[Axiom]

I'm starting up on 100mg Seroquel (Quetiapine) tomorrow, then 200mg the week after and then check with pdoc. Anything I should know?

[caseygirl]

Originally Posted by Axiom

I'm starting up on 100mg Seroquel (Quetiapine) tomorrow, then 200mg the week after and then check with pdoc. Anything I should know?

I have been on Seroquel (200 mg) for about 3 years. Haven't had any side-effects and it mainly helps for sleep.

Caution: One time I took this med in the morning by mistake. I didn't realize how powerful it was, went to work, got so drowsy and just about passed out. I took at about 5:00 am and about 6:30, I almost couldn't function. Had to catch a cab home and went to bed. Just started the damn job, they must have thought I was #$@$# up. Hope I didn't scare you.

[Bloem]

if possible, take them in the evening! I get very tired if I take them and take enough hours to sleep! So you do not get up feeling tired.

[Resident Bipolar]

Originally Posted by Axiom

I'm starting up on 100mg Seroquel (Quetiapine) tomorrow, then 200mg the week after and then check with pdoc. Anything I should know?

A very common side-effect of Quetiapine is drowsiness, so I would recommend you take your dose in the evening. Try to also take Quetiapine close to the time you normally go to sleep - my Quetiapine doubles up as a sleeping medication for me, kinda like a 2 in 1

You're starting off on a moderately high dosage. In most cases, Quetiapine is started at a rather quite low dosage (around 50mg) and slowly increased up to the required dosage, which can help lower the severity of the side effects. So I'd expect you may feel rather sleepy and drowsy. I've been on 600mg Quetiapine for 1 year and down to 300mg for two years and I still feel drowsy when I take it!

Don't worry, though: the severity of the drowsiness eventually decreases and becomes a lot more bearable over time. Try not take the Quetiapine after 1am at night, either. If you take it too late, you may still feel drowsy in the morning

RB

[OutlawedSpirit]

I take seroquel occasionally. I had been taking it regularly but me and my pdoc agreed I don't need it full time anymore as long as I can sleep. It made me incredibly drowsy. I would sleep ten plus hours and still feel tired when I woke up. Any less than eight hours and I pretty much couldn't wake up. Now I just take 25-50 mg if I can't sleep. And I try not to take it when I have to get up at 330 for work. I don't think it affects everyone that strongly though.

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[Jcon614]

Seroquel knocks me out completely. I fall down when I stand up (postural hypotension). It is very scary and can crack your ribs when you fall.

[gayleggg]

Seroquel worked well for me but I had to allow 12 hours for sleeping but I couldn't afford it after my insurance ran out.

Beware of the sugar munchies. I crave sugar like mad. To the point where I will eat it straight with a spoon But that was on a much higher dose so you might be ok on 100 - 200 mg. I remember melting butter and mixing sugar with it and eating it with a spoon! I would NEVER EVER do that "sober".

I hate the hangover, I didnt used to get so hungover but now I do (I have been off and on it for 10 years though so that could be why). I actually get really depressive on the come down from it. Makes it so much harder to take now.

I only take low doses of it now if I take it, so it doesnt knock me out, just turns me into a dopey drugged drooling sugar eating zombie for about 4 - 6 hours.

It is a good medication so dont let me put you off, Im just warning of how I now react to it. And it wasnt always like this.

[Otter63]

I also think starting at that high of a dose could be rough for you. Some people react more strongly to it than others. I would make sure that the first time you take it, you do so on a day where you don't have to get up and do much the next day. Just until you get used to it.

It's quite common for people to gain weight on Seroquel.

[Axiom]

Thanks everyone for your helpful responses! I feel like I know what to expect now.

[nija43]

Like any other med, it took a while to find an effective dosage. Like other people, I was instructed to take Seroquel shortly before going to bed. Then after a few months, I began to go to bed and stay awake for longer and longer periods. Instead of increasing my dosage, my psychiatrist had me take the Seroquel earlier in the evening.

Currently, I take my Seroquel around 7 pm. About 9:30 pm I start yawning frequently. Then about 10:30 pm, I'm ready for sleep. When I do go to bed, I fall asleep within a few minutes and stay asleep. And, yes, I want to sleep for 10-12 hours or more. But my psychiatrist wants me to force myself to get out of bed no later than 9 am or earlier if I happen to wake up earlier. So I set my alarm clock for 8 am and unwillingly get out of bed within 10 minutes. My body is sort of getting used to this routine.

I'm retired, so I'm lucky I don't have to get up early to go to work otherwise I'd probably have to go to sleep around 8 pm the night before, if not earlier. I really don't see how people who have to get up early for work or school can do it..... it's gotta be really difficult.