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Getting off of Seroquel
I have been on 300 mgs. Seroquel ER for over a year for augmenting my antidepressant which is 45 mgs. Of Mirtazapine. I decided to try and get off of the Seroquel. I was on 300mgs ER (extended release). I titrated down to 250 mg ER for 2 months without too many problems.than i titrated down to 200mgs ER just 5 days ago. My plan is to try to titrate off using ER tablets. My thinking is that perhaps the drug will remove its self from my system more gradually. I have had some nausea and a couple of episodes of diarrhea. I also have a very irregular heart beat and was started on 60 mgs of Propranolol ER (extended release) 4 weeks ago. It seems to be helping my heartbeat. I have wondered if the nausea and light headness is from the Propranolol, a Beta Blocker, or the dose reduction of the Seroquel. I also wonder if the way iam titrating the Seroquel is safe. My doctor says it will only take a couple of weeks...I think that is too fast of a taper after being on a drug for over a year. What do you think?
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Hi @mdb89 and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I definitely understand not wanting to depend on a medication for the rest of your life. You will see that I moved your post to a like conversation so that you could connect with members like @sears, @jpshaark, @loribmt, and @hearttoheart1.
What type of side effects are you having from the medication?
Thanks for your reply! 😊 For side effects I’ve been experiencing… frequent heart “skipping a beat”, memory problems, weight gain, always feeling tired, emotional numbness & some others I’m having trouble thinking of atm.
Hi, i was diagnosed with Bipolar around 9 years ago and have Been taking Quetiapine ever since. As much as I think this was a great drug to start with as it really helped me, I've decided to come off it by slowly tapering as the cons by far outweigh the pros and I want to feel like me again. Alls I seem to feel most days is lethargic and tired and I've had enough. So far I've come down from 300mg each night (with a zopiclone) to 200mg(with a zopiclone(over the past 7 days and it seems to be going well so far. My intentions now are to drop down by 25mg every 2 weeks. Any advice would be hugely appreciated. Thankyou 🙂🙃
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1 ReactionHi @buzzy1, I will start by welcoming you to Mayo Clinic Connect. Glad you found the community. Connect is a patient forum and not monitored by Mayo physicians, but suggestions and personal experience is shared between members. I am happy to hear that you are slowly tapering off rather than going cold turkey.
You will see that I moved your post to this discussion regarding getting off of seroquel (Quetiapine) so you can read other members dealings and maybe connect with one of them.
Nine years is quite a long time. Are you being monitored by your physician to make sure you avoid heavy withdrawal?
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1 ReactionHi Amanda and thanks for your welcome 🙂.... basically , each time in the past when I have contacted my psychiatrist to help me come off Quetiapine, he either tends to want to swap me to another medication ( Arpiprazole was the last one) or just won't agree to let me come off them. I've had enough of how much Quetiapine has changes me both physically and mentally and I really am ready to come off them altogether. definitely am going to taper off them really slowly and hopefully feel like me again.
Hello I am new to Mayo Clinic and new to medicine. I was put on Seroquel and remeron for sleep and depression. I wouldn't sleep for days on end and have to eventually crash out. I ended up in a psychiatrist setting and they put me on medicine about 2 weeks ago. The strong side effects are worse than not sleeping. Constantly brain fog and feeling weird.
So how did you get diagnosed with Schizophrenia ???? Was it from no sleep or was it from getting off the medicine??? I am asking because I was put on 50mg and 2 weeks later my doctor put me at 25mg.
Hi @natthebrat97, I can understand the reluctance to take medicine if the side effects seem worse than the problem the medicine is meant to help. It can be a vicious cycle with not sleeping and depression. I think fellow members like @stlr21 @jakedduck1 @sears @eczarniecki @jimhd @hopalongnm3 and @atscaping may have some thoughts for you.
Natt, have you talked to your doctor about the side effects and how they make you uncomfortable? There may be other options for you.
You were diagnosed with Schizophrenia?
Yes I have they lowered my dosage from 50mg to 25mg but I want off now. I missed a dose and I feel better already but I need to sleep.
No I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety but That is it. I have insomnia from having a baby 4 months ago and other reasons. They put me on Seroquel and that stuff is like the devil's medicine. It isn't meant for the weak. I feel like I'm a sim person in no where land when I'm on it. I need to find a safer sleep medicine actually meant for insomnia