Seroquel- new user.

I just started seroquel 2 days ago. First night I took 1/2 a 400 mg pill at 7:00 pm. It knocked me flat, not good considering I was home alone with my kids. I had to call my husband and the only words I could get out my mouth were "help"! Scared the hell out of him, poor guy.
Last night was a little better, still took 1/2 pill but closer to bedtime with my hub around.
Should I up to 400 mgs tonight? Or stick with 200.
Also having ver strange numb, tingling sensation in both hands and a bit in the feet. Very disconcerting.

Starting at 200mg seems like a lot! Personally, I would do 100mg for about a week, then 200mg for about a week, and if things are going well then, go ahead and do 400mg.

I can't take more than 250mg of Seroquel, and at this point, I've been on it for about 4 months and was on it for almost a year then briefly stopped and switched meds for a few months, so my body is pretty used to it by now.

I think that's a massive dose to start with. I think it's usually started at 25 or 50 and titrated up as needed, unless you're in the mother of all psychotic episodes. In any case, it sounds like the side effects are too much, hopefully you can talk to your pdoc about this.

I just started Seroquel 2 days ago as well. Honestly, 50mg was enough to lower my respiration to a scaaaary level. I'm going to be taking 25mg a night until my body is used to it. But I'm typically hyperresponsive to sedatives... All things considered, this **** is POTENT.
I would start very very slowly & gradually work your way up to 400mg. Sub-therapeutic dosages are necessary to acclimate your body to their effects. Medication is supposed to help you function, not make you non-functional! So, listen to your body.

FWIW, I started at 100mg right off the bat. My pdoc had me split 200mg pills for the first week or so. But I also wasn't taking it for sleep, I was taking it as a mood stabilizer.

Just wanted to agree with everyone. WAY too high to start at! I would only be taking a dose that high during a major manic episode. I use to use 25 mg for sleep.

[*] just an additional note: I'm taking it as a mood stabilizer as well. But if the sleepiness is so overwhelmingly unpleasant, you have to weigh the pros & cons of starting slowly.

This is exactly what I was going to say. Holy hell, no wonder you were knocked out. I felt knocked out at under 100mg when I restarted it after stopping. Can't imagine starting out on such a large dose.

Also wanted to add, there is also the Seroquel XR option too that gives you a steady stream of meds vs a wam of instant release on the IR version. I take a combination of both.

I am continually seeing that my pdoc had no idea what she's doing but she is the only one on the island.

Btw I have never had a psychotic episode so am I on the correct medicine?

There was another thread on Seroquel not-for-psychosis. So it seems to be used as a mood stabilizer as well. I guess what concerns me about using it as a mood stabilizer for BP II is if it's used as a first-line medication, instead of starting, at least, with a mood stabilizer with less hefty side effects, and then only adding it when the mood stabilizers aren't enough.

Even though you have to work with what you have (the one pdoc) hopefully she/he will be responsive to your concerns about side effects. Maybe you can ask if you can start on a lower dose and titrate up, see what she says.

What are your symptoms, what is being treated?

It is also used as a mood stabilizer and can augment the effectiveness of other meds you are on.

It's really unfortunate that there are no other psychiatrists on the island. Does your health plan cover any of the other Virgin Islands? Maybe you could take a commuter & find someone? If you are really in need of treatment... Perhaps that is a last-ditch option.

At first, I thought my psychiatrist was a TOTAL idiot! But as I visited her & talked with her about how my medicines were affecting me, she appeared more knowledgeable. So hopefully your current one will work out.

If anything, there's the "psychiatric medicine" section of the forum so you can get the advice/experience of others. Everyone here has been supremely helpful

I have been diagnosed bipolar 2 after being on antidepressants for 6 years. Got switched to Prozac and five days later was in ER. Manic episode, no sleep, talking to fast, not making sense, slight auditory hallucinations.
Since then.... Prescribed Geodon (terrible side effects. Lock jaw etc)
So now I am on Seroquel... 400 mgs.
Will be flying to Denver in 2 weeks to see family ! Getting a second opinion there.
Since my pdoc is only one here she is very busy and I can never get ahold of her. Very frustrating. Not manic now but definitely up and down every day. Just want to be normal.
:
Doesn't help that husband works for Park Service and is impacted by Shut Down.
We are new to the island and it take getting used too.
Just a lot of turmoil right now and not handling any of it very we'll just n ow.

I see all of the posts calling 200 mg a massive starting dose.

Hmmm.

My doctor started me on 400 mg. The first time I took it I slept for over 12 hours. The next night I slept for 10. I told my doctor that I was walking dead. He put me on the XR and I convinced him to let me drop back to 300 mg.

I'm giving strong consideration to dropping it entirely. I have never been psychotic enough to warrant a chemical lobotomy.

You should notice a big difference between the XR and IR. The drowsiness does abate some, but you have to give it some time and adjust your sleep schedule if needed (ie. going to bed a little earlier).

Yes, started out at 50mg on the Seroquel XR and upped the dose every four days until now I'm at 300mg. I'm taking it for a mood stabilizer, but it has not improved my mood at all. I'm seeing my pdoc on Monday to talk about trying something different.

I found once I got above 300 mg a lot of the sedative effect. Still a bit of 'zombification', but not 'out-like-a-light-in-15-minutes-at-best'.

But if there's one thing I've learned from these boards, its that every med affects everybody differently, so, obviously, ymmv.

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