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Seroquel/Quetiapine scary withdrawal symptoms?
Hi. I'm hoping to get some help or reassurance that what I'm experiencing is fairly common and that it will improve with time. I was prescribed Seroquel/Quetiapine for insomnia (IR, regular, not XR) to take nightly or as needed, 25 or 50mgs, by a nurse practitioner. I took it most nights anywhere between 12.5 and 50 mg doses from October 2024 until June 2025, about a total of 220 x25mg pills over about 9 months.
It helped insomnia tremendously with no other side effects (that I could notice). Around June 29, 2025 I stopped cold turkey as I was becoming worried about potential side effects of long term use. About 11 days after stopping I suddenly started feeling dizzy. Not a regular dizzy, more like a persistent and consistent "stoned in a bad way" dizzy, feeling really drugged, that isn't going away, it is now day 13 of feeling this way. Secondary (not as persistent, consistent, or bothersome) sensations are a weird internal body buzz and a strange bitter taste in my mouth. No other symptoms, blood pressure and temperature are fine, as are nutrition and hydration, no other meds (other than Reactine for allergies, and supplements - nothing new in the last few months however), nothing new ingested. I have been under a tremendous amount of stress and anxiety for years, plus perimenopause, but I have never experienced anything like this persistent "stoned" feeling. It feels too coincidental to stopping Seroquel, though I never thought that quitting it after only on it 9ish months at low dose would cause something this horrendous. The NP who prescribed it said that it is very safe, non addictive, can just use it as needed for sleep or discontinue.
Is there anyone out there who has experienced something similar? Please put my mind at ease and tell me for how long, and what helped you, this is terrifying, and I can't help but spiral into worrying about things like MS or brain tumours or some other scary causes, even though the onset of this awful "stoned" feeling came shortly after discontinuing Seroquel. Thank you.
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I have never heard of anyone taking Seroquel, an anti-psychotic, for insomnia. I think there are probably several better medications for help with sleeping, with fewer side effects. I wish you success in your journey.
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1 Reactionwelcome to Mayo connect, read your post and like bewildered posted never heard of using that for sleep only help i can be is letting you know some drugs depending on the person and what they are already taking as to medications that going cold turkey on anything without doctor approval can be dangerous and possible side effects. especially after being on them for months. you have to wean yourself off just about everything today. good luck in your search. keep us posted on your status please. i would be asking my doctor first sign of symptoms. have a blessed day.
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1 ReactionI was given a dose of Seroquel for severe insomnia that came on rapidly.
1) I twitched badly all night long and refused to take it ever again.
2) I figured out my insomnia cause which doctors didn’t even think of - it was post a 10 hr surgery, for which I had been in horrible pain for months and basically I felt so good that I went off my postop narcotics (which I’d also needed preop) too fast and was in withdrawal.
Hi there, the brain chances permanently after a long period (1 year) of low dose of seroquel 50mg, even after stoping to take it. It causes a huge widrawal from work and social life because it strongly damages the brain while it's making you sleep. Causes cognition impairment(memory, thinking reasoning planning), difficulty om acomplishing tasks and being satisfied with it. Damages ability to process emotions, slows all your reactions. Nervous systems slows dramatically, loss of excitement, passion, love. It burns too many neurons which are essential. Your intestines become more constipated and slower. You body looses mucles and coordination because it makes you do less of everything. It causes apathy and a strong isolation from your family, friends and love partners. The result is losing your job, your love partner and steping away from friends. The effort one makes to regain the life as it was before taking seroquel is huge to achieve very low results, only to realise that you are just strugling and can't be yourself anymore. This medicin should never be prescribed for insomnia, depression or anxiety in low doses. Seroquel is basically slowly killing anyone who takes it.
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1 ReactionBetween meds for type 2 diabetes and breast cancer prevention, for anxiety, depression and insomnia, I use a prescribed device called Alpha Stim. Its not perfect but better than adding more meds to my cocktail. For sleep, I also take magnesium and drink chamomile tea and use a CPAP.