[SilverSprings]

Hi I am starting 25 mg of Seroqual for my rage/anxiety and spiraling behavior due to BP2 and BPD...
I started last night and a few qs:
I had a weird sleep as always first night on a new med freaks me out and I can't judge for a few days... However really tired today, have sinus headache, and not so motivated to sleep or go out (but will make my BF force me out lol)
So- do I need to be concerned with weight gain at this dose?
I'm trying to lose 10-20 lbs to be in normal BMI with lowish carbs. I had ED history and don't want to start back with scale addiction... Should I measure blood sugar? (I am paranoid and bought testing kit few years ago due to family history - and it's always been perfect).
Do the headaches and groggy feeling subside at some point?? I def will not put up with that!
But I recall having to adjust to Lamictal and some side effects that subsided. I'm willing to give it a week and see how it goes...
My Pdoc prescribed Abilify but for some reason was $600!! Vs $19 for Seroquel ummmm hello????!

[*Laurie*]

All of the side effects except weight gain will eventually subside - at least, in my experience with Seroquel. As for the weight gain, Seroquel is notorious for causing weight gain. It's a very difficult situation because it seems that most people, when on Seroquel, feel very hungry (and tend to crave sugar) but exercise is difficult because at the same time one feels sleepy and it can be hard to move much.

Hopefully, at such a low dose you won't have an issue with weight gain. Do the usual...watch your portions, eat protein instead of sugar, drink water, sip tea, chew gum.

[PinkFlamingo99]

That's a low dose, you should be fine i gained weight on both Seroquel and Risperdal, but I was also eating a ton.

P.S. Your name makes me think of the Fleetwood Mac song, one of my favorites!

[BlessedRhiannon]

My experience has been that Seroquel at a very low dose acts very much like an antihistamine. The sedating effect fades as you go higher in dose, as do the headaches. Also, the anti-anxiety properties didn't kick in for me until I got to a much higher dose.

Regarding Abilify vs Seroquel costs, it's probably the difference between brand name vs generic. Abilify just went generic, but my pdoc says there are issues with the generic and he's still prescribing me the brand name. Abilify has a discount card that you can use for $5 co-pay if your insurance doesn't cover it...just ask your doc about it.

Seroquel has worked well for me for anxiety and mixed states, and Abilify was added to help with depression.

[SilverSprings]

Thank you!!

Second dose went much smoother- I think that I had a glass or two of wine on 1st night maybe was culpriut of headache? No headache today! yaay! and too early to tell about weight gain but im on a low carb diet- as i feel best that way, and can make adjustments as needed...

BlessedRhiannon- Do you mean Abilify has a card that I only have to pay $5 ?? that is too good to be true. However, I am feeling so happy and calm, upbeat today Just groggy for like an hour this morning, however, when I took it last night I LITERALLY could not keep my eyes open to watch the last bit of a show w/ BF. In 30 mins that stuff kicked my butt out cold. lol.

I am going to stick w/ this for now, and if needed check out Abilify- but so far i think that I really dont struggle w/ depression very much (that is why Prozac was not working / making me worse w/ my rage issues)... and it is more Anxiety that is my problem- which Seroquel seems to be working well for!! Fingers cross

[SilverSprings]

Originally Posted by PinkFlamingo99

That's a low dose, you should be fine i gained weight on both Seroquel and Risperdal, but I was also eating a ton.

P.S. Your name makes me think of the Fleetwood Mac song, one of my favorites!

Thank you At least for now- Eating even less then usual-

and yes! It is one of my favorite FM songs as well

[BlessedRhiannon]

Originally Posted by SilverSprings

BlessedRhiannon- Do you mean Abilify has a card that I only have to pay $5 ?? that is too good to be true. However, I am feeling so happy and calm, upbeat today Just groggy for like an hour this morning, however, when I took it last night I LITERALLY could not keep my eyes open to watch the last bit of a show w/ BF. In 30 mins that stuff kicked my butt out cold. lol.

Yes, Abilify has an assistance program where you can pay as little as $5. Go here for more info: https://www.abilifyassistprogram.com...-patients.aspx

When I was on 50 mg of Seroquel, it totally kicked my butt. I couldn't keep my eyes open within 30 minutes of taking it. I was groggy the next day. As I increased the dose, I was able to tolerate it much better. I take 400 mg (200 2x per day) now and it helps with anxiety and sleep without knocking me out or feeling groggy. It's one of those weird drugs that is more sedating at lower doses.

I didn't gain weight on Seroquel. The highest dose I took was 350 mg.

[dillpickle1983]

I also haven't gained any weight on Seroquel. I take 600mg at night. Now trying to lose weight is a completely different story, but gaining, nope.

[Captainc]

Originally Posted by SilverSprings

Thank you At least for now- Eating even less then usual-

and yes! It is one of my favorite FM songs as well

So you take this along with lamictal ?

[PinkFlamingo99]

Originally Posted by SilverSprings

Thank you At least for now- Eating even less then usual-

and yes! It is one of my favorite FM songs as well

Stevie Nicks has saved my life over and over <3

[splitimage]

I've been on Seroquel for a couple of years now. I find it quite sedating, particularly if I've taken my evening dose late,and don't get enough sleep.

But it's almost totally gotten rid of my anxiety. And I haven't gained any weight on it.

splitimage

[SilverSprings]

Originally Posted by Captainc

So you take this along with lamictal ?

Yes, Lamictal 200mg, in the PM and the Seroqual just before bed (30 mins or so). Not sure how important the timing is that i take it exactly same time each night- of if it is ok to take it depending on my bedtime... hummm

[SilverSprings]

Woohoo thanks all!
Great to know and hear positive testimonies.

[PinkFlamingo99]

I was on 400 mg and I gained 100 lbs BUT it didn't come on magically, I was eating a ton.

[SilverSprings]

Originally Posted by PinkFlamingo99

I was on 400 mg and I gained 100 lbs BUT it didn't come on magically, I was eating a ton.

Really-? Well i just checked (it is pretty early to tell) and my weight is going down already- i am being pretty careful, working out and eating low carbs.
Thanks and i will be cautious! I am hoping to keep my dose as low as possible....

[shaneomac12]

I was on Seroguel for about 1 year for sleep , taking 50 mg before sleep and by experience i gained about 80 pounds in a year because about 40 min after taking it you want to eat everything in the fridge and especially sugar then feel like a zombie and you have no choice to fall asleep . it was the craziest medications i ever took before .. but it does work for sleep thats for sure but with the side effect eating alot .. never took it for anything else tho .. good luck !

[SilverSprings]

Originally Posted by shaneomac12

I was on Seroguel for about 1 year for sleep , taking 50 mg before sleep and by experience i gained about 80 pounds in a year because about 40 min after taking it you want to eat everything in the fridge and especially sugar then feel like a zombie and you have no choice to fall asleep . it was the craziest medications i ever took before .. but it does work for sleep thats for sure but with the side effect eating alot .. never took it for anything else tho .. good luck !

For some reason this cracked me up... Luckily- I take it and feel sleepy, and then Bam, hit the pillow and lights out. I have not had the increased appetite luckily. I did feel a little hungry last night, but i had skipped dinner after a big evening snack. And then i passed out

[ahdm]

In my experience with Quetiapine (the name I know it by) I found that it did increase my appetite and therefore made me gain weight. I also found that I was immensely tired, fatigued, almost to the point of sleeping at college! I couldn't concentrate much, and felt tired even after a decent night's sleep. However, you are on quite a low dose at the moment, so hopefully this shouldn't affect you too much, at least not as badly as it did me. x

[Slowbrains]

I think with 25-50 mg you should be fine. I take it for insomnia occasionally and don't see any difference in my appetite.

When i was at 200 - 400 it made me eat at night like crazy. Fast carbs and then more fast carbs. Craving for those was really unbelievable. It happened 30-60 minutes after taking med.

Also when tired, people tend to eat fast carbs. With seroquel i was always tired and i think that's one reason.

Gained 30 pounds in one year.

[SingDanceRunLife]

That's a super low dose! (The lowest it comes in actually I believe)...

I've been on 800mg of Seroquel daily before! But I have also been given 25mg tablets to use instead of a benzo for anxiety because it works just as well if I catch it quickly enough.

These side effects should go away, and honestly, at such a low dose, I wouldn't worry about weight gain. I never gained weight on Seroquel during the 2 years I was on it, at doses much higher than yours (my lowest dose was 200mg daily), and it didn't make me any hungrier than normal.

I too have struggled with an ED and scale addiction, and here's my biggest piece of advice: throw out your scale! Don't even have one in the house. Just get rid of it, even if it's a nice one, even if you say you'll only weigh yourself once a week...no matter what, having a scale in your house is a bad idea. If you can't bear to throw it out, give it to someone, even your T or pdoc if you have no one else to give it to. It's not an easy thing to do, but it's an important one.

[emptyspace]

There is a generic of Abilify, which should cost much less.
Aripiprazole was released in April/May.

You are on a low dose, but that does not mean that is will not effect your metabolism.
SeroFAT and Zyprexa are the two worst APs for weight gain. Watch your food intake, even when cravings take over, even on a low dose.