Comments on: Bipolar Disorder Medication Spotlight: Seroquel (Quetiapine)

By: Diane

Diane — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 21:33:18 +0000

I have been taking quetiapine for 2 weeks now. I have developed twitches, I struggle to string a sentence together sometimes and I stutter. I sleep all the time and it’s affecting my intelligence. I am a sales manager and have always been good at what I do but since taking it I constantly struggle with my sales pitch as my words don’t come out properly. Please help.. Do these side affects go away. I am easily irritated when people ask me questions and I sometimes I think hospitalisation is the only way out. But if I have time off work I won’t get paid and won’t be able to afford my bills and rent. My partner is understanding but he doesn’t know how I feel or what goes through my mind and gets annoyed with me. Diane aged 30

By: Joah

Joah — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 17:33:05 +0000

I have suffered from bipolar type II for over 7 years now, only recently diagnosed. I was initially given zoloft and buspar for anxiety and depression. However I my moods would wax and wane and I would always end up tilting skyward into hypomania, during which times I would become extremely irritable , hypersexual and hyperactive in general. Only to crash again and not even recognize the person I had been when I was manic. I have recently been placed on 200mg Seroquel and built up to 100mg Lamictal. I can say that the Seroquel does indeed assist me with sleeping, as I was suffering from anxiety affected insomnia. I do feel like my mind mind is in a “white-out” state for parts of the day, however my mood is more stable and noticably brighter. I cannot speak on the blood work for glucose and triglycerides as of yet, but my appetite can be insatiable at times. It is certainly very important to stay physically active throughout the use of this medication. Activity in general elevates mood if you can avoid self criticism and allow yourself to re-build after devastating lows, like I have had too. It’s as if you make massive progress on a piece of architecture, only to rip it apart with your own hands finally to snap back and be grief stricken with what you have done. The most important part of this process is to always remember that it was not you that did these things, it was a version of you that was unregulated and at times uncontrollable. Self-forgiveness is crucial, albeit difficult to implement.

By: Jacinta Howells

Jacinta Howells — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 17:13:35 +0000

I started taking Seroquel 4 Months ago and the only thing its done for me is make me sleep and make my breasts grow 2 cup sizes. I approached my regular G.P last week and she said these side effects are to be expected but I’ve had enough of the sheer exhaustion i feel all the time. If left to I will sleep a whole day and still need sleep when I wake. My menstural cycle is at a stand still to my dismay, I still get pains on the odd occassion but no bleed. I started on a 25mg dose, then a week later 100mg, then early this month 300mg, none of the doses have been a help. I want out!!!!

By: Tim Klein

Tim Klein — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 05:52:15 +0000

With Serquel and most of the other antipsychotic meds weight gain is inevitable . I gained 60 lbs twice from 2 different Episodes but i managed to lose the weight and become Fit again . If you control your diet and increase your physical activity one step at a time you can lose all the weight just as fast as you gained it .This doesn’t mean totally stop eating or going to the gym every day but learning to change your life style. If you can find a physical activity you enjoy and cut down on some of the food its alot easier than you think .Not only does this help you lose weight but it also helps you feel better and in my opinion Diet and Exercise is the key to a better Well Being. Remember Meds are just an one way to help you ,Its an easy way for a Doctor to prescribe you a pill to make you feel better but to really get better and feel 100% again you have to do it on your own because there s no magic pill out there than cure everything .SO KEEP FIT AND HAVE FUN

By: susi

susi — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 02:37:33 +0000

I have read with much interest, most of the posts regarding Seroquel use and Bipolar Disorder. I too, have been using Seroquel successfully, for 2 yrs. now. I was diagnosed 24 yrs. ago with BD Type 1, following a traumatic brain injury in a car accident. If you saw me now, you would never believe what I have survived. I am curious to know why no one has talked about the ‘flexible’ nature of Seroquel. My psychiatrist allows me to take 200 mg up to 400 or 500 mg if I need it. It is WONDERFUL to be in control (safely) of what I need. For example, I returned to university last Sept. 2009 as a mature (45) student. My anxiety was through the roof and I wasn’t sleeping. I almost had to quit! Then, on my own, I managed to turn things around for myself solely by increasing my Seroquel, and I eventually and easily went back to 300mg. per night. Now that I’ve successfully finished my first year, my psychiatrist allowed me to reduce to 200mg. per night. I’ve been feeling terrific for over one month, and I plan to return to university and remain on 200 mg, until I need more. I am from Canada, I wonder if that makes a difference?

By: Cyndle

Cyndle — Tue, 25 May 2010 03:57:00 +0000

P.S. I had been on Zoloft for about 6 years with no issues. Seroquel only for the past 6 months and suddenly health issues.

By: Cyndle

Cyndle — Tue, 25 May 2010 03:55:20 +0000

I had blood work done prior to starting Seroquel for BipolarII and everything was normal, as it had always been any other time I’d had a blood workup done. After six months on the meds, I had my blood done again last week and my cholesterol and triglycerides are through the roof! Nothing has changed in my diet but I have gained 20 pounds since starting it and now these almost dangerous levels in my blood.

I am currently weaning myself off the 300 mgs I take nightly with my doctors help and don’t intend on going on anything else like it in the future. I’ll stick with my Zoloft and Xanax for the anxiousness. It’s benefits aren’t worth risking a stroke or heart attack.

By: V

Tue, 25 May 2010 03:18:36 +0000

My 69 year old mother started taking Seroquel just over a year ago and it really helped, but for the past 3 months it seems to have lost its effectiveness. Her dosage was only 50 mg, and then the dr increased to 100 mg 3 months ago because of a depressive episode. The dr now wants her to double the dose again because she is becoming manic, yet the side effects really bother her already. I am concerned due to her age and the side effects.

By: glenna

glenna — Fri, 14 May 2010 03:07:35 +0000

I’m happy with seroquel nowaday,I beed suffered
with sherenial and bipolar 1 for years.Now doctor
injected me with resperdal consta twice a month.And 400mg seroquel in the morning and 400mg
at bed time.Now i’m under control.Thanks Malaysia’
General Hospital in order treated me well and I also gave all the medicine free.If not I do not have money to buy.The medicine ara expensive.

By: Nicole

Nicole — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 02:59:38 +0000

Seroquel REALLY helped with my moods (manic, depressed, mixed, and anxious). The fact that it makes me sleepy is both good and bad–I don’t end up staying up all night, but it hits me so hard that I MUST go to bed within an hour of taking it. It also made losing excess weight pretty hard, but not impossible.