[Lynnie B]

Hi people,

Im abit confused, last week when i saw my pshyciatrist who diagnosed me with bipolar 2, he said he would prescribe me a mood stabalizer called carbamazapine and an anti depressant.

Today i went to my GP for the prescription and the letter from the psychiatrist said to take the carbamazapine as agreed but with an anti psychotic called Quertiapine (Seroquel). ???

Now ive come away feelin abit upset, cause i get more depressed than high and i only get hypermania and not full mania, so i cant understand why he has said the anti psychotics??

Do you think this is a mistake?? I didnt get the prescription, im gonna ring them tomorrow cause he deffo said any anti depressant.

Has anyone used this drug before or know if it is also used for depression cause when ive looked on the net it says its used for Mania and Schitsophenia (sorry cant spell it)...

Im confused!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[DancingAlone]

Dear Lynnie,
I was on zyprexa for years, then because of side effects (weight gain, diabetes) they changed me to Seroquel last summer. Even tho it says it's for schizophrenics, it's also used to treat us BPs. The only problem(s) I found with it was that it makes me incredibly sleepy, I have to be very careful about the dose, I can only tolerate 300mg at the most, most days only take 150mg.
It also has the benefit of working as an antidepressant, so they took me off my Prozac. However, I was still having episodes of depression so was put back on my Prozac. It's probably because I can't take a "therapeutic" dose of the Seroquel. Anyway, I am still holding steady on it for use for the BP.
I wish you luck.

[amaviena]

It is common for a provider to prescribe Seroquel for BP II. Don't be put off by "antipsychotic." It's just another way to regulate the chemicals in your brain and make you feel better. BUT it is primarly prescribed for BP I mania. SO, I would call your doctor and say you've done some research and are concerned and would like to know why he's prescribed it. Ask him. There might be something he observed that he took for granted and didn't tell you.

[Lynnie B]

Thanks Amanda,

I'll ring his sectretary tomora and double check...

Thanks again for your reply xx

[jattitude]

My pdoc prescribed seroquel to me after I had an acute manic episode. I took it for a week and spent almost all week in bed, I was lifeless, which I think was part of his plan. I stopped using it shortly after that. It may work wonders for you, everyone is different. I would question it though if he did say an antidepressant specifically. Good luck to you.

[AAAAA]

I took Seroquel for Bipolar, Anxiety, and OCD. It worked very well for me, it did have a lot of side effects though.

[ariatboot]

I too am taking seroquel for Bipolar II. I was put on it last summer after I spent some time in a hospital after a suicidal threat. It works well for me, although it does make me very sleepy. My doc also put me on an anti-depressant along with it and for the first time ever, my meds are actually helping me.

[Lynnie B]

Thanks for replying...
I'm still waiting for a call back from the Psych's sectretary.

What dosages where you on? and what side effects did you get???

[spiritual_emergency]

LynnieB: Could Psychiatrist make mistake??

Yes.

Meantime, some links for you:

• rxlist.com: Seroquel: This link leads to a medically-oriented site. It can provide you with a very thorough introduction to the medication, Seroquel. Note that there is also an extended version (Seroquel XR). If you're not certain which form you were prescribed, it may be helpful to read the background on both.

• askapatient.com: Seroquel: This leads to a consumer-oriented site that allows people who have taken the medication to rate its effectiveness and list positive or negative responses. This kind of feedback tends to provide a far bigger picture of a drug's actual effectiveness than a medically oriented site can.

• Reclaiming your power during medication visits with your psychiatrist: The last link is written by Patricia Deegan, a psychologist who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia. It's very balanced and informative. I recommend it highly to anyone who is taking psychiatric medication. At the bottom of the page there is also a chart you can print out to help you monitor your response to any medication changes.

Whether or not a medication is helpful varies by individual however I firmly believe that all individuals are entitled to make an informed consent in consultation with their professional caregivers. I suggest you not take the medication until you've had the opportunity to research the potential risks and benefits, discuss it with your doctor and decide if you're comfortable with the idea of taking it. Should you make the decision to take it, it might be helpful to carefully monitor your response for a period of time.

~ Namaste

.

[thinker22]

I'm Bipolar I, although I rarely have manic episodes and they're not fun. Usually mixed. So, I'm on the depressed side 90% of the time. I was given Seroquel as a sleep aid and to stop some visual and auditory hallucinations before I fall asleep (associated with PTSD).

I'm only taking 50-75mg per evening, but for several months my legs have been shaky so it's hard to walk and keep my balance. Talking to others on this site, it came to my attention that this may be a Seroquel side effect. I think I'm going to find an alternative sleep aid because everyone keeps saying "Exercise!" and how can I when I can barely walk?

Definitely talk to your doctor and discuss the side effects.

[AAAAA]

Seroquel came with a great deal of weight gain, high blood sugar and triglycerides. There were others that were minor such as my throat relaxing to the point where I would choke. My ending dose was 600 mg.

[Lynnie B]

Originally Posted by AAAAA

Seroquel came with a great deal of weight gain, high blood sugar and triglycerides. There were others that were minor such as my throat relaxing to the point where I would choke. My ending dose was 600 mg.

OH MY GOD!! REALLY??

NOW IM SCARED!!

[possum220]

Hi Lynnie

I don't have schizophrenia or any type of bipolar and my shrink has got me on Seroquel (Quietapine) 150mls at night possibly going up to 200 if needed. He has put me on that rather than other medications in order to help me sleep and settle me. I have been diagnosed with depression, Anxiety and DID.

So far for me no problems. Try not to worry about possible side affects. They do happen for some but not for others. You just have to see how your body deals with it. You should be started on a low dose at first.

If you have side affects and don't like them you can always change to another medication. Nothing is set in concrete.

Personally I would try Seroquel on its own and carbamazepine on its own to find out which one may causes each side affect.

[Lynnie B]

Ahh so it must be used for depression and anxiety then.. Thanks possom..

I think i will do as you suggested too, i'll try the Seroguel first and then start the carbamazine. Good idea.

I hope i dont get them bad side effects... i think the worst one for me would be to put on weight!! Now that would make me despressed!!

Thanks for all the replies guys xx

[thinker22]

Lynnie, I don't think everyone gains weight, especially on a low dose. I've been on 50-75mg per night for my insomnia and PTSD issues for 4 months or more now. If anything, I've lost weight, but that may be due to Wellbutrin or other issues. Still, it hasn't caused any gain in my case. Winter of '07-'08 I weighed 135. Fall '08 I was 125. Since February '09 I've been under 110. Now I'm 108 flat. I hope I don't lose any more. I'm not eating less, but I am getting weaker and less able to go out and do anything. I think I'm going to change my meds and see if I feel better. Trying to find a new p-doc.

Let us know how your Seroquel trial goes.

[Lynnie B]

Originally Posted by thinker22

Lynnie, I don't think everyone gains weight, especially on a low dose. I've been on 50-75mg per night for my insomnia and PTSD issues for 4 months or more now. If anything, I've lost weight, but that may be due to Wellbutrin or other issues. Still, it hasn't caused any gain in my case. Winter of '07-'08 I weighed 135. Fall '08 I was 125. Since February '09 I've been under 110. Now I'm 108 flat. I hope I don't lose any more. I'm not eating less, but I am getting weaker and less able to go out and do anything. I think I'm going to change my meds and see if I feel better. Trying to find a new p-doc.

Let us know how your Seroquel trial goes.

Wow, you have lost alot of weight havent you. Which is good! But its not good you feelin weak . Yeh i think you sholuld have a medication assessment with your doctor and go through everything..I suppose when you start taking medication, it is trial and error till you find whats right for you. Let me know how you get on too xx

[thinker22]

Having gone to the urgent care yesterday for feeling so weak, the doc said some of my meds may be causing the dizziness, confusion, tiredness and weakness. I cut back on my Seroquel and although it was harder to fall asleep last night, I woke up before 7am with energy, which is 2 hours earlier than usual, plus I'm not groggy. Maybe things are starting to turn. Yay.

[Lynnie B]

Hey, maybe there are..! Yey! so what dosage are you on nnow then?

x

[thinker22]

Only 25mg. The downside is I'm hyper until after midnight even if I take it at 9:30pm. I wake up several times in the night too, but get right back to sleep. I had a panic attack last night due to a dream where I was screaming at the top of my lungs at someone for not listening to me. I was gasping for air so my eyes shot open and I sat up. But at least I have some energy when I do get up.

[Lynnie B]

Originally Posted by thinker22

Only 25mg. The downside is I'm hyper until after midnight even if I take it at 9:30pm. I wake up several times in the night too, but get right back to sleep. I had a panic attack last night due to a dream where I was screaming at the top of my lungs at someone for not listening to me. I was gasping for air so my eyes shot open and I sat up. But at least I have some energy when I do get up.

Yeh havin energy when you first wake up is what i want! Well i'll be startin my carbamazapine and seroquel this next week. So no doubt i'll be sharin any effects over the next few weeks/months.

At least you not feelin so dizzy and weak anymore. I bet them dreams are nasty, i dont think i have ever had ones where i shoot up in bed.. Scary.

[Rebound]

I took Seroquel for a short time but it caused me to sleep so much that I couldn't function so I had to stop. However, I agree with Spritual Emergency that medications for treatment of bp affect everyone differently. For example, I wouldn't take Paxil again if my life depended on it but there are those who swear by it.

You just have to keep trying different ones until you find what works for you. Even at that, for me at least, medications have a tendency to lose their effectiveness over time. It's a drag, but on the plus side I believe there's something that will work eventually.

I generally look up any new med I'm prescribed, but mainy to check for interactions with any aspect of my lifestyle the doctor may have missed or been unaware of, but if you feel uncomfortable about any med and are using the internet as a resource, I recommend that you check multiple sites for comparison.

Good luck and take care.

[Lynnie B]

OH MY GOD!!

I started to take these (Seroquel) last night... I took 2 x 25mg at 6pm.. By 6:30pm i was KO'd in bed and i didnt wake up till 7am this morning all confused!!

I am meant to take 2 during the day aswell but i cant take them if they do that to me. I work in an office! Imagine me fallin asleep at my desk, completly out of it..

Will this pass when my body gets used to them or do they do this all the time???

[amaviena]

EH...not really. They zonked me out for days. I work at an office too so I had to pass on the Seroquel torch to someone who could handle the constant drowsiness even when I took them at night. That and they made me REALLY crazy.

[thinker22]

Yeah, 50-75 mg dose knocks me out within a couple of hours. On 25mg at 9:30pm, can't get to sleep until after midnight and still wake up sometimes in the night, then it's really hard to get oriented in the morning. People say that once you get past 100 or 200mg it doesn't have the zonking effect, but I doubt that. I think it varies person to person. If I had to take it during the day I couldn't function. See if you can get a daytime pill that accomplishes a similar result.

[Lynnie B]

Yeh theres no way i can keep takin these. Took 50mg again last night and within 45 minutes i was knocked out in bed till i got up for work this morning. And feel poo today, dead dizzy and groggy. Vision keeps goin and ridiculously dry mouth... And im meant to take 50mg during the day too!? No chance...

Im leavin work early today and seeing my Psych, gonna tell him i cant function whilst taking these.

Thanks for replying x