Seroquel?

Hi, I'm new to this community... I'm *this* close to having health insurance, and I'm heavily considering Seroquel to help with my mood swings... I've been bipolar I guess since around age 12. I can cycle fairly rapidly, and haven't had much success with lithium or valproic acid. Does anyone have any feedback about Seroquel?

Hi Parker1013 and

Well, I don't want to steer you away from it, but for me it was the worst thing in the world.
After just 2 days of taking it I got SU and I was VERY angry and VERY verbal about it. I stopped taking it and went back to "normal" (for me anyways. LOL)
There are a lot of people that it works well for. Everyone is different and I think talking to a P-doc would help figure out if it would be best for ya.

Good luck,

BJ

Thanks for your input! I just got married, so I'm waiting on the health insurance thing, and then I'll definitely be making appointments. Up till now, I've only been able to go to sliding fee scale clinics, and it can be really difficult to establish a doctor-client relationship, since I see a different doctor every time. I'm really looking forward to being able to get my own doctor! I'm just hoping I can get this started soon, before the quarter gets too crazy.

I hope the Insurance kicks in really soon because I know what you are going thru. You don't need the stresses of school and trying to work on P-doc stuff. It is really tough, but you will be ok.
Congrats on the marriage!

BJ

I am on Lithium, Tegretol and Seroquel. I have been on Seroquel for over 10 years and like it. It really helps calm my mind and helps me sleep.

It can cause fatigue, but if you take it early enough or split up the dose it will be ok. Also, that side effect disappears after awhile.

The biggest problem I have had with Seroquel is weight gain. Most everyone I know has gained like 20-50 pounds on this medication. It is also related to increases in blood glucose levels...which may be related to the weight gain or might be a separate side effect.

There are also some other anti-psychotics that can be used for Bipolar that do not cause as much weight gain....such as Abilify and Risperdal. You might try these as well.

Good luck

I take so do many I know and it work great for bipolar but you have to know what you are getting into . It make you sleepy so take it at night and at the same time every night so you are not laggy the next day it works for 24 hours so there know point taking it during the day it will shut you down. It dose make you gain weight its like getting high you get the munchies.

Im at the point now where I take between 200mg. and 500mg. a day . I take 200mg. everyday and will adjust the mg. if need it to control my manic since that moves up and down it only make sense but you should take for a year or so first then talk to your doctor about self adjustment .

HiParker!
I've been on Seroquel for over 2 years now - it is incredible the cravings for food! But You can control them. Seroquel has been a Blessing esp.controlling my manic episodes. The amt. has been increased over time, esp. lately. But I Love it. And it works for me! (I've been on other Bipolar meds for over 20 yrs.)
Best of luck to You!!!!! (PM me anytime if you'd like!)

I take Lamictal, Paxil, and Seroquel. I've been on the seroquel for 2 years almost and it works wonders I mean they had to increase it and finally got the right dosage now I'm on 200mg. But I only take it at night time because that's the only time I need it since I've alot of trouble sleeping which sucks when you don't get enough thankfully I take it at a decent time so I can go to bed earlier than normal. (there was times i was getting 3-5 hours of sleep and I'd have to go too class trust me wasn't much fun) I take the Paxil once a day also to keep my moods under control during the day and the Lamictal I take twice a day with the seroquel at night and I feel so much better with the next day. Yea, I've to have my now fiance' to help remind me to make sure I take my medications because I've a hard time remembering if I took them or not and trust me he can tell when I'm not myself without my medications so he reminds me in the morning to get them or I'll tell him I took them yea he wakes me up and he reminds me when he gets home from work (he only works Monday-Thursday) he'll make sure I get them (even when he's not working he still calls gets me up and makes sure I take them in the morning and at night time) So thankfully I've that extra support and next week I'll be starting counseling for my Bipolar Disorder/Depression Problems because I'm going through a rough time right now been having this since I was 13 the Bipolar Disorder/Depression Problems and I've been with my boyfriend for almost 2 years so yea he's been there for me through good and bad times.
But anyways, I thought I'd tell you about my medications because everything seems to be working for me like everybody is saying everyone works differently with medications some it's good and bad just work with your doctor and see what's going to work for you.
Congrats on the marriage!

Seroquel is awesome for control of mania and anxiety, haven't had much luck with the depression side of it though. Doc wants to add an antidepressant to the cocktail. I made me gain a LOT of weight, and is messing with my blood work, BUT I've slept better than I have in years on it, and it really did take care of the anxiety.

Hi Parker,
I take Seroquel, but only when I get hypomanic. Which is tricky because someone first has to convince me I am there . Anyway, I used to take it everyday, but it made me so drowsy that I could not function. During episodes it is great because I would not sleep almost at all but Seroquel forces me to.
Good luck!

Not trying to discourage. Everyone is different. But I went psychotic on Seroquel. I had not cut in years, and within days of starting Seroquel, I was cutting every day. When I got off of it most of the urge to cut went away, but not all. I still cut sometimes, and I don't think I would if not for the Seroquel. Oh well, that's me. Hope your experience is ALOT better.

~BARB~

i thought i had posted but it didnt come up so here goes again. i was put on Seroquel (quetiapine over here) for my self harm and it has not worked at all, im cutting every day but the worst bit of it is the mad mad rages i go into. im on 400mg a day

My pdoc has wanted to add Seroquel to help me sleep (bipolar 1 & 1 1/2-3hrs of sleep a night despite taking Klonopin, Trazodone, topamax...) But I also take a bunch of other stuff for bipolar & ADD--Abilify, Lamictal, Concerta, Provigil...

Just don't want to add another pill. Heath Ledger thing scared me, too, like I am on so many meds I don't want to add any more but I function better with them vs. weight gain...--Suzy

Ugh, it's gonna be too expensive to get on my husband's health insurance, about $100 a month, and and after bills and everything, we just don't have it. The decent medications are way expensive without coverage, so now I'm frustrated!!