Getting off of Seroquel

Hi the good news is you are only 20 years old. So take your time and never go cold turkey. You'll need to change to the regular seroquel. (Don't know what the dosage equivalent is - maybe your psychiatrist does.) Then you can begin with a small decrease in dose (very small) - reach stabilization, park awhile - then small cut in dose again - reach stabilization, park awhile - (you get the picture) until you're off. Listen to your body, if it's uncomfortable, you're going too fast. Nobody knows your body like you do (no doctor, no one.) Eat whole foods, exercise, and enjoy being 20. Best of Luck : )

Hello, new here. I've been coming off seroquel for a couple of weeks now. Was able to taper 50mg at a time (starting from 300mg) with no side effects but after I got off completely, that's when the problems started. James, thanks for all of your feedback.

I've noticed something among other members that's also affecting me: I'll sleep one night and feel ok for most of the next day, then not be able to sleep the next night and lie awake with riddling anxiety. I used to have itchiness, but that went away about four days ago. Also cried a lot but that seems to have subsided. A few nights ago, I would close my eyes and have a terrible panic attack then be jolted awake and feel terrified.

I tried to use ativan to help the withdrawals for a few nights but it only worked once. I tried klonopin, 0.5mg during the last night I slept. I dont know if it helped. Also worth mentioning is that I tapered from 1.3mg of klonopin since last july and have been clean for just over a month, I did it at 0.05mg per 2 weeks, as the ashton manual says. I dont want to go back on the klonopin for fear of becoming dependent again.

Around the same time I cut the seroquel, I was also tapering paxil. I've been on the paxil, same dose, for over a week now and believe it to be stabilized.

This is the same thing I'm going through. I'll sleep good one night then none at all the next. This has been happening for almost a week now. How are you coming along?

Hi, Chris and welcome. I alternated nights like you because I think after a sleepless night the body needs sleep so badly that it finally does. What worked for me was just persisting through it. I used melatonin and a bunch of other stuff to try to ease off it but eventually I just had to suffer a few nights and get it out of my system. I had the same experience as you. Everything up to the final 25 mg was fine but the last 25 mg caused the insomnia.My doctor suggested that I go back on 25 mg Seroquel to ease the insomnia and also suggested Ambien which I said no to. The insomnia eventually passes as you learn to sleep again. Basically, you "just" have to train the body to sleep. You've been so used to having it happen automatically that you've forgotten how to do it. So good habits, same bedtime, no phone blah blah. Calm mind, remind yourself that it will pass and you will sleep soon. Postpone everything you can to later and get this out of the way first. Good luck!

James!! I have read every one of your messages, many times. Your feedback has been very appreciated. You had the same experience too? That's amazing. I didn't feel any withdrawals until days after my last dose of 50mg (I was using seroquel xr). I dont want to use benzos either. The anxiety and panic has been so scary for the last two weeks.

I went through my browser history to piece together a small diary from the past few days (I will keeping it updated from now on):

"On 3/10: Went to sleep at around 9pm, woke up at 7am. Felt fine until about 5pm, then it all went downhill. Anxiety and stomach issues. Benzo use that night, dont remember that night but likely ativan 1mg. I remember crying a lot that day.

On 3/12: Went to sleep at round 7pm, woke up at 6am. Benzo use was 0.5 clonazepam Felt fine until about 7-9pm, then anxiety and stomach issues persisted"

Hi all,

I thought members in this thread talking about getting off of quetiapine (Seroquel) might be interested to know that Mayo Clinic Connect has opened up a brand new group dedicated to COVID-19, https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/covid-19/. The hope is to help members connect and cope during these unprecedented times.

Please follow the COVID-19 group by clicking on +Follow, look at the discussions there and participate. You are also welcome to start a new discussion on any COVID-19-related topic you'd like to discuss.

I went back on a low dose of seroquel, roughly 50mg. It worked well. But I kept having to increase it until last night when it stopped working. Today I think I took about 150mg but it's not working. I fear I'll have to go through withdrawals again, I'm asking my parents for support. I can not go through it again alone. The first time was horrible.

What does your do doctor say about this?

Hi, @chrisjc - sounds like a good idea to ask your parents for support in trying to taper off quetiapine (Seroquel). I know from my personal experience it's helped me to tell my husband, especially, when I've tapered off or gone on a medication where I think there's any chance my reactions/behavior might change. He's then been able to understand me better and also let me know if anything seems amiss.

I did have trouble when tapering off citalopram (Celexa) years ago and had to ask my husband to take me to urgent care. It's not easy going on and off many antidepressants or antianxiety medications.

Have you had the chance to talk to your parents yet? If so, what did they say?

I've been staying with them for a week now, I wasn't able to take care of myself.

I went off the Seroquel again a week ago and for a day or so it was fine. Then a lot of withdrawal came on. Primary ones being nausea, anxiety, crying, weakness/fatigue. Minor ones are/were palpitations, tingling in my fingers, itching, nasal congestion, hot/cold flashes, tired eyes and strange vision.

Nausea is the worst, it keeps me from eating anything normal and ramps my anxiety into the red. A few nights ago it progressed to dry vomiting at night. First night was mild, only two spells. Second was worse and last night was debilitating, spent all night throwing up an empty stomach. No more than three hours of sleep. A couple of nights ago I had a severe headache that put me down, but the next one was a milder headache.

There is some good news: The restless leg syndrome is gone, head acne is very mild (was bad for years). Falling asleep is not difficult, I was able to sleep 5 hours until the recent vomiting kept me up. Otherwise was able to crash at about 7pm. Three days ago I felt completely normal for half the day, then had a headache and that messed everything up. And yesterday for about 4-5 hours I felt healthy and had an enormous appetite, ate my first real meal. My stomach has been growling for the last few days.

My parents have been supportive, gave me a room to sleep in and companionship. There's one cat I get along with, my little brother, and the neighborhood is nice enough to walk in the park for exercise. There's very few people there due to the recent health scare.