Side Effects? - Bipolar Disorder Message Board

xblondeangel650 · 12-02-2008, 05:36 PM

I went to my Psych today and she perscribed me Seroquel,the side effect that scares me the most is feeling drowsy,I hate that.Are there other side effects not listed as well? I'm very paranoid about the medications I take,the Depakote kept me up all night so I'm sure that's why she gave me this now.

katlin09 · 12-02-2008, 06:36 PM

I just finished a 8 month stint with Seroquel I'm a chronic insomniac so my dose was higher than most. Of course sleepiness is a major side effect, weight gain, hand tremor otherwise known as dysknesia, hair loss, some neurological problems if use is longterm such as memory problems word verbalization, and it can raise your cholesterol. These are all of the ones that I had, and when the weight gain started and my cholesterol went up 30 pts. in a 3 mo. period my pdoc took me off of it.

Just because one person has all of these side effects it doesn't mean you will, people are different. The Seroquel did help tons with my depression.

Kat

Bunnylover · 12-02-2008, 07:20 PM

With seroquel, which I take for anxiety, sleep issues, and a balancing out the hypomania, I find it is extremely dose dependent. Even 25 mg. too much, and I feel like a zombie, but at the right dose it's very helpful.

Kat's right about the potential side effects, but on the other hand, I haven't had any of those problems. That doesn't mean you won't, but no matter what you take there are risks of side effects, unfortunately that's part of what we have to deal with as part of bipolar.

julie48 · 12-06-2008, 07:52 PM

Hi,
I think i tried every med out there and seroquel was the only one with only two side effects for me. drowsiness- so I take 100 mg at night; and stuffy nose, so I take Benydryl at night so I can breath. I feel stable during the day, and I teach middle school so I have to be in control of my emotions...I also have klonopin for anxiety.

One thing I did was to research different meds that i wanted to try. I would take the research with me to my dr. appts. over the course of a few years, trying various "cocktails", it seems that seroquel works best for me.

One has to remember that it is important to give a new med time...more than a few weeks, ...I had some aweful side effects...lithium turned my voice into a man's==sounded like Marge Simpson's sisters! Several made me feel more depressed...I went off meds for a while because of course I could handle life without them, but now I am back on because I realize I really can handle life if I take my seroquel every night and klonopin when I feel overwhelmed/anxious.

take care,
Julie48