Seroquel Questions And Slow Taper? (Top voted first)

Hello, I am a 48 year old woman and I have been on 100mg of seroquel at night for 8 years for depression and sleep. I need to slowly taper off this. It seems it is making me even more tired and I sleep and sleep for very long hours. I have a lot of issues with it.

I have a few questions. I take the 100mg tablet at night. I also have some of the 25 mg and was going to use those to taper. But even though I know 4 of the 25 mg tablets are 100mg, It seems to work different when taken that way? Anyone else notice this? Should I just try to cut up the 100mg and taper that?

I wanted to take 75mg and take the other 25 mg tablet and cut it up. I want to do a very slow taper. I would be happy to taper 25 mg over 2.5 to 4 months.

I have tapered off other things in the past that I took for fibromyalgia. I also take ambien at night. I think all this is too much for me. I feel awful all day. Almost like a zombie these days is how I feel. I hate to use that word.

My doctor has not been helpful with any taper in the past. Just always says oh you can quit that or you can taper that-but really fast. Been there, done that with other meds, never again. A slow taper is hard enough on my brain and body! I don't want to harm my body more. The med seems toxic to me?

I have read so much conflicting info on the web. Also I know women metabolize things differently, as we get older we need less of meds and my body weight is low-I think that is one reason I can't take much of many meds. I have worked on my health through diet and other areas.

Any replies would be much appreciated. Sorry this is long.

Lynn

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Hello, Lynn! How are you? I'm very sorry about the problem that you're having.

However, if you're also taking Ambien, then it is most likely that it is what's causing such issues and not the Seroquel. Only your doctor can say for sure, but Ambien is well known to do that.

What dosage of Ambien do you take?

The FDA classifies it as a sedative hypnotic and its other typical side effects may include nausea, dizziness, sleep actions and hallucinations.

That's why I had to stop taking it, after being on it for awhile, I never felt good or right during the day, but these symptoms went away about a week after stopping it.

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Hi Verwon. Thank you! I am hanging in there. Cold where I live today and the cold is not very good for me. How are you?

I take 10mg of ambien at night. I know there were recommendations for it to be reduced to 5mg for women in the news some time ago. But my doctor never reduced it so I thought it was fine.

My memory is getting worse too and I think it could be the ambien now that I think about it. I have forgotten how long I have been on the ambien now. I think it has been a couple years, maybe 2 or 3? Maybe less. I forget.

See I was on ambien before in the past and got off it. I wish now I had not started taking it again. I am trying to remember, but I think I had started on it again at my doctor's recommendation? I know we have to be our own advocate.

Thank you for your reply. I spent some time since you wrote that, reading about ambien and have decided to taper off it! I will start next week. I will cut off a small piece to start. This generic does not have a line like the old ambien did. I will listen to my body about how fast or slow to get off it.

Were you on it long? How long did it take you to taper? I think I would do just fine on the seroquel for sleep. I will post back here later on with an update and do more reading here.

Thanks again! Take care!
Lynn

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Hi Lynn,

Just wanted to share my experience taking seroquel 25mg, neurontin, and cyclobenzeprene. My memory was very bad, to the point I couldn't even dress myself and would have to set a timer to remember to do everything, even finish dressing. I was only 30 at the time. When I was younger, I took higher doses of seroquel 300mg a night and I had to get glasses, but my vision returned to normal once I stopped. Taking the higher dose, I was also a zombie during the day and completely lethargic, unable to think.. Taking ambient alone, I never had serious problems, just occassional night snacking, but I wasn't blacked out or anything. Now I am taking just 25 mg of seroquel, but my pupils have been dialating strangely for no reason so I am stopping. Everybody's body is different and responds differently to medication. Listen to your symptoms, and keep a log, and work with your doctor to stop one med at a time and record if there is a change in symptoms.

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Hello Rose. Thank you for replying. I am sorry for what you have been through. Thank you for the wise advice. I wish I had kept a log about everything but I am going to now.

I am thinking and reading a lot about all this. I have read about severe eye problems with seroquel. My eyes get so dry and the light hurts them more. I already had glasses. I use eye ointment and stuff like that.

I do see myself getting off ambien and tapering seroquel to as low as I can get it or getting off? I just worry about being on something for 8 years and getting of it. One of my main issues was sleep.

Hope your eyes return to normal again when you stop the seroquel.

Take care
Thanks!
Lynn

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Hi, I take 100 mg of seroquel at night and have for 10 years. I do have the 25 mg tablets as well as the 100 mg ones. I take this for sleep for fibromyalgia.

I itch and itch now after I take seroquel. It is getting worse. Getting bruises from itching on my legs. :'( I have been having a feeling in my throat like itching and tickling. Been through this before with other types of medications. I have had hives from other medications I had to stop before. I am allergic to a lot of medications. As sensitive as I am, surprised I was able to take seroquel this long. I do feel like a zombie the next day. I am getting worse and worse reactions to this medication.

If I get worse, I know I will have to taper really fast. I don't want to. But may have to. I go back to my doctor next month. I am worried if I go now he will just say quit taking it now.

I am just stressed about tapering off this now. But I have to. Any advice? Anyone taper off seroquel?

I have tapered many medications and made it through. I think seroquel is causing me a lot of other issues too. My eyes bother me more and more.

Would a low histamine diet help some? My biggest worry is how fast can I safely do this? Honestly, my doctor has not been much help in the past with things. I can't afford another doctor. Not many choices with my insurance and where I live. I do the best I can.

Thank you. Oh the only other medication I take now is klonopin 1 mg. I divide it up into 4 doses a day.

P.S. I have not been able to work for a long time. Thank goodness for my husband of 30 years who works very hard and family. I have been feeling so bad from seroquel I go out less and less. It is time to stop this I am sure. I am scared of the withdrawal to be honest. I weigh 125 lbs now and I am 50 years old. My weight has dropped to 113 lbs tapering another medication in the past and tapering medications is painful.

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"SEROQUEL is indicated for the treatment of schizophrenia.... and bipolar (x)" from the FDA.

The smaller doses are more sedating than the larger doses, yes I know this is weird.

You have my total attention! you say " But even though I know 4 of the 25 mg tablets are 100mg, It seems to work different when taken that way? Anyone else notice this? Should I just try to cut up the 100mg and taper that?"

Me and my current doctor and my previous doctor seem to agree that the surface area of the pill may effect the rate of absorption. When I end up back in the hospital my old doc would give me ~15/25mg pills with a Vistaril (hydroxyzine). Yes, many people will laugh at this concept but it works for me. I do admit that swallowing that many pills is difficult!

As for tapering: DO NOT STOP ABRUPTLY! If you want the best information I would contact Astra Zeneca. They do have guidelines for discontinuing the drug.

Another good link is:
American Journal of Psychiatry: Quetiapine Discontinuation Syndrome

Believe me that abrupt cessation is no fun. Also, there are two types of seroquel. You have Quetiapine-ethanol (seroquel) and Quetiapine fumarate (seroquel XR (extra release)). Believe me there is a _huge_ difference.

IMHO I would contact Astra Zeneca and get the information on "discontinuation" of the drug. I would try using an anti-depressant first; as to which one I have no idea what will work for you.

I thank you for your post; it makes me feel less crazy :)

best of luck.

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Yes you are correct! :)

I take seroquel and I bruise much easier - I am also getting much older. DO NOT TAPER FAST! You can have very strange side effects like irrational thoughts, vomiting, etc. This is not to scare you, I have been through this and would not want anyone to do the same.

There is a condition with eye discomfort. I used to get this from risperidone, there is a science/medical term for this but I cannot remember what it is called. I would also be concerned with bowl movements.

IMHO I would increase the klonopin by ~0.25 mg for the process. You mention something _very_ interesting with the histamine. There is a drug called Vistaril which is a "histamine" and I have taken it before and it seems to work for sleep. There are also claims that it can help with itchiness. This drug, as far as I know, is non addictive. They used to give me a PRN (optional) 100mg every hour. This is a bit excessive.

Being fearful about changing medications should cause you to be a bit nervous - this means you are still human.

Tapering doesn't need to be painful; it is very scary though. I hope this helps.

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I hope you’re doing OK, yeah it’s ridiculous that they always tell people they can just stop taking their medication and that’s not true for my body either.

I hope you found an effective way to do this, one of the main problems with using antipsychotics off label is that sometimes the withdrawal will trigger psychosis and people who didn’t have psychosis. It’s really irresponsible to give someone an antipsychotic for insomnia.

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