1. < Depression & Anxiety

Getting off of Seroquel

Posted by anniegk @anniegk, Jun 8, 2018

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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Parus | @parus | Apr 22, 2019
In reply to @lla2019 "I tapered very showly off Benztropine. I am happy to report I have had some mild..." + (show)
@lla2019

I tapered very showly off Benztropine. I am happy to report I have had some mild withdrawals. Hot flushing of the skin, a little itchiness, a lot irritability.
Today is my first day to withdrawal from Seroquel. I am a little bit nervous but I have tapered from 600mg down to 25 mg.

I am no longer going to the dr who perscribed Seroquel........ which in my mind has been very harmful to my well being. I am quite angry with him for his NOT telling me the long lasting side effects of Seroquel. This drug has made my life unrecognizable. As I lowered the dose I began to feel more like myself. My son told me yesterday that in the past four months this was the first time I seemed to him like my old self. There were times I wonder if I ever would find my way back. I will have about 10 days to see how I am withdrawalling from Seroquel..........before I start with the new doctor.which will involve therapy only. I believe I have PTSD and not Bipolar and that the perscribing dr made a hasty diagnosis without really talking to me first about my experiences. I don't know if I am doing the right thing or not.......... I am going off of gut feelings. I know I could no longer tolerate the person I became on this drug.

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@lla2019 I could not tolerate the person I had become on those type of medications and Seroquel was one of them. I too am dealing with resentment towards past doctors as well as family members over the harm they did and how they would not listen. Done with that life!!! I do have PTSD and do see therapist at times. I am thankful to be out from under that veil of darkness and I won't go back even with threats. 10 years of my life wasted and harm done to my body and mind that won't heal. I can once again drive and do some of the things I love and enjoy. Physical pain is now the biggest hurdle and about all I can do is crawl under rather than jump. I have the will to live again and do not sit in a fog waiting to die.
I believe you are doing what you need to do for yourself and I do not see it as wrong. Stay with it!!!! Many here will be cheering you on!!

REPLY
1 reply
iowaellen27 | @iowaellen27 | Apr 22, 2019
In reply to @lisalucier "Hi, @iowaellen27 - welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Good for you for always working with your..." + (show)
@lisalucier

Hi, @iowaellen27 - welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Good for you for always working with your doctor on your meds. Are you tapering down to a lower dose or tapering off all together to go on a different medication?

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We are hoping to get me off the Seroquel and try something different-mainly because of the weight gain. I had been on Depakote for years, but again, because of weight gain, started Lamictral instead. Then I got breast cancer, everything was screwed up because of the steroids that they give with the chemo. WE were starting to get back on track, then this past summer, I had emergency hiatal hernia surgery. Various issues after that plunged me down,. one week in psych unit helped, along with starting Seroquel. Fortunately, I quit working with the breast cancer, so if the meds give me issues, it's ok. Plus, I was finally approved for SSA Disability in March this year. Now I don't need to worry about going back to work

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lla2019 | @lla2019 | Apr 23, 2019

So far stopping Seroquel has been relatively not too bad. But it is only Day 3 Going on Day 4. I have had very little mood swings. A little itching. I am back to the gym able to exercise again and swim. My activity level has been awesome. The pains in my legs are gone. I have had those pains the entire time I was on Seroquel. My appetite is down dramatically. I am sleeping 7 hours a night. So far that has not been impacted. I keep waiting for it to become worse.

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lla2019 | @lla2019 | Apr 23, 2019
In reply to @parus "@lla2019 I could not tolerate the person I had become on those type of medications and..." + (show)
@parus

@lla2019 I could not tolerate the person I had become on those type of medications and Seroquel was one of them. I too am dealing with resentment towards past doctors as well as family members over the harm they did and how they would not listen. Done with that life!!! I do have PTSD and do see therapist at times. I am thankful to be out from under that veil of darkness and I won't go back even with threats. 10 years of my life wasted and harm done to my body and mind that won't heal. I can once again drive and do some of the things I love and enjoy. Physical pain is now the biggest hurdle and about all I can do is crawl under rather than jump. I have the will to live again and do not sit in a fog waiting to die.
I believe you are doing what you need to do for yourself and I do not see it as wrong. Stay with it!!!! Many here will be cheering you on!!

Jump to this post

I am seeing a new doctor next week. I don't know how that will go as I plan on telling him that if they intend on using medications that I will keep on looking for another dr. I feel so strongly about this. Before going on these drugs I was healthy I had just lost 55 pounds sugar levels down, cholesterol levels down........ and this drug destroyed that in four months.

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mrsminniemouse | @mrsminniemouse | Apr 25, 2019

Hi there
My 16 year old daughter has been taking 25mg of quetiapine plus 40 mg fluoxetine for a couple of years. She is much improved and I don’t feel she needs the anti-psychotic now. Two nights ago, she forgot to take her meds and was like a different person the next day. More engaged and vibrant. I think the quetiapine was necessary when she was suicidal a couple of years ago but not now. I fear it is dulling her true feelings.
If we were to reduce her quetiapine would we cut the daily 25mg tablet in half or go to 25mg on alternate days? I will try to contact her psychiatrist but she’s moved away and a replacement was never given.
Any advice or shared experience much appreciated. Thank you 😊

REPLY
1 reply
Lisa Lucier | @lisalucier | Apr 25, 2019
In reply to @mrsminniemouse "Hi there My 16 year old daughter has been taking 25mg of quetiapine plus 40 mg..." + (show)
@mrsminniemouse

Hi there
My 16 year old daughter has been taking 25mg of quetiapine plus 40 mg fluoxetine for a couple of years. She is much improved and I don’t feel she needs the anti-psychotic now. Two nights ago, she forgot to take her meds and was like a different person the next day. More engaged and vibrant. I think the quetiapine was necessary when she was suicidal a couple of years ago but not now. I fear it is dulling her true feelings.
If we were to reduce her quetiapine would we cut the daily 25mg tablet in half or go to 25mg on alternate days? I will try to contact her psychiatrist but she’s moved away and a replacement was never given.
Any advice or shared experience much appreciated. Thank you 😊

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Hello, @mrsminniemouse. Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. You may notice I moved your discussion and combined it with another discussion titled, "Getting off Seroquel." I did this so many members on Connect discussing this topic would see your message and have a chance to add their thoughts.

You sound like a caring mom who is looking out for her daughter. That makes things more complicated with looking to have your daughter taper down the quetiapine (Seroquel) with no assigned psychiatrist to advise when your former physician moved away.

I have not taken quetiapine (Seroquel) personally, but years ago when I was on citalopram (Celexa), I eventually noted what you are talking about - dulling of my feelings. I noticed I was not experiencing low lows anymore, but it was like I was incapable of experiencing high highs anymore, either. My psychiatrist explained that this was legitimate - that some psych meds do just that.

I'm sure some of the members here will have some tips from their experiences tapering off this medication. What you are doing by contacting the psychiatrist or requesting another to supervise and guide the taper is a good move.

Are you looking to talk to the psychiatrist (whomever is consulting) about switching to another medication instead, or going off of this class of medication altogether, @mrsminniemouse?

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meinmississippi | @meinmississippi | Apr 28, 2019
In reply to @kanaazpereira "Hello @highserotonin30, Welcome to Connect. I moved your message and combined it with this existing discussion..." + (show)
@kanaazpereira

Hello @highserotonin30,

Welcome to Connect. I moved your message and combined it with this existing discussion as I thought it would be beneficial for you to meet others and read about their experiences while weaning off Seroquel.
If you click on VIEW & REPLY in your email notification, you will see the whole discussion and can join in, meet, and participate with other members talking about their or their loved ones' experiences.

When you withdraw from any medication, there are important factors that will influence your withdrawal. it is highly recommended to do a gradual taper with the help of a physician to allow your body and brain to slowly adjust to changes. https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/quetiapine-oral-route/description/drg-20066912

I’m tagging @derryman @whereveryougothereyouare @majic @ronlin1948 @jancer2017 @ginak523 who’ve also shared their experiences about Seroquel in these discussion:
– Seroquel for anxiety, social anxiety & PTSD https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/seroquel-for-anxiety-ptsd/
– anything about being on SEROQUEL? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/seraquel/

May I ask if you could share your reasons for wanting to quit, @highserotonin30?

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Hi! I'm new here and hope that this post is still relevant. I have been on various doses of Seroquel for over ten years. I have bipolar disorder. This drug has caused me to gain 100 pounds over that time. In October of last year I started feeling not so great and was having abdominal pains. My glucose was 225 (I was not diabetic that I knew of, although I was told about a year prior to my health decline that my glucose was "a little elevated.") and my liver enzymes were twice the normal range as well. I was referred to gastroenterology. In December I had an EGD done which showed food still in my stomach after 13 hours of fasting. I then had a gastric emptying test which confirmed gastroparesis. This is a non-curable disease usually brought on by diabetes--which I got diagnosed with in October after my labwork. My glucose levels kept rising even with oral medications, and I was in the ER several times for glucose levels of 450-500. I was put on two types of insulin in March and by then my glucose levels would not come out of the high 200-300 range even with the insulin. My liver enzymes went up to triple the normal range as well. I knew Seroquel could cause both these symptoms. I told my psychiatrist I needed off of this drug. He put me on a taper that I think is too fast. I was on 400mg. He decreased me to 200mg for two weeks and then 100mg for two weeks and then discontinue. One time he took me off cold turkey, and I was awake for 48 hours straight so I got back on it. I also tried stopping it once myself and was up for 72 hours straight. But the funny thing here is that with that 200mg decrease my glucose levels are back in the 100's with one reading at 133. I know that is still high, but I imagine it will normalize once I'm Seroquel free. I haven't had numbers below 200 since I started checking it at home in October. But to think I was put on two insulins and now have an incurable disease all because of Seroquel. I'm also going through some withdrawal with terrible anxiety, feeling like I cant breathe, and having trouble sleeping. I am going to do my taper slower than my doctor has prescribed, as I have some refills of 25mg tabs he prescribed for me to take during the day as needed for anxiety before I asked to be taken off of it. I think he is taking me off way too fast seeing as I've been on it over 10 years. He has no clue about the withdrawal from Seroquel--it is no joke. If I knew then what I know now I'd of never taken this demon drug. I was inching closer and closer each day to going into a diabetic coma. After ten years this drug suddenly turned on me. The weight gain was enough, but the glucose and liver distress is ridiculous and dangerous.

REPLY
3 replies
abopp2022 | @abopp2022 | Apr 28, 2019
In reply to @meinmississippi "Hi! I'm new here and hope that this post is still relevant. I have been on..." + (show)
@meinmississippi

Hi! I'm new here and hope that this post is still relevant. I have been on various doses of Seroquel for over ten years. I have bipolar disorder. This drug has caused me to gain 100 pounds over that time. In October of last year I started feeling not so great and was having abdominal pains. My glucose was 225 (I was not diabetic that I knew of, although I was told about a year prior to my health decline that my glucose was "a little elevated.") and my liver enzymes were twice the normal range as well. I was referred to gastroenterology. In December I had an EGD done which showed food still in my stomach after 13 hours of fasting. I then had a gastric emptying test which confirmed gastroparesis. This is a non-curable disease usually brought on by diabetes--which I got diagnosed with in October after my labwork. My glucose levels kept rising even with oral medications, and I was in the ER several times for glucose levels of 450-500. I was put on two types of insulin in March and by then my glucose levels would not come out of the high 200-300 range even with the insulin. My liver enzymes went up to triple the normal range as well. I knew Seroquel could cause both these symptoms. I told my psychiatrist I needed off of this drug. He put me on a taper that I think is too fast. I was on 400mg. He decreased me to 200mg for two weeks and then 100mg for two weeks and then discontinue. One time he took me off cold turkey, and I was awake for 48 hours straight so I got back on it. I also tried stopping it once myself and was up for 72 hours straight. But the funny thing here is that with that 200mg decrease my glucose levels are back in the 100's with one reading at 133. I know that is still high, but I imagine it will normalize once I'm Seroquel free. I haven't had numbers below 200 since I started checking it at home in October. But to think I was put on two insulins and now have an incurable disease all because of Seroquel. I'm also going through some withdrawal with terrible anxiety, feeling like I cant breathe, and having trouble sleeping. I am going to do my taper slower than my doctor has prescribed, as I have some refills of 25mg tabs he prescribed for me to take during the day as needed for anxiety before I asked to be taken off of it. I think he is taking me off way too fast seeing as I've been on it over 10 years. He has no clue about the withdrawal from Seroquel--it is no joke. If I knew then what I know now I'd of never taken this demon drug. I was inching closer and closer each day to going into a diabetic coma. After ten years this drug suddenly turned on me. The weight gain was enough, but the glucose and liver distress is ridiculous and dangerous.

Jump to this post

I got off it last October and have been off it since. I too have bipolar disorder and doctors don’t need to screw up our medicine. I was able to get off the Seroquel successfully with no problems.

REPLY
1 reply
mrsminniemouse | @mrsminniemouse | Apr 28, 2019
In reply to @meinmississippi "Hi! I'm new here and hope that this post is still relevant. I have been on..." + (show)
@meinmississippi

Hi! I'm new here and hope that this post is still relevant. I have been on various doses of Seroquel for over ten years. I have bipolar disorder. This drug has caused me to gain 100 pounds over that time. In October of last year I started feeling not so great and was having abdominal pains. My glucose was 225 (I was not diabetic that I knew of, although I was told about a year prior to my health decline that my glucose was "a little elevated.") and my liver enzymes were twice the normal range as well. I was referred to gastroenterology. In December I had an EGD done which showed food still in my stomach after 13 hours of fasting. I then had a gastric emptying test which confirmed gastroparesis. This is a non-curable disease usually brought on by diabetes--which I got diagnosed with in October after my labwork. My glucose levels kept rising even with oral medications, and I was in the ER several times for glucose levels of 450-500. I was put on two types of insulin in March and by then my glucose levels would not come out of the high 200-300 range even with the insulin. My liver enzymes went up to triple the normal range as well. I knew Seroquel could cause both these symptoms. I told my psychiatrist I needed off of this drug. He put me on a taper that I think is too fast. I was on 400mg. He decreased me to 200mg for two weeks and then 100mg for two weeks and then discontinue. One time he took me off cold turkey, and I was awake for 48 hours straight so I got back on it. I also tried stopping it once myself and was up for 72 hours straight. But the funny thing here is that with that 200mg decrease my glucose levels are back in the 100's with one reading at 133. I know that is still high, but I imagine it will normalize once I'm Seroquel free. I haven't had numbers below 200 since I started checking it at home in October. But to think I was put on two insulins and now have an incurable disease all because of Seroquel. I'm also going through some withdrawal with terrible anxiety, feeling like I cant breathe, and having trouble sleeping. I am going to do my taper slower than my doctor has prescribed, as I have some refills of 25mg tabs he prescribed for me to take during the day as needed for anxiety before I asked to be taken off of it. I think he is taking me off way too fast seeing as I've been on it over 10 years. He has no clue about the withdrawal from Seroquel--it is no joke. If I knew then what I know now I'd of never taken this demon drug. I was inching closer and closer each day to going into a diabetic coma. After ten years this drug suddenly turned on me. The weight gain was enough, but the glucose and liver distress is ridiculous and dangerous.

Jump to this post

Sorry to hear about your awful experience with this drug. Sounds terrifying.

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mrsminniemouse | @mrsminniemouse | Apr 28, 2019

Thanks for the comments. We emailed the psychiatrist who had prescribed the drug. She advised halving tablet for one month. Then taking quarter of a tablet for a month. Only on 25mg so the dose was quite small I guess. Been on half dose for 5 nights and no problems so far.
Sending strength to you all. X

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