Quetiapine / Seroquel dose advice

[Tripman]

Ihatepipes.

My main diagnoses that trouble me are rapid-cycling Bi-polar disorder, PTSD, sleep disorder and panic disorder.

I used to be managed with 1200mg depakote (sodium valproate), 1000mg seroquel, 20mg escitalopram, 12mg alprazolam, 120mg diazepam and 2mg flunitrazepam daily.

I went through re-hab as a poly substance abuser with problems with Heroin, Methamphetamine and benzodiazepines. While I was there I took the opportunity to de-tox from all psychiatric medication.

I got off the AD, mood stabilizer and AAP with ease, however obviously that kind of benzo usage was incredibly difficult to escape from. I started a taper at 20mg clonazepam and 300mg pregabalin daily and it took me 4 months to get back to baseline.

I lasted about 6 months without any form of medication and was doing fantastic until somewhat recently when I had to start back on sporadic usage of Triazolam and Flunitrazepam for sleep. I tried to just use Escitalopram by itself however this caused a paradoxical effect which sent me deep into the pits of a manic episode.

I'm currently discussion the possibilities of off label Gabapentin use to treat my anxiety and stabilize my moods.

Rapid-cycling bi-polar is a fucking bitch which takes a lot of management.

Sorry to derail the thread!

 

[kaiba]

Tell me if i'm wrong but I feel like you have something to say that you are not saying...

What do you mean?

I'm saying that at low doses, Seroquel is an antihistamine. It's not an antipsychotic.

Seroquel acts like an antipsychotic at higher doses.

Antipsychotic action is dopamine receptor blocking/binding. There is no blocking/binding of dopamine receptors at low doses.

Check out these quotes/links:

At very low doses quetiapine acts primarily as a histamine receptor blocker (antihistamine) and α1-adrenergic blocker. When the dose is increased quetiapine activates the adrenergic system and binds strongly to serotonin receptors and autoreceptors. At high doses quetiapine starts blocking significant amounts of dopamine receptors.[33][34]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seroquel

And much less of a D2 blocker, which is what actually provides the antipsychotic effect.

http://thelastpsychiatrist.com/2007/07/the_most_important_article_on.html

Antipsychotics exhibit their antipsychotic effect through D2 blockade.

http://thelastpsychiatrist.com/2007/08/arent_two_antipsychotics_bette.html

Results: Mean D2 receptor occupancies of 41 and 30% were observed at quetiapine doses of 750 and 450 mg/day. At lower dose levels no occupancy could be determined.

http://www.europeanneuropsychopharmacology.com/article/S0924-977X(00)00133-4/abstract

 

[Escapedysphoria]

What do you mean?

I'm saying that at low doses, Seroquel is an antihistamine. It's not an antipsychotic.

Seroquel acts like an antipsychotic at higher doses.

Antipsychotic action is dopamine receptor blocking/binding. There is no blocking/binding of dopamine receptors at low doses.

Check out these quotes/links:

Yeah I use 25mg quetiapine to potentiate the sedation of particular opioids. Esp methadone

 

[ihatepipes]

What do you mean?

I'm saying that at low doses, Seroquel is an antihistamine. It's not an antipsychotic.

Seroquel acts like an antipsychotic at higher doses.

Antipsychotic action is dopamine receptor blocking/binding. There is no blocking/binding of dopamine receptors at low doses.

Check out these quotes/links:

While I haven't read about it before I have spoken with my doctor about it. I was curious as to why the dosing range is so broad and why do I need such a high dose opposed to someone who only takes 100 mg like yourself. He explained the differences in action to me then. I DO appreciate the links you have provided even though I only understand half of it hence my participation in BDD vs ADD.

What I meant when I asked you if you had something to say I was just curious if you had a problem with my posts in this thread.

It's hard to figure out/read feelings in text only communication so I asked (I sometimes read into things a little bit too much).

 

[kaiba]

While I haven't read about it before I have spoken with my doctor about it. I was curious as to why the dosing range is so broad and why do I need such a high dose opposed to someone who only takes 100 mg like yourself. He explained the differences in action to me then. I DO appreciate the links you have provided even though I only understand half of it hence my participation in BDD vs ADD.

What I meant when I asked you if you had something to say I was just curious if you had a problem with my posts in this thread.

It's hard to figure out/read feelings in text only communication so I asked (I sometimes read into things a little bit too much).

Nah, I didn't have a problem, I'm a pretty laid back guy.

Apparently, 25 to 100 mg is a popular prescription for sleep/insomnia. I take Seroquel for sleep/insomnia.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15029469?dopt=Abstract

http://www.forbes.com/2004/09/08/cx_mh_0908seroquel.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quetiapine

 

[Survival0200]

I once had 100 mg Seroquel prescribed for me as needed for anxiety - however I never took it, because I had an experience with 50 mg / day Seroquel putting me to sleep for 12 hours per day...

 

[Fox Grove]

I take 150 mg Seroquel only when I want to sleep for a day. I have no Idea how people take it during the day.