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Seroquel and Insomnia while tapering


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A recent visit to a psychiatrist has prescribed me 25MG of Seroquel to help with my SEVERE insomnia, even after I told him I was tapering off of Clonazepam. While it has been the miracle drug to allow me to get some much needed sleep during taper, does anyone take this also and is it hurting my Taper plan and can it be as horribly dependant and addicting as Benzodiazepines and withdrawal?

Right now I feel it's the "lessor of 2 evils", but getting a couple hours sleep a nite seems more beneficial to my healing at this time.

I feel no side effects, grogginess the next day whatsoever. I've read it's mainly used for Bi-polar and Mania, along with helping Insomnia.

All replies are appreciated, as I have an appointment tomorrow with my regular PCP to also discuss more about it.

Believe me, I don't trust ANY doctors now, just to be clear.

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I'm taking 50mg right now and have been off benzos for 5 months. I think it's helping but I still have nights I don't sleep. I guess I'll get off of it when I heal more.
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I'm taking 50mg right now and have been off benzos for 5 months. I think it's helping but I still have nights I don't sleep. I guess I'll get off of it when I heal more.

 

I've taken 50MG one night and it wired me out that night and into the next day. Your taper seemed relatively short reading your timeline. How'd you achieve that remarkable short term taper?  What were on and how much,how often? Your timeline gives me hope of reading about these long-term tapers and w/d effects. Im currently on stage 4 and had a rough day today with anxiety and wanting more to ease the anxiety but, I held off. I hate the Valium, but it calms me enough not to flip out in the evenings after a long anxious day. Please fill me in...???

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I liquid titrationed my klonopine and would hold to get a nights sleep. I wouldn't sleep the night I dropped it, but i would usually sleep the nights I would hold. I don't think you need a very long taper. I think most people are just scared to jump. I'm sleeping almost every night now but the insomnia is still pretty brutal. I don't know if it's the seroquel making me feel awful the next day or just benzo withdrawl itself. I'm just taking it to give myself a little push to get through this. My brain just feels like it's inflamed and I have no sense of getting sleepy.
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I've been using seroquel, around 40 mgs a night for years.  A long time before benzo's.  It was to help me sleep when I had chronic migraines.  At that dosage, it just helps you sleep but don't continue to climb very much or it does become more of a drug for other problems.  You will have to taper some if you stay on, but nothing at all like the benzo's.  Sleep is so important and helps so much with w/d's.  You seem to be doing so well, imo I would use it unless something unusual pops up and then you will talk to you Dr. 

 

Good luck, Mary ☮️💜

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I liquid titrationed my klonopine and would hold to get a nights sleep. I wouldn't sleep the night I dropped it, but i would usually sleep the nights I would hold. I don't think you need a very long taper. I think most people are just scared to jump. I'm sleeping almost every night now but the insomnia is still pretty brutal. I don't know if it's the seroquel making me feel awful the next day or just benzo withdrawl itself. I'm just taking it to give myself a little push to get through this. My brain just feels like it's inflamed and I have no sense of getting sleepy.

 

I would love to read your titration method and how much you were on when you started taper? I just keep reading these long term taper and withdrawal stories here and deep inside think I can handle a different, shorter taper plan. While I have several tolerance and withdrew effects from interdosing the past year of K and Xanax, I have some personal issues to deal with that are stressing me also [temporary unemployed]

If I could get to an "even keel" by Jan 2019, I could get back to work to take off some personal stress and financial stress. Was on 3MG of K per day and interdosing with Xanax, which I'm completely off the Xanax for 3 months. Still get  morning  and afternoon jitters and anxiety but seem ok in the evening after taking 10MG of Valium. I also developed Agrophopia [very weird and debilitating condition for someone who loved being outside and around people!] Easily my worst condition at this point, which is keeping me from going back to work.

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All drugs have side effects no matter what dose you are on.  Just as many can take Benzos for years and quit and never have withdrawal, many can take seroquel in 50mg or less doses and not have any problems.  However, Seroquel is 2nd only to Chemo drugs for side effects.  The list is long and nasty.  Anytime you take an Antipsychotic, you run the risk of withdrawal?  In fact, they don't even know how most of these drugs work!

 

Side Effects

 

Constipation, drowsiness, upset stomach, tiredness, weight gain, blurred vision, or dry mouth may occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, tell your doctor promptly.

 

Dizziness or lightheadedness may occur, especially when you first start or increase your dose of this drug. Dizziness and lightheadedness can increase the risk of falling. Get up slowly when rising from a sitting or lying position.

 

Remember that your doctor has prescribed this medication because he or she has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects.

 

Tell your doctor right away if you have any serious side effects, including: restlessness/constant need to move, shakiness (tremor), mental/mood changes (such as increased anxiety, depression, thoughts of suicide), difficulty swallowing, constipation with persistent abdominal pain, persistent nausea/vomiting, loss of appetite, yellowing eyes/skin, interrupted breathing during sleep, trouble urinating.

 

Get medical help right away if you have any very serious side effects, including: fainting, seizure, severe dizziness.

 

This medication may rarely make your blood sugar rise, which can cause or worsen diabetes. Tell your doctor right away if you have symptoms of high blood sugar such as increased thirst/urination. If you already have diabetes, check your blood sugar regularly as directed and share the results with your doctor. Your doctor may need to adjust your diabetes medication, exercise program, or diet.

 

This drug may also cause significant weight gain and a rise in your blood cholesterol (or triglyceride) levels. These effects, along with diabetes, may increase your risk for developing heart disease. Discuss the risks and benefits of treatment with your doctor. (See also Notes section.)

 

Quetiapine may rarely cause a condition known as tardive dyskinesia. In some cases, this condition may be permanent. Tell your doctor right away if you develop any unusual/uncontrolled movements (especially of the face, lips, mouth, tongue, arms or legs).

 

This medication may rarely cause a very serious condition called neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS). Get medical help right away if you have any of the following symptoms: fever, muscle stiffness/pain/tenderness/weakness, severe tiredness, severe confusion, sweating, fast/irregular heartbeat, dark urine, signs of kidney problems (such as change in the amount of urine).

 

Quetiapine may increase a certain natural substance (prolactin) made by your body. For females, this increase in prolactin may result in unwanted breast milk, missed/stopped periods, or difficulty becoming pregnant. For males, it may result in decreased sexual ability, inability to produce sperm, or enlarged breasts. If you develop any of these symptoms, tell your doctor right away.

 

Rarely, males may have a painful or prolonged erection lasting 4 or more hours. If this occurs, stop using this drug and get medical help right away, or permanent problems could occur.

 

A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is rare. However, get medical help right away if you notice any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, including: fever, swollen lymph nodes, rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing.

 

This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.

 

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I am sorry about your sleep issues. I know it is tough and I understand your concerns. I tried Seroquel at the beginning of my ordeal when I was having onset sleep disturbance. The first psychiatrist I saw prescribed 200mg right of the bat because and Lorazepam for anxiety she thought I was bipolar. I was desperate then and uneducated about benzos and the ill effects of psychotropics. 200mg knocked out and felt so groggy I couldn't stand it. I also began having other side effects from Seroquel like respiratory issues, dry mouth, stomach upset, constipation, weight gain, terrible depression. I keep telling the doc my symptoms, and she kept telling me I would get used to it. One night the respiratory constriction was so bad I had to call the paramedics and took me to the ER.  Then this stupid doc told me to quit it and had withdrawals symptoms from it and switched to different drugs that all made me sick as a dog. I decided to fire her and CT all the drugs she had prescribed. Bad  of mine, but I was desperate from feeling sicker than when I started and my insomnia was not resolved at all; in fact it got worse from all the additional stress of this experience. I was going through horrible withdrawals; so I decided to find me a holistic psychiatrist, and she told me that I had been misdiagnosed and my case was handled badly. I placed a report on the other doc. The new doc told me I had to reinstate the Lorazepam to ease up my symptoms and then once stabled, I could start tapering. So, I decided to follow her instructions, and the reinstatement did help me to stabilize, but it took four months in which I had to suffer withdrawals symptoms from the other drugs that I stopped abruptly. Anyway, around January of last year I found BB and learned how to do a DLMT which I did for almost a year. This new doc supported me all the way and assured that I was not bipolar; but she did diagnosed with GAD and insomnia. During the year of my taper, I tried to learn a lot of skills to cope with my anxiety, depression, and insomnia and had to change my lifestyle a bit. All worth trying! My DLMT was going well and felt I could finally get rid of the Ativan. After I jumped I decided not to take any other Rx's. I still went through some withdrawals, but nothing in comparison when I had CT before. On July of this year I started having some great windows and small waves. In August I decided to go back to college (which I had put off due to my issues). Since then I have been sleeping great (a bit broken), but I am able to fall back to sleep. I doing great in school and my projects, and I feel I have gained my life back again!

 

I guess what I a trying to say is if anyone decided to take other RXs to get through this process, It is a personal decision and we are not here to judge anyone. Be mindful that you will have to taper this as well. I made mistakes in my journey, but I decided not to take anything and tough it out. I have survived this, and I feel hopefull that I will write my success story at the end of the year.

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I used seroquel occasionally in the beginning of my withdrawal. At first I slept decent (4 hours) and didn't have many side effects. Then it started giving me bad stomach issues and wire me up and then mess me up the next day. I felt like it hindered my recovery, but I also feel like I wouldn't have made it through the first months without KNOWING that I can take seroquel if I go without sleep for 3 nights. I never used it more than twice a week.
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I used seroquel occasionally in the beginning of my withdrawal. At first I slept decent (4 hours) and didn't have many side effects. Then it started giving me bad stomach issues and wire me up and then mess me up the next day. I felt like it hindered my recovery, but I also feel like I wouldn't have made it through the first months without KNOWING that I can take seroquel if I go without sleep for 3 nights. I never used it more than twice a week.

 

I been using it every night for the last 2 months, as at this stage of tapering its been a sleep savior! Only low dose of 25MG works perfectly  to help me fall asleep until 7am religiously! I know it's mainly prescribed for Bi-Polar and Schezomania but, also used for Insomnia. I suffer no side effects the next day, but once I fully taper of Benzodiazepines I'll worry about weaning off the Seroquel using other holistic techniques and CBT therapy.

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