[xRavenx]

I have been sick with a sinus infection and have been on antibiotics. I just finished zythromax. I know that this is not the best judgment, but since Seroquel makes me feel especially tired (and I'm trying to function at work), I started taking 100 mg less than what I usually take. Initially, this seemed to be a good thing. I first did this about 5 days ago. Well, the past 2 days, I feel extremely tired, my head hurts, and I feel hot and cold on and off. I have a little bit of a ring in my ears, but I don't know if that's from the sinus infection.

I am having a hard time distinguishing what is from the virus and what might possibly be from the Seroquel. I do plan to go back on my normal dose, but I just did this to get through the work week.

Does this sound typical of tapering down from Seroquel? Even when it's only 100 mg less than normal? (i.e. 300 mg instead of 400 mg).

[glennk]

Originally Posted by xRavenx

I have been sick with a sinus infection and have been on antibiotics. I just finished zythromax. I know that this is not the best judgment, but since Seroquel makes me feel especially tired (and I'm trying to function at work), I started taking 100 mg less than what I usually take. Initially, this seemed to be a good thing. I first did this about 5 days ago. Well, the past 2 days, I feel extremely tired, my head hurts, and I feel hot and cold on and off. I have a little bit of a ring in my ears, but I don't know if that's from the sinus infection.

I am having a hard time distinguishing what is from the virus and what might possibly be from the Seroquel. I do plan to go back on my normal dose, but I just did this to get through the work week.

Does this sound typical of tapering down from Seroquel? Even when it's only 100 mg less than normal? (i.e. 300 mg instead of 400 mg).

Sounds like you're experiencing withdrawal. I was told by my pdoc that Seroquel should be reduced in 50mg increments every week.

There is a mild interaction between most atypicals and fluorinated antibiotics (Fluoroquinolones).

[Beana77]

I've been trying to get off of Seroquel for a long time. The withdrawal is rough especially on my sleep. I recommend going as slowly as possible. 100 mg reduction of Seroquel is a lot. My doc recommended reducing by 12.5 mg per week but I'm only on 50 mg.

[raspberrytorte]

When I went off seroquel the only side effect I had was extreme nausea. I initially did it cold turkey (from 300mg), but that didn't work out so well so I tapered. It was hard to get off of. Luckily I wasn't taking it for sleep, so that wasn't affected.

I'd go slower than jumping down 100mg. Maybe going down by 50mg would be better, but you'd have to ask your doctor.

Good luck!

[eye2797]

I have read people talk about having like flu symptoms. Achy cold and did on. When I went off seroquel I did not feel good. I tapered it.

[still_crazy]

100mgs is a 25% drop. not trying to sound critical--I know where you're coming from--but its a big cut. i think your problems line up w/ what a lot of people go thru tapering or stopping seroquel. i dont know why, honestly.

300mgs is often enough for control of many psychiatric indications, so my wild guess is that you're suffering in part because you cut a good bit of your dose, suddenly, while physically ill.

sorry you're going through all this, btw. seroquel seems an odd drug...sudden dosage reductions have a definite "withdrawal syndrome," on top of the rebound of symptoms and the problems one sees when you stop --any-- tranquilizer/antipsychotic.

[tecomsin]

I had a terrible time tapering seroquel. It took almost a year for me to get from 600 mg to zero. But I was feeling so awful on seroquel I had no choice. In addition to all the normal side effects like extreme drowsiness and not being able to get . out of bed and feeling weird, tinnitus and dullness. I also got intense pain in the right side of my abdomen that I never had before or since. I had it checked out and no one could find anything wrong with me. That was what prompted me to get off of it and the pain didn't go away until a month or two after I finally reached zero.

The hardest part was getting off the last 25 mg. In the end I had to cut it it down by thirds and then eventually just slivers of a pill. It was ridiculous. I had several times to go back to 25 mg, stabilize and then try again.

Most people don't have such a hard time and I've not had such difficulty with any other psychiatric medication.

As I recall, I stepped from 600 to 500 and then waited till the withdrawal effects died down, then to 400 but after that i was reducing in increments of 50.. then eventually 25, then 12.5, then slivers of a pill...

You could try to increase by 50 and see if the symptoms go away.

[possum220]

As others have said 100mg drop is a big one. Hope you feel better when you do go back to having the same dose that you were on.

Might be a good idea to check back in with the person who prescribed this medication and chat to them about the difficulties with concentration at work.

[xRavenx]

Thanks everyone! Now that my sinus infection passed, my goal is to get back on my regular dose. I know now that I should have never reduced my dose, but I guess I learned my lesson. Tonight I am thinking about going up 50 mg, for a couple of days, then I'll get back on track with my regular dose. I thought it was strange to get a ringing in my ears....hmm, it only occurred to me later that this could have been from withdrawal. I broke one Seroquel pill in half just now. The reason I am breaking a pill in half is actually to go up my dose, rather than down. I know it sounds confusing. I have pills in different doses, since my pdoc had me on so many different doses of Seroquel throughout the years. I know I shouldn't be self-medicating....but it's not going to be that long to go up 100 mg.

I think I'll be fine once I get back on my regular dose. The only reason I reduced the dose in the first place is mainly because the fatigue from a sinus infection + the fatigue from Seroquel is horrible, and I pushed myself to go to work. If I were to do it all over again, I probably should have taken off of work all together instead of cutting the Seroquel. I have a bad habit of pushing myself way too far.

[glennk]

Any updates??