Tapering off quetiapine

Hi albv9,

I've been taking Seroquel for the same reason, as a sleep aid and secondly as a "mood stabilizer" for over 20 years. I'm 70 y/o now and am still taking it.

I'm not a Dr, but I haven't experienced any lt affects from the drug and my Dr still prescribes it.

I suggest talking with your Dr. Maybe it's not necessary to stop.

All the best to you.

Joe

Good for you and good for your Doctor. If you read the side effects for any medication you would never take anything. If your body tolerates it and it helps you consider yourself lucky. You have a good PCP. Many PCP’s should stay off the internet. There are many things that cause dementia but for some people it is simply genetic and runs in families.
Good luck to you.

Hi Joe, what dosage of Seroquel have you used in the last 20 years? I have been taking Seroquel 12.5 (half a pill of 25mg) every night, to help me sleep, for the last 1 1/2 years. Last week my PD took me off Seroquel and put me on Mirtazapine7.5 mg. She read some studies that indicate that Seroquel long term leads to Dementia and a propensity for stroke. Mittazapine is not helping me sleep as well as Seroquel did. No withdrawl symptoms form Seriquel yet..

Hi. I'm hoping to get some help or reassurance that what I'm experiencing is fairly common and that it will improve with time. I was prescribed Seroquel/Quetiapine for insomnia (IR, regular, not XR) to take nightly or as needed, 25 or 50mgs, by a nurse practitioner. I took it most nights anywhere between 12.5 and 50 mg doses from October 2024 until June 2025, about a total of 220 x25mg pills over about 9 months.

It helped insomnia tremendously with no other side effects (that I could notice). Around June 29, 2025 I stopped cold turkey as I was becoming worried about potential side effects of long term use. About 11 days after stopping I suddenly started feeling dizzy. Not a regular dizzy, more like a persistent and consistent "stoned in a bad way" dizzy, feeling really drugged, that isn't going away, it is now day 13 of feeling this way. Secondary (not as persistent, consistent, or bothersome) sensations are a weird internal body buzz and a strange bitter taste in my mouth. No other symptoms, blood pressure and temperature are fine, as are nutrition and hydration, no other meds (other than Reactine for allergies, and supplements - nothing new in the last few months however), nothing new ingested. I have been under a tremendous amount of stress and anxiety for years, plus perimenopause, but I have never experienced anything like this persistent "stoned" feeling. It feels too coincidental to stopping Seroquel, though I never thought that quitting it after only on it 9ish months at low dose would cause something this horrendous. The NP who prescribed it said that it is very safe, non addictive, can just use it as needed for sleep or discontinue.

Is there anyone out there who has experienced something similar? Please put my mind at ease and tell me for how long, and what helped you, this is terrifying, and I can't help but spiral into worrying about things like MS or brain tumours or some other scary causes, even though the onset of this awful "stoned" feeling came shortly after discontinuing Seroquel. Thank you.

This is happening to me just over two weeks now,was on and off it every week for awhile,now I feel noty self,funny taste in mouth,buzzing ears,dizzy well funny kind off dizzy,my circulation seems funny as well,when put and about I feel strange in the head,kinda like being locked in Ur own head

I'm so sorry you are also experiencing these weird symptoms. How long were you on it, and did you stop cold turkey?

About 12 months and stop taking half cold turkey

Hi. I'm hoping to get some help or reassurance that what I'm experiencing is fairly common and that it will improve with time. I was prescribed Seroquel/Quetiapine for insomnia (IR, regular, not XR) to take nightly or as needed, 25 or 50mgs, by a nurse practitioner. I took it most nights anywhere between 12.5 and 50 mg doses from October 2024 until June 2025, about a total of 220 x25mg pills over about 9 months.

It helped insomnia tremendously with no other side effects (that I could notice). Around June 29, 2025 I stopped cold turkey as I was becoming worried about potential side effects of long term use. About 11 days after stopping I suddenly started feeling dizzy. Not a regular dizzy, more like a persistent and consistent "stoned in a bad way" dizzy, feeling really drugged, that isn't going away, it is now day 13 of feeling this way. Secondary (not as persistent, consistent, or bothersome) sensations are a weird internal body buzz and a strange bitter taste in my mouth. No other symptoms, blood pressure and temperature are fine, as are nutrition and hydration, no other meds (other than Reactine for allergies, and supplements - nothing new in the last few months however), nothing new ingested. I have been under a tremendous amount of stress and anxiety for years, plus perimenopause, but I have never experienced anything like this persistent "stoned" feeling. It feels too coincidental to stopping Seroquel, though I never thought that quitting it after only on it 9ish months at low dose would cause something this horrendous. The NP who prescribed it said that it is very safe, non addictive, can just use it as needed for sleep or discontinue.

Is there anyone out there who has experienced something similar? Please put my mind at ease and tell me for how long, and what helped you, this is terrifying, and I can't help but spiral into worrying about things like MS or brain tumours or some other scary causes, even though the onset of this awful "stoned" feeling came shortly after discontinuing Seroquel. Thank you.

My Dr. wants me to go from 100mg. Seroquel to 75 for hand tremor and dizziness. I don't want withdraw crap. Would it be easier to taper down 100mg gabapentin to 50 mg that only helps me sleep?

My Dr. wants me to go from 100mg. Seroquel to 75 for hand tremor and dizziness. I don't want withdraw crap. Would it be easier to taper down 100mg gabapentin to 50 mg that only helps me sleep?