Just wondering if anyone had success with stopping Quetiapine after years of use for sleep and anxiety.
I tried without it for a few nights and could not rest. Mind was racing more the next day and was exhausted.
The most I used was 75 mg, most of the time 25 mg but combined with 5 to 10 mg diazepam it just made it possible to sleep and it wasn't a great sleep.
Problem is I eat too much after taking it and it also is affecting my heart and blood sugars,
Any advice or experiences with stopping this med is appreciated!

[lozza89]

can you talk to your dr about going on another AP to help with sleep and anxiety? thinking of you

Thanks lozza, I saw him today and he says all atypical antipsychotics, antidepressants, etc. all work much the same in that they cause blood sugar problems. That was thoughtful though. He increased my diazepam, but I was trying to get off of benzos too. I guess I must trade one for the other although benzos aren't strong enough alone for sleep.

Thanks for your response!

[lozza89]

what about a sleeping tablet? may not be ideal for long term but if you dont take it every night then it should be ok.. are you on an AD? if so you could ask your dr about changing to one that will help with sleep? hang in there.

Hi lozza,
I usually have to think of every possibility as the psychiatrist from the start has just given me what I want or think I need. He does seem clueless as to what to do with me.
I realized, as I was telling him everything that is going on with me yesterday (quite a lot), he was flipping through my file too quickly and blank stare on his face, to really have been reading anything). It is frustrating. He said, I quote "You know I don't mind you tinkering with your meds". So it is up to me to figure it out! I did ask for a sleep med as I was thinking this was another idea, but he was concerned about the dependency or addiction factor, as well as I am. So I may just end up suffering with less sleep or go back to the way things were and let the seroquel kill me slowly. That was sarcasm, but I really wish I had never taken any psychotropic drugs sometimes. I feel they helped sometimes, but the fact no doctor ever warns you that you will become so dependent on them that you may never be able to function, or possibly feel like you are going insane without them, t's me off.

Last night I tried the higher dose of diazepam, and there was no way sleep was kicking in. So I added my 25 mg seroquel and yep the blood sugar is high this morning. And I'm as groggy and tired as ever.

[lozza89]

yeh thats the bad thing about psych meds your pdoc sounds frustrating, is there anyway you could get a 2nd opinion or see another one? there must be something out there that you can take that wont cause you more problems! I take phenergan to help me sleep (its an antihistamine so not a psych med) not sure if that would help you? your 'not' supposed to take it every night but I do and have not become dependent on it and I've never had to increase the dosage which is also a bonus! my pdoc prescribed it for me and I have been on it for several months now and it works wonders for me.

I hope the groggyness has worn off, that was one thing I hated when I was on seroquel

Thanks Lozza,
I had never heard of that medication so it was interesting to look that one up. It might be an idea. Sounds like it works somewhat similar in blocking histamine.

I'm not too worried, as it looks like blood sugar will just have to be more carefully regulated no matter what I take that effects it. Diet plays just as big a role, and at least I've found eating a meal before taking the quetiapine makes a difference how much I over eat before falling asleep.

Yes I think it is time to get another doctor. Honestly I think another psychiatrist may never have given me seroquel in the first place because I had diabetes.
Not sure how much any doctors care. They are very busy.

thank you and take care

[ChipperMonkey]

Not true.

Seroquel is the worst of the worst for causing weight gain and diabetes. Most other antipsychotics have lesser side effects.

Thanks Chipper, I don't seem to be able to sleep anymore without seroquel. I have had diabetes a long time now and this isn't getting better, but what can I do? I need it for sleep and anxiety yet I know it will kill me in a not so pleasant way. What about blindess adn heart and kidney problems from too high blood sugar for too long? I can't stop eating sugary food lately and I really try.
Psychiatry shouldn't have invented drugs that cause dependency and then metabolic syndrome.. I could have been in a much healthier body if I never was prescribed the stuff

[Altered Moment]

I don't agree with using AAP's just for sleep. I don't think it is true that anti depressants effect blood sugar. AAP's do. I would suggest Remeron or Trazadone for sleep. Both much safer than AAP's or benzo's. I take Remeron and it works great. Lots of people do. I don't know why your pdoc didn't suggest that.

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Thank you zinco, I've just been feeling addicted to seroquel, if that is the way to put it, or dependent on it. When I skip a dose at night I feel insane, my thoughts go haywire. And psychiatrist says on that low dose that it is not for psychotic symptoms, so according to that for 10 yrs I haven't had any delusions and only used either anti depressants, am always using diazepam, and always seroquel for about that long now.

I never felt too good on antidepressants, the side effects seemed to outweigh any kind of benefit. And the benefit was just numbness, which I don't think is great.
FOr me, is what I'm saying, maybe for others they work.

some antidepressants do affect it, I know, I just tried lexapro a few months ago and the blood sugar spiked way higher.

The trazadone (tried it) didn't give me a restful sleep near like seroquel did for years. Mirtazapine makes you hungry as well. The thing is the docs know I have diabetes but don't make me quit this stuff. I guess I'm worried because my heart feels like its flip flopping. Thanks for listening and trying to help. I'm going to ask my gp for a heart test again, been forgetting to mention this for months

[lozza89]

I hope it goes well when you see your GP!