Quetiapine users, how does it make you feel?

[OneAvidAmberLion]

Two psychiatrists have suggested that I take this medication for emotional dysregulation. Antidepressants don't help, actually, they make everything worse.

However, I'm reluctant. I'm nervous about side effects. I need to be able to function and work. Will I feel rotten initially? I really don't want to gain weight either.

On the other hand, I'd like to have a stable mood where I don't keep dropping into severe depression.

I feel great right now which makes this an even harder decision as I forget how bad I feel sometimes.

I’ve been in it for 15 years. It is great for sleep. My only advice would be that I have always been on once daily dosing at night. I know that I would not be able to drive safely etc if I took it in the morning as I find it very sedating x

Also yes I have put a few stones on but part of that is lack of willpower!

I took it as an inpatient when I was very unwell with anorexia. I did find it very sedating. Unfortunately I had a serious, but rare side effect that meant I had to stop it immediately.
I agree with the pp who suggested a night time dose. I was taking morning and evening and the morning dose would see me completely knocked out. Not too bad whilst in hospital, but not great if you need to function normally.

I take 2 on an evening for sleep and my ptsd medication in the morning. Never had any obvious side effects like weight gain etc. You can only try, but def take it at night.

I don’t want to leave a negative response but my husband was on it, absolutely wasted him even taking it at night. He had no energy for anything. He was a bit of dickhead on it (probably because he was tired)

probably best to be aware I suppose

I’ve taken it for quite a few years. Yes, take it at night it is very sedating. I have bipolar disorder and I feel well on it.

My cousin is on a high dose for his paranoid schizophrenia. It is very sedating so night time dose would probably be better. I can always tell when he's unwell as it makes him completely zombified. Perhaps start with a small dose and see if it works before taking a higher one. And yes, anti psychotic meds are notorious for weight gain

I take 200mg at night 1 hr before I want to fall asleep, it really has helped me sleep a lot better, I wouldn't take it in the am though, I haven't gained weight, I lost 10lbs since I started it in the new year, but metabolic issues are common.

Do you mind me asking which medication you're tagging for PTSD?

That's what I'm struggling with.

Thank you.

Thanks for all the replies.

If I go ahead I'll definitely take it at night only.

I'm still uncertain, my lows are deep and fairly frequent but inbetween them, I'm pretty stable.

I sometimes become suicidal, that's what I need to prevent. If I was low right now, I'd probably accept the medication. Because I'm OK, I don't feel like I need it.

I've 10 days until I go back so I'm going to monitor how I am and go from there.

So im on 375mg venlaflaxine to manage my day to day symptoms which I find life changing compared to what I was like. I had tried many other SSRI/SNRIs before that.

Night is 2 x quatiapeine and 12mg dioxisosin (not right spelling) which is prescribed off license but is/was clinically trialled for ptsd sufferers, its usually for blood pressure i think. Combination of both will allow me to sleep and not have night trauma sweats (majority of the time)

Edited as noticed your update post. I find the venlafaxine compliments my moods, I can still fall into the hole but my self harm/suicidal thoughts are nowhere near as bad as they were.

I took my first dose yesterday actually! It made me fall asleep In about 2 hours, i rook it at 8 and fell asleep at 10pm I woke up at 1am and was quite awake I had a drink and then fell asleep again and woke up at 10. IM on annual leave. I was quite tired for about an hour this morning but I feel better already. I have bipolar type 1 and it’s supposed to stop mania. I don’t ever feel sleepy and yesterday felt like quite a natural sleep. Not like Zopiclone for me at all.

I wouldn’t take it in the morning because it’s meant to be sedating so take it at night

BusElla. What dosage do you take?

100mg at the moment :)

I was really hesitant too, but when I started Quetiapine it mainly just made me super sleepy at first, after a couple of weeks that settled and my mood felt a lot more stable. I didn’t love the grogginess or slight appetite increase, but for me the trade-off was worth it to not keep crashing into those lows.