[Tart Cherry Jam]

Several weeks ago I had a telehealth session with my registered dietitian. She was happy to learn that I no longer take Zyprexa nightly but warned me that Seroquel might now be causing weight gain. The thing is, I am on a low dose for sleep. I am not taking high doses anymore. Might she be right that any dose of Seroquel can be weight gaining? I currently take 75 mg. Since spring, my dosage has fluctuated. I have been on 37. 5 mg, on 50 mg, and so now on 75 mg.

[Tart Cherry Jam]

Statistically significant increase in weight caused by low-dose quetiapine - PubMed I guess it is possible...

[Crazy Hitch]

Yes I’ve read a few articles like that too

[Soupe du jour]

I can certainly see it, for some. I've read that low doses can be equally, if not more, sedating than high doses. Low ones good for sleep aid, higher better moodstabilizers. In my view, the sedation itself could be causing hunger and/or a psychomotor slowing, especially for those prone to a "hangover" effect. My guess is when a person feels sleepy but needs to stay awake, the munchies are a common form of "self-medication", that doesn't always work.. And/or with any psychomotor slowing, you might burn fewer calories over a period of time, just as a lounge lizard would compared to a busybody. Then, there might be some level of metabolic effects. Putting aside a few, we know if a person's metabolism slows, then calorie burn slows.Other metabolic effects may be caused by weight gain, or possibly separate? I don't know for sure.

I take 600 mg Seroquel XR (extended release) along with a low 50 mg dose of Seroquel IR. My XR is another moodstabilizer in my mix, while the IR helps me fall asleep. My hunger actually increased at night when the 50 mg of IR was added. I blame the rapid and high "spike" in sedation, and possibly something else going on. Though I wouldn't exactly call XR "weight neutral", it's certainly not the worst antipsychotic I've taken, in this respect.

On October 28th, I was 7.2 lbs (3.25 kg) heavier than I am now. So, I lost some weight on my current doses. I upped my exercise a lot, and had more energy, in general. Also, my appetite reduced a little. I was also watching my evening snacking. I won't totally deprive myself, when hungry, but I try to pick "lesser evils" of snacks. That helps.

[raspberrytorte]

I don't know.

I'm prescribed 300mg IR but often take 500mg IR.

Last year around this time I was on the same dose, really watching my diet and exercising and lost a lot of weight.

So... for me anyway, if I eat right and exercise properly I can lose weight on seroquel.

It's just when I get lazy about my diet (or have HERNIA SURGERY!!!) that I gain weight.

For me seroquel is weight neutral. It's just harder.

[Tart Cherry Jam]

Originally Posted by Soupe du jour

I can certainly see it, for some. I've read that low doses can be equally, if not more, sedating than high doses. Low ones good for sleep aid, higher better moodstabilizers. In my view, the sedation itself could be causing hunger and/or a psychomotor slowing, especially for those prone to a "hangover" effect. My guess is when a person feels sleepy but needs to stay awake, the munchies are a common form of "self-medication", that doesn't always work.. And/or with any psychomotor slowing, you might burn fewer calories over a period of time, just as a lounge lizard would compared to a busybody. Then, there might be some level of metabolic effects. Putting aside a few, we know if a person's metabolism slows, then calorie burn slows.Other metabolic effects may be caused by weight gain, or possibly separate? I don't know for sure.

These points make total sense. I am not prone to hangover effect but need a lot of sleep. If I get sufficient sleep, and the number of hours for what is sufficient varies, I am completely alert and can be very active, both physically and mentally. If I don't get enough sleep, all I can think about is when I will be able to catch more sleep. I cannot keep myself awake and do not eat when that happens, I just get to bed as soon as I can, so no munchies for me, but it is a fact that I simply spend fewer hours awake and more hours asleep than an average person. So maybe I am a bit of a lounge lizard. Or maybe a hibernating bear?! It would make sense that a person who sleeps more burns fewer calories.

I upped my exercise this December and now exercise several times a week. Everything: strength, cardio, flexibility. Unfortunately, cardio is making me ravenously hungry...

I guess I will try switching from low dose Seroquel to ultra low dose of Thorazine for sleep and see if Thorazine will be more weight-neutral for me... 10 mg of Thorazine is enough for me to sleep.

[Tart Cherry Jam]

Tonight, I am taking 10 mg of Thorazine for sleep instead of 75 mg Seroquel. We will see how it goes, both in terms of sleep and hunger next day.

[raspberrytorte]

I hope it works out! Let us know.

[Tart Cherry Jam]

Thorazine did not work. I went back to Seroquel and had a good night of sleep. But I plan to try Thorazine again with better sleep hygiene. Maybe it will work then.

[Moose72]

My dad died this morning. I’ve been crying off and on since- especially when I think about how he called me “Mooser”.

[Tart Cherry Jam]

Moose, I think you meant to post it as a new thread so that more people would see it and send you.condolences. Crying is good, that you are able to grieve such a tremendous loss via crying should help process it. When did your late father start calling you Mooser?

[Moose72]

Originally Posted by Tart Cherry Jam

Moose, I think you meant to post it as a new thread so that more people would see it and send you.condolences. Crying is good, that you are able to grieve such a tremendous loss via crying should help process it. When did your late father start calling you Mooser?

Yeah I did thanks.

He always called me Moose or Mooser ever since I was a baby as I was only 3 pounds when I was born.