Misc Quetiapine

[jose ribas da silva]

Hi

Has someone taken quetiapine for long periods of time? I would like to know about the collateral effects when it used for longs period of time, months to a year.

Should I expect withdrawal symptoms similar to those verified with benzos? What kinds of negative effects?

Is it very addictive?

 

[Michael_25]

I was on it for roughly 4 months prior to starting clozapine. So this was back in 2012 and therefore my memory is a bit hazy. I noticed weight gain from the medication, despite only eating 1500 -- 1700 calories a day. It was also extremely sedating, more so than olanzapine and chlorpromazine and amisulpride. And probably more sedating than clozapine.

I was discontinued on Seroquel without tapering down; they put me straight onto clozapine. This is my own account for the medication. Google will provide you with a wealth of information.

EDIT: No, it is not addictive.

 

[d1nach]

Why are you on it? If your on it for schizophrenia or bipolar disorder you could reexperience an episode.

I would not stop without a doctors help. As the duration youve been on it suggests you may have a serious mental health issue. (No big deal i do to. Been on lithium for years. )

 

[jose ribas da silva]

Actually, I have not started the treatment yet, I am only considering it as a possibility to substitute benzos for anxiety.

I’ve been on it in the past, but I was living a very traumatic episode, so I cannot accurately compare that situation with my current situation. I don’t have any mental disease, only anxiety, thinking in the lowest dose, like 25 mg.

I believe it would be necessary 2 months to get the therapeutic effects and make things happen in life.

 

[jose ribas da silva]

So I am thinking whether it would worth to take it for my purposes. In terms of the negative effects that it may cause in my body. namely, i don't wanna to live a hell after stop taking it

 

[d1nach]

Well stopping any psych med if all at once can probably cause side effects. However its not like benzos. I think your more likely to stop it because of side effects in the short term unlike benzos which in my experience seemed like a miracle. But especially when paired with a ssri and cbt therapy is much more likely to be a safe and effective treatment long term for anxiety.

People with psychosis ive heard of taken as high as 800 mg in psych wards.

In otherwords i think like ssris you might experience mild side effects that might make you want to discontinue the medication that could go away with daily use.

Most likely id guess drowsiness and mild weightgain. Ive gained a few pounds on psych meds its worth my sanity.

 

[ChemicallyEnhanced]

Hi

Has someone taken quetiapine for long periods of time? I would like to know about the collateral effects when it used for longs period of time, months to a year.

Should I expect withdrawal symptoms similar to those verified with benzos? What kinds of negative effects?

Is it very addictive?

Nothing like benzo's at all no.
If I remember correctly Quetiapine withdrawal symptoms for me were: anxiety, uncontrollable crying, loss of appetite and weight loss, severe insomnia, aggression and nausea.

 

[jose ribas da silva]

Nothing like benzo's at all no.
If I remember correctly Quetiapine withdrawal symptoms for me were: anxiety, uncontrollable crying, loss of appetite and weight loss, severe insomnia, aggression and nausea.

Written in these terms, I don't even to imagine your benzos withdrawals. But yeah, it will not worth it in the end, I'd rather live anxious

 

[ChemicallyEnhanced]

Written in these terms, I don't even to imagine your benzos withdrawals. But yeah, it will not worth it in the end, I'd rather live anxious

Withdrawal from benzo for me were: severe, constant anxiety, insomnia, shaking, profuse sweating and grand mal seizures. Not nice.

 

[ChemicallyEnhanced]

^I was on A LOT of Quetiapine though.
I had 300mg tabs I took twice a day, 150mg tabs I took up to four times a day and 100mg tabs I took up to six times a day. I'd just lost someone very close to me and was basically knocking myself out day and night.

 

[jose ribas da silva]

^I was on A LOT of Quetiapine though.
I had 300mg tabs I took twice a day, 150mg tabs I took up to four times a day and 100mg tabs I took up to six times a day. I'd just lost someone very close to me and was basically knocking myself out day and night.

that's crazy, but it is its therapeutic dose. For me, on 50 mg it is difficult to stay awake

I believe its action is more effective than the action of benzos, it keeps me very confident, high self-esteem. But I am quite sure that I am going to suffer from withdrawal because I have a history of drug abuse (including benzos) so that is like my brain receptors are somehow altered, more susceptible. I don't know how to explain, but, for example, if I take benzos 3-5 days and stop abruptly I am going to suffer from withdrawal for sure. Why would be different with quetiapine (considering weeks of use)? They are different substances, yes, but very powerful ones, both.

 

[nznity]

I was on it for roughly 6 months, 200mg once at night, shits very strong. it would knock me out 40 mins after taking it, I experienced some weight gain but I'm a very skinny person so u wouldn't notice that on me, I've heard of ppl gaining 50 pounds or something like that over a period of several months. It didn't do nothing for me besides helping me switch myself off every night. I was given quetiapine at a rehab but other than sedation and weird dreams it didn't do nothing for me.

 

[d1nach]

Your not supposed to go and just stop psych meds. If you want to discontinue a medication you just talk to your doctor and they slowly discontinue it. The difference is benzos are not long term medications. They stop working so your basically f*cked still anxious and if you try to stop it you get withdrawal. Or you end up abusing it and run out or cant get any one day from your source.

But Seroquel if after say 3 months you feel like you dont need it they can reduce it over a few sessions to see if you become anxious again.

I take psych meds for being suicidal if i just stopped them all at once i would get withdrawals but that doesnt mean i just should say "f*ck it i should just use benzos and alcohol instead because withdrawal is withdrawal" the difference is alcohol and benzos might make me feel better in the short term but they arent effective in the long term

 

[Lucy20]

I took 25mg for sleep for a few months and stopped no problem. I was also taking clonazepam so that may have helped

 

[jose ribas da silva]

Your not supposed to go and just stop psych meds. If you want to discontinue a medication you just talk to your doctor and they slowly discontinue it. The difference is benzos are not long term medications. They stop working so your basically f*cked still anxious and if you try to stop it you get withdrawal. Or you end up abusing it and run out or cant get any one day from your source.

But Seroquel if after say 3 months you feel like you dont need it they can reduce it over a few sessions to see if you become anxious again.

I take psych meds for being suicidal if i just stopped them all at once i would get withdrawals but that doesnt mean i just should say "f*ck it i should just use benzos and alcohol instead because withdrawal is withdrawal" the difference is alcohol and benzos might make me feel better in the short term but they arent effective in the long term

How long have you been using it? So then in your opinion is valid to take it in a long term?

 

[d1nach]

I dont take it anymore. But unlike benzos it wasnt addicting. Im not a doctor but benzos seem to overwhelming not be long term solutions.

I have to go but id guess given its
H1 antagonism and muscarinic antagonism it might help anxiety at low doses by making you mildly sedated

At higher doses its actions at 5ht2a 5ht2c and maybe 5ht1a might have a antianxiety effect. And this might be esp true with a ssri.

However this evidence in my opinion is less strong than use for major depression especially with antidepressant.

In short i think low doses probably help sleep via histamine receptors short term moderate doses could provide antianxiety effects via seritonin (5ht2) receptors and high doses most likely can have a antipsychotic effect via d2 receptors.