Getting off of Seroquel

My son was recently in a psychiatric facility for severe depression and anxiety. While in the facility they started him on Lexapro 10 mg and Seroquel 100 mg. They were giving my son 200-300 mg of Seroquel per day. When they discharged him they only gave him a script for the Lexapro and when my son asked about the Seroquel they said they wouldn’t give him a script for that due to it being habit forming. On the 2 1/2 hr drive home I could tell he had some anxiety. He said he did not take the Seroquel that morning at the facility since he was being discharged. So that same night my son takes his Lexapro about 8 pm and literally hour later a full on panic attack. He has never had panic attacks just anxiety. He was freaking out , hyperventilating, sweating profusely, his legs went numb, his hands and finger tips were tingling , his chest got tight , his blood pressure shot up. He was crying. It was absolutely awful. He has had the shakes and I could literally see his legs trembling as he went down the stairs of the house. I’m so worried that this could be a withdrawal from the Seroquel. He was taking 200-300 mg a day for about 5 days. Is it possible that he is having withdrawals only after being on it for 5 days ?

My doctor advised me to stop Seroquel. I’ve only been taking 25 mg for the past 10 days. He said it was OK just to go ahead and stop it. I told him that they mean rather nervous. Should I stop taking it totally like you suggested or should I do it every other day for a while? any help would be appreciated!

Hi @zesta, I moved your question about stopping Seroquel to this existing discussion:
- Getting off of Seroquel: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/getting-off-of-seroquel/

Tapering slowly is the standard advice - "the medication should be tapered with a planned, incremental lowering of the dosage taken over the course of months." https://www.verywellmind.com/seroquel-withdrawal-5114540

However, in your case, you have taken a low dose (25mg) for only 10 days, if I'm reading your post correctly. Tapering for months will not be applicable in your case :-). Did your doctor say you could start with every other day as you suggested?

Hi @zesta, I moved your question about stopping Seroquel to this existing discussion:
- Getting off of Seroquel: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/getting-off-of-seroquel/

Tapering slowly is the standard advice - "the medication should be tapered with a planned, incremental lowering of the dosage taken over the course of months." https://www.verywellmind.com/seroquel-withdrawal-5114540

However, in your case, you have taken a low dose (25mg) for only 10 days, if I'm reading your post correctly. Tapering for months will not be applicable in your case :-). Did your doctor say you could start with every other day as you suggested?

I'm in dire nead of some type of documentation / instructions on how to successfully taper / titrate / reduce Seroquel / Quetapine in order to completely discontinue this medication all together with minimal side effects and withdrawal symptoms. I'm looking for this as I need to stop this medication for health reasons. I have been on this medication since 2005 and since 2008 at a high dosage of 1200mg up until 2019 where I made it to 400mg after an 8 month failed tapering attempt from 1200mg but had to stop as the side effects and withdrawal symptoms became much worse at lower dosages bellow 500mg and intolerable for me. Since that failed attempt in late 2019 I have been at 800mg daily ever since. This is the single solo psych medication I'm taking since 2019. Although I have tried in the past on many occasions to either reduce my dosage,discontinue or cross-taper to another medication for various reasons I have never been successful. With the last failed taper which was at a 2% reduction although I was initially started at 12% than 6%! Eventually got to 2% tape from a daily 1200mg dosage. Over the last couple of years I have been experience some of the more dangerous potential and possible side effects of this medication. This causing cardiac, nervous system and metabolic related side effects which has put me in the hospital in the past and has been happening more frequently lately which has become scary as hell. The only thing good is that this is the only medication that I take regularly on a daily basis so it's very obvious what is causing me such negative health issues along with make some existing health conditions much worse. I really need off of this medication ASAP. I'm so scared and anxious with just the thought of trying to do this once again because of what it's done to me and put me through pure brutality in the past. I would almost rather be put in a medically induced coma in order to be detoxed off of this medication or at least an IV drip of versed while trying to accomplish what to me has become nearly impossible to do. I do not plan to attempt any changes of this medication on my own but only under the guidance and assistance of hopefully some medical professional that is familar with the process of tapering off of this medication that will minimal negative impact as well as address my concerns and expectations..