Anyone try just 12.5 mg quetiapine (seroquel)?

My symptoms are intolerable and entering 5th month.  Non-functional and almost never free of panic.  I have a new psychiatrist who suggested first 25mg a night, and then, when I asked, said 12.5mg would also be okay to try.  He said taking it at night would reduce my anxiety during the day.

I am very skeptical of psychiatry. Some buddies on here would tell you that it's not that harmful to use other psych meds temporarily on our road to recovery. Antipsychotics like seroquel are no joke though. Getting off of them is very hard, arguably worse than benzos (according to some). They suppress dopamine, making you hungry, sleepy, and robotic, and not allowing you to feel much else. Few people desire this.

I would really recommend looking at other options: Hydroxyzine, a beta blocker, even a micro dose of an SSRI, even for 3 months.

Antipsychotics can be extremely dangerous. Please do your homework.

I've tried beta blockers and hydroxyzine.

 

I am tapering fast because my situation is unusual and psychologically I can't bear it.  I'd prefer to suffer on zero. 

 

I'm currently on 12mg valium and the seroquel would be for until I get to 4mg.  At my rate that will be 2 and half months of seroquel if I started now.

 

Anyway I'm terrified of the drug, even just that half pill, so haven't started it yet.  Will try not to. 

 

Thanks for the replies. 

 

My psychiatrist is anti psychiatric drugs but....he's still a psychiatrist.  He wants me off the amitriptyline already and now I've done the unthinkable and started tapering it last night per his instructions. I'm in the pits of hell and now it's going to get worse because I know I shouldn't be doing this.  I just can't stop myself. 

Hi,

 

I think Quetiapine is a horrible drug. Totally zombified me, did not help with sleep, is addictive, so many side effects. Not worth it in my opinion. It's an anti psychotic.

 

Naf1983

 

My symptoms are intolerable and entering 5th month.  Non-functional and almost never free of panic.  I have a new psychiatrist who suggested first 25mg a night, and then, when I asked, said 12.5mg would also be okay to try.  He said taking it at night would reduce my anxiety during the day.

I’d try to avoid antipsychotics if you can.  Seroquel isn’t nearly as bad as others though.

 

A lot of people here find low dose mirtazapine helpful…like 3.75mg or 7.5mg.  But it can be challenging to get off of if you aren’t done with benzo withdrawal.  Like Seroquel, it has a strong affinity for histamine receptors which will help you sleep and calm you down. 

I am on seroquel, and it is horrible. So many side effects, and they all suck. Seroquel is called "the nursing home zombie pill" because it makes the patients completely inert and non communicative.

 

It also stops your metabolism, you will gain weight no matter how little you eat.

 

It is also linked to dementia and other awful illness.

 

I tried to taper it in November, and I went out of my mind. I slowly reinstated, but I am still in a set back.

 

It is as bad as benzo wd, different, but pure hell.

 

Its better to have insomnia than take this dangerous, poisonous, addictive drug.

 

It will turn you into a fat zombie, and is extremely painful to get  off of.

 

Your body will slowly learn to sleep again. I know it is hard. But the sleep will be something your brain has figured out, not the medical result of sedating drugs. Once you get off of it, if you take it, your brain stilll does not know how to sleep.

 

Best of luck, I know how awful insomnia is, but seroquel is just too toxic and addictive. Its a band aid with horrible side effects, not a cure for insomnia

 

-Dove

 

As much as insomnia sucks, its better than getting on seroquel.

Getting off Seroquel for me has been worse than the benzo. I would be healed by now if it wasn't for the Seroquel. I wish I had just taken melatonin for sleep during benzo wd.