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Misc Question about tapering Seroquel.

shady4091

Bluelighter
Joined
Sep 21, 2010
Messages
743
Location
Alberta, Canada
Question about tapering Seroquel (SSRI).

I've been taking Seroquel (Quetiapine, not prescribed) for the last two months for sleep and I'm finally running out. I know it has SSRI effects so I don't want to just quit. My dose has been about 100mg every night, up to the last few days in which I've been taking about 50mg (200mg pills approximately quartered). I have five 200mg pills left and I was wondering what the best way of using these to taper would be. I know I should have probably given myself a bit more time but I figure it's only been two months so hopefully I won't have a big problem. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
 
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I was only on seroquel for a couple months, a long ass time ago myself.
2 months isn't that bad. You might not sleep for a day or 2 though. If you have to work, I'd get some diazepam or clonazepam (any longer acting benzo), just for the first week or so max, until you're sleeping again.

Benadryl (if it still does anything for you) for sleep, or even possibly melatonin (if it works for you), to reset your circadian rhythm.

It's good that you think you're ready to be off that crap, but shit, good luck sleeping. Smoke/eat a high CB2 agonist strain of weed/tincture even. -Low (if any) psychoactive effects.
 
I wouldn't worry about going off seroquel suddenly for only a month. I have no personal experience with the drug; if anything is out of the ordinary for you, you can still go get medical help if you need it, if not just plain going to the doctor.

DexterMeth's advice wasn't bad either. :)
 
I currently take 25mg seroquel nightly. I was started on 100mg originally. The one main thing I noticed with tapering this was just some trouble sleeping pretty much. Although I tapered slower.
 
Thanks guys. So I shouldn't feel much of an SSRI discontinuation syndrome from two months of use? Even at 100mg a day? I thought this was on the higher end of the dose scale... A bit of sleeplessness is to be expected though, of course.
 
^ Yeah it shouldn't be too bad man. I found being on 100mg to be quite a high dose for me with how drowsy it made me at the time, but some people are prescribed 300-400mg of this stuff for bipolar disorder, and some other conditions.
 
Thanks guys. So I shouldn't feel much of an SSRI discontinuation syndrome from two months of use? Even at 100mg a day? I thought this was on the higher end of the dose scale... A bit of sleeplessness is to be expected though, of course.

Seroquel is not a SSRI it's a atypical anti-psychotic. At the dose you are taking your really only getting the anti-histamine effects not the anti-psychotic effects. The H1 antagonism is what makes seroquel a good sleep aid for some. Your on a low dose some people are prescribed up to 800mg's for bipolar disorder or schizophrenia.

So i wouldn't worry about it. Beyond some insomnia i doubt very much you will get any withdrawal effects.
 
Oh wow, you're right :p I thought I remember reading it was an SSRI when I was researching it before I started taking it. Thanks man, pretty much /thread right there.
 
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