Seroquel Side Effect?

Bipolar
#1

I have a question about Seroquel . . . i was started on 250mg when i was in the hospital in September – i was suicidal and in a dangerous mixed state. most days i t ake 200, It’s helping – I’m not “over-reacting” to minor things, and am not having episodes when i’m waiting for an opportunity to yell, throw things against the wall, or otherwise “go after” the next person who does anything to make me angry.

However, I also feel “flat” – no zip, no spark.

My creativity – my writing – is simply not happening. No “inspiration,” no words coming faster than I can write them down. Also, i used to be able to push something to the “back burner” to let it “simmer” for a while. My brain would be “working” on it back in my subconscious. I would not be aware of this happening, but suddenly ideas would pop out of my head, and i would be able to work on whatever. (description borrowed from John McManamy website – good stuff here – www.mcmanweb.com)

Actually, this would happen for any kind of writing – creative, or technical reports, or whatever. if i got “stuck” i could leave it for a few days and the solution would present itself.

ANYONE ELSE OUT THERE EXPERIENCED THIS WHILE TAKING SEROQUEL? This “flat” and “boring” feeling. Like the spark that makes you “you” has somehow gone out?

I’m going to have to face one of those “crazymeds” decisions: am i willing to handle a little less “stability” in order to get this part of “me” back. I’m going to talk to my pdoc about this – i’d like to drop the daily dose down to about 150mg/day to see what happens. and keep dropping it until i find the smallest dose that will help.

HELP – i like feeling “balanced” but don’t like feeling flat, like a cola with all the “bubbles” gone.

peace and hugs,
c.

#2

HI, MY NAME IS MARK WHEN I WAS ON SEROQUEL I FELT LIKE I WAS DRANIED, TIRED
ALL THE TIME, AND IT ALSO MAKES YOU GAIN WEIGHT. WHILE I WAS ON SEROQUEL I
OFTEN THOUGHT OF ENDING IT I TOLD MY DOCTOR THIS SHE TOOK ME OFF OF SEROQUEL AND
PUT ME ON CYMBALTA 90MG,AND ZYPREXA, AND I FEEL ALOT BETTER NOW NO RACEING
THOUGHTS, NOT TIRED ANYMORE. MARK

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#3

Yeah, it an be so frustrating. As with all these meds, what works for one can not work, or can harm, the other. As always YMMV .

I took Cymbalta for about 10 months, and it started becoming less and less effective as time went on. We went from 30, to 60, 60 90, and eventually it really blew me out of the water, and i had a bad mixed episode, complete with suicidal thoughts. At the time i was still being treated for Depression, not bipolar. So cymbalta is not for me. Did more harm than good.

Zyprexa is another antipsychotic, right. So it can also cause weight gain – i think ALL the antipsychotics can. I’m also taking Wellbutrin, the only antidepressant that doesn’t freak me out – for me, it caused weight lose, and i got rid of 20lbs in a year. Maybe that side effect offset some of the Seroquel weight gain. I’ve gained a couple pounds since september, but that seems to leveling off ( i hope. i hope).

thanks for the input, i’ll add Zyprexa as something to discuss with me pdoc when next we talk.

thanks so much.

peace,
c.

#4

Hey,

I been on 400mgs seroqual since may this yr. I have felt a sense of balance at last, and with few nside effects. its cirtainly the one for me. However, the flat feeling is there, and although i love writing poetry i cannot whilst on this med. I have no strong yearnings to sing or shop or party or make love. I dont care to dance or laugh or cry so much, if at all. But id have to say, its saving my life my sanity and my very precious relationship, without which the rest wouldnt matter. Because,i also dont want to hate, regret, cut myself, kill myself either. I dont want to get drunk to forget, to make a noise to be distruptive to get attention. I get attention simply by asking. I dont need to be crazy, i can now be as sane as any human can be. And i like it. Eventually i will reduce the meds. I want children afterall. But im prepared to miss some parts of ME to have this stable serenity that is my life on Seroqual. Its a trade off im prepared to make. Hope that helps???

Shah XXX> To: sharoncarter0472@hotmail.com> From: bipolar-cpt6587@lists.careplace.com> Subject: [bipolar] Seroquel Side Effect?> Date: Wed, 31 Oct 2007 23:20:07 -0700> >

#5

i get that sort of thing with just lithium!!! hope alls ok now

#6

HI,
You know when I was on Seroquel, it not only made me tired, but I also had the “restless leg syndrome” all over my body; it was like it triggered mucles twitches, and made me really whacked out!!! Any way, I don’t take it now. However, the doc put me on Celexa and Amptryptaline, and they are making me feel lathargic and moving very “slowly.” However, that may be because of having been manic for so long, any thing that resembles “balanced and stable” would be too slow for me. lol
Any way, I’m hoping to start feeling better soon, real soon. Two of my coworkers has the same symptoms as I do, and I know they aren’t on new meds, so now I think I may have picked up some bug; when I thought I was having an allergic reaction to the new meds. So now I don’t know. Maybe I’ll wait until next week, then I’ll see if I still feel the same.
Thanks for listening,
Ike