Quetiapine - any experience for depression and anxiety

[NotNowBernard1]

My GP wants me to try this. Starting on a low dose of 25mg. Just wondered if anyone has tried this for depression and anxiety..

My psychiatrist put me on it when I was a teen for severe anxiety. It didn't work very well: I felt like a zombie for three months until she agreed it wasn't working and switched me to Risperidone, which worked much better besides the hideous weight gain (30kg in 6 months with no change in diet).

I have since come off completely anti-psychotics and I am managing very well on antidepressants alone with the occasional crisis and typical insomnia.

Give it a try. It didn't work for me, but everyone is different and it could make a fantastic difference for you.

I take it though it was mainly prescribed for my bpd than my depression and anxiety. Started on 25mg and slowly upped it to 75 which I'm on now.
It's made a big difference to me. I get 2 main side effects, the sleepiness and the sugar cravings. I quite like that it knocks me out because it helps me sleep. The cravings are annoying though.

I had this as an addition to my anti-depressants. It's good you started on a low dose; I started on 150mg & for a month was out of it. I would have easily spent 20 hours a day sleeping; the other 4 would have been barely awake.
Once I got my dose right it worked really well alongside my anti-d's & i felt human for the first time in ages. I suffered with crazy moods before.

They lowered & then finally removed it completely after I started freaking out about the fact I put on about 4 stone on it 😱 But had been on it long enough that I was pretty stable x

Oh thank you for your replies!

The weight gain worries me as I was once on some anti-depressants beginning with M (can't remember) and I put on 21 pounds in 2 weeks!

I'd rather take diazepam but, apparently, this is discouraged despite it really helping my anxiety.

I started on 50mg for psychosis and anxiety post birth. Found it is wonderful for getting me off to sleep and stopping my night time worries which is when most of my anxiety bubbled up. I wanted to come off it but the one night I didn't take it I was horribly anxious so I'm not sure I'm ready. Downsides are excessive sleepiness... I too prefer diazepam but they've said it's too addictive plus I'm breast feeding so can't take it.

I started this at the end of august , 25mg then increased to 50mg alongside citalopram. My anxiety has almost completely gone and I am sleeping 7-8 hours per night

Diazepam is strongly addictive so your GP is quite right not to prescribe it

Quetiapine is an atypical anti psychotic - it can be and certainly is used for straight depression and anxiety but it’s not a drug I’d want to take as a first line treatment for those conditions. I’m assuming you’ve tried the usual SSRIs and SNRIs? If not, they can be very effective and have fewer side effects.

So Seroquel... It has fewer of certain side effects than other atypical antipsychotics but it can still cause significant weight gain and sleepiness.

It was probably mirtazipine you were on before - that’s notorious for weight gain.

I take it but I am bipolar

It makes me drowsy in the evening but I like that, it makes me relax. It’s probably the drug which has saved my life, I am very thankful for it.

You will hear lots of people talk about weight gain but it didn’t happen to me. It affects about 30% of people who take it.

Hi I'm 19weeks pregnant and have been suffering with panic anxiety so bad making me sick and heart palpitations my midwife said I'm suffering from tokophobia anyone help me please I'm going out of my mind feel scared to give birth scared of complications

Thanks for replies.

Anatidae - yes it was mirtazipane which caused the weight gain. There's no way I'm taking this Quetiapine if there's any chance of weight gain.

Relaxing2 - I'm sorry I can't be of help, is your midwife or GP referring you to the psychiatric team?

50mg daily, I’m sleepier but calmer & happier & no weight gain for me. It’s game over at 10pm though and a 3 drink limit on even the booziest most special of occasions or else I’m banjaxed and rock bottom again. I have to take it at night, and need 8-9 hours minimum or it feels like I’m on a heavy dose of Valium all day. It definitely helps me but see how you go

Relaxing2- please talk to your GP and ensure you get referred to crisis team. You don’t need to be going through this anxiety but hormones & stress of pregnancy can make it seem so overwhelming. Please keep asking for help

I take 100mg for insomnia. Awesome. Not noticed any weight gain.

I've been on this and while it's good for sleep I just felt like a zombie. I've since been put on Chlorpromazine but it isn't agreeing either so I just don't think I'm compatible with anti-psychotics.
It could be entirely different for you OP, it depends on the individual. I hope you get some relief and they're right for you.