Getting off of Seroquel

I was on 600 seroquel dr refused it to200over6mo was on paxil &wellbutrin took my self off wellbutrin cold turkey,the paxil I tapered down I'm now off lowered seroquel 3days ago to100 getting kinda scared was on all these drugs for over 5yrs don't want an episode has anyone got off seroquel sucessfully?

Its me flpatt yes I'm trying weaning on down

@flpatt - thanks for the clarification. How's the taper going?

Hi I'm new on here.. Just had a question.. I've been on 50mg of seroquel at night for 2yrs for sleep & anxiety.. I've been trying to taper off for the last few weeks because it's always caused my heart to race after I take it for some odd reason.. I was just wondering if there's any antipsychotics that don't cause the racing heart effect & what is a really good alternative when getting off this medication to help me get a little sleep at night? Are there any sedating antihistamines that I could switch to that won't cause as much heart problems? I was wondering too is it normal to have racing thoughts at night when tapering.. Thanks so much

Hi, @num1boxer1919 - welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I can imagine you would be very uncomfortable with the heart racing from the quetiapine (Seroquel), and it's understandable you are looking for an alternative.

If you click on VIEW & REPLY in your email notification, you will see the whole discussion and can join in, meet, and participate with other members talking about their experiences.

I'd invite @flpatt @anniegk @yangedd @highserotonin30 @mxyzptlk @tness360 to return and speak to their experiences with quetiapine (Seroquel) and any heart racing they may have encountered, and share any thoughts they may have on alternatives for antipsychotics or insomnia.

I'd also suggest looking at this thread on insomnia in our Sleep Health group, which may have lots of ideas for you and would be a great place to interact with others who are trying to get better sleep https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/josephene-i-am-having-terrible-insomnia-as-well-nothing-seems-to-help.

Have you had the chance to ask the prescribing doctor for the quetiapine (Seroquel) for an alternative, or some means to deal with the heart-racing side effect, @num1boxer1919? Are you getting much sleep right now?

Thanks so much for the reply really appreciate it.. & I will definitely look at that thread... & to answer your question yes i have asked my doctor she considered Zyprexa but I looked at the side effects & it said it can cause racing heart beat as well so I was a little cautious on taking it.. She didn't mention anything else tho.. & No not really sleeping well at all.. Just a lot of awakings through the night & times where I can't go back to sleep, leaves me pretty sick the next day not very fun lol.. The first year I was on it, it worked very well but this past year has been pretty rough.. I don't know if it's just lost its effectiveness or what.. Never had sleeping problems at all before starting on anxiety meds just doesn't make much sense.. If any possible ideas come to mind I would greatly appreciate it..

I have been on quetiapine for 9 years, starting from 200mg and reaching 400 mg. Meanwhile, I had 3 psychotic breaks, which I had never had before starting the medication. I am trying to reduce the dosage and no doctor where I live in Europe would help me with that. Would someone advise me how to reduce it and if there are some supplements I can take to make the withdrawal symptoms easier? I am tired of taking it, it has change my body, my relationship with my friends and so on. Thank you for any advice!

Hi, @mariiland - welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I'm so sorry to hear about the three psychotic breaks - very difficult.

Hoping some of those in this conversation who have walked the road of weaning off of quetiapine/Seroquel may have some tips for you, like @flpatt @jakedduck1 @yangedd @highserotonin30 @mxyzptlk @ginak523 @tib85. @gailb may also have some thoughts.

Curious why you may have been finding no doctor in Europe where you live would help you with a taper of your quetiapine/Seroquel?

There is a company in the Netherlands that has developed a titration method to get off various medications. You will need a physician to sign the order form. I question how well this method actually works. Personally, whether wright or wrong I would ask my doctor to decrease the medication slower even though people seem to have had successful results. I guess I’m overly cautious. Myself, I would taper this medication for a bare minimum of 6 months preferably longer. Also the longer you have been using it the longer your taper should be.

Here is the website
https://www.taperingstrip.org/contact-page/
Here is the order form
https://www.taperingstrip.org/contact-page/
I hope you get off this medication very slowly and safety,
Health and happiness to you,
Jake

@num1boxer1919
Hey buddy,
Klonopin is the most difficult medication I ever discontinued. Although I don’t have a clear memory of that time I did not have serious withdrawal issues which I attribute to how slowly I stopped. I don’t remember any sleep issues back then. You should never increase your dose without notifying your doctor.
Are you taking any other prescription medications currently? If so, what are they and what dosage? These medications and
alcohol don’t mix. Whether or not it’s withdrawal or illness that’s something only a doctor or psychologist is qualified to diagnose. However I would question why your doctor prescribed such a powerful drug for a sleep issue. It can actually interfere with the sleep cycle. You may want to ask about that as well. Seroquil is a dangerous Antipsychotic. Seroquil is intended for treating people with Schizophrenia. Many researchers believe as I always have that this drug should not be used for off label purposes. Prior to me being appointed his conservator he was given a Neuroleptic and now is suffering from an irreversible moment disorder. Unless you are suffering from a severe mental illness forget about Neuroleptics. There are many safer treatments for sleep issues.
Okay moving on. I recently ran across a table that shows the difference and the inconsistency of the titration percentages per month vs by dose. But I’m unable to locate it now. I’ll put it up if I can find it.

My theory of titration and that of many researchers is a 5-10% decrease, per dose. A lot of this information comes from the people who have tried various titrations and most are finding this the most effective. It is very important however that the 5-10% is based on each titration dose and not a particular percentage per 2 weeks or month. The problem with 5-10% per month is that although in the beginning your dose decrease is indeed 5-10%, but the farther into your titration you get those percentages start to jump all over the place, some decreases are 33% some lower some as high as 50%. The problem being the titrations are not consistent. Admittedly it’s going to take more time but the chance of withdrawal is almost non existent. There is a member here who is decreasing their dose by less than one half of 1 percent each month. Even at that rate, they are having symptoms.
I wish you the best, you can do it,
Jake