Quetiapine and caring for kids safely

[wishicouldhaveapet]

Have also put on parenting board

DH has been take Quetiapine for several mental health issues and it's had a positive effect on keeping him stable.

Only issue is that it puts him in a deep sleep, so deep I don't feel safe to leave the kids with him. Eg he wouldn't hear a fire alarm. He wouldn't hear them cry at night. He also can't wake in the morning. Eg if they ran riot at 6am he wouldn't wake up. Won't wake up to an alarm.

Sadly we are going our separate ways and we both want him to be able to have the kids stay over but only if it's safe. 3 kids under 4 so not at age to sort themselves out in the morning.

Anyone else look after their kids on this medication successfully?

He's been on it for over a year, about mid strength prescription. Have tried slow release but then he's sleepy all day and can't do his job.

I'm on quetiapine, 100mg, and I have kids at home...albeit my youngest is 12. I tend to try take it early evening to avoid the groggy mornings so I can concentrate at work. Could he speak to his psychiatrist about trying an anti-psychotic with a less sedating effect?

I take Quetiapine (amongst other meds) 75mg, single parent to 3.

It’s never affected my ability to get up in the night with DCs, but obviously meds affect people in different ways.

Another person prescribed quetiapine (also amongst other meds), 100mg twice a day, with kids. I do wake up when they're up, though I guess it's possible this takes me a little bit longer than it might take someone not on meds.

My doc encouraged me to experiment with when in the day to take the two doses (keeping them roughly 12h apart) that'd have me most awake when I needed to be. So, your DH could maybe try that?

However, different drugs do suit different people. So, if experimenting with timing doesn't work, I'd say he should definitely ask his psychiatrist about alternatives, being very clear that the drug's affecting his ability to be the parent he wants to be.

I'm on 400mg of quetiapine and I still wake in the night due to pain and have to get up for a couple of hours. Mind you I have been on them for years. If he isn't able to wake door the children then he can't look after them overnight.

Have you looked into other options - ie. you can get fire alarms hooked in that flash lights and have louder sounds? And stair gates on a safe children's bedroom to keep the contained.

I also just want to add - some men don't wake up at night because they are used to someone else doing it - could this be the case? Has he ever been left with them at all overnight?

I would also looking at getting someone (not you) to stay with him during "his nights". Is that feasible?

Yes I’d wager it’s because he knows your there, but as there’s 3 and they’re under 5, it’s not a risk I’d take.

I’ve been on anti psychotics (and other meds) since my youngest was 3 months old; stopping my anti depressants to breastfeed was a huge mistake and made me incredibly ill. She’s now 6 and I’m about halfway weaned off them.

It’s never affected my ability to respond during the night though - probably because I’ve been single since I was pregnant with youngest DD and ExH is abusive and was never around (and still isn’t, thank fuck).

If it's genuinely knocking him out that soundly he may perhaps manage on a lower dose, or even something else in the same class of drug. He should go back to the Dr who prescribed them and explain the situation

Hello, I took quetiapine for a while, 300mg a day. The lower the dose the more of a sedative effect it has strangely. I didn’t sleep well on it, I had to take 2 types of sleeping tablets alongside it to get a good nights sleep. I can’t imagine all anti-psychotics have a sedative effect, perhaps there is something he could swap for after a discussion with the doctor given that he’ll now be solely responsible for the children at times.

I'm on 400mg which I take at night after a manic episode. I've slept through all sorts including the burglar alarm. I'd be wary.