[Gabyunbound]

I take several meds for BP, but the 25mg of Seroquel is, at this point (I used to take higher, therapeutic doses) is just for sleep. It's worked very well up until recently.

So after years of good sleep on 25mg, I've been having trouble sleeping, so I upped it to 50 mg, which has produced the hangover-from-hell.

But the issue is also that I've found myself more revved up as well as irritable on this dose. I've wondered if it's adrenaline kicking in to keep me awake during the day (and not the higher dose itself, which wouldn't make much sense). Has this happened to anyone else? I'm referring to adrenaline kicking in to keep you awake because of sedating meds, as opposed to BP itself causing these symptoms of too much energy and irritability.

[Wonderfalls]

No, it sounds like a paradoxical effect, which is odd considering that a lower dose didn't affect you that way. I take 50mg and it works for me. I do get hangovers but not every day; it's worth it for the sleep. Would your doctor let you go back to the 25mg (if their affect hasn't also changed) and add something? I get Lunesta 3mg in addition to the Seroquel. It may seem like a lot, but good sleep is so important for bipolar.

[Gabyunbound]

Originally Posted by Wonderfalls

No, it sounds like a paradoxical effect, which is odd considering that a lower dose didn't affect you that way. I take 50mg and it works for me. I do get hangovers but not every day; it's worth it for the sleep. Would your doctor let you go back to the 25mg (if their affect hasn't also changed) and add something? I get Lunesta 3mg in addition to the Seroquel. It may seem like a lot, but good sleep is so important for bipolar.

It is an odd, paradoxical effect, yes. What I really want is to only have to take 25mg.

There is the possibility of adding something (like Lunesta) if 25mg consistently doesn't work. My fear, is changing any of my medications. I've been stable for a good 2 years on the combination of meds I'm on, and am just so scared of going off-kilter with any change. Even though I increased the Seroquel, at least it's a medication I'm very familiar with. Ugh. It's a quandary. I'm going to try to go back to 25mg, even if it takes me a very long time to get to sleep; I don't want my body to get too used to 50 mg thus making it even harder to sleep with 25.

I do have this feeling, though, that my body is desperately trying to keep myself awake during the day and that's why adrenaline is potentially kicking in. I don't know much about adrenaline, but I try to not underestimate it when it comes to energy levels.

[still_crazy]

hi. maybe a paradoxical effect. at low doses, seroquel is basically a densely sedating antihistamine. maybe it has something to do with the histamine receptors? some people get oddly giddy from sedating antihistamines, so...yeah. there's that.

drug-drug interaction, maybe? I don't know, of course. maybe you could try running one of those drug interactions checkers on what you're taking and see what comes up?

[LadyShadow]

Oh I am totally with you on that one!

I started off with 25mg of Seroquel and then upped it to 50 mg, and boy hang on for the ride! I mean its nothing like crazy mania, but the adrenaline, boy do I feel it. It's odd, because it does seem paradoxical like others have said, but once the meds work through my system, (up for a certain amount of hours), I am pumped in high gear, and its almost impossible to slow down. (My sleeping habits have been hit hard by this because I find myself up at all hours of the night).

The downside of all of this, is that I take 0.5mg Klonopin and some Melatonin to give me that extra sedation at night, because even with the 50mg, it doesn't subdue me enough to rest. I have thought about upping the Seroquel to maybe 75mg, but the hangovers I get, (much like you describe), are RIDICULOUS! It's like a fog of lightheadedness and confusion, that takes me an hour to get through.

We may have different stories, because I am taking other things to sleep too, so I don't know if I can help at all. But I just wanted to let you know, that you're not the only one dealing with this dilemma at this time.

[Gabyunbound]

Thanks for sharing your stories and advice, guys, that helps a lot.

Fortunately, I've been able to take just 1 Seroquel (25mg) for the last two nights, and have been able to sleep! The only problem is waking a couple of times at night, but it's very short-lived. Wish me luck that this will continue! The zombie/very groggy in the morning and revved up the rest of the day was hellish, I hope I don't have to go back to that.

The only recent changes in my meds have been taking an antacid and a different anti-inflammatory (Mobic). I'll look up interactions (though I doubt the antacid has any such effect? Maybe I'll start taking it in the morning rather than at night and see if that helps...). It could be the Mobic. We'll see.