How to get off of seroquel xr without too many side effects

Posted by katiejok @katiejok, Aug 6 4:39pm

. Hi there I have suffered with my mental health very badly the last couple of years . Somehow after a stay in hospital I ended up on seroquel . I do not have psychosis or bipolar and my diagnosis they think is BPD and maybe possibly adhd/autism. I’ve realised that it never took away my severe and dissociation. And I got better myself each time I have these episodes of being unwell. I am on 250xr and I have been for about 3 years. Taking 25mg throughout the day as needed but can stop them no problem And have done so . I take sertaline 25mg also not sure it does much either . Anyway with weight gain having really upset my self esteem as a side effect and the benefits not outweighing the negatives I want to get off it . I know my doctor will help me however I’m so so so sensetive to any change in anything and a drop of anything can send me sideways if my body is used to it. I’m just so sensetive to chemicals so I actually think I need to maybe be just on the least amount of medication possible . My question is what is the slowest and or best way to do this to minimise it kicking me into severe anxiety. 50mg jumps are fast however I know you can’t cut the xr in half . But do adding in the instant release suffice to cushion the blow of the drops. Like going to 225 meaning 200xr and one 25mg instant . Any help would be appreciated!

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katiejok | @katiejok | Aug 6 4:39pm

Severe anxiety and dissociation *

bridgeback2 | @bridgeback2 | Aug 7 9:13am

It's true that the extended-release tablets can't be cut, which makes those smaller drops tricky. A lot of people in similar situations have talked about how they use the immediate-release tablets to help with tapering. For example, if you wanted to drop from 250mg to 225mg, you could take a 200mg XR tablet and then add in a 25mg immediate-release tablet. This way, you can make smaller adjustments than 50mg jumps.
The key thing that I've seen others mention is to go slowly as you feel is necessary. Some people even take months or longer for a taper, especially after being on it for a long time. It gives your body and brain a chance to adjust.
Your doctor will certainly take care of the situation, and you should follow his instructions, but on top of that, you can try to focus on other things to help with the anxiety. Things like having a consistent sleep schedule, getting some light exercise, and using some relaxation techniques that are comfortable and effective in your case.
Just take one step at a time, and listen to what your body is telling you. Good luck!

katiejok | @katiejok | Aug 7 10:04am

Ye I’ve never managed to get my anxiety to go away completely I get unwell like every year for a few months no medication helps actually being assessed to see if I’m neurodivergent cause my nervous system is so dysregulated. That’s why coming off gently is really important for me I react Terrible to any chemical changes . Thanks for the advice. I wil do it that way