Seroquel for Schizoaffective Disorder User Reviews (Page 2)

• Sur...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 3, 2021

"One of the worst meds I've ever taken was only on 25-50 milligrams a day, made me extremely tired and my eyes black. I'd wake up feeling like I was being choked. If I was trying to work out, doing push-ups for instance, I'd get a sharp pain in my head and either my arm or leg, or both, would give out, and I'd fall to the floor, almost hurting myself. I thought it was bad for me, or I must be allergic to it, so I had to refuse to take it anymore after a couple of months. I can't believe they are still giving this to people without knowing how destructive it can be to people's lives. It's an older antipsychotic medicine, they claim, so how could they not know the brutal side effects it causes."

• Anonymous
• April 26, 2009

"I was put on Celexa, Depakote, and Seroquel when I was a month into being 13 years old. I was fine for a week, then the voices returned with a vengeance, much worse and far more taunting and tormenting than ever before (or since). I became a zombie, unable to communicate the problems to my doctor or family. In addition, when I described problems to my doctor, he insisted Seroquel didn't cause those effects. Drowsiness, craving sugar, problems with walking and balance, and becoming a far more ill person than I was when I began the medication. I gained 60 lbs in three months. When I stopped Seroquel, I returned to 'base sanity.' My weight returned to normal."

• dyn...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 20, 2017

"Seroquel did not work for me (this is NOT to say it may work for you, because everyone's biochemistry is different). It caused me to sleep 16 hours a day or more on an extremely low dose (75 mg), and over 2 weeks caused me to auditory hallucinate and creepy or hellish nightmares (worse than my normal ones). Over time, it actually caused anxiety instead of reducing it. Hope you have a better time with Seroquel than me!"

• Ray...
• December 31, 2015

"I have a complicated relationship with this drug. On one hand, I've been on everything for depression (specifically), and nothing helped. I'm talking like 20 medications here, so it's been a rollercoaster. Most antidepressants were useless for me, and the time period for effectiveness is usually over 1 month. Seroquel usually takes 2 weeks to start having an effect. It works for my depression - but I'm sedated and have to sleep a lot. Being a student can make this challenging. Shift work and the like would be hard too. It's my last bet for now because I literally start to crumble to psychosis without it. However, it is debilitating and feels restrictive. Beats the psych ward, I guess. Good luck and keep trying, sometimes it takes a while."

• Anonymous
• May 30, 2009

"This drug is good for controlling symptoms. You can lead a normal life on this drug. It is sedating at first and on higher doses. I find that the only troublesome side effect has been weight gain (around 2 and a half stones). Overall, a good drug."

• tir...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 11, 2014

"Unfortunately, this medication does not suit me, as I get a lot of the undesirable side effects. Slurred speech, terrible confusion, drowsiness but not able to sleep, cravings for sugary foods, a sort of spaced-out feeling, and restless leg. Apart from that, it's great! :) Wish I could continue taking it, but it's not worth the side effects in my case."

• Dou...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 4, 2021

"If you are forced to pick an antipsychotic, then take this one. You can sleep through the hospital or jail time when you take Seroquel extended release. Avoid aripiprazole, Haldol, paliperidone, and all the other ones. Seroquel is the least worst of all antipsychotics, it doesn't block dopamine as much as all the others. Sedation is pretty heavy, so take it at nighttime."

• IDK...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 24, 2025

"I started taking quetiapine a couple of months ago, initially to help with my chronic insomnia, although I suspect my psychiatrist also did it in hopes it might help with what looked to be psychosis. I started at 25 mg, and it would knock me out at night. It was amazing, finally getting enough sleep. Later, I would begin having more issues with schizoaffective disorder and had a psychotic break in November. My psychiatrist then increased my dosage and I have not noticed any bad side effects, mainly just not as paranoid constantly and less auditory hallucinations."

• Neu...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 12, 2018

"All began well, and I was on a small dose for a while. Then I had a relapse, and we upped the dosage. Then I started awful side effects every night after taking it! Then my mum came to stay and said, 'It's the medication.' So I called my shrink and asked to go off it, and he said, 'OK - no more side effects!'"

• Lou...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 13, 2021

"I had a nervous breakdown in February 2020. I had to do 20 days inpatient. They gave me Invega, which did not work at all. After I was released, I still wasn't right at all. I ended up even getting arrested for criminal trespassing. I started doing therapy and met with a medical provider. I asked to be put on Seroquel because I could not sleep at all. I take 200 mg a day, and it's very effective in stopping racing thoughts. You have to really watch what you eat on it. I have worked very hard to have gained zero weight. I also continue to take Doxepin, which I was previously prescribed."

• Ano...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 6, 2022

"Seroquel has worked wonders for me. I had been on Abilify for 9 months, but it eventually stopped working. I asked my psychiatrist if I could try out Seroquel, and we started at 50 mg. It worked wonders within a matter of days. My paranoia had completely gone away, and so did the delusions. I’ve been on this medication for about 7 months, and all of my psychotic symptoms went away. It also has helped my anxiety so much (in addition to being on Zoloft and Propranolol) and mood swings. I feel more at ease since being on Seroquel and highly recommend this medication. Do be aware of its weight gain effects, though - my doctor added metformin to help control that."

• Bun...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• January 19, 2021

"I started Seroquel when I was 13 after 7 years of talking to people who weren't there. I'm 18 now. I heard it's not possible to need this at that age, but here I am. I think at first I was kinda empty, didn't talk, kinda a vegetable. Took about a while to get used to, maybe a week. Then I remember completely losing it and attacking my brother and also feeling suicidal, but I didn't stop taking it when I was put in inpatient. Then everything got better. Now I still hear and see things, but only specific things, and I talk to people more even though I have social anxiety. So it didn't really work for my hallucinations, just maybe depression and anxiety."

• Ren...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• October 2, 2023

"Honestly, it's a godsend for me. I've been taking Seroquel/quetiapine 300 mg for 7 years. It controls my symptoms of paranoia, auditory hallucinations, and inability to sleep due to racing thoughts. I take it just before bedtime, and it knocks me out within an hour. I'm not thinking about anything, which is great because lack of sleep triggers manic episodes for me. I also take Lamictal/lamotrigine for mood swings. My only complaint about the Seroquel is the late-night hunger and weight gain. I've gained about 5 lbs or more every year and have also developed cataracts, which can be a side effect of the medication."

• Ann...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 4, 2022

"In my experience, Seroquel literally saved my life and helped control the symptoms of schizophrenia correctly when the dose was increased to 400 mg. I felt more like myself again and far less paranoid. My downsides include drowsiness, tiredness, and dry mouth, so drink more water than usual."

• Nia...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 10, 2022

"I have a love-hate relationship with this drug, I really do. It seems to be the most effective in reducing psychotic symptoms, anxiety, and intrusive thoughts. It definitely helped me feel less depressed before, but I find that it doesn’t quite have that effect anymore (maybe it was a placebo). The major downside to this drug is that it triggers me to binge eat. As someone with bulimia, I have to be super careful with my dosage. I wish this medication didn’t cause me to binge eat, but none of the other ones work quite this well for me."

• Stu...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• August 4, 2021

"If my diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder (bipolar type) is correct, then Seroquel is working better for me than Invega did. Invega is the only drug currently approved for schizoaffective disorder, but I predict in 2021 that Seroquel will eventually be approved for schizoaffective disorder too. I am allowed to take 600 mg to 800 mg of Seroquel daily/nightly, and it works better and more consistently for me than taking Invega daily by pill or capsule."

• Kri...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 25, 2024

"Seroquel has given me peace of mind, finally. I have terrifying racing thoughts that take control of me and leave me feeling really low. I started at 50 mg at night, now I'm taking 200 mg each night before bed. It has really saved me, and I am grateful for this treatment."

• ger...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 24, 2013

"Gained excessive amounts of weight. Made me feel catatonic."

• Anonymous
• January 5, 2012

"Seroquel is a lifesaver. I used to not be able to sleep, used to be stuck in my head. This has granted me a second chance to live a happy life."

• Bip...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 21, 2016

"Works kind of well, but you will sleep like nonstop, and you will gain weight. I gained at least 30 pounds on this med and was sleeping like 14 hours a day."

• Cha...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• October 8, 2014

"No problems, watch what you eat."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 10 years or more
• August 28, 2017

"If you have a mixed diagnosis, bipolar I or II, with traces of schizophrenia, Seroquel acts as a good 'sidekick' to medications such as Risperdal and Zyprexa and Abilify."

• Row...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 27, 2015

"Seroquel has been ineffective for me at dosages below 600 mg. Even at 600 mg, my symptoms are decreased slightly. I have been on lower dosages of other medications that have worked better."

• lip...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 18, 2014

"Feeling depressed, cried first thing when I woke up."

• Anonymous
• May 11, 2010

"Caused excess morning sleep."