[Billtrick]

I have been on Seroquel for over a month now and have been having some serious cognitive issues. Primarily when I am making a concerted effort to think. Things like word recall, memory retrieval, and basic math problems have become a chore. I have had a hard time explaining the sensation I feel every time this happens, but it goes something like this. I attempt to say recall a conversation that a friend and I had within the week or say when trying to come up with a decent example for this post. I feel a pressure within my frontal lobes and it feels like a fog has set in. I can no longer think and I sit still until it passes and it invariably does until I attempt again to do something that requires cognition. I can hardly read anything because I forget what it is i read shortly after i'm done. My anger is even more explosive than it was before I was put on the medication, My emotions are completely blunted, my ability to hold a conversation is severely limited, as I said word recall becomes difficult. When I try to speak it feels as though the words ooze out of my mouth and it is hardly audible. Only on slight occasions am I able to perk up and show any other emotion than the flat affect I normally have. I have approached my psychiatrist and the suggestion for me was to at first simply stop the seroquel and start taking lithium. However, the first time I tried to Taper off of Seroquel I had a fit a rage at my Dad for absolutely no reason I couldn't focus on everything. I was having difficulty reading instructions to something and I became extremely frustrated and I let her know this. So she then decided to have me taper off the seroquel, using Zyprexa in a low dose to combat the obvious withdrawal symptoms, along with the lithium. Now I don't know if anyone can provide help for me, but I am wondering if the decision of my psychiatrist is a good one. I have been very hesitant with new medication primarily because every time I have taken new medication, I have declined in my mental state, become more depressed, the suicidal Ideation becomes more frequent. I now have more cognitive problems. I cannot read, write without incredible difficulty and those are somethings I do to cope with my depression. But I have a difficult time making sense of the information. I am frustrated, confused, depressed, apathetic. I have no energy left. I need help I would like to know if I am the only one with these side effects. Thank you.

[Hexagram]

Originally Posted by Billtrick

I have been very hesitant with new medication primarily because every time I have taken new medication, I have declined in my mental state, become more depressed, the suicidal Ideation becomes more frequent.

All 'new medications' won't feel the same; Zyprexa and lithium won't necessarily feel anything like Seroquel, but they each have side effects that can suck.

I would talk to your pdoc about this.

[Billtrick]

Originally Posted by 8888an8888

I would talk to your pdoc about this.

I haven't talked to her since she suggested the Zyprexa and Lithium which was only a week ago. But I have made it explicitly clear what I am feeling and have been experiencing, and this is the approach she is still willing to take. I don't know how I feel about it. I don't have any reasonable argument to make though against the other medications other than we don't know how it will react with me. I just don't know what to do anymore. I am terrified of the withdrawals that will happen with Seroquel.

[pinkflower17]

I felt like this on Topamax. I'm still on it, but I decreased the dose and felt significantly better. Abilify and Geodon are also helpful for anger and rage issues (in the same class as zyprexa) and tend to be a little more stimulating and less "mind numbing". Brintellix is also a new serotonergic antidepressant that's supposed to be really helpful with cognition, memory, word recall etc. I'm currently on this now and while it hasn't been a miracle drug as far as the depression is concerned, I have noticed positive effects cognitively. Maybe some things to discuss with your psychiatrist.
Just a personal note, it would bother me if my psychiatrist wasn't willing to work with me to find the best combo of meds to help me be my "best self". Maybe you need to find a new psychiatrist?

[*Laurie*]

It has been my experience that most (if not all) psych meds cause cognitive problems. In fact, the cognitive issues that come from my medications have been the worst stigma I face.

[PinkFlamingo99]

I've been on Seroquel about 7 yrs. i think it's just fatigue. It goes away after awhile but it can be rough. Whenever we tapered up, I would feel drunk.

[splitimage]

I've been on seroquel for just over 2 years, and haven't noticed any cognitive impact. Flat affect yes, which sucks, but I can deal with that.

splitimage

[elevatedsoul]

what medications are you taking?
i ask because sometimes there can be a drug interaction

what dose of seroquel do you take it and do you take it at night?

if you are switching to zyprexa thats good, zyprexa works well... just be careful not to eat up everything in the fridge

i take zyprexa and seroquel together

i only experienced sleepyness from the seroquel, no cognitive effects besides helping my depression...
i haven't felt any bad effects from zyprexa beside gaining a little weight, zyprexa helps me stay sober... i dont have cravings like i used to....

lithium you need frequent blood testing, becareful with that one

hope you feel better soon, hang in there

PS:
is it possible that you can talk with your father/parents about the fact that you are going to start tapering off seroquel and need them to try to help you through it and be understanding that you may have withdrawal effects?
remember breathing techniques and try to relax yourself when those worries come to you