Seroquel and Drowsiness: What Users Say (Page 5)

• Anonymous
• May 17, 2010

"Our mom has been on Seroquel for just over a year. She was diagnosed with Sundowner Syndrome and hallucinates, becomes very fearful and afraid. This has helped a great deal. We have had to increase the dosage a few times. It has never made her sleepy, however, when she does go to sleep, she gets good rest."

• Jul...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 20, 2024

"My psychiatrist suspects I have cyclothymia, as my mood can shift at the drop of a dime, and I absolutely do not respond in any meaningful way whatsoever to typical antidepressants like SSRIs, SNRIs, etc. I felt hopeless after searching for ~7 years for something that worked. I typically react horribly to antipsychotics, experiencing a severe dystonic effect. However, I haven't gotten that with Seroquel. And, lo and behold, it actually works for my depression. No, it hasn't 'fixed' or 'cured' it, but no one should expect a cure. I actually have the motivation to do things and no longer am held back by constant suicidality and depressive moods. It really helped pave the way to getting my life back. The only side effect, which can double as a benefit to some, I've gotten is sleepiness. Just take it at night/before bed and that's hardly an issue. I take 200 mg daily, but it may functionally be closer to 250 mg due to another medication (Luvox) I take."

• may...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• June 20, 2025

For Bipolar Disorder "I am a 36-year-old woman. I have taken Seroquel since I was 25. For years and years, it was an incredible drug to help me sleep. I still continued to have manic and depressive episodes while on it. For me, it was a sleeping medication and nothing more. Unfortunately, within the last year, it stopped working. I was up to 300 mg, and usually never fell asleep. And if I did, it was well after the sun had risen. Every psychotic break I've had, I was on this medication. Every suicidal attempt, every panic attack, every depression episode. My mood has leveled off a lot with my age. (I know this is not typical and I'm extremely lucky.) I was always starving with this medication, though. In 10 years, I gained nearly 100 pounds. I also experienced restless leg syndrome randomly. The groggy feeling the next day was always the worst. I could sleep 20 hours and still go back to sleep for another 10. However, now my lifelong insomnia has caused me to not see a decent night's sleep in almost a year."

• xfr...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 18, 2022

"Was given Seroquel 25 mg for anxiety, and it completely knocked me out, totally unconscious. I could not function at all. Day 3 on the Seroquel, I was so unconscious that I wet the bed and didn't even know until the next morning. I have injuries and bruising that I have no explanation for. Also raised my resting heart rate from 64 to around 100. Quit after one week. Googled it, and there are lawsuits against this med. Please research it."

• rab...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 22, 2025

For Bipolar Disorder "Far and away, the worst medication I have ever taken. It made me feel like a walking zombie, constantly agitated and hungry. It did induce significant drowsiness, but in the worst way."

• Sco...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 1, 2014

For Bipolar Disorder "This medicine turned me into a zombified eating machine. I put on 30 pounds in one month. It was also extremely sedating."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 7, 2019

For Schizophrenia "Seroquel makes the psychosis easier to deal with but makes me very tired. Experienced side effect drowsiness every time I took it."

• Anonymous
• February 23, 2011

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "Withdrawal is nasty in spite of doctors saying there are no withdrawal effects. It is sedative and can be impairing, so drivers, be careful."

• Anonymous
• March 10, 2008

For Bipolar Disorder "It took me down from a manic episode relatively quickly, but after the mania stopped, I just felt sedated all the time. I don't love Seroquel, but it has its benefits."

• Sar...
• February 27, 2009

For Borderline Personality Disorder "Made me a zombie. I could sleep for 24 hours after one pill. I have things to do, I can't sleep that long."

• Anonymous
• May 29, 2008

For Bipolar Disorder "It worked very well, but it caused excessive drowsiness and also made me gain a lot of weight in a short period of time. I took it for almost a year before I switched to something else."

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

For Schizoaffective Disorder "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."

• Sch...
• December 16, 2008

For Schizophrenia "It worked really well for a little while, but I've started having delusions again. It still helps, though. It also puts you to sleep."

• Anonymous
• June 30, 2011

For Insomnia "Causes too much daytime drowsiness. Works well as a sleep aid, but there is too much carry-over sleepiness during the day."

• Anonymous
• August 19, 2008

For Bipolar Disorder "I have been on 400 mg of Seroquel for 6 months. It helped me sleep and also took away my voices that I was hearing. It works great, but I feel drowsy."

• Els...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 25, 2018

For Bipolar Disorder "I give Seroquel 7 out of 10. It works like a charm for my crazy head, but that doesn't seem to change the fact that it has sedative side effects."

• Doe...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 25, 2016

For Bipolar Disorder "I spent months on this medication, and all it ever did for me was make me drowsy. All I ever did was sleep, not worth the toxicity to your liver."

• Out...
• September 22, 2009

For Bipolar Disorder "Expensive if you buy the extended release ($160 for 50 mg twice daily a month). Not to mention very sedating and weight gain."