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Original poster

Quetaiapine help

245 replies

Cmblue · 27/03/2018 10:14

Iv been put on quetaipine for resistant depression and anxiety among other mental health issues, iv been on it for a week and am getting terrible side effects, I feel sick, weak, dizzy more anxious. Has anyone taken this medication and had side effects or found it effective?

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Babettesidsefreyaallthescandi · 27/03/2018 15:43

Hi, I am on my third week of taking it and have found the side effects have lessened slightly for me. I am taking 150mg. I can't say as yet if it is being effective though. I can definitely sympathise with ow you are feeling.

Original poster
Cmblue · 27/03/2018 17:36

@Babettesidsefreyaallthescandi I'm also taking 150 aswell, it's really wiped me out, I hope it is effective, they do say 6 weeks so fingers crossed

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Babettesidsefreyaallthescandi · 27/03/2018 18:11

I didn't know about the 6 week thing. I am being assessed for late onset bipolar and at the moment am struggling with depression. The quetiapine has definitely been making me feel more lethargic to the point that everyday tasks seem insurmountable.Don't really know what is the depression and what is the side effects of the medication.

exWifebeginsat40 · 27/03/2018 18:20

i take 400mg at night and 25mg in the morning. do you take yours at night? i take mirtazapine at night as well and it takes the legs out from under me.

i was titrated up fast in hospital. it was like being hit with a wet pillow to start with, along with SO HUNGRY. i’m used to it now, wouldn’t be without it. but, i am Fat.

so, yeah! take it at night, watch out for the munchies and you will start to feel better after a bit. i’ve been on it 5 years now and probably will be for life. on ‘good’ days that’s ok. i do still have bad ones though, but i have BPD, PSTD and OCD with my anxiety/depression.

i don’t know what life would be like now without meds, and i’m ok with that. just, keep on trucking. it’s all we can do, really. be well.

Original poster
Cmblue · 27/03/2018 18:44

@exWifebeginsat40 I take it at night, along with mirtazapine and pregablin, I also have PTSD and Bpd, the side effects of the quetaipine are just a lot worse than I expected, I'm struggling to do anything at the moment I feel so weak and dizzy with morning nausea, but if it helps with the anxiety and depression I'm willing to persist.

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dangermouseisace · 27/03/2018 22:19

I’m on 150 as well as some other ADs. I found it didn’t have much effect at all at lower doses. I found that it was difficult to get up in the morning for weeks but eventually that went and I feel a lot more balanced and I get up early! I can now be ‘busy’ during the day rather than ‘a bit zonked’.

I found I had to fiddle around with what time of night I took it to get it right. What time are you taking it?

Original poster
Cmblue · 28/03/2018 07:21

@dangermouseisace I do feel really zonked I hope that feeling goes away soon, I can't leave the house alone because I'm so paranoid I'm just going to fall flat on my face, I take it at 8pm then get to bed for 9, what time do you take yours?

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dangermouseisace · 28/03/2018 09:41

Yes the zonked feeling goes- it takes a while though. But I suppose it’s difficult to know where depression symptom zonked ends and medication zonked begins! Did they put you straight on 150? I was put on it more gradually...25, then 50 then 100 then 150, over about a fortnight. I think going straight to 150 might have been a bit of a shock to the system.

dangermouseisace · 28/03/2018 09:43

I take mine around 9.30/10 then get ready for bed.

Original poster
Cmblue · 28/03/2018 10:20

Aww thats good to know, do you find its helped with your depression? I took 50 for 2 days 100 for 2 days then 150.

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dangermouseisace · 28/03/2018 19:05

Wow that’s not long to get used to it! It has helped with the depression. I was really unwell (hospital etc) and not coping with daily life at all. I’ve been able to do those normal things that everyone takes for granted again, like tidy up, read a paper, see other people. It took a while though to get to that point, but it happened. Hang on in there with it and don’t expect too much of yourself for a few weeks so you can allow your body to acclimatise!

Original poster
Cmblue · 28/03/2018 19:47

I will persist, many thanks for sharing, you've given me some hope

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dangermouseisace · 28/03/2018 21:05

There’s always hope Flowers

Babettesidsefreyaallthescandi · 29/03/2018 10:13

Danger, how long were you on Quetiapine before the Ads were introduced? I have told to be patient to see if I get better on just Quetiapine but I am not very hopeful and would like to try something like Lamotrigine as soon as possible. I feel that if I am to be able to get back to work then I can't just have a 'wait and see' period for too long.

Original poster
Cmblue · 29/03/2018 10:45

Babette how are you getting on with the quetaipine?? Are you still lethargic?? I'm really struggling with the side effects.

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Babettesidsefreyaallthescandi · 29/03/2018 11:12

Hi Cmblue, I am not feeling so wiped out as I did but still struggling to get through the day and do the most basic things. Are you struggling most with the sedation in the morning? I am also getting indigestion and some sweating at night, bth listed as side effects.

mawbroon · 29/03/2018 11:19

I've been on it for 5 years now after trying other antipsychotics. It is by far the best drug for me to date.

However, initially I was sleeping loads and put on a lot of weight very quickly but both these things are well under control now.

messofajess · 29/03/2018 11:36

I have been on it previously and your doctor should have advised that the first two weeks should be taken off work I think.

It completely knocks you for a six. But you need to hang in there! Keep strong Flowers

Original poster
Cmblue · 29/03/2018 11:47

I feel spaced out,dizzy and really nauseous I can't eat, I'm still quite anxious and low, everything is such an effort and I still haven't left the house alone since iv been on it, iv been on it a week yesterday and nearly gave up but people have said such good things about it, I had the choice of this or risperidone, the psychiatrist didn't warn about side effects.

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Original poster
Cmblue · 29/03/2018 11:56

@messofajess did it help with anxiety or depression, what dose are you on? I'm glad it's worked for you.

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Babettesidsefreyaallthescandi · 29/03/2018 12:07

I can't believe that the pdoc didn't warn you of the side effects as they are very common. Do you think that the nausea could be related to the anxiety? I have found that if I am anxious particularly during the day, it is a struggle to eat proper meals but then at night, I tend to get the munchies just before bed( think that is very common). Hang on in there , I'm trying my best to too.

Original poster
Cmblue · 29/03/2018 14:11

Ye it could be my anxiety but I was hoping the quetiapine would stop me feeling so anxious, I do take omeprazole to help with acid reflux and nausea I have with my mirtazapine and pregablin.

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Original poster
Cmblue · 29/03/2018 14:13

@mawbroon it's good to hear a success story, do you mind me asking why you were prescribed it and what it's helped you with?

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mawbroon · 29/03/2018 14:46

I had no previous history of mental illness, but after a long stressful few years, I developed acute psychosis. Bad enough that they would have sectioned me if I hadn't reluctantly complied by taking the meds.

This was followed by deep post psychotic depression which led to ADs being prescribed. After another cycle of psychosis and depression, my psych said he thought perhaps I had bipolar and prescribed Quetiapine. It really was the start of my recovery although I would say it was probably 6 months before I was anywhere like fully functioning.

5 years on, I take a small dose of Quetiapine (50 or 100mg at night) and a medium dose of ADs. Keeps me ticking over, apart from the odd dip. I find the lows more difficult to spot than the highs.

Babettesidsefreyaallthescandi · 29/03/2018 15:05

Just realised that the prescription that I picked up this morning is for the extended release version of Quetiapine and so far I have been taking the instant release. The change hasn't been discussed with me so I am hoping that it is just a mistake. Really don't want to start changing at this early stage of getting used to things.