valerielynn
03-31-2003, 08:33 PM
i am on a very high dose of seroquel and i don't want to be any more. i am on 600 - 900 milligrams per evening to help sleep. i have been on this dose for about 6 months. it definitely helps me sleep, more like state of 'non'conscious. My digestion has been all screwed up. i have gained weight. i also act physically violent in my sleep -punching and kicking. i want something else to help me sleep. i have tried going off the seroquel 'cold turkey' but it just doesn't seem to work. i end up being wide awake and give up and take the 900 mgs. i think it helps me to be in a calmer mood during the day as well -not so irritated and edgy. i would rather take something in a whole different class of drug but nothing in another class that would be effective is not addictive. And it seems that my providers do not want me on 'something that is habit-forming'. i understand the basic principle that doctors do not want people to turn into drug addicts because of treatment of a mental illness. But sometimes there should be more exceptions. For example, if my friend sometimes suffers from paralyzing anxiety does that mean she should not be able to take .5 mg of xanax to help her. is that really such a bad thing? so i'm wondering 1. if anyone out there is or has been on such a high dose of seroquel? and 2. is there a better alternative?
i also forgot to mention that i used to be on zyprexa which worked fine. but after a while i had strange hormonal problems. there was a high amount of prolactin in my system. when my shrink heard this he thought that that was a side effect of the zyprexa. he then switched me to the seroquel claiming that that was better. of course, later i have learned that seroquel has the same side effects. then when my shrink learned that i had a tumor in my petuitary gland he said it had nothing to do with my medicine afterall.
sorry this is so longwinded. i guess i have a lot on my mind today.
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val
i also forgot to mention that i used to be on zyprexa which worked fine. but after a while i had strange hormonal problems. there was a high amount of prolactin in my system. when my shrink heard this he thought that that was a side effect of the zyprexa. he then switched me to the seroquel claiming that that was better. of course, later i have learned that seroquel has the same side effects. then when my shrink learned that i had a tumor in my petuitary gland he said it had nothing to do with my medicine afterall.
sorry this is so longwinded. i guess i have a lot on my mind today.
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val
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john2john
04-13-2003, 12:01 AM
hi, do you sleep a long periods of time when on the drug? do you get weak and lose ballance? do you have a big or small appetite? just carious and i would like to know... thanks...
valerielynn
04-13-2003, 11:07 AM
i go into a deep sleep when on the drug but i do not sleep for abnormally long periods of time, it seems that i have a larger appetite on the drug, but since i wrote that statement i have decreased to 300mg/ night on my own, it also turns out that i am pregnant, my shrink says that the 600-900mg dose is fine during pregnancy but i have my doubts, i am also on 300mg/ wellbutrin per day and 80/mg prozac per day; i have cut those doses in half as well; so now i take 40mg prozac and 150mg wellbutrin in the morning and i take 300mg seroquel to help me sleep, i still have trouble sleeping and often take benadryl or unisom to add to the effectiveness, my diagnosis is bi-polar and ocd, any information or thoughts that you may have is greatly appreciated, p.s. it has been approved by my medical providers that these meds are OK during pregnancy, well i should explain: my midwife told me that wellbutrin is in class b (so that's ok) but the seroquel and prozac are in class c and that maybe i should seek alternatives for those two, since then, i contacted my shrink and he assured me that everything i am on is ok to be on while preganant -i am pretty confused and worried
rsg
05-12-2003, 08:06 PM
100mg makes me sleep like the dead, go to their site and it should have the prescribing info about being pregnant. good luck with your new little one
pillpopper
05-14-2003, 02:49 PM
i didn t think i sleep from seroquel but now, when i m thinking about it, i stopped taking it, i took 400mg a night, i didn't feel well after i stopped my eyes were troubled misty view now i begun taking them again last week and indeed i slept very well and long (about 10-11 hours)
someoneelse
05-15-2003, 11:45 AM
I thought I was pregnant and the base of their argument for an abortion (which they insisted they could force on me any way)was that there was no way I could on the medication coz it can cause sevre birth defects as all other anti psychotics. I was told it was possible to come off the medication for the length of the pregnancy if I spent the time in hospital. There are resnobly pleasant places and it would be of great benefit. Get a second opinion -NOW- and if necessary a third fourth and fifth.
valerie234
05-29-2003, 05:36 AM
Hi valerie. I have been taking seroquel close to 6 months. I take 600mg daily. I find it a good antipsychotic compared to others. I am not happy about taking this medication long term. The first medication I was put on was Risperidone. I had worse psychotic symptoms on this medication than off it. To get off this drug I had to reduce the dose very slowly. 6mg to 5mg, 5mg for one week, 5mg to 4mg, 4mg for one week, 4mg to 3mg, 3mg for one week, 3mg to 2mg, 2mg for one week,2mg to 1mg, 1mg for one week, 1mg to 1/2mg, 1/2mg for one week, 1/2mg to 1/4 mg, 1/4mg for one week. Then I stopped it, I had minimal sleep for 1 week. During this time I had long hot baths, used lavender essential oil on my pillow(not too much), also, valerian root(dried), skullcap, and passionflower as a tea. These are sedating herbs which may help you sleep as you are weaning yourself off the seroquel. Mix 10g valerian, 10g skullcap, 5g passionflower in sealable jar (purchase these dried herbs at your local herbalist). Then take one teaspoon of this mixture and steep it in a cup of hot water for 5-10min. Do not take more than three cups of this per day. I haven't tried to come off seroquel yet, but this certainly helped when I was coming off resperidone. I wouldn't be on seroquel now if I had not used marijuana.
purrsia
05-31-2003, 11:05 PM
My son is 13 years old and is taking 600 mg. daily of Seroquel. Its for being bi-polar, but he's got alot of other problems also. Anyway, Seroquel is a very potent drug and you shouldn't ween yourself off of it. And, if you do, it must be done very slowly. Also, have you tried Benedryl for sleep? I take that every single night to make me drowsly.
Xkp
06-18-2003, 01:09 AM
Hi Valerie, unfortunately there are no easy answers for those of us that need to take these medications. I used to be on zyprexa, but becamed concerned about the possible side effects of pancreatitis, hyperglysemia and diabetees. So I went on abilify, unfortunately I have had serious digestive problems with this medicine, so I took myself off of it. Zyprexa was a miracle drug for me, so I am going to go back on it. It makes me sad though, I wish I did not need to take these things... :(
jamaya
06-30-2003, 04:09 AM
my son is 16yrs old, he is taking 150 milligrams of seraquel a day. He was on geodone, zyprexa and luvox. He was getting side effects from the medication and ended up in the hospital. he was taken off all meds and put on a low dose of seraquel. My son wants to excersise and work out but he is afraid because of the precautions not to get overheated. Can anyone tell me how much is too much. what can my son expect that he can do. Can he play sports and if he can which ones and how long should he play. We are worried, i don't want to hinder my son, if i am worrying too much i need to know. I need someone's advive on this precaution and excersising and sports issue.
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Casiel
08-28-2003, 10:50 PM
Jamaya-
My boyfriend is on 50 mg twice daily plus 200 at night. He worked outdoors in a plant nursery and once he was on the medication he couldnt make it 4 hours. The heat was magnified 10 times he said and then he would get AWFUL tremors it started in his hand and went down his legs and back. I would let your son try it once and if there is anything that is not normal DONT let him do it. Email if you need more details. Casiel@comcast.net
Casie
My boyfriend is on 50 mg twice daily plus 200 at night. He worked outdoors in a plant nursery and once he was on the medication he couldnt make it 4 hours. The heat was magnified 10 times he said and then he would get AWFUL tremors it started in his hand and went down his legs and back. I would let your son try it once and if there is anything that is not normal DONT let him do it. Email if you need more details. Casiel@comcast.net
Casie
sxygkgrl
12-01-2003, 12:58 AM
I was having trouble sleeping......tossing and turning and kicking and jolting awake......I took melatonin and boy was that a mistake! I slept sooooooooo many hours....was so out of it......took days for it to wear off......and it was only 1.5 mg. I looked it up on the internet and found that it is dangerous to take melatonin with what meds I am on.......prozac 40mg, seroquel 75mg, and xanax 1.5 mg........Just thought I would pass this info on......I think drugstore.com has known drug interactions between meds and herbs and supplements. I would love to wean off these meds.......either that or finally come to peace with the stigma I feel being on them.