Akathisia after starting Seroquel ER

Hello, I have struggled with anxiety and depression most of my adult life. I am a 53-year-old female, who is in some stage of menopause. I started having really bad mood swings almost 2 years ago and was put on hormone replacement therapy, which I have been on for a little over a year.

I currently take Wellbutrin, which I’ve been on for many years. After my strange husband left, the Wellbutrin was not enough, and I took Prozac for several years. The Prozac helped a lot, but after many years had passed, I felt like I didn’t need it anymore, and I went off of it.

I started having worsening anxiety last summer/fall as well as more depression. A psychiatrist put me on a low dose of Lexapro, which actually made me worse and the taper withdrawal and symptoms were hell.

I Started seeing a different psychiatrist because I didn’t feel like I was being taken seriously. I was started on Seroquel ER beginning in January after a particularly bad episode of depression and anxiety. While the lower doses initially seemed to help some with my mood swings the more he raised the dose the worst my anxiety and depression symptoms became. It is become so bad that I’m waking up and panic attacks every day, and I have continually messaged him and described my symptoms and yesterday he said that he felt that I was suffering from
Akathisia. After looking this up I am sure this is what’s going on and it is a living hell every day. Now he literally wants me to taper off of it in five days. I’m taking 175 mg of the Seroquel ER generic. I was too afraid to actually cut it in half as he directed so I took 100 mg last night.

I’m wondering if other people have developed Akathisia quickly after being started on a psychiatric medication and how they handle the taper and the symptoms.

I don’t have an appointment with a psychiatrist for another week and he said that he cannot see me sooner. He’s only communicating through messages on an app. I want off of the Seroquel as soon as possible, but I’m afraid that tapering it too fast like that could actually make things worse.

Thanks, Aletha