Seroquel And Weight Gain

Is anyone else experiencing weight gain from seroquel? I still work out the same as always, and eat the same way, but I have gained over 20 pounds since i started seroquel 2 months ago. I dont want to stop taking it becasue i finally found a drug that helps, but this is an unacceptable side effect to me, anyone have any tips for dealing with this?

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Tell your doctor he might be able to help.

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I have been taking seroquel for about six months now and I have actually lost 16lbs. I take a dose of 400mg a day and have not hadd any problems. I have not even changed my diet or my exercise habits (which aren't the best). I do not have any side effects maybe it is a combination of the seroquel and other medicines you are taking? Seroquel actually began as a medicine given after surgery as anti-vomiting. At least that is what my psych told me. Good luck to you all......

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yes i am having the same problem about the weight gain. what did your dr tell you. i can not take this. i have never been thick and now i am starting to get that way and it is driving me crazy. please let me know thanks

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I HAVE ALSO GAINED WEIGHT ON SEROQUEL. 50 POUNDS. I HAVE TRIED TO DIET,EATING HEALTHY FOODS. NO LUCK. NOW I'M GOING TO START EXERCICING.

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been taking it for a few yrs. 50 mg at night. no weight gain.

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ps - it does make me extremely hungry about 30 minutes after i take it, but i eat a bit and it kicks in so quickly after that, i pass out

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\I have been taking seroquel for about 4 yea rs,I was under weight when I began, so when I gained 10 lbs the first year, I didn't think anything of it, then the 2nd year I found I needed size 14 jeans, not twelves-I didn't freak out until last summer when 14s were tight and this summer getting into 16s is an effort. I can't tolerate looking at myself in a mirror , because the weight is evenly distributed ,so just look thick and frankly, awful. My diet has not changed, and is heart healthy, I walk 1 mile 4 x/week as usual. I have gained 35 to 40 lbs and am only 5-3. I am 59 and have always weighted around 135, which I feel and look good at. I am sick over this.

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I forgot to ask, has anyone also been suffering from edema (excess water in tissues causes swelling)--that began a year ago and may just be a result of the weight gain....don't know

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Please continue me on assistance program
thank you

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when I started taking seroquel in July, I was 135. I weighed myself yesterday and was 168. I have never been this big. Eat a healthy diet and low on fats and sugars, but to no avail. And i can't lose it. It is so frustrating. I'm 5'0 so you can imagine how fat I look. Also, I've never had weight around the ribs, and now it's literally sagging. Although it works very well for the reason I take it, I can't stand this side effect, and every month it seems to be more.

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I was taking Seroquel for about 2 yrs back in 2000-2002 and it worked very well. I did gain about 25lbs and that is because you are retaining water from it. I ended up with a change in meds with a new Dr. I also took 2yrs of Psychiatry along with medical courses. Anyway I switched to Risperdal, Lamictal, Trazodone, Klonopin, Xanax(prn for sleep), Prozac and Adderall. I was taking 400mg at night and it made me extremely hungry and I would pass out immediately after eating. Then I noticed it wasn't lasting a full 24hrs and gave me RLS. Anyway I switched to Trazadone 400mg, one 50mg in the morning, 50mg mid day, 50mg in evening and 150mg before bed. I think it works the same and I lost the weight. With taking the Prozac, Klonopin(which I'm going to be able to stop)and Adderall are the perfect combination. Once I am able to cut out the Klonopin I will be in great shape, and feel great. If you stay on Seroquel, you'll definitely gain more weight. I couldn't stop myself no matter what I did! Even if I lowered my dose. Trazadone has kind of the same effect, but not as bad and taking it steadily during the day works great. You will feel a little bit tired during the day, but nothing you can't handle. That side effect goes away after 2 weeks and that is why you take a larger dose at night, so you fall asleep easily and stay asleep. Taking Adderall and Prozac in the morning gives you a ton of energy and another Adderall in the afternoon you will definetly stay awake and still have a healthy appetite without gaining weight. I take the Lamictal at night and a Klonopin in the morning and at night. With the combination of these meds I feel like myself again and I've been taking it for 5yrs now. You now will have no side effects with taking any other meds. I was injured at work back in 2003 and was put on some heavy pain killers and I don't have any side effects from those either. I take Opana 140mg x2/day, Roxicodone 30mg x6/day, Norco 10/325 x8/day Volteran 50mg x2/day and I'm going to start Lyrica on February 22, 2008. I have no problems with that med regimin. See if you can take the Trazadone, Lamictal, Adderall and Prozac combo. I'll bet you'll feel better and you'll loose the weight also. If it doesn't work for you, you can always go back to the old regimine and play around with ot until you find the right dosing. Good Luck!

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yea i have been on seroquel for seven years it works really good for me, but i have gained 45pds..i want to know what kind of diet pills can u take with this medication..i am on 200mg and also on celexa 10mg three times a day help please!

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I gained about 90 pounds. I then lost 35 -40 pounds. I made sure to get enough lean protein in me to keep me from being voracious. I used Power-bars-Protein +/or WHEY PROTEIN POWDER in MILK. Especially for breakfast. Then I ate under 1200 calories a day. It only worked when I ate protein.
I hope this will also help You. It saved my basic self-worth +/or mojo. 207 down to 165 helped - it took time.

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seroquel was the first thing that i found that had worked for me after many trials of sleep meds that actually put me to sleep and kept me to sleep with my pain from migranes and fibromyalgia and neck and back pain. unfortunately, it started making me gain, quickly. i eliminated everything else that it could have been because my neuologist swore that that just could not be the case with saroquel and if it was it was rare. by then, it was too late and went from a size 2 that i have been all my 35 years to a quick size 6 before i could do anything. i have gone back on lunesta, but it just does not work as great and now i am depressed because i had put on 20 lbs in 5 months and can't get it off. any suggestions for sleep instead of lunest or seroquel.

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I have been on seroquel for 10 months for sleep disorder. I have gained 30 pounds and I am so depressed. and discouraged. It has helped with sleeping but this is not worth it. Can I stop taking it cold turkey? I also take effexor amd alprazolam. I am up 3 sizes and hate myself and my doctor for ever perscribing this.

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I am on efflexor and seroquel and gained weight. At first l was a bit and stayed there but now I look like the good year blimp or michilen man. :( I am only 5' . I have been on it for sometime but the last two months I have piled on the lbs and have not changed my eating habits. I am very uncomfortable and it is depressing. I have very vivid techno coloured dreams. Some very scary, some just plain off the charts and some that I actually have to stop and think if it was a dream or reality. I also get the sweats I look like I just came out of a sauna most of the time.

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I have been on Seroquel for three months and have put on 20 pounds I don't feel like i eat anymore then i did before, but it does make me hungry about 20 minutes after i take it, I try to stay in bed but sometimes i just can't control myself from alittle snack, I can't stand it but it seems to be the only thing that helps me sleep at night

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I also have been taking seroquel (600 mg) a night for about five years now.. I started out in a size 3, weighing 135, looked great. Before I knew it, bam, now I weigh 165 although I am 5'8, I am still very thick and that has depressed me.. I can't even stand to look in the mirror. I have weaned myself off as of two days ago.. No more late night eating.. I have lost 2 pounds and hope to god I lose even more. I now take ambien or halcion for sleep.. And take lamictal now for a mood stabalizer instead of seroquel.. Will keep you posted on the weight loss..

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I take 12.5 mg of Seroquel for sleep. I experience an immediate
weight gain that in my opinion can
only come from fluid retention. I
then use an alternative med and the
weight goes back to normal. So I
alternate the Seroquel with alternative meds to prevent permanent weight gain and avoid
tolerance to the drug.

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Thank God...I could not understand why I gained 25 lbs in 5 months. I have been taking this drug and did not know that weight gain was a possible side effect. I am taking Seroquel to help me sleep. I want to get off this immediately. I decrease my eating, been exercising like crazy and not losing a pound. I do not like that all my clothes are tight. I am so glad to find out why I was gaining this weight. Thanks everyone for the information.

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Re: shauna (# 12)

I will always recommend dex, for everything and anything. I am a hopeless addict to these!

Yes, I take dex with the seroquel and I am still alive. No I do not have diabetes. The dex is highly addictive (at least to me); it is an excellent appetite suppressant. I've been psychosis free for over 10 years!

If this combo does not raise a red flag please talk to someone that is not insane :)

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I have been on Seroquel for several years it worked for my severe depression but I have gained 45 pounds and no matter what I do I can't shed the pounds. I have been working with my doctor to try and lower the dose (600mg). I want off this drug but am afraid the depression will come back. Good luck to you.

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The patient and family are usually told to disregard the normal side effects of psych meds. These side effects represent a trade off from being a danger to self and others. The weight gain could actually be the body weight getting back to normal as opposed to being malnourished. Keep active and eat a balanced diet.

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Re: sarah (# 21)

I feel your pain. I have always been thin but since taking Seroquel 6 months ago I have gained 40 pounds. No matter what I do I can't shed the pounds. I feel a lot of it is water retention my legs are swollen and I can't make myself pee. I am miserable but it does help with my depression. I would like to find a different drug to control my Bipolar symptoms but my doc says Seroquel is best for me.....I beg to differ I cant stand the way I look and feel so I hide in my house so no one will see me.

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Re: janie (# 8)

Oh my gosh I can't take it. I don't eat junk walk a mile a day and still gained 30 pounds on seroquel. I take 600mg at bed for treatment of Bipolar. I want to get off of it but doc says there is nothing he could prescribe that would help my mental issues. As far as the water retention, I have to force myself to urinate 3 times a day I am so bloated I slosh when I walk. I am miserable and don't know what to do.

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Oh my gosh I have not been this big since I was pregnant. It helped with the depression but now I am getting depressed because of the weight gain. I have gained
30 pounds since starting it 6 months ago. I am a vegan so I don't eat fatty meats, no breads or dairy. I am about to stop taking it but I am afraid of what it might do to my depression. Doc does not know what I could take in place of Seroquel so I guess I will live being overweight.

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I was on 300 mg of Seroquel it was like somebody stuck at air hose up my ass I quit taking it lost 50 pounds I I had gained but went back on it to 150 Mg at bedtime now everything is fine I'm back to my normal weight and it helps but it does cause restless leg syndrome you need something to counteract that that is the bad side effects of Seroquel

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I have been taking 600mg of seroquel at bed time for 3 years. It is great for my depression but the weight gain is horrible (30 pounds). I want to get off of it but I am afraid the depression symptoms will come back. This sucks.

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That's awesome!! I'm prescribed 150mg, and that made me gain weight at the beginning too (too much).
I'm 4'8", supposed to weigh around 85, which I did. Took the seroquel, and gained 30 pounds in 2 weeks. I don't feel healthy at this weight. It's winter, so unfortunately I tend o hibernate rather than take walks, and only get out in he fresh air when it's above 40 degrees.
Anyway, I was having a couple other weird side effects, so, without telling my psych doctor, I started taking one every "other" night. No more bad dreams, or racing thoughts, and I lost 2 pounds (better than nothing) in about a week. Not nearly as much of an appetite (like you, I still have my coffee every day, and drink soda, a couple times a week), and it appears to be helping.
I'm moving down south in a few months, as MA is not good for my bi-polar, and income situation. I believe the overall atmosphere will also help.
Keep up the good work!!
God Bless!!

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Yes i just started seroquel 4 months ago and ive gained 20 pounds which is not like myself to do.it makes you feel like your never full.i wasnt advised of this or i wouldnt have taken it.other than the weight gain i sleep better and works well for bipolar disorder.i just wish it was a win win ..i work out as well and nothing.unfortunately i will have to switch meds due to this.i am not happy with this weight gain side effect.anyone have insight

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