[jtassar93]

I was just put on seroquel and taken off if zyprexa. What's everyone's experience with it? Also how much does it cost you? For me it was $45, just is on the expensive side for me. I don't know if I'll be able to afford it since next month I'm being put on latuda, which I hear is expensive too. Plus all my other meds, it adds up to a lot. If latuda is too expensive I'll be switching back to zyprexa.

[bioChE]

Seroquel is a great med in my experience. It calms my racing thoughts, giving me a "mental break" if you will. It's also pretty sedating, and does a great job of putting you to sleep. It increases my appetite significantly, so watch out for weight gain. Then again, if you were on Zyprexa you've probably dealt with that type of side effect in one way or another.

I'm surprised it was that expensive for you. Did you get the brand name? I think it's generic at this point, so if they gave you the brand you might be able to get it cheaper as a generic. I'd call the pharmacy to consult.

[Tucson]

Olanzapine in my experience was a more aggressive AP that happened to sedate more than Seroquel. Seroquel has its generic form on the market which should cost less than the original.

FWIW

Tucson

[Bigmike727]

Was on Seroquel for a short while. Very sedating, and in a rare side effect gave me heartburn no matter what I ate. Zyprexa worked better for me. Hope Seroquel works better you.

[xRavenx]

I've been on Seroquel for a few years now. It only costs me about $15 for a 30 day supply and about $25 for a 90 day mail order supply. I've never been on Latuda. Seroquel is super sedating, so I make sure I take it early enough at night so that I do not have the "hangover" effect in the morning. It usually does not make me tired during the day if I follow that rule of thumb. If I take it too late and have to wake up early, it does give me that "zombie" feeling, so I'm working on getting better about taking it at the same time each night. Lately, I feel fine on it. Seroquel has a calming effect on me. I did not gain any weight, although some people do. Overall, I find it a good medication for me.

[jtassar93]

Thanks all. Mine says seroquel xr on the bottle. My pdoc said the generic would just put me to sleep. Is that true?

Generic Seroquel does put me to sleep, but I'm not on XR. I have the regular one (IR) and I use it to make me sleep.

If you can't sleep on XR, you can try regular Seroquel.

My pdoc said that XR makes most people a bit drowsy during the day, but nowhere near as drowsy as regular Seroquel when you take that one at night.

[jtassar93]

Do you take generic seroquel right before bed? I take the normal one in the evening, at 7. Also, does it have the same effect? Will it stop the voices and racing head?

Yeah, I take it when I want to sleep. It knocks me out within 1 hr (usually within 30 mins).

I'm not sure if it'll stop the voices or racing thoughts because I currently use Seroquel on an as needed basis.

I've had voices before, but I wasn't on Seroquel at the time. Once I started Abilify, the voices and visual hallucinations stopped, but that's a different drug altogether.

[jtassar93]

Thanks bluebicycle. To everyone else: does the generic seroquel have the same effect as the name brand?

[bioChE]

Generic Seroquel worked the same as the brand for me. However the Seroquel XR is under patent protection until 2017. If you can't afford it, ask your doctor for the generic IR formula. It will knock you out, but it's better than nothing.

[ComfortablyNumb5]

I've been on seroquel for 12 years now and take the generic one at 450mg at bed time. I take it solely for insomnia. I miss the days when 100mg would knock me out!

[bioChE]

Originally Posted by RxQueen875

I've been on seroquel for 12 years now and take the generic one at 450mg at bed time. I take it solely for insomnia. I miss the days when 100mg would knock me out!

100? When I first started on it, 25mg would kick my butt.

[ComfortablyNumb5]

Originally Posted by bioChE

100? When I first started on it, 25mg would kick my butt.

Yea when I first started, a small dose like that would work but my tolerance has gotten so high. Then I pay for it the next day by feeling half dead. Seroquel is not my fav med but it's the only thing that knocks me out. I'm 100lbs but it takes a dart gun to get me asleep lol. Plus I needed it increased because I was on the verge of mania from not sleeping for 5 days.

[Unrigged64072835]

All I remember from Seroquel was that it made me groggy and I had a ravenous appetite. It must have done something, though, since I wasn't manic during that time.

[bioChE]

Yeah, it's the appetite thing that got me, otherwise I'd still be on it. It's like I could eat an entire delivery truck worth of groceries and still be starving.

[zijax]

It made me tired at first until I got used to it. I am on 400mg at night. I take the regular kind. Extended release was horrible, kept me groggy all day. Seroquel took away my anxiety. I take it around 8 and I go to bed around 10-11. I sleep well all night. I take Metformin and Topamax with it to keep the weight gain down but I have gained 20 pounds. I gained it at the beginning a year ago and haven't gained any since. This drug has kept me stable. It has also kept away drug and alcohol cravings and I have been sober 11 months. I have been stable on Seroquel and I was rapid cycling Bipolar 1.

[Gabyunbound]

I think, overall, Seroquel has been good to me as long as I take it at night. When manic it was increased exponentially (morning and night) and when I finally got over the mania I had to titrate it down very slowly and was meanwhile falling asleep at work. Tapering it down also tends to send me into hypomania or depression, so -at least for me- it has to be done very very carefully.

I don't know about XR, but I wouldn't take IR during the day. At night I pass out on it within 45 minutes. I take it with Abilify and Lamictal and I've been stable for a year and half aside from a month-long depression. It's a very good combination of meds for me and I think Seroquel is an essential component of it.

The side effects for me are sedation (could say extreme) and weight gain due to terrible cravings for sugary foods.