Quetiapine initial reaction

I thought I'd add to this that I'm having an anti-depressant added and adjusting well to quetiapine in the meantime. My mood is low so I need the anti-depressant which is supposed to be safe for me under the cover of quetiapine.

Hi there - ive just got back from Doc and have been put on same as you. 25 mg for two days then 50mg etc. Have bi-polar 2 or cyclothamia they are not sure which and only taking an tricylic ant id at moment ( have taken lithuim but had shakes etc) They think th anti d might be causing as many problems as it is solving been on it for 20 years +

To be honest i'm terrified of taking a new drug and always worry myself to death about teh side effects or if it will 'freak me out' I gues thats my problme in general a vivid imagination and racing thoughts. tried lamotrigine a few monthes ag and didn't like it.

My moods are unpredictable and stop me leading a normal life but i like the good moods and don't like teh lows and the fould moods which i get alot. Its liek beign my own best friend or my own worst enemy if that makes sense. Anyway before i ramble away for England. I'm worried but keen to try it and wouyld liek to know how you get on with it. best wishes J

Hi J,

I'm on 400mg of quetiapine now taken in 2 doses. I'm also on 150mg of venlafaxine and just started the slow release capsules 75mg in 2 doses.

I'm very tired a lot but I'm starting on a high at the same time. I sleep every night without fail which is wonderful and I'm not getting any bad moods where I feel angry.

I have moments of feeling really excited and my other half has to ground me with some of my 'great' ideas being unrealistic or just not 'great' ideas really. I have a sleep in the afternoon too sometimes which I'm trying to get out of the habit of.

It's all early days though and I can't say anything negative about the medication at the moment.

I drink green tea too which I'd read could stop the weight gain with quetiapine, and I haven't gained weight.

How are you doing?

T

I think I'm on the down slope again. I had a couple of really bad days and I just couldn't do anything, I was sobbing and just in a black cloud of confusion. I woke on the 3rd day after a 12 hour sleep and felt ok.

Today I'm exhausted, finding it hard to motivate myself to just move.

I'm still having the highs and lows of my condition but expect to for a while.

I'm trying to take my meds at different times to see what's best for me

Im on day 3 of just 50 mgs-i think im an off the label case..( thats for the dsm) but I feel really confused, sweaty and at the samw time want to sleep!! Will this go and please someone , im really worried about the weight gain, not because of appetite increase but because of the chemicals...anyne can they help?

My eyes are really stinging on this stuff-or is that something else? Everything is so bright!

I've been on 400mg for 4 months now. I take it in 2 doses of 200mg each.

I also take venlafaxine that I took at 150mg in 2 doses for about 6 weeks and now just take 75mg in the morning.

I take the 1st 200mg of quetiapine a couple of hours before the second but both of them in the evening. I can't take it in the day it turns me into a zombie.

I'm struggling to get into my usual level of exercise but I am more active overall then the first few months of taking this. I don't find it difficult to follow a healthy diet during the day but really find it hard to fight the hunger I feel about 30mins to an hour after taking a tablet. I drink lots of fluid and have lo-cal hot chocolate to ease the craving. It really is just a matter of ignoring the need to absolutely pig out at night.

I've only gained 8lb since starting taking quetiapine but that's with a really healthy diet and pushing myself to be active.

I'm concerned about the long term affect of quetiapine and weight, some days I don't eat and just have meal replacement drinks, my appetite just isn't there on these days (part of my highs and lows). This medicine wants to make me as big as a house and I've been there before.

My mood is calmer overall with a lessening of the severity of my symptoms. It's very disappointing to still be on a roller coaster emotionally.

I sleep even on days of horrible agitation, it takes time to fall asleep on these days but I do eventually. I enjoy my highs and feel less afraid about loosing control. My lows are mostly lack of movement, a heavy feeling and weepiness. I haven't felt in the depths of despair for a while though.

So mostly positive but I don't know if I will stay on this at the 6 month mark because I can see myself gaining lots of weight and that bringing other problems with it.

Hi Torment!

Ive been on this for over a month and gained something like 3 pounds! Im not on such a high dose...i now take 50 mgs normal release before bed, and 25 mgs at dinner time. I have had an automatic pilot thing to go and get food from the fridge ( after taking it!) ...I definately think it increases appetite..though my appetite changes and even when im hungry i cant get much in as i fill up easily

Ive got to say after everything thats gone on, my sleeping has really improved and I am calmer..though that might be due to citalopram as well! Had a really off day yesterday and really hurt, but I still behaved. Iam better to mysef thatn before and dont really feel the need to drink. I think it would be too much and , picking up a glass of wine makes me have a panic now!

I dont think 8lbs is a great deal of weight to gain-when the price you caould pay is life! My mum did say \"id rather you were here a bit rounded than not at all\"so that ,kind of puts things into pers[ective.

I had over a couple of stone weight gain from other meds just before starting quetiapine. What I'm doing with exercise and diet would normally make me loose weight even with giving into the odd craving.

It's like I'm making a pointless effort to lose the excess weight only to still gain weight and my motivation levels just aren't high enough.

I have another condition unrelated to bipolar that's worsens with more weight too.

My mood isn't stabilising and if it was I wouldn't even consider coming off this drug. It just seems to dull the emotions with the sedation.

I do agree with you about being calmer and less self destructive, I just want to try something else that improves mood more significently for daily functioning without the massive food cravings.

After saying all this I'm having a horrible day so I'm going to eat lots of chocolate!

Hi stabilization? great name by the way! if it makes you feel any better i ate tons of chocolate yesterday!..But its like a replacement to wine, i have to be bad-everyday!!!Im going through a \"cant sleep crises again!\" Mayb ei should havetaken more last night before bed..Ive not slept the entire night and dont even feel the tinniest bit exhausted and i should probably with all the stressors here!

Hmm, i cant get these racing thought sto stop...how it happeneed, what others must thinkof me, what is going on with my children, what am i going to do about my life, my course, why have i lost all firends( though thats an exaggereation, but partly true) , why does my sister never call me anymore , has she decided thats it because i lost the plot and took too many diazepams, or is it because mum and dad spoke for the first time in 23 years about my behaviour..I want to chill! i want to forget about it-all of it, i want a normal existence! i want to be left alone! And on recollection, i think out of my boredom i goint o complain to the police about how i feel ive been treates. I mean how sick is it to printout lothian and borders police on a nenvelope when you are awaiting a trial date? Then you open it up to find its a ruddie questionnaire about how you feel youve been treated???Thats just sick? Effing awful actually!!!!!!!!! Not once did i use the word that they splashed all over the medi...its my body, my identity, they shamed . They said\"Theyll be a small media report\" it was huge in my opinion! Then thers my history...god hewil get away with it because of my history- i know so! That makes me more depressed, and the fact they too took all cotrol and dignity from me and i cant even im not allowed second thoughts.

god ive a cold, and oh god, i need tostop rambling......I thought id put pn tos of weight, just fels that way..Bellie feels like im 6 months down the line and everything feels massive....Im sad, and I should try and sleep! I need sleep!

I don't know how I ended up as 'stabilization?' guest, I'm sure I signed in and put a title.

I think you should see your doctor, pdoc or cpn as soon as possible, especially as you've got children.

Quetiapine should be at atleast 400mg for Bipolar and you're obviously having a big crisis.

Tiny tears,

I've just read some of your posts. Your posting on every recent thread about your Quetiapine experience and what you say isn't making a lot of sense.

As a person with bipolar I just want to say to you, 'The medication isn't working for you!'

If you're genuinely ill I'm sorry to upset you in any way but you need to go and see your doctor, psych or cpn because your dose is too low and you're obviously really unwell.