just started taking quetiapine and sleeping every other day

[Babettesidsefreyaallthescandi]

Hi , I have just started taking quetiapine whilst being assessed for late onset mental health difficulties and I am struggling to sleep despite the supposed sedative properties. At the moment, I am sleeping every other day and on the days when I haven't slept I can barely function. I am taking 100mg which is at the top end for sedation apparently and am waiting to find if that is going to be increased. Really disappointed that the sedation properties are not working for me.

I have been taking quetipine for about 10 years. I started off with 100mg but apart from rapidly gaining weight I didn't really get any therapeutic benefits at that dosage. My dose was slowly increased and I know take 400mg in morning and then the same at night (my doc had to get permission to prescribe such a high dosage) and my sleep is a lot better but I am just so drowsy all day everyday. I take this as a mood stabilizer but I know it's primarily an antipsychotic, could you ask your doc to try something else if you are still in the same position in maybe 10 days time? I really hope it gets sorted asap because sleep deprivation affects absolutely everything and is truly awful x

I take 300mg at night and I struggle to get up before 9am. I refused to take any during the day because I would never be awake! I have had another medication added which makes me drowsy. It does take a while to kick in properly and does eventually regulate. I make sure to take it same time every night. If I have to get up early for whatever reason I break it in half!i do this so I have enough in my system to prevent withdrawal. You need to speak to someone about the way it’s affecting you.

Thank you for your replies. I have spoken to my CPN today who contacted the doctor and I have been told to up my dose. My CPN has advised me to get up if I am not sleeping but I am worried about falling downstairs after having taken such sedating tablets. This is all so new to me as I have had good mental health until an episode two years ago and one minor one just before Xmas. I am 56 and I am sure my difficulties are also menopause related but I seem to be going down the route of getting a diagnosis of something mental illness related very rapidly. I feel completely overwhelmed.

I started on quetiapine 300mg around 5 years ago and didn't get along with it for the same reasons. My psychiatrist put me onto slow release quetiapine which I now take morning and night (also known as Seroquel XL) might be worth looking into that? Definately go back and explore other options - there will be something that works for you!

Fantas - can I ask what other medication you take which also makes you drowsy? My CPN feels that the anxiety of not sleeping is overriding the sedating effects and I think she has a point but I don't know how to deal with that.

Well it’s for anxiety and it’s pregabalin. I am going to ask for an increase as I feel it’s necessary to better control it. Pregabalin can make you feel high. Just google pregabalin high they are even thinking about making it a class c drug! It’s hard to get it prescribed a lot of psychiatrists won’t. It does cost a lot!