Does anyone take Seroquel for sleep? If so, are you able to sleep in the days after if you don't take it?

I was given it to decrease nightmares but it didn't really work for that so I have only used it when I am overstressing because it knocks me out cold (as long as I only do it for a couple days and then stop for a while).

Problem is..... the days AFTER I am not able to sleep AT ALL!!!! I don' want dependent on something to sleep but sometimes I need to anxiety/emotional relief. Not for certain if it is me or the Seroquel keeping me from sleeping on the other days.

Anyone????

[splitimage]

I find if I stop taking seroquel, I'm prescribed it for sleep and anxiety, that I don't have any problem sleeping if I miss a few doses. It might take me a bit longer to fall asleep, but I sleep ok.

splitimage

Thanks splitimage,,,,

hmm, ok. Maybe it is just me then.

Do you happen to notice that it doesn't knock you out as fast and strongly after you have taken it for a few days?

I have 200 mg, but am biting it in half to take 100mg....

[splitimage]

Yeah - I definitely notice an impact. If I haven't taken it in a few days, I'm out flat in a few minutes, but if I've taken it awhile, it doesn't knock me right out, more a nice gentle falling asleep.

[PinkFlamingo99]

I've been taking it nightly for about 6 yrs. I can't sleep AT ALL without it. But we have lowered it over the past year from 400 to 150 and it isn't any harder to sleep. But I take it every night, which is different. I could imagine though, if you only take it occasionally, it must make you pretty exhausted the next day.

My biggest problem is that I can't go to sleep for a couple days AFTER taking one. It's like I am immediately dependent on it after 1 day.

It usually doesn't bother me much the next day because when I take it, I take it early in the day because of anxiety or overwhelming emotion that I need to escape. So I sleep around 12-15 hours after taking it before getting up the next day (I learned not to take it late).

This just makes it so I can't take it often (or it loses its effect) and I can't sleep for several days after!

works great to escape OCCASSIONALLY .... but... grrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[PinkFlamingo99]

It's strange, I've never heard of Seroquel being taken as needed like that??

weeeeell... it was given to stop nightmares, but it didn't work for that. I wasn't going to take it at all because I really don't like taking any meds (I hadn't even taken aspirin for almost 10 years, got away from any meds). When I realized how well it knocked me out, I tried it when I was having horrible panics and I needed to shut down. It was wonderful and knocked me out within about 15 mins (as long as it has been several days between them).

I have Xanax for the attacks, but like everything else, taken regularly nothing works well enough without having to keep increasing the dose.

Sooooooo, this wasn't how it was initially prescribed but I figured I am doing a lot better then given when I am only taking it once or twice a week instead of daily.

[splitimage]

I was first put on Seroquel as a prn, for anxiety when I was last in the psych hospital, but it worked so well for my anxiety, that I asked if it could be made a regular med for me.

splitimage

Thanks Splitimage. I am glad to know that some docs are actually prescribing it the way I am doing it. I feel less 'bad' knowing it.

Did it bother you in regards to sleeping and/or did it's effects decrease if you used it for repeated days?

[splitimage]

I take it daily now. 50 mg in the am, 50 mg at noon, and 200 mg at night. Works great for me. About the only thing I noticed, once I'd been on it awhile, was I didn't get drowsy from the daytime dose. It still took the edge off my anxiety but don't get knocked out. My main issue is, I have to get 10 hours sleep at night, if I don't I have a seroquel hangover and am foggy the next morning for a few hours.

But I can also go days without taking it, and still sleep, maybe not quite as well, but I do sleep.

I don't seem to develop any physical dependence on it.

splitimage

hmmm, thanks. I will have to watch myself and make sure it seems to be the Seroquel before I say anything. It could have been a phase I was going through but I haven't taken it in about 4 days and I was able to sleep last night. Next time I try the Seroquel, I will watch what happens the next night very closely.

Thanks