[raspberrytorte]

I need an alternative to seroquel that doesn't cause weight gain and diabetes! I'm only supposed to take 100mg max a day. I abuse the **** out of it however. I take it to help with my anxiety. I need OFF this med!!!! I need seroquel to no longer be in my life. Seroquel and I have a love/hate relationship. I love it because it makes me chilled out and good feeling, but can't stand the side effects!

I have a pdoc appointment in a week. Does anyone have any seroquel replacement meds you can think of, that DON'T cause weight gain?

He may suggest a diazepam increase to help with my anxiety, but I'd rather not do that. I'm already dependent on 30mg a day. I'm ****ed!

I was thinking about asking for hydroxyzine.

Ideas?

[HALLIEBETH87]

I take lybalvi
And it’s awesoem

[MuddyBoots]

I take Zyprexa PRN (which is the psych ingredient in lybalvi, my pdoc is actually switching me to lybalvi if my insurance approves of it) and it works pretty well. Does have the weight gain though, but I take topiramate as well which is an appetite suppressant so my weight's been pretty steady.

[BeyondtheRainbow]

This is probably too simplistic but could you take more loxapine? I didn't tolerate it well enough to get to a level where it would have caused weight gain or sleepiness if it was going to but that would certainly be the easiest solution if it works that way. I just don't remember. I liked it, increased the dose the first time and had EPS badly and had to stop. My memory is that I was weaning off Seroquel to let that become my sedative but it wasn't' to be for me.

I hope you find something that works. I know how frustrating it is.

[raspberrytorte]

Originally Posted by BeyondtheRainbow

This is probably too simplistic but could you take more loxapine? I didn't tolerate it well enough to get to a level where it would have caused weight gain or sleepiness if it was going to but that would certainly be the easiest solution if it works that way. I just don't remember. I liked it, increased the dose the first time and had EPS badly and had to stop. My memory is that I was weaning off Seroquel to let that become my sedative but it wasn't' to be for me.

I hope you find something that works. I know how frustrating it is.

He may actually recommend that! What a good idea. I already take 150mg of it though. I don't know if that's a high dose or not. I take one in the morning, one in the afternoon, and four at bedtime. 100mg makes me tired. 25mg doesn't. What dose were you on?

[BeyondtheRainbow]

Originally Posted by raspberrytorte

He may actually recommend that! What a good idea. I already take 150mg of it though. I don't know if that's a high dose or not. I take one in the morning, one in the afternoon, and four at bedtime. 100mg makes me tired. 25mg doesn't. What dose were you on?

I'm pretty sure that one of the benefits of loxapine is you can go way up on the dosage. I looked up the dosage and it looks like 250/day is the usual maximum.

It's been 8 years since I was on it so I don't remember much. I think I was on 30 mg or something like that. Not much. It was too bad I got EPS because it was a really great med until then.

[raspberrytorte]

Originally Posted by BeyondtheRainbow

I'm pretty sure that one of the benefits of loxapine is you can go way up on the dosage. I looked up the dosage and it looks like 250/day is the usual maximum.

It's been 8 years since I was on it so I don't remember much. I think I was on 30 mg or something like that. Not much. It was too bad I got EPS because it was a really great med until then.

That sucks you got EPS from it. Yeah. I really like it.

[Soupe du jour]

If you are mainly seeking anxiety control, a prn benzo can help, but is more abusable than Seroquel. Have you tried hydroxyzine or buspirone? They did nothing for me, but help many. Also, some anticonvulsants can help anxiety. Gabapentin and pregabalin are notable and usually weight neutral.

If you want an alternative antipsychotic for moodstabilization purposes, have you tried Geodon (ziprasidone)? I found it totally weight neutral or even weight friendly. While on it as my only antipsychotic, I easily lost 40 lbs on a diet in six months, normalized my blood test results, and maintained most all of the weight for years, until less weight friendly meds were added. I took it along with Lithium, Lamictal, and Tegretol, which were weight neutral for me, as well. It wasn't 100% effective for my mania, but mostly, and that was confirmed. I was only weaned off after 5 years when I developed terrible akathisia, but those years were comparitively nice...and trim. Initially, it can be very sedating, and requires taking with food. The oversedation did completely ease over time, with patience. I took 160 mg (split morn/evening) most of that time. One generally starts on much lower doses. It can be helpful for anxiety, too.

[raspberrytorte]

Originally Posted by Soupe du jour

If you are mainly seeking anxiety control, a prn benzo can help, but is more abusable than Seroquel. Have you tried hydroxyzine or buspirone? They did nothing for me, but help many. Also, some anticonvulsants can help anxiety. Gabapentin and pregabalin are notable and usually weight neutral.

If you want an alternative antipsychotic for moodstabilization purposes, have you tried Geodon (ziprasidone)? I found it totally weight neutral or even weight friendly. While on it as my only antipsychotic, I easily lost 40 lbs on a diet in six months, normalized my blood test results, and maintained most all of the weight for years, until less weight friendly meds were added. I took it along with Lithium, Lamictal, and Tegretol, which were weight neutral for me, as well. It wasn't 100% effective for my mania, but mostly, and that was confirmed. I was only weaned off after 5 years when I developed terrible akathisia, but those years were comparitively nice...and trim. Initially, it can be very sedating, and requires taking with food. The oversedation did completely ease over time, with patience. I took 160 mg (split morn/evening) most of that time. One generally starts on much lower doses. It can be helpful for anxiety, too.

Hi soupe!

I'm already on gabapentin and diazepam. But I don't abuse either of those. I've been on hydroxyzine in the past and it worked to an extent. I've also been on geodon, but unfortunately it gave me heart problems. It was weight neutral however. I remember actually losing weight while I was on it, and it worked quite well for my psychosis. It's a shame it gave me heart problems!

I've been on Buspar, but that did nothing except make me nauseous about 45 minutes after taking it.

I'll talk to my pdoc and see what he says. I don't take my diazepam prn. He has me taking it scheduled. I'd just really like to have a prn chill med (for like if we're driving on the highway, etc.).

[raspberrytorte]

Thanks peoples for your responses! My pdoc appointment is on Tuesday. I'm going to ask about going on hydroxyzine and possibly upping my loxapine dose and see what he says.

Seroquel and I need to BREAK UP. I'm currently high on seroquel.

[insideoutsider]

Hi raspberry, Seroquel worked for my impulsivity but it can be a bit overkill.

Has latuda been mentioned? That one made me dizzy but sort of sedating.

[raspberrytorte]

Originally Posted by insideoutsider

Hi raspberry, Seroquel worked for my impulsivity but it can be a bit overkill.

Has latuda been mentioned? That one made me dizzy but sort of sedating.

I was on latuda for a couple of days at one point, but wasn't on it long enough to find out if it worked well or not.

I'm happy staying on loxapine as my antipsychotic. It works quite well and doesn't hinder my creativity.

I just want a prn anti-anxiety med to replace seroquel. Since seroquel is making me fat. Ugh! My love/hate relationship with seroquel!

[raspberrytorte]

My appointment went well. He put me on hydroxyzine three times a day prn. I'm still on the dreaded seroquel for the time being (yick!), but hopefully not for much longer.

[BeyondtheRainbow]

I did really well on hydroxyzine a long time ago. I think I was able to get off depakote with it. I honestly don't remember why I stopped taking it. I think it was when I went on Emsam. So either it interacts or the hospital preferred to adjust my klonopin dose instead of using both. Which doesn't sound right; the hospital doctor at that time hated benzos. Or I went off it after I was done with depakote? That doesn't make sense time wise though.


I hope it works well for you. I also hope it works well enough to get off Seroquel.

Your pdoc sounds really reasonable. That's such a good thing. I am so afraid that when my pdoc retires I'll wind up with someone unreasonable and impatient with me.

[raspberrytorte]

Originally Posted by BeyondtheRainbow

I did really well on hydroxyzine a long time ago. I think I was able to get off depakote with it. I honestly don't remember why I stopped taking it. I think it was when I went on Emsam. So either it interacts or the hospital preferred to adjust my klonopin dose instead of using both. Which doesn't sound right; the hospital doctor at that time hated benzos. Or I went off it after I was done with depakote? That doesn't make sense time wise though.


I hope it works well for you. I also hope it works well enough to get off Seroquel.

Your pdoc sounds really reasonable. That's such a good thing. I am so afraid that when my pdoc retires I'll wind up with someone unreasonable and impatient with me.

I understand your fear about ending up with an unreasonable pdoc! My pdoc is 70 and I'm afraid of him retiring. We talked about my diazepam and I told him I was worried that when he retires I'll end up with a pdoc who takes me off diazepam cold turkey and asked him if he thought I should go off diazepam now because I know he knows how to taper people off benzos. He said me going off diazepam was a bad idea and assured me he's not retiring anytime soon! Whew. Thank god!

Took my first dose of hydroxyzine tonight. Definitely don't need to take a seroquel, that's all I gotta say. Lol

[BeyondtheRainbow]

Yeah, the benzo thing worries me too. I'm not on that much, 2.5 mg daily (so not that little either) but every time we've tried to wean me down something bad has happened and I've had to go back up. Right now there's no plan to reduce it any time soon. I also worry that someone would try the Ashton method and try putting me on diazepam to wean off. Diazepam makes me extremely sleepy and there is no way I could function on it. Usually if I go up a small increase in clozapine combined with a little valium for sleep will fix things in a few days.

[Soupe du jour]

Raspberrytorte, I had heard of Seroquel being abused, but having taken it for combined 10+ years or so, it always baffles me when I read that. I'm not debating it, but wonder what type of "high" it brings people. How does it feel? It doesn't do that to me. I have felt something of a high from Ativan, codeine, after a wisdom tooth extraction, and pseudophedrine. Otherwise, my only other highs were from simply becoming manic or maybe to a degree, alchohol. I never (voluntarily) tried any illegal drugs, and when under their influence, had unpleasant delusions and hallucinations.

[raspberrytorte]

Originally Posted by Soupe du jour

Raspberrytorte, I had heard of Seroquel being abused, but having taken it for combined 10+ years or so, it always baffles me when I read that. I'm not debating it, but wonder what type of "high" it brings people. How does it feel? It doesn't do that to me. I have felt something of a high from Ativan, codeine, after a wisdom tooth extraction, and pseudophedrine. Otherwise, my only other highs were from simply becoming manic or maybe to a degree, alchohol. I never (voluntarily) tried any illegal drugs, and when under their influence, had unpleasant delusions and hallucinations.

It just makes me very chilled and good feeling, and sleepy, if I take too much of it. I like it a lot unfortunately, except it also gives me the munchies.

I used to get highs from gabapentin and benzos, but am so used to them now I don't anymore.

I don't like feeling drunk, and marijuana gives me panic attacks.

Anyway, so I guess I can't give any specifics other than that it makes me feel good and chilled out.

[Soupe du jour]

Originally Posted by raspberrytorte

It just makes me very chilled and good feeling, and sleepy, if I take too much of it. I like it a lot unfortunately, except it also gives me the munchies.

I used to get highs from gabapentin and benzos, but am so used to them now I don't anymore.

I don't like feeling drunk, and marijuana gives me panic attacks.

Anyway, so I guess I can't give any specifics other than that it makes me feel good and chilled out.

Thanks for sharing your experience, raspberrytorte. I get a similar chilled feeling from Ativan. I call it my "Coooooool Jazz" feeling.

[Random 503]

Originally Posted by Soupe du jour

Raspberrytorte, I had heard of Seroquel being abused, but having taken it for combined 10+ years or so, it always baffles me when I read that. I'm not debating it, but wonder what type of "high" it brings people. How does it feel? It doesn't do that to me. I have felt something of a high from Ativan, codeine, after a wisdom tooth extraction, and pseudophedrine. Otherwise, my only other highs were from simply becoming manic or maybe to a degree, alchohol. I never (voluntarily) tried any illegal drugs, and when under their influence, had unpleasant delusions and hallucinations.

I’m one of the people who can get high on seroquel. I freaking hate that stuff. I was on it for two weeks before I had had enough. First, it made me sleep like a teenager, which was welcome but it was getting extreme and I have to work. This is the best I can describe the feeling: if you’ve ever taken LSD or psilocybin there is an edge to it sometimes, I find it unpleasant. It feels like your gums are peeling back from your teeth and everything is tense. But you also are having the good effects of the drug. Seroquel not so much. I got all the bad feelings that come with hallucinogens but none of the good. I still had a war chest of Xanax back then and I was popping them like tic tacs to try and relieve the tension. I finally called pdoc and she told me to stop taking it immediately and take the risperidone I had on me until I saw her next (I hate risperidone too but it was an improvement).

I have considered asking pdoc for one a month so I can sleep for a whole day but haven’t done that and doubt I will.