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Experiences with Quetiapine (Seroquel) for sleeping?

Posted by silmil93 @silmil93, Jan 23 6:36pm

Ho everyone,
I have been suffering from insomnia for many years. Clonazepam used to help me sleep, but now even though I take 3mg before bedtime I struggle to stay asleep for more than 3 hours and when I wake up I keep tossing and turning. My doctor prescribed zolpidem 10mg but it doesn't help either unfortunately. I'm also on Venlafaxine XL 150 mg and now the doctor suggested that I take 25/50 mg of Quetiapine before bed time to help with sleep and I should also get some positive effects on my depression as well.
Has anyone ever tried Quetiapine at these doses? If so, what was your experience? I would really appreciate hearing from those who tried it, it would mean a lot to me. I am always a bit scared to try new medications so hearing others' experience can help.
Thank you

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david707 | @david707 | May 21 10:00pm
In reply to @synthiame "I have mentioned before on here that I am no fan of Seroquel. I was on..." + (show)
Profile picture for synthiaMaine @synthiame

I have mentioned before on here that I am no fan of Seroquel. I was on it for 10 to 15 years and it worked in the beginning but it made me depressed in the morning and lethargic during the day. I was on 100 mg a night. I've tried to get off it for the last eight to nine years but failed because I could not sleep and could not handle not sleeping. Finally in the last 2 months I've weaned myself from a hundred to zero. I am only sleeping maybe 4 hours a night. BC my nervous system is saying where is the Seroquel because it's suppresses your nervous system. So my nervous system is very high it could take a couple of weeks to months to calm down. Just a warning about Seroquel. It works but try not to take it for too long.

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@synthiame I take 50 mg and lately I have been cutting it in 1/2, so I guess I am okay. No side effects for me.

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ashleyharris728 | @ashleyharris728 | May 22 8:31am

I took anywhere from 25-150mg for insomnia. My experience is that it’s one of those meds that needs to be increased or decreased slowly. When I first started the med it completely knocked me out even at low doses. It really helped me sleep, it probably worked too well but I’m grateful for it.
After a couple years of getting my sleep much better regulated, I came off of it over the course of months. I’ll probably go back on it if the insomnia comes back.
I would really encourage you to try it as it can be super helpful for sleep. I also take Ativan for sleep (klonopin just was too long acting for me) and together with Seroquel I did so much better after struggling with insomnia for years, doing every non-pharmacological intervention I could try.
It can cause weight gain but hopefully in that low range, you won’t get that side effect.
Good luck and let us know if you sleep better!

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comeagain | @comeagain | May 28 4:40pm

I've taken it for about 12 years now at 50 mg with no problems so far. About 5 years ago we had a family emergency with my daughter who was undergoing a very serious diagnosis. So serious that we wouldn't know for several days what the tests would show.

I talked to my doctor about this crisis, and that I would not be able to sleep until we knew what the outcome would be. He said he would prescribe 100 mg for awhile. Thank God, when the oncologist concluded that there was no cancer, I was able to sleep normally again, so I went back to the 50 mg by cutting the pills in half.

The doctor retired soon after that, so I still get the 100 mg, but continue to take only half a pill. I've noticed, however that the only side effect for me is constipation if I take over that amount on occasion. It is not severe and I can control it by using a laxative, or sometimes just by using a dose of meta mucil or something similar.

As I've aged, my average for waking up at night is ONE time. (sometimes none, but sometimes twice). If that happens, I take half of the pill still left when I cut one into 2 pieces (which is one fourth), and I go right back to sleep. So the quetiapine has worked well for me, and I haven't noticed any other side effects.

It's been the best sleep medicine for me (Ambien, Trazodone, Valium, etc. did not work for me)

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