Quetiapine for Bipolar Disorder User Reviews (Page 2)

• valch...
• February 13, 2015

Seroquel (quetiapine) "Only on week 1 of this med, but I CANNOT believe the change in my mood. I am taking this to treat bipolar 2, anxiety and poor sleep quality. I take 50mg at night and sleep like a baby. Make sure to get 8-10 hours of sleep/night and you won't feel drowsy the next morning. It's eliminated my anxiety entirely and I feel completely stabilized. I haven't had any trouble with weight gain; in fact, I've already lost a few lbs, due to the fact that I no longer feel emotionally-driven to binge eat. No side effects as far as I can tell. An ABSOLUTE MIRACLE DRUG. Just praying the results hold up."

• lisa
• July 18, 2016

Seroquel (quetiapine) "when I was first put on this medication in the emergency room, I was coming off heroin and my mood swings was horrific, and my anxiety was off the charts, they put me on 200 mg. immediately and was to take it 3 times a day. I was diagnosed as bipolar, ptsd severe anxiety disorder, hearing voices to kill myself, sleep disorder, among a few others. I have loved this medicine since day one almost 4 years ago. I have ended up 150 lbs. over weight, and diabetic. however one may see this, I call this my miracle pill. I wish I had been put on it as a teenager. I have told my psych don't ever try to take this away from me, I get paranoid at thinking about it. I may be fat and diabetic, but I have a good life and great family."

• Affin...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 14, 2020

Seroquel (quetiapine) "They don't call it the demon drug for nothing. I was prescribed 25 mg in the evening for extreme irritability and "insomnia" off label. I cut it in half because I'm relatively small at 115 pounds. Knocked me out like a light. Went up to 50 mg and became nauseous, saw stars, heart palpitations, and my body felt extremely heavy. Stopped taking immediately after. Please note that the mood stabilizing effect only kicks in at a minimum dosage of 100 mg. Anything under that is a sedative, like Benadryl on steroids with the added benefit of developing akinesia and metabolic syndrome. You WILL gain weight on this drug regardless of dosage. On the bright side, it'll get rid of your allergy sniffles."

• Light...
• January 31, 2018

Seroquel (quetiapine) "the reason I'm rating this drug 10/10 is that it does not stab you in the back , and it does not ask for increased doses , it works all the time , and kicks in fast , and makes you feel euphoric combined with sleepiness. If stayed awake more than 30 minutes after taking it , you will feel hungry , so if you are worried about gaining weight just take it and sleep. Find your correct dose that works well , and remember good sleep equals good mood. If you feel sleepy the next day , thats if ' drink some coffee + 1 cup of water. And remember to do 20 minutes of exercise every day just not before going to sleep and you will feel batter 100%"

• eveni...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 26, 2024

Seroquel (quetiapine) "Seroquel truly changed my life for the better. I was on max doses of 3 drugs and still in a deep depression. (I am bipolar, with more depressive episodes than mania). It felt hopeless and like I'd hit a brick wall. Psychiatrist recommended Seroquel as they said it's best for bipolar severe depression. Once I was at the right dose, it was like a switch flipped. I could hardly believe the difference: I was pulled out of my depression, anxiety diminished, could finally sleep at night. I haven't had a depressive episode in over 2 years on Seroquel and I have never been in remission this long before. I was afraid it would make me sleepy; it only makes me tired at bedtime and I sleep soundly at night. I'm fine the next morning. My only critique would be weight gain. I lost some weight and gained it back. But, I will take stability and having gained weight over being thinner and unstable. Don't believe the horror stories: everyone is different. It changed my life."

• Lindsay
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 13, 2019

Seroquel (quetiapine) "I take a low dose of Seroquel and it is helpful as a sleeping pill. It can get rid of bad thoughts. I've experienced weight loss on it. It helps with increasing my appetite though. I can still drive well on this drug. Insurance covers this drug"

• ECCEN...
• November 14, 2014

Seroquel (quetiapine) "At first, it was horrible. I felt like I was dying every time I would take it before bed, I felt as if I were to fall asleep I'd never wake up. This lasted 2 weeks maybe a month.... My body eventually adjusted to it, the voices went away. Slowly, but surely. I was also in a serious state of depression, and it takes some time but now after a little over a year of taking it, being bipolar and having countless manic and depressive episodes, Seroquel has saved my life. I've never felt like myself like I do right now in such a long time. The only dumbs down is you have to seriously monitor your weight on this thing, the pounds just pile up if you don't watch your weight carefully.."

• Ahimsa
• March 30, 2019

Seroquel (quetiapine) "Warning: may trigger suicidal thoughts. History: I was prescribed Seroquel after multiple meds weren’t helping to improve my depression. Quickly, my depression got markedly worse to the point of me not being able to get out of bed and not bathing because they felt too exhausting. I also had my suicidal ideation and thoughts get overwhelmingly worse. My psychiatrist increased my dosage and it just got worse. I had to change psychiatrists (unrelated to this) and my new psychiatrist immediately had me taper down my dosage with the goal of getting off the Seroquel completely. Once I got off of it completely, I felt like a new person - no depression or suicidal thoughts since. I know this med has helped a lot of people and I am so happy it has. I don’t think many other people have had this experience, but wanted to put it out there that it wasn’t good for me and if anyone is having similar experiences, please speak with the person who prescribed it and know that it can get better."

• Gemini
• November 10, 2014

Seroquel (quetiapine) "Seroquel has worked wonders for me. I have been diagnosed with Bipolar 2, and after 7 months on Seroquel, I feel like a whole new person. I had been severely depressed and was self harming before getting on Seroquel, and now I have never been so happy before! The only problem is the weight gain - I have gained about 20 pounds since I started taking this medicine. But this side effect is worth it to have my depression and anxiety gone!"

• littl...
• March 15, 2014

Seroquel (quetiapine) "Seroquel gave me my life back, calms me down and helps me think clearly during the day, and helps me sleep well during the night. Makes your mouth a bit dry and makes you hungry often but definitely worth it."

• Wizar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 13, 2016

Seroquel (quetiapine) "I was diagnosed with Bipolar II when I was 15 years old and have used only cannabis since then to deal with it, but after years of cannabis abuse my symptoms started to become uncontrollable, I needed to smoke 2-3 grams of weed a day just to stay physically calm, and even then I had a lot of internal anxiety and no motivation. I could never quit smoking because if I did I couldn't sleep, couldn't eat, couldn't sit still, and couldn't feel any joy. I would always relapse if I quit. I started Seroquel a week ago, and haven't had any weed since: I can eat normally, sleep 6-7 hours a night, and feel relatively happy. Plus I have literally no side effects as far as I can tell. I haven't felt this good in years; It's all uphill from here!"

• Seanie
• October 16, 2014

Seroquel (quetiapine) "I've been taking Seroquel for 7 years, after 20 years of delusional thoughts, mania, and large amounts of depression. It worked within two weeks and I noticed that when I woke up each day that my delusional thoughts were getting easier to identify and let go of. It changed my life. Since taking Seroquel, I have been able to learn how to drive, work in permanent jobs, save money, travel overseas, socialise, have a successful relationship and reconnect with the real me. I have also worked on my cognitive and emotional development and continue to attend counselling. I have gained 30kgs, but this has probably come about due to the combination of Seroquel, inactivity, diet and Sleep Apnea (of which I have only just been diagnosed)."

• Happy...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 7, 2014

Seroquel (quetiapine) "I was off meds for awhile and thought I was fine - nope! Had a manic episode. I take 100 to 150mg of Seroquel at night. Before this, I took Geodon and lost weight, but I had uncontrollable muscle movements, I didn't want to switch but my family was embarrassed by my non stop hand movements. I switched to Seroquel and feel a million times better. I sleep great (used to not sleep for days). BUT, I have gained 40 lbs. I wake up the next morning and see what I ate the night before and get so irritated with myself. It makes me want to eat everything bad for me. If I don't eat, it's like an itch I can't scratch. I don't feel foggy, but well rested...then again, I sleep till 8 or 9am. To me, it's worth the weight gain to feel stable."

• Selena
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 1, 2021

Seroquel (quetiapine) "This medicine literally saved my life. I wish I’d of known about it sooner in my adult life. I’ve struggled with ptsd, anxiety, pmdd, mood swings, and bad depression for 8 years. I tried every medication out there, and none of them helped. I’ve been on this for almost a year now, and I recommend it to everyone. I cried my eyes out when it hit me just how much this medication has helped. I feel normal now, and everyone tells me this is what it’s like to be and feel normal, and to be happy, to be content with life. I wish I wish I wish I would have known about this years ago. I could have saved myself a lot of heart ache. But hey, everything happens for a reason. The ONLY downside is being tired. I have to make sure I have extra time to sleep. And if I forget to take it, or don’t refill my script, I’m not sleeping that night lol. TRY IT. DO IT. It will change your life. It changed mine."

• JimiS
• April 7, 2008

Seroquel (quetiapine) "For many years I have been impulsive and that impulsiveness has led to a lot of serious problems in my life. (Some of which were legal) Seroquel has installed a "buffer" between the impulsive thought and the words/actions that come as a result. I am now able to fully analyze a thought process and decide whether or not to act on it. I have noticed a profound change in all areas of my life including my musical abilities. My family and I are now benefiting from a more calm, and appropriate person."

• Srzta...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• July 12, 2015

Seroquel XR (quetiapine) "This medication completely changed my life. My diagnosis is mixed rapid-cycling bipolar disorder with psychotic features. Before my regimine, I would suffer a week of depression, followed by a day of dangerous mixed affective episode, followed by a few hours of euphoria before the process wouls begin all over again. I had ruminating, and intrusive thoughts; panic atacks; anxiety; extreme guilt; dissociation and suicidal ideation (and a few near-attempts.) But, within weeks of the therapeutic dose my mood stabilized; my anxiety dropped off; my obsessive and intrusive ruminations relinquished their hold; and, unexpectedly, I gained a spectrum of emotions I didn't even know I lacked (and that was the best thing of all.) Truly life-altering"

• Wildc...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 2, 2013

Seroquel (quetiapine) "I've been taking Seroquel for about a year and I can honestly say I don't ever want to live without it. No other medicine had any effect on controlling my extreme mood swings and delusional/psychotic thinking. The sleepiness (which I now find very helpful) and morning fog were bothersome, but I've gladly adapted my schedule to allow 8-9 hrs sleep nightly."

• Jake
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 17, 2019

Seroquel (quetiapine) "Have been on many meds that were inappropriately used for my anxiety and instability including high dose Depakote and tryclic anti depressants making me more unstable with unbearable antipsychotic overloads. Eventually a sedative dose of seroquel around 125-150 mg worked very well for calming down anxiety intrusive thoughts and allowing me to sleep. It is ridiculous that some of the doctors who aggressively medicate and aren't cautious because the right dose of helpful medication can be life saving while a bad approach can cause instability that caused serious problems in my life. Then unfortunately psychiatrist often blame your condition over their inappropriate treatment so it's important to be aware of what's going on with you."

• insan...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 10, 2014

Seroquel (quetiapine) "Took for bipolar. Good side effects: more or less consistently put me to sleep every night. Bad side effects: gained roughly 20 lbs 6 months in, had a difficult time getting up every day, needed more sleep than usual. It helped for awhile, but it mostly made my episodes less severe, did not effectively stop or prevent them."

• Raist...
• October 19, 2016

Seroquel (quetiapine) "A word of caution. I've noticed how positive these reviews tend to be. You should look-up the withdrawal effects when coming of this drug. I've been on and off medication for the last 20 years. When I came of efexor 15 years ago I couldn't walk for three days. But that was nothing compared to seroquel. And it takes 90 days for the withdrawal effects to begin to wear off. Seriously, before taking this drug you need to do some research. I would STRONGLY advise you to find another drug."

• Sofie
• Taken for 10 years or more
• September 4, 2019

Seroquel XR (quetiapine) "I have Bipolar Disorder Type 2. I'm on Seroquel XR 150mg for 10 years now. Before I was on Seroquel 300mg for more than a year. I have tried different antipsychotic medicines combination for years but only Seroquel works for me. Changed my life for the better. I have chronic insomnia, tried all sleeping pills but only lasted for weeks then I couldn't sleep anymore. But Seroquel put me to sleep, deeper sleep and wake up feeling better. I just need to sleep every night on the same time. Also I gained weight, and the side effect when I feel groggy at night I feel hungry so I ended up eating at midnight. I know it sucks that I gained weight. Tried to stop taking it for few days then my depression attack me very sudden and my mood fluctuations. From then I never stop taking Seroquel and I feel better. I told to my psychiatrist that Seroquel is my best friend, without it I feel horrible. It is indeed a lifesaver."

• BABYG...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• May 31, 2013

Seroquel (quetiapine) "I was diagnosed with bipolar when I was 14 years old I am now 34 years old. I have been many different medications for my bipolar. Seroquel has been a wonderful medication. I take 1000mg at bedtime. I have been on it for almost 16 years. It works well for me."

• Beltane
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 27, 2017

Seroquel XR (quetiapine) "This drug is a wonder drug. After 15 years of brutal bipolar symptoms (undiagnosed/ untreated) which destroyed my whole life, I now take 300mg at night and now I can have a normal life free of anxiety, mood swings, bipolar symptoms etc, I hold down a responsible full-time job, healthy relationships and friendships, I have hobbies. I never had any of that before; my bipolar destroyed my whole life. Seroquel gave it back. I hear of people wanting to go off Seroquel.. I'm the opposite. I would go to any lengths to make sure I never have to go off it. I'll gladly spend the rest of my life on it, because it gives me a normal life, and I won't risk that for anything. I've been on it 3 years, no side effects."

• enjol...
• December 4, 2007

Seroquel (quetiapine) "Seroquel has been very effective in clearing up my thinking. It has also helped me sleep better. I am bipolar and had a lot of irrational thinking, but Seroquel has cleared a lot of that up. I was in a terribly blue depression but Seroquel helped bring me out of that."

• SRRR
• February 23, 2022

Seroquel (quetiapine) "THROW THIS MEDICATION AWAY!!! Honestly the worse thing to start.. I’ve been on it for years and now find out it’s caused my pancreatitis. In the past year I’ve been hospitalized 3 times due to it. I’m otherwise healthy and now may have ruined my pancreas due to seroquel"