that's just nonsense to me and i don't know any pdocs who subscribe to that train of thought either.

I understand the way some anti'ds can push bipolars into mania, but when you're bipolar II that's not too much of a worry if on a good mood stabalizer since we only ever go into hypomania.

As bipolar II, most are struggles are with the severe depression, fatigue, over-sleeping and/or insomnia and anxiety and/or racing thoughts. Any 'up' effect i can get from an anti'd is a God-send b/c even then i'm usually still too far down to function 'normally' (especially, while in a major episode).

i would not suggest Provigil to a bipolar I, and i should have mentioned that in my comment!!! Sorry! That would be a potentially dangerous combo , but it's a life-line for me and my BP II.

Also, I don't know if you are a rapid cycler or not, but regardless.....along with the bipolar diagnosis comes life-long changes (as you know), so med stabalization is nearly impossible long-term. I know that no matter what combo of modern meds i find helpful.....all bets are off after stabalizing and then hitting another major episode. Nothing but shock treatments have helped me during a major episode. So, unless some major descoveries come along soon, i'm having to come to accept that, no matter how hard i fight, the rest of my life will still be attacked by these life-sucking and suicidal major depressive episodes.

Anyway.....it's a constant rollarcoaster and pdocs often forget about that and i've come across a lot of completely incompetent ones....which is partially why i've spent the past 4-5 years educating myself. In fact, it's been agrivating finding a therapist who i don't end up teaching them more than they teach me about my illness. Seriously. My current therapist is both a degreed pdoc AND psychologist and he knows a lot more than i do, which is why i am now seeing him, but he still often forgets and starts explaining things that i consider 'basic' things about my illness.

Anyway, i guess my point is don't take any one person's, pdoc's or group's thoughts or opinions as being the majority or 'correct' reality. And i think doing so is very dangerous. I realize i'm sounding very anti-pdoc and probably kinda full of myself, but i've just seen how things like such a belief as "anti'ds are bad for bipolars" can be SERIOUSLY harmful to those of us who are only able to live half-way decent lives b/c of them.

I don't even want anyone to take what i say as being right, b/c i'm human and full of mistakes also. What's important is for YOU to decide what's right for YOU. YOU are the one who has to live with the results, good or bad. Make sense?

((((HUGS))))
Jenna