Fear and paranoia. Doctor bumped me up to 800 mgs of Seroquel. - Schizophrenia Message Board

Bluehills · 10-08-2008, 09:10 AM

My depression, anxiety, fear, paranoia, anger, and everything else that goes with them seems to have gotten worse. I would go out walking early in the morning for exercise which I started about 9 months ago, but I have developed this phobia about passing people on the sidewalk. Talk about a heightened sense of fear and paranoia. I give them the sidewalk and I step aside on the grass till they pass as I watch them.

There are undercover police officers working in the area and that seems to make it worse. I can tell 95% of the time who the law is and who is just a regular pedestrian. I should feel safe with the law in the area, but I feel they are watching me. I have proof of that, but won't go into it here, now. Just that I have done absolutely nothing and never will.

Anyway I saw my doctor yesterday and I was in a poor mood, but tried to act civilized which wasn't easy as I was angry for all these bad feelings that have accumulated through the weeks. I also take 60mgs of Remeron and 2-1/2mgs a day of Clonazepam, but feel I need more. Some doctors are stubborn and think benzos are no no's. Addicting yes, but I have always been able to go off them when needed.

My doctor raised my dosage of Seroquel from 600 to 800mgs to see if that will help my fear and paranoia. I personally didn't want to go up, but she provided me with about two months worth of free extra Seroquel (200mgs) samples. So I go back in three weeks to see if anything has changed for the better. I've read that it could take weeks to feel any difference with the med.

So does any one else here take 800mgs of Seroquel? I just wonder how much of a difference there will be if any. I guess only time will tell. Sorry about this being long. Appreciate your comments. Thanks for reading.

Omega13 · 10-09-2008, 05:33 AM

Hi Bluehills,

As a patient of chemical imbalance in the brain, who, too, has suffered much physical and psyhological pain to the point of life threat, I empathize with you. I am much better now, although I still experience some physical pain. I say to you, hang tough. I lead an active life, teaching English. I have also become a writer, having learned writing from internet writing groups, and am soo to publish my first book, which includes info on mental illness. I jsut want to say to you, don't lose hope, but be inspired to improve your situdation. It may not be easy now, but things should get better.

God bless.
Omega13

Bluehills · 10-09-2008, 08:17 AM

Well, you live far away, but got your message loud and clear. It is good news to hear that some people are getting better. I was doing much better earlier this year. Something happened in January and I have continued to go downhill and I wish the hec I knew what happened upstairs to cause the decline. My meds were never altered and nothing was added between December and this current month except a .5 mg increase in Clonazepam.

I am not a good candidate for anti-depressants as I have tried about all of them over a 25 year period. Only Zoloft worked back in the late 80's. We even recently tried Zoloft again, but it gave me the jitters or maybe you could call it nervous energy. Anyway, so I later went off it. The Remeron I take along with the Seroquel and Clonazepam helps get me to sleep, but I still wake up at different hours of the night and am usually up between 3:00-4:00 AM.

You must be doing pretty well to be able to teach English to students and being around people in general. And you're a writer. Congratualations on your soon to be published book. I think when it comes to being around people I am the opposite of you. I also have social phobia and do not function well around others, especially strangers. But typeing behind a monitor suits me just fine and I can think better.

Don't worry about me. I will continue to go on and hope for some kind of improvement as time goes on. Of course I hope for much sooner than later. I need some kind of miracle pill. Where is it? Take care Omega13.

connyxoberst · 10-09-2008, 11:44 AM

my husband was given 400 twice daily and then 800 at night. he hated it. i noticed his bad moods and irritability was gone, but so was everything else. he had no personality anymore from it. he went to a new dr who decreaced him to 200 twice daily and 400 at night. thats the only pill he takes. the dosing change helped emmensely. the only thing he has a problem with now is the sleepiness from it. i also take seroquil for my bpd. only 50 mgs though. and i wake up in the morning exausted. i dont know how he takes that much.. i heard geodine works alot better, but unfortunately he had a really NASTY reaction to it, so they gave the seroquil. the effect was almost instant though. it didnt take weeks.

Bluehills · 10-10-2008, 01:33 PM

Hi connyxoberst. I have never heard of anyone being on such a high dose of Seroquel. 1600mgs a day spread out into two doses. No wonder your husband hated it so much.

But the new Doctor cut him back to 800mgs a day sounds more like it. Except for me I take the whole 800mgs about an hour before going to bed. At least it does help me get to sleep. But even with the Remeron and Clonazepam I still wake up at different hours of the night and end up getting up between 3-4 A.M.

I wonder how taking 400mgs would work for me taken in the daytime? But I only take my doctors advice so currently I take all 800mgs at night but I hope even the small 200mg increase will help me feel better.

I took Geodon at one time many years ago. I wrote down that it made me sleepy, but also wrote down that it made my depression worse. I also felt tired. I took it for 5-6 weeks before stopping it. There are always too many side effects that interfere with different meds for different people. Works for some, not for others. Good luck to you both.