Addicted to Quentiapine (Seroquel) possible?

[Opi_Kid_Rock]

My question is, is it possible to become dependant on Quentiapine just to be able to fall asleep? I’ve been prescribed it for couple years now.

 

[Quickfixgrrl]

I take it. It helps me sleep and I haven't considered NOT taking it.. so I guess I'm addicted or at least reliant on it.
Can you sleep without it?

 

[d1nach]

Well does it work, is it harming you , and are you having to up the dose?

I am "dependent" on my meds otherwise i am a suicidal mess. But i dont consider it a problem the answer to all three parts of that question is no vs say when i took ambien xanax alcohol various other drugs it was yes yes and yes.

 

[Jabberwocky]

I was taking 50 mg seroquel a day several years ago for about 9 months or so and found it very difficult to stop. The side effects of trying to quit were major anxiety and paranoid intrusive thoughts. I needed to taper off it and substitute with a different anti-psychotic. I think it is a useful drug for lots of things but it definitely has withdrawal issues.

 

[d1nach]

I think its hard to stop just about any medication after taking it for months. I dont know if your going to one that is potent enough for your issue and you can just stop. But good luck. That doses sound very intense for 50 mg of seroquel.

 

[Pinprick]

I stopped taking it af

My question is, is it possible to become dependant on Quentiapine just to be able to fall asleep? I’ve been prescribed it for couple years now.

I stopped taking it after 2 months my doctor ran blood work and my sugar was high which is a known side effect and not a good one , could lead to diabetes

 

[draculic acid69]

I stopped taking it af

I stopped taking it after 2 months my doctor ran blood work and my sugar was high which is a known side effect and not a good one , could lead to diabetes

That shit gives me the hardcore munchies.way worse than benzo or pot munchies.

 

[Hezman94]

Fet off if i did to risperidine i feel.loads better the weithdrawal.made.me.cpfry commit suicde th i did it too quick ut the quetiapine made..y.body so stiff a d restless.
ivd cut dow ..y ropinirole to 0.5mg.from 2mg.since switching. Please please.taper for.longer if you switch.
Quetiapine is tbe.most addictice anti.psychotic prisoners.pay for the.and.a!ohetamine.addicts.llve.tjem.to.comedow.

 

[Opi_Kid_Rock]

My script ran out and I will be without for a week. Last night I slept at 4am without Quentiapine. Went to the washoom therefore experienced my usual interrupted sleep without Quentiapine. I’ll see how the sleep quality goes tonight on day 2 of no Quentiapine.

 

[ChemicallyEnhanced]

YES.
Doctors refer to it as a "discontinuation syndrome" but yah, it withdrawal. I get anxious and moderately depressed. I get clammy too and I had this thing where - even when I wasn't sad at all - I couldn't not stop crying uncontrollably for hours at a time.
The worse is the most intense, relentless insomnia. I went over 70 hours with 0 sleep when I first stopped and then was averaging like 90-`120mins a night for the next week or two.

 

[ChemicallyEnhanced]

My psych put me on 600mg Quetiapine (300mg every 12 hours) and I just did not feel right. Anyway, three months later I'm in hospital for unrelated reasons (having an inter-muscular abscess removed. I recovered fine and very quickly but they were VERY concerned about my blood sugar and told me it was so high that their machines couldn't read it and that meant it was a medical emergency, so they injected me with insulin (enough for an elephant apparently because I got so weak and cold and sweaty and heart palpitations etc from very LOW blood sugar).
I told then that there was zero cases of diabetes or high blood sugar on either side of my family and that mine had always been normal. I ALWAYS thoroughly research any substance before putting them in my body so I told the doctors and specialists I thought I had Hyperglycemia Secondary to Quetiapine use. They all told me no, it wasn't and said I was now an insulin-dependent diabetic.
I went through 6 months of HELL with my blood sugars constantly jumping all over like Pete in a codeine factory. Until one day I finally thought FUCK THIS SHIT WITH A RAKE MAMA and completely stopped taking both the Quetiapine and the Insulin that day.
Within 3-7 days I felt back to my normal self again. After a month I ask my doctor to check my blood sugars and tells me that 5 weeks ago the vastly improved and are now normal.
I went to one more meeting with the specialists who told me in a very condescending way that "due to a non-human-based-error* you were incorrectly diagnosed with diabetes. But we managed to discover [insert smug smile here] that was you actually had was a condition called "Hyperglycemia secondary due to the Quetiapine you were taking."

OH WAS IT, BARBARA??!!

*I call BS on this

 

[Quickfixgrrl]

My psych put me on 600mg Quetiapine (300mg every 12 hours) and I just did not feel right. Anyway, three months later I'm in hospital for unrelated reasons (having an inter-muscular abscess removed. I recovered fine and very quickly but they were VERY concerned about my blood sugar and told me it was so high that their machines couldn't read it and that meant it was a medical emergency, so they injected me with insulin (enough for an elephant apparently because I got so weak and cold and sweaty and heart palpitations etc from very LOW blood sugar).
I told then that there was zero cases of diabetes or high blood sugar on either side of my family and that mine had always been normal. I ALWAYS thoroughly research any substance before putting them in my boy so I told the doctors and specialists I thought I had Hyperglycemia Secondary to Quetiapine use. They all told me no, it wasn't and said I was now an insulin-dependent diabetic.
I went through 6 months of HELL with my blood sugars constantly jumping all over like Pete in a codeine factory. Until one day I finally thought FUCK THIS SHIT WITH A RAKE MAMA and completely stopped taking both the Quetiapine and the Insulin that day.
Within 3-7 days I felt back to my normal self again. After a month I ask my doctor to check my blood sugars and tells me that 5 weeks ago the vastly improved and are now normal.
I went to one more meeting with the specialists who told me in a very condescending way that "due to a non-human-based-error* you were incorrectly diagnosed with diabetes. But we managed to discover [insert smug smile here] that was you actually had was a condition called "Hyperglycemia due to the Questiapine you were taking."

OH WAS, BARBARA??!!

"Pete in a Codeine factory"

I'm on 200 (100 am, 100 pm) and the none of my doctors have mentioned possible blood sugar issues. I guess I'll need to do their job and request tests

 

[Quickfixgrrl]

That shit gives me the hardcore munchies.way worse than benzo or pot munchies.

If I take it and don't put myself to bed fairly soon after the dose, it's like a compulsion to eat!! It's absolutely insane. I try hard not to take it too early if I'm not planning on going straight to sleep, because of the urge (it's not even the munchies, it's like EAT ALL OF THE FOOD NOW). Shitty side effect. Also experience night sweats, mainly only affecting my legs.
The drug seems to work well, but even at my low dose the side effects are harsh. And I can't stand the grogginess after my morning dose.. it's a killer to keep my eyes open.

 

[Pinprick]

My psych put me on 600mg Quetiapine (300mg every 12 hours) and I just did not feel right. Anyway, three months later I'm in hospital for unrelated reasons (having an inter-muscular abscess removed. I recovered fine and very quickly but they were VERY concerned about my blood sugar and told me it was so high that their machines couldn't read it and that meant it was a medical emergency, so they injected me with insulin (enough for an elephant apparently because I got so weak and cold and sweaty and heart palpitations etc from very LOW blood sugar).
I told then that there was zero cases of diabetes or high blood sugar on either side of my family and that mine had always been normal. I ALWAYS thoroughly research any substance before putting them in my boy so I told the doctors and specialists I thought I had Hyperglycemia Secondary to Quetiapine use. They all told me no, it wasn't and said I was now an insulin-dependent diabetic.
I went through 6 months of HELL with my blood sugars constantly jumping all over like Pete in a codeine factory. Until one day I finally thought FUCK THIS SHIT WITH A RAKE MAMA and completely stopped taking both the Quetiapine and the Insulin that day.
Within 3-7 days I felt back to my normal self again. After a month I ask my doctor to check my blood sugars and tells me that 5 weeks ago the vastly improved and are now normal.
I went to one more meeting with the specialists who told me in a very condescending way that "due to a non-human-based-error* you were incorrectly diagnosed with diabetes. But we managed to discover [insert smug smile here] that was you actually had was a condition called "Hyperglycemia due to the Questiapine you were taking."

OH WAS IT, BARBARA??!!

Exactly , my one blood test came back and it was a little high and I immediately stopped taking it

 

[ChemicallyEnhanced]

Exactly , my one blood test came back and it was a little high and I immediately stopped taking it

I think they use a totally different measuring in the U.S, but the way we measure it here is that between and 4 to 7 is considered normal/idea. There's a little leniency with diabetics and their "ideal" blood-sugar is between 4 and 12. If it's 20 or more that's a warning that you need to go the the Emergency Room. 25 or more is classed as a ,medical emergency. When they tested mine in the hospital, they couldn't because the devise only reads up to 30 and mine was higher than that. They eventually did a different type of blood work and mine came back at 36 and the staff were amazed I wasn't in a coma.
That shows you how dangerous some drugs can be, even if prescribed by a doctor and taken as directed.

 

[jose ribas da silva]

I had a terrible discontinuation syndrome from 6 months on 50 mg (my brain is already fucked up) but i had some many other substances in my body that I cannot affirm that it was only because of it. Anyway, I gain almost ten kilograms in this period, from an ironing board shape to a spherical one

 

[Keif' Richards]

My question is, is it possible to become dependant on Quentiapine just to be able to fall asleep? I’ve been prescribed it for couple years now.

Of course. When you use medication to get to sleep, aside from whatever physical dependence might be present, you're sort of retraining your brain. I know so many people who take some substance to get to sleep. Melatonin, Cannabis, Antihistamines, Benzodiazepines etc. You could become dependent on Chamomille Tea. Without the tea you just can't initiate sleep.

Don't be too hard on yourself though. I wouldn't call this an addiction. Quetiapine (Seroquel) is not really a drug of abuse. It's really useful as an antipsychotic and as a sleep aid, but you can't get high on it, sadly. Like any other medication, if you ever decide to stop taking it, you just reduce the dose in very small increments and you should be able to avoid serious discomfort.

Do you have a desire to stop taking this medication? If so, what experience do you have with other sleep aids?

 

[Opi_Kid_Rock]

Of course. When you use medication to get to sleep, aside from whatever physical dependence might be present, you're sort of retraining your brain. I know so many people who take some substance to get to sleep. Melatonin, Cannabis, Antihistamines, Benzodiazepines etc. You could become dependent on Chamomille Tea. Without the tea you just can't initiate sleep.

Don't be too hard on yourself though. I wouldn't call this an addiction. Quetiapine (Seroquel) is not really a drug of abuse. It's really useful as an antipsychotic and as a sleep aid, but you can't get high on it, sadly. Like any other medication, if you ever decide to stop taking it, you just reduce the dose in very small increments and you should be able to avoid serious discomfort.

Do you have a desire to stop taking this medication? If so, what experience do you have with other sleep aids?

With other OTC sleep aids, I don’t fall asleep as easily as I do with Quentiapine. I also feel less groggy waking up from Quentiapine than from OTC antihistamines.

 

[Pinprick]

My shrink took me off the serequel because the sugar and gave me 40 mg x2 of ziprasidone and 50 mg of trazadone and I’m usually knocked out within 45 minutes, she warned me about the serequel from the beginning and as soon as a blood test came back with a higher level than normal I quit it

 

[MJ420]

My psych put me on 600mg Quetiapine (300mg every 12 hours) and I just did not feel right. Anyway, three months later I'm in hospital for unrelated reasons (having an inter-muscular abscess removed. I recovered fine and very quickly but they were VERY concerned about my blood sugar and told me it was so high that their machines couldn't read it and that meant it was a medical emergency, so they injected me with insulin (enough for an elephant apparently because I got so weak and cold and sweaty and heart palpitations etc from very LOW blood sugar).
I told then that there was zero cases of diabetes or high blood sugar on either side of my family and that mine had always been normal. I ALWAYS thoroughly research any substance before putting them in my boy so I told the doctors and specialists I thought I had Hyperglycemia Secondary to Quetiapine use. They all told me no, it wasn't and said I was now an insulin-dependent diabetic.
I went through 6 months of HELL with my blood sugars constantly jumping all over like Pete in a codeine factory. Until one day I finally thought FUCK THIS SHIT WITH A RAKE MAMA and completely stopped taking both the Quetiapine and the Insulin that day.
Within 3-7 days I felt back to my normal self again. After a month I ask my doctor to check my blood sugars and tells me that 5 weeks ago the vastly improved and are now normal.
I went to one more meeting with the specialists who told me in a very condescending way that "due to a non-human-based-error* you were incorrectly diagnosed with diabetes. But we managed to discover [insert smug smile here] that was you actually had was a condition called "Hyperglycemia due to the Questiapine you were taking."

OH WAS IT, BARBARA??!!

Very interesting. I was taking 50mg a night for a couple months. Stopped myself and now months later i get heart palpitations and cold feeling. I just got sent for bloodwork and I hope not diabetes. They made me crave sugar