Seroquel and Increased Appetite: What Users Say

• 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."

• Cho...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 30, 2021

For Schizophrenia "I was put on this drug in January 2013 when I was 16 and in October 2008 when I was 12. I have schizophrenia, and when I first took this back in middle school, I don't remember any negative effects but weight gain. I ended up being 150 lbs at 5'1 in March of 2009 at age 12, so we stopped it, and I lost 17 lbs. In 2013, I was prescribed this, and good God, I felt awful! I couldn't keep my eyes open at school, I had severe akathisia and was ravenously hungry! I knew it was the medicine because I wasn't dumb, so they took me off. I ended up going from 145 to 190 in a damn month, all because of this crappy medicine. This, Haldol, Risperidone, and Latuda are the worst antipsychotics ever given to me. I'm on Depakote, Zoloft, and Zyprexa now, and no negative side effects except for nausea. Never taking Seroquel again."

• Kae...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• August 12, 2018

"Let me just say, I hate Seroquel! I was prescribed it for sleep 8 years ago. For the first couple of years, I was on about 300-400 mg a day, and I would feel like I was literally dying when it kicked in. My heart would race, I felt like I couldn’t breathe, and then I’d just black out. It made me feel so sluggish the next day. Also, I gained so much weight on this! It makes you have an insatiable hunger, and it’s terrible. I would walk down the halls and knock into them like I was drunk, my vision was so blurry, and I couldn’t think. It was the worst sensation ever! I’m now down to 50 mg of the XR and trying to wean off, but I’m scared. Last time the doctor tried, I blacked out and my blood pressure dropped, and the hospital said I couldn’t wean off it. Now, a year later, I’m trying again, and it’s terrible. I can’t sleep, restless legs, can’t get comfortable, and feel tired all day. I don't recommend this to anybody!!!"

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 2, 2022

For Bipolar Disorder "Worst medication I have ever been on. If you want to test how a lobotomy feels, try Seroquel. When I first started on a lower dose for sleeping, which was fine. I didn’t find it very helpful but it did help increase my appetite as I was underweight. If you are on 25 mg for anxiety/depression/insomnia, do not let your doctor increase this dosage. Every time my psychiatrist saw me, he increased my dosage more and more. After about two years of having my dosage increased every month or two, I began having serious side effects. I felt like a zombie, caused a lot of relationship issues as I wasn’t able to hold a conversation. It’s like I lost all my opinions and could no longer think for myself. Lost all creativity, which worsened my depression as I am a designer. I eventually was taken off it when I was taken to the hospital for losing control over my body. I lost all bladder control and would wet my pants frequently. Developed tardive dyskinesia. In the end, I was on 300 mg."

• 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."

• Pau...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 23, 2019

For Bipolar Disorder "Only reason I gave this medication Seroquel 3 stars is because, if you have trouble sleeping, this pill will knock you out! Other than that, it makes you extremely hungry, causing weight gain, may feel sluggish and irritated in the morning, and also I noticed vivid dreams and sometimes nightmares. Sidenote: I experience post-nasal drip that suddenly got better over time. Seroquel makes my allergies worsen, causing extreme post-nasal drip!"

• 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."

• 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."

• 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."

• 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."

• 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."

• 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."

• 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."

• 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."

• Bri...
• August 15, 2016

For Bipolar Disorder "Seroquel XR definitely helped me with my moods and rapid cycling. But... gave it away because I was forever hungry. I lost all internal compass on whether or not I required food, which is scary for me because I've always been normal weight and relied upon internal hunger cues to direct my eating. These cues were lost on Seroquel. I wanted to eat all the time! I put myself on a strict diet, yet the weight still kept creeping on. In my opinion, Seroquel lowers the metabolism, such that you'd have to restrict your calorie intake quite seriously. I'm going to try Latuda instead, as it's a 'weight neutral' preparation."

• 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."

• 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."

• 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."

• Anonymous
• December 13, 2011

For Depression "Have been on Seroquel for 4 weeks for depression. I take it before bed. Still experiencing a 'hangover' type feeling in the mornings. I gained 8 pounds in the first 3 weeks I took it. Makes me want to eat even when I am not hungry. However, I am not crying as much, can handle day-to-day life better, and I haven't had chest pain or racing heartbeats since I started, which is a great improvement."

• Anonymous
• November 18, 2010

For Borderline Personality Disorder "This medication is adequate compared to others in its class, despite still causing significant side effects such as weight gain (which is very undesirable). At first, this medicine seemed very strong and made me 'zombie-like' (e.g., slow, unemotional, sleepy), but after a couple of days, these were significantly improved. I was on a dose of up to 75 mg, and as far as the effects of each individual dose; 25 mg helped with sleep and 'anger management,' 50 mg increased my hunger (a lot), and 75 mg helped a little more with anxiety and emotional stability."

• Lea...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 4, 2019

For Bipolar Disorder "I have been on this medication for years. The only things that aren't fun are the drowsiness and the increased appetite, but this medication's side effects don't affect me nearly as much as other medications I've taken."

• Oli...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 11, 2018

For Bipolar Disorder "I'm 18 and was diagnosed with Bipolar type 1 about a year ago. I've been using 200 mg of Seroquel for a couple of months now, and it's really helped my mood. I was suffering from a bad manic episode, and it calmed me down within 1-2 weeks or so. The only bad side effects are increased appetite, sleeping a lot, and nausea, but I got over those within a couple of weeks."

• 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."

• Hal...
• May 23, 2015

For Bipolar Disorder "So I started on this two weeks ago, may need to go a bit stronger as over time when I was younger, just tried to mellow out on illegal drugs. Seroquel is the best thing I have tried. I am 32 and just been diagnosed with bipolar. Doesn't make me sleepy, makes me hungry a little bit. But has changed my life, stopped the agitation and horrible thoughts that run riot in my head. Just slows it down, and I am able to see clearly. I am only on a mild dose, but in saying this, I'm glad I take one when I can feel my mania coming on."

• Anonymous
• April 3, 2012

For Insomnia "I was prescribed Seroquel 50 mg a few years ago after an eighteen-year battle with constant sleep problems. And it does help me get to sleep every night; my dosage has never changed. My only complaints are the rampant hunger I experience before giving in to the fatigue and the dizziness/nausea when trying to stand for too long after the effects have set in. As far as sleeping medication goes, Seroquel takes the cake. I don't notice any psychoactive effects aside from the sedation."