[gemina]

Ok...my doctor (sooo crazy...I just havn't had time to find a new one that is taking new patients) decided a week after putting me on ativan that actually she didn't want me to sue her if I got addicted and was cutting me off. I started crying (again) b/c it was actually working unlike trazadone (insomnia) which does F$%# all but she insists that I take religiously. She gives me a prescription for 15 more ativan 1mg (I need at least 2mg for it to do anything), 100 more of the trazadone which I don't take and 100 seroquel. Ummm...google tells me that seroquel is for schizophrinics and persons who are bi-polar...which I'm not.Wtf?? Has anyone taken this???

[Robert_325]

Originally Posted by gemina

Ok...my doctor (sooo crazy...I just havn't had time to find a new one that is taking new patients) decided a week after putting me on ativan that actually she didn't want me to sue her if I got addicted and was cutting me off. I started crying (again) b/c it was actually working unlike trazadone (insomnia) which does F$%# all but she insists that I take religiously. She gives me a prescription for 15 more ativan 1mg (I need at least 2mg for it to do anything), 100 more of the trazadone which I don't take and 100 seroquel. Ummm...google tells me that seroquel is for schizophrinics and persons who are bi-polar...which I'm not.Wtf?? Has anyone taken this???

First of all I don't think you are in danger of becoming addicted to ativan after a week. Why does she think that you will sue her? Sounds like the doc is suffering from dillusions and paranoia herself. Perhaps she needs the ativan.

So has she just reduced your ativan script then??? The way I read it sounds like she just reduced your script to 15 1mg pills. Is that correct?

So why are you filling the trazodone? How long has it been since you used it??? Your dr thinks you are taking it and you're not. And what strength is your seroquel script? If you are not suffering from mental/emotional problems then seroquel can be used for sleep too. I'm curious to know how the trazodone and seroquel are prescribed ... doses and frequency.

I was on seroquel for about 4 months. I have no emotional problems that I am aware of except for some anxiety. I was prescribed seroquel while in the hospital detoxing from opiates. I had also abused benzos for decades. I was taking 15-20mg a day of xanax, plus about 6-8mg a day of klonopin. So I had some major sleep and anxiety problems at that time. I was a mess. I continued to take the seroquel when I was released from the hospital as it did help me sleep big time. Didn't make me high, just helped me sleep. My dr is chief of staff at the hospital I was in. He is a very good dr. He told me that the seroquel could be taken in fairly high doses (not that I wanted a high dose) and I still wouldn't have any problems when I stopped it nor would I experience bad side effects. I had no side effects while taking it and stopping went just as the dr said it would for me. I was taking 200mg per day in a single dose at bedtime. I wouldn't be overly concerned about taking the seroquel if it were me. It is a psych drug though and I would not want to take if for life. Of course I don't want to take anything for life. Let us know how this all goes. Good luck.

[bev49]

I was also on seroquel. I didn't want to take it because I am not schizophrenic or bi polar but I went through a tough patch a while ago where I was very moody, crying/angry alternately. I was on 100 mg. at night. The doctor said seroquel is given in very high doses when used for schizophrenia or bipolar disease. It can also be used for anxiety, sleep disorders or mood swings but in much lower doses. The seroquel allowed me to fall asleep and more importantly STAY asleep. THe first few days it made me somewhat groggy but after that, no side effects whatsoever.

[sisterwin2]

Originally Posted by bev49

I was also on seroquel. I didn't want to take it because I am not schizophrenic or bi polar but I went through a tough patch a while ago where I was very moody, crying/angry alternately. I was on 100 mg. at night. The doctor said seroquel is given in very high doses when used for schizophrenia or bipolar disease. It can also be used for anxiety, sleep disorders or mood swings but in much lower doses. The seroquel allowed me to fall asleep and more importantly STAY asleep. THe first few days it made me somewhat groggy but after that, no side effects whatsoever.

Hey Hon.... How you be??

Seroquel... uhmmm... I tell you I still dont sleep everynight. I sleep about every 3rd or 4night and I think its because I am so exhausted. I wonder if I should try seroquel. My sub doc thew me out so I will have to go to my reg. doctor. I think I need to do something about my sleeping.... I worked the pass two days from sun up to sun down on the wood on my boat. I still didnt sleep but 45 min at a time the last two nights..... Its starting to really affect my daily living and worse my driving

[bev49]

The worst symptom in the world is not being able to sleep in my opinion. For you and I, sis, its not only the drugs but also hormonal bs thrown in there from menapause. I was taking ambien but it didn't do ********************. It helped me fall asleep but then I'd keep waking up and wake up way too early. The only thing that worked, not counting seconols, tuinals, etc. which are disgusting was the seroquel. It lets you fall right asleep and sleep a full 8 hours. For schizos they give up to 800 mgs. or more. For sleep and mood issues its more like from 50 to 160. My sis just got a perscription for sleep for 25 mgs.

As far as how I'm doing, I brought myself down on the sub from 16 a day to 12 a day, sometimes 10. Not a big drop, I realize, but for me its something. The doctor tells me that I should forget about the 3 months or less wean, this is gonna be long term. Considering I'm going on 60 years old and have not been opiate free pretty much since my first shot of heroin at 16, I guess I understand his thinking. Because of additional health problems, I don't know if my body could stand a withdrawal from anything. I was figuring I was gonna be on methadone for life so I guess this is no different.

Sis, I feel we have alot in common. Please be sure you're really ready when you make the big drop to 0 mgs. Be careful and take care of yourself and try to be sure.

Speak to you later.

[Robert_325]

You are absolutely correct about the 800mg doses for psych problems. But one can take as much as 200mg, even 300mg if there is a really serious sleep problem. When I was using seroquel it took 200mg to make a dent in my sleep issues during and following detox. I did find that when I improved significantly that the 200mg was probably a little bit much then and at that point I stopped taking it altogether.

You know there is no reason to push yourself with the suboxone. Just do what you are comfortable with. If you push it too hard and it causes you problems then you are defeating the entire purpose of taking it.

[jamie40]

100m seroquel is strong! you are correct on how it is used, but let me tell you it will put you to sleep. just be careful on it, i had a prescription for it and it was too much for me. i felt like i was hit by a truck, it knocks you out. i didnt like it.

[bev49]

The first time I took seroquel it was 50 mgs. and it felt like I had a 2 ton brick on top of my head. I was zombified (is that a word lol?). It knocked me on my butt. That lasted for 3 days then it got better but it sure does put you to sleep. After the first day, I made sure to only take it immediately before I was ready to go to sleep. Used that way, it was a great help.

[sisterwin2]

Originally Posted by bev49

The first time I took seroquel it was 50 mgs. and it felt like I had a 2 ton brick on top of my head. I was zombified (is that a word lol?). It knocked me on my butt. That lasted for 3 days then it got better but it sure does put you to sleep. After the first day, I made sure to only take it immediately before I was ready to go to sleep. Used that way, it was a great help.

My doc did give me seroquel 25mg and yes it did help me sleep thru the night....... but I fear any more drugs. I dont want to have to go thru any more wd. I toss them saw my MD yesterday and he got pissed. wrote another script and said I should take them at least three times a week untill my sleep comes back. this does sound reasonalbe?????

[Robert_325]

Originally Posted by sisterwin2

My doc did give me seroquel 25mg and yes it did help me sleep thru the night....... but I fear any more drugs. I dont want to have to go thru any more wd. I toss them saw my MD yesterday and he got pissed. wrote another script and said I should take them at least three times a week untill my sleep comes back. this does sound reasonalbe?????

I don't believe there is ANYTHING wrong with you taking 25mg of seroquel every day for a while. I really don't. I took 200mg daily for about four months and I promise there were ZERO w/d symptoms. At least it worked like that for me. I slept with it. I did great with it. I realize 200mg is a high dose for most people. I am a 200lb man plus my brain is probably fried so you probably don't need as much as I took. But I don't think you will have any w/d from the seroquel at all. I don't think you should take it for a long time. But using it as a sleep aid for a month or two should cause no problems for you whatsoever especially at 25mg .. such a low medicinal dose. Good luck.

[bev49]

I started taking seroquel again when I started the sub because the sub was causing me worse sleep problems than I already was having. I take 100 mg. right before bed and I love it. The idea of not being able to sleep is torture to me. If I can't sleep I get anxious because I worry how will I work the next day or function, then the anxiety causes me not to be able to sleep so its a vicious cycle. Seroquel was the solution. I do not have any undue grogginess in the morning. I just get a real good sleep. 50 mgs. would probably work just as well but the doctor told me that were totally non addictive so I take them as perscribed. I love them. No, thats I lie. I don't love the pill. They don't make me feel good or anything. I just love being able to fall asleep and stay asleep all night.

[pinkstone]

Originally Posted by gemina

Ok...my doctor (sooo crazy...I just havn't had time to find a new one that is taking new patients) decided a week after putting me on ativan that actually she didn't want me to sue her if I got addicted and was cutting me off. I started crying (again) b/c it was actually working unlike trazadone (insomnia) which does F$%# all but she insists that I take religiously. She gives me a prescription for 15 more ativan 1mg (I need at least 2mg for it to do anything), 100 more of the trazadone which I don't take and 100 seroquel. Ummm...google tells me that seroquel is for schizophrinics and persons who are bi-polar...which I'm not.Wtf?? Has anyone taken this???

Oh my God Seraquel is amazing for anxiety. I have a ton of Ativan mg sublingual- and really rather seraquel. With until you take it, you will be so so happy - and you will love it more than ativan- but it is also highly addictive...so I do not really understand.
Let me know if you like it!!

It looks like no one has commented on this thread since August, so I guess I am a little late, but... I personally had bad experiences with Seroquel. I was misdiagnosed with as bi-polar and was taking either 50 or 100mg (dont remember) every night, and I also felt like I was being hit with a ton of bricks. Almost exactly 30 mins after I took it I would feel almost delusional, all trippy. I would sleep (more like 10 hours usually!), but feel all hung over the next day. I am sure this drug works great for those who need it (mainly schizophrenics and bi polar people), but it is not for everyone.

I was wondering, if gemina still posts on here, were you taking 2mg of Ativan for sleep? Or is that just the dose you normally take for anxiety. I ask because I also take Ativan, normally 1mg for anxiety as needed, but I have recently started taking Adderall again (only 5mg a day), and have had some issues sleeping... So I was thinking maybe on nights this is an issue I should try 2mg of Ativan to sleep better? 1mg calms me down but does not put me to sleep, I am able to take that amount and still function at work or school... The only reason I have not tried this yet is because I am currently taking Vicodin for an injured foot and do not want to take both Vicodin and Ativan at the same time. My foot is getting well enough I could go without the Vicodin though... Thanks for any feedback!

[summermaru]

Hi...I've also just been given seroquel and was reading this thread but so it stopped around August.
My psychiatrist gave me 25 mgs of seroquel because my sleeping pattern sucks.
He also has me on zoloft and xanax. He gives me 6 mgs a day of xanax. The problem is he doesn't know I take more than double that amount a day. Plus more if I want to fall asleep. He's not the greatest psych. He was told I'm on suboxone but he doesn't remember and I don't want to remind him.
Once he said he was going to add something for sleep and lower my xanax dose, I wished I hadn't said anything about my sleep. But for this first month, he still gave me up to 6 mgs of xanax.

I don't like the side effects. I know what I'm on already has side effects but they seem to be fine after all these years. I've had a seizure before, I have low blood pressure already so to mix this with what he doesn't know I'm taking...I really don't want to.
My sleeping problems have more to do with my lifestyle. He said if I'm going to work the next day, to take it at 9 pm. That's so early for me. I don't want to go to sleep that early. Next month when I see him, what can I say to make him leave me on 6 xanax and get rid of the seroquel?

If anyone even has any kind of help or info, I'd really appreciate it. I first tried the seroquel website, which didn't help at all. And then I remembered this one, which I'm really glad is here because who else would I ask?

[Robert_325]

Originally Posted by summermaru

Hi...I've also just been given seroquel and was reading this thread but so it stopped around August.
My psychiatrist gave me 25 mgs of seroquel because my sleeping pattern sucks.
He also has me on zoloft and xanax. He gives me 6 mgs a day of xanax. The problem is he doesn't know I take more than double that amount a day. Plus more if I want to fall asleep. He's not the greatest psych. He was told I'm on suboxone but he doesn't remember and I don't want to remind him.
Once he said he was going to add something for sleep and lower my xanax dose, I wished I hadn't said anything about my sleep. But for this first month, he still gave me up to 6 mgs of xanax.

I don't like the side effects. I know what I'm on already has side effects but they seem to be fine after all these years. I've had a seizure before, I have low blood pressure already so to mix this with what he doesn't know I'm taking...I really don't want to.
My sleeping problems have more to do with my lifestyle. He said if I'm going to work the next day, to take it at 9 pm. That's so early for me. I don't want to go to sleep that early. Next month when I see him, what can I say to make him leave me on 6 xanax and get rid of the seroquel?

If anyone even has any kind of help or info, I'd really appreciate it. I first tried the seroquel website, which didn't help at all. And then I remembered this one, which I'm really glad is here because who else would I ask?

Why do you even need 6mg of xanax for sleep thats prescribed? Then you say you are actually taking twice that amount. Thats six xanax bars. No one needs six bars a day. No way I would participate in telling someone how to convince the dr to let you stay on 6 bars of xanax. Thats crazy. And I was on xanax for 25 years ... it almost killed me. You even talk about having seizures. Don't you realize what you are doing to yourself? You need to check into rehab before you kill yourself. I am not judging, I am telling you the truth.

[summermaru]

Hi Robert..Thanks for responding. I started taking xanax because of anxiety and became tolerant to it really fast and have been on it for over 5 years. I know I shouldn't be but I've tried to be sober and it didn't work. In the past month, I have lowered the dosage by a whole bar and am more aware of how many I take. But it still is a lot. And then with sleeping, I get hyper at night. I like nighttime better. Whatever I told my dr. must have sounded like I couldn't sleep, but it's really my lifestyle. By the time I told him that, he had already written out seroquel. I don't want to take it but if I tell him, he'll get mad.
I was looking for a side effect I could tell him I'm getting so he won't give it to me anymore.

[Robert_325]

Originally Posted by summermaru

Hi Robert..Thanks for responding. I started taking xanax because of anxiety and became tolerant to it really fast and have been on it for over 5 years. I know I shouldn't be but I've tried to be sober and it didn't work. In the past month, I have lowered the dosage by a whole bar and am more aware of how many I take. But it still is a lot. And then with sleeping, I get hyper at night. I like nighttime better. Whatever I told my dr. must have sounded like I couldn't sleep, but it's really my lifestyle. By the time I told him that, he had already written out seroquel. I don't want to take it but if I tell him, he'll get mad.
I was looking for a side effect I could tell him I'm getting so he won't give it to me anymore.

Look. I am trying to help you. So you understand who you are talking to and that I am not some old guy telling you how to live your lifestyle here is my deal. I started on benzos in the early 80s. When I finally stopped just a few years ago I had been taking from 15-20mg per day of xanax along with another 6-8mg per day of klonopin. Had been doing that for a long time as in many years. So trust me I know about xanax, klonopin, valium, all benzos. I've been there. I am like the Jedi Master of benzos dude. I had seizures and more garbage happen to me than you can imagine. I almost died twice. You want to tell the dr something that will make him stop the seroquel??? Tell him that you are currently taking 5-6 xanax bars per day. That will do it I promise you. But also tell him that you need some help getting off this trash before it kills you. That is what you need to do. The choice is yours but you are at a HUGE crossroads. If you choose the wrong direction it could kill you. Don't you understand that? I sincerely pray that you will take some constructive criticism and act appropriately. Your life is at stake. To hell with the "lifestyle". Your lifestyle will end up destroying you. God bless.

[Joooeee]

Hi all,

This is an extremely false drug for sleep/ anxiety because it is only for schizophrenia and bipolar mania. It works in the brain by changing chemicals. Many doctors have been prescribing for off label uses such as depression, anxiety and insomnia. A lot of lawsuits have been filed against astrazeneca.Do not take it if you dont have schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Astrazeneca is accused of offering incentives to increase the number of prescription written per year.
Withdrawing from it is very very hard because it has to be done very slowly and gradually. A lot of patience is required for it. They dont even have a 10 mg table to help in withdrawing atleast.

Originally Posted by bev49

The first time I took seroquel it was 50 mgs. and it felt like I had a 2 ton brick on top of my head. I was zombified (is that a word lol?). It knocked me on my butt. That lasted for 3 days then it got better but it sure does put you to sleep. After the first day, I made sure to only take it immediately before I was ready to go to sleep. Used that way, it was a great help.

[Robert_325]

Originally Posted by Joooeee

Hi all,

This is an extremely false drug for sleep/ anxiety because it is only for schizophrenia and bipolar mania. It works in the brain by changing chemicals. Many doctors have been prescribing for off label uses such as depression, anxiety and insomnia. A lot of lawsuits have been filed against astrazeneca.Do not take it if you dont have schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Astrazeneca is accused of offering incentives to increase the number of prescription written per year.
Withdrawing from it is very very hard because it has to be done very slowly and gradually. A lot of patience is required for it. They dont even have a 10 mg table to help in withdrawing atleast.

Seroquel has been used effectively for years for short term use helping people in opiate detox with sleep problems. I agree that it shouldn't be taken for any significant length of time unless a person is experiencing psych problems. All psych drugs affect how the brain works. That is nothing exclusive to seroquel. But for short term use in moderate doses it poses no dangers worth mentioning when using it for opiate detox. There are NO w/d problems using it the way I have described. I've been there myself. God bless.

[python134r]

I too was prescribed seroquel after a institutional detox and during aftercare except I was diagnosed as bipolar II. Now it is unusual for this to be an issue in my late 40's. I was prescribed initially 100mg at bedtime, my psychiatrist upped me to eventually 900 mgs a day. I was toast. After a few months, 6 or 7 I weaned off them. I was scared to stop cold because of the nature of what they do. There are side effects. Eventually when I would take them I would get dizzy, fall down at times and I could fell like a pulse in my head. Weight gain too.

I became a person again, went back to work and got things somewhat together, notwithstanding my current "issue" that is coming along.

[ejthomps]

hey

ohhhhh the seroquel blues. listen - throw the useless trazadone out the window and the ativan is such a short acting mild benzo that you might as well pitch that too. I have acute mania which in short terms means that i dont get much of the depression part of bipolar but it takes an army to put me down. i have met plenty of people who take a few mg of seroquel to sleep and if ur messing around w trazadone and ativan you might as well get something that works. the acute nature of my mania allows me to take 400 mg of seroquel which - believe it or not is down from 600mg. it takes a lot to slow me down but if 25 mg works for you - go for it. there are virtually no side effects to stopping or missing a day and many people do not take it as an anit-phychotic like my myself. and they like to sugar coat it and call it a "mood stabilizer". all i know is that it works, its going generic soon, and i advise you to stick with it for awhile - the effects to not wear off like the ativan or benzos. and f the trazadone. who wants to be on another anti depressent.

good luck
hit me up w any questions
thanks

ejthomps