Seroquel and Increased Appetite: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Anonymous
• September 11, 2010

For Insomnia "My doctor prescribed Seroquel for my insomnia, which I began experiencing during menopause. The Seroquel, 50 mg, works like a charm. If I take it on an empty stomach, I feel sleepy within 1/2 hour and sleep very well through the night. Dreams are more vivid, I agree. I also agree that I often feel hungry before I fall asleep after taking Seroquel. All in all, it has been very helpful."

• Anonymous
• July 27, 2011

For Insomnia "I am a 34 y/o female in the Army with post-traumatic stress disorder and insomnia. I may take it around 9 pm and won’t fall asleep until 1 or 2 am. I will remain asleep, but it makes me hungry. I have been observed eating while asleep."

• Pet...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 26, 2017

For Bipolar Disorder "I first took Seroquel about five years ago. I liked it because it didn't have the same side effects, such as feeling extremely anxious, as other antipsychotic medications have. The problem that I had with it was that it gave me a huge appetite. The medication alone caused me to gain weight. Needless to say, I no longer take it."

• joh...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• June 11, 2018

For Bipolar Disorder "The cons: higher appetite, weight gain, diabetes, cognitive dulling. The pros: I take 800 mg a day all at night, and once a quarter I accidentally double dose and feel perfect after that. I just slept for 24 hours during a staycation, and wow do I feel good and sharp. So my employer is aware of my condition, and we structure my workload such that I do serious creative computer programming in the afternoon after the 'dulling' wears off. My advice is to take it all at 8 pm and get in bed at 8:30 - 9:00. Then you will be able to do normal work at 9 am and complex work after noon. Diet and exercise are key because you have to manage the diabetes that comes with it. If I feel depressed or manic, I might add 400 mg, and that usually fixes it, but that is probably risky. Also note that the generic is really cheap now, under $25 a month at max legal dose, or $54 for 3 months' worth."

• Anonymous
• October 29, 2011

For Depression "This medicine really helped me with both depression and sleeplessness, the only negative side effects were that I tended to need at least 9-10 hours of sleep a night rather than my usual 7-8. Also, I had some weight gain due to a significantly increased appetite after each dosage."

• 411...
• June 23, 2011

For Insomnia "I have been taking Seroquel for a while now. Aside from being extremely hungry when I wake up, groggy, and the weight gain, it is a really good sleep aid. I am currently on 200 mg. Not only am I less stressed and anxious, but it slows me down to a point where I can actually think clearly rather than having racing thoughts, and it tones down the late night activity greatly. I still work out and am very active, but it is a lot less extreme thanks to Seroquel."

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

For Bipolar Disorder "Everyone is different, and I’ve known people who Seroquel worked wonders for. For me personally, it did more harm than good. It gave me insane heart palpitations and extreme hunger. I gained almost 100 pounds on this medication. It did help me sleep, but that was the only positive. I stopped taking it and feel much better and have already dropped 35 lbs."

• HCC...
• February 20, 2012

For Bipolar Disorder "I've taken these pills since I was 19, and I'm 24 now. First, I had to take 600 mg, and I managed to lower them to 450 mg. I wish I could leave them, but I have learned I need them. So far, they have helped me a lot. I do wish I could fight anxiety, weird feelings in my legs while I sleep, and the hunger I experience 24/7. But it's a love/hate relationship between this medicine and me. I hate it, but I don't think I can ever quit it. Sad for me, good for the pharmacies."

• Sha...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 21, 2018

For Bipolar Disorder "It does help with sleeping, and my brain was so calm, but I was only on 25 mg, and I gained 15 pounds in 3 months. I was constantly hungry, but even if I only ate salad, it would just keep me at the same weight. It was the gross, cellulite, chunky fat! My metabolism and thyroid were changed. I went off Seroquel to stop my body from changing so much."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 25, 2020

For Bipolar Disorder "I was put on Seroquel to help me sleep at night when I went into a drug addiction treatment center about 3 months ago for opioids. Seroquel is completely awful in my opinion. Did it make me sleep? For sure! But let me tell you, the side effects are awful! I would wake up the next day, and all day long I would sweat like a pig (even after detoxing). After about 2 weeks, I noticed I had restless legs so bad to where my legs would start aching, and eventually, my arms were restless also. At night after taking it, I would become extremely hungry. Also, I am diagnosed with depression and not bipolar disorder, so I noticed I started to feel extremely panicky/couldn't stop moving. I stopped cold turkey getting off of this drug, I couldn't handle it one more day."

• Mer...
• December 7, 2017

For Bipolar Disorder "Okay, so, I was put on this medication to help manage my 'bipolar disorder.' This medication would either completely knock me out, or I would be able to fight it and stay awake throughout the night snacking all night long. It made me so hungry, and I gained 40 lbs on it. My doctor now wants to put me on Ziprasidone, which is similar to this medication, and I am very hesitant."

• Anonymous
• January 5, 2011

For Borderline Personality Disorder "I'm on 700 mg of Seroquel. The worst side effects I have are intense hunger and weight gain, and a decrease in my sex drive. Both of these are horrible, but my mind is clear. Not sure if it's worth it or not. Wondering if there is a medicine out there to add to my regime that will deplete my hunger and boost my sex drive."

• Anonymous
• April 8, 2011

For Bipolar Disorder "I have been on Seroquel for several years. I am taking 400 mg at bedtime to help with insomnia but mostly for bipolar. I have tried other medications to help me sleep, like trazodone, Ambien, and Klonopin. The Seroquel works, but boy, do I eat after taking this pill. I'm tired of eating so heavy after taking this pill."

• Bex...
• October 15, 2015

For Bipolar Disorder "I've been taking 100 mg for over a month and had quite the reverse of increased appetite or weight gain, although this could be due to the low dose. But also I feel my manic behavior is not necessarily under full control, whilst the tablet also makes it near impossible for me to get up before 7 a.m. on consecutive days. All in all, though, I do feel more balanced, productive, and have a better sense of self-purpose and an ability to plan realistically on this drug. Although at this stage, I am keeping a close eye on feelings of paranoia creeping in. It can be hard to tolerate the side effects of this drug, though."

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

For Schizoaffective Disorder "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."

• chu...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 7, 2024

For Bipolar Disorder "Username sums it up. Was on for five months. I felt great at first once I was on 100 combined with lamotrigine and antidepressants for bipolar disorder type 2. I was given this for sleep and mood. I slept fantastically. In a few months, I also put on almost 40 lbs and struggled to take off weight even with my Dr. adding Topamax, but that can help somewhat. Or Ozempic, which often isn't covered by insurance. This drug doesn't just make you hungry, it alters your actual metabolism and blood sugar. Some antipsychotics do this more than others. Seroquel is proven as one of the worst. The weight issue was miserable. Then I hit a major depressive episode, which meant this wasn't working, and with the major weight issue, going up on the dose wasn't worth it. Even eating less can still blow you up. Great sleep and mood till it failed me. I would recommend trying it, but watch out for side effects. Some people are more fortunate than others."

• Hop...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• February 14, 2025

"Used to treat my insomnia, anxiety, and depression since I was a young teenager. I've been on it for 10+ years and only needed 1 dose increase. It has been so helpful, especially paired with a low-dose trazodone. It definitely does make you very hungry about an hour after taking it, but a late-night sandwich never hurt anyone."

• 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."

• dug...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 8, 2012

For Insomnia "I take 150 mg at night, and it's the best medicine I've ever tried. It does make me very hungry."