Seroquel and Tiredness: What Users Say

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

For Schizoaffective Disorder "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."

• mae...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 1, 2018

For Bipolar Disorder "I'm surprised to see so many positive reviews for Seroquel for depression and panic/anxiety. That is why I was prescribed it 2x a day, and I didn't take it very long. Everyone is different, I'm glad it works for others. For me, I was extremely tired 24/7, had to force myself to get up and stay up and do anything. I felt like I was out of it, like it wasn't even to help me mentally and emotionally, but like I took a street drug. I was so tired and forcing myself to stay up. I couldn't do anything, luckily, I didn't have a job at the time. This drug did not help me. Everyone's different though, I'm sure it has helped others. To me, it's like Seroquel = sleep."

• sca...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 22, 2016

For Bipolar Disorder "The only good side was that it helped me sleep well. But I couldn't even get up in the morning, I was so drowsy still and felt hung over badly. Also, I was very lethargic. Like numb, and I felt numb. Like crap. Almost like seriously depressed without a depressed state of mind. Horrible."

• Doe...
• November 25, 2015

For Bipolar Disorder "I was misdiagnosed with bipolar disorder 10 years ago (recently found out it is actually PTSD/c-PTSD), and I was started on 1200 mg of Seroquel. I was a zombie! I didn't want to do anything but sleep. I was so tired all day. One day after taking my medication and then sleeping 10 hours, I got in my car and was driving somewhere and fell asleep at the wheel. I totaled my car, but luckily I wasn't hurt and no one else was involved. I lost my job. The 'best' part, though, was the 110-pound weight gain I had in less than a year of taking this poison. I've been off of the crap for about 3 years now but still can't drop the weight it caused me to gain. Please be careful if considering taking this drug, it almost ruined my life."

• Adv...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 5, 2023

For Bipolar Disorder "Taking it actively at 100 mg, diagnosed with BP1 disorder and 'monitored' schizophrenia. I am currently 18 days into treatment, and it just has made me feel thirsty and tired during the day. I still have hallucinations and delusions, but it does reduce anxiety and paranoia."

• nos...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 6, 2019

"My psychiatrist prescribed me Seroquel for my depression as a teenager, and in hindsight, I have no idea why, seeing as it is an antipsychotic. He might have thought it would help with my mood swings and anxiety, but all it really did was make me too exhausted to get out of bed and cause my depression to get worse. It got to the point that I was institutionalized for six days, I felt so utterly depressed and miserable. All the people I've talked to have had similar experiences with this medication. I definitely wouldn't recommend taking Seroquel unless your psychiatrist really thinks it's the best option for you."

• Whi...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 2, 2015

For Bipolar Disorder "This was the first antipsychotic I was put on, I was pushed into it by my psychiatrist at the time. I was on a low dose, 150 mg. I took it for four months before taking myself off it due to extreme tiredness and horrific weight gain. I gained over 2.5 stones in the time I was on it, despite managing my food intake very carefully and exercising rigorously. A couple of years later, I wound up being prescribed Seroquel again, this time at 300 mg. Same as last time, it really knocked me out, and once again I gained weight. This med did nothing for my mood, but I kept being told to 'give the medication time to work.' After six months, I came off it again. Since weaning off the med, I haven't slept properly, and that was almost three months ago."

• Nam...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 10, 2021

For Bipolar Disorder "I was prescribed Seroquel for my bipolar. My doctor prescribed me an antidepressant (Mirtazapine) at first because he thought I was simply depressed, but that sent me right into a manic episode. After that, I was prescribed Seroquel. It did end my manic episode, but the side effects were bad. I had really bad and vivid nightmares every night. I struggled with that before, but Seroquel made it so much worse. I used to wake in the middle of the night, scared, and my whole room spinning around me and cold sweat. The worst part is that I felt even more depressed than I did at the beginning. It helped for mania but didn't help at all against my depression. I feel like it made it worse because I was tired 24/7. I wasn't as anxious as I was before, though. I had to get off it because I had to go to the doctor because I literally couldn't pee anymore. That's a not so common side effect of antipsychotics. All in all, it did not work for me personally, but everyone reacts differently to it!"

• Mba...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• August 16, 2021

"I'm prescribed Seroquel along with Keppra to help my seizures (been 10 years), and it is awful. I'm always forced to go back to Seroquel every time I get a seizure, and the side effects are terrible. Here is my review: and please read carefully. Disadvantages: 1. Knocks you out within minutes. 2. You wake up feeling like a zombie. Swollen eyes because you will feel tired and unmotivated for the whole entire day. (NEVER TAKE IT IN THE MORNING) 3. Unable to control your mood within the first few weeks of usage (you feel emotionless, unmotivated, no motivation to respond to people or get up from bed). 4. MAJOR WEIGHT GAIN. 10 kg within months. 5. Dependency - can't sleep without Seroquel. And it's so hard to get off it. 6. Weird dreams. Advantages: 1. Helps prevent seizures. 2. Helps sleep. 3. Improves mood over time (after 1-2 months of usage. First few weeks will be hard for you). 4. Controls heart rate. 5. Helps prevent daily anxiety and panic attacks."

• fly...
• August 21, 2018

For Bipolar Disorder "Diagnosed bipolar II early 2017, age 29. A combination of 100 mgs of lamotrigine + 20 mgs Lexapro worked better to stabilize my moods/reduce my anxiety than anything ever had before, I was happy. Partner and I decided I was in a good place to start planning for a baby, however, my psych warned of the possible risks of conceiving on lamotrigine, so I began a 12 mth period of transitioning to Seroquel, which is considered lower risk during pregnancy than lamotrigine. Transitioning between drugs was going to be destabilizing - I was prepared for that. What I wasn’t prepared for was getting to a point where I should have “stabilized” on my 200 mgs of Seroquel, and to be more depressed, more tired, more overweight, less motivated, more aggressive/irritable than I had been in a very long time. I gained 10 kgs in a year, my appetite was HUGE, and I could barely function due to heavy sedation. Back on lamotrigine now and feeling much more like my happy self again."

• 649...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 29, 2016

For Bipolar Disorder "I have started to take 200 mg in July 2015. I have gained too much weight, nearly 20 kg. I have taken 100 mg in December 2015, and now I have been taking 50 mg. I want to quit Seroquel because I feel like a zombie. I sleep very well, but I can't get up early, and I often go to work too late. During the day, I feel tired and sleepy. For my mind and brain, it is good, but the damage of Seroquel is more than the benefits, I think. It does cause addiction. I want to quit it, or I want to take 25 mg anymore."

• Zom...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 21, 2016

For Bipolar Disorder "Weight gain, lethargic 300 dosage at bedtime, any more you'll have heads turning in public. Reclusion is a major problem due to zombie effects, messed up part is my roommates had to tell me because I didn't even notice. I have not been able to get a job. I tried college, and it didn't work. My short-term memory is short, can't even remember what I ate for dinner three days ago. I do sleep, though. All you can do is push on and forget."

• Par...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 18, 2018

For Bipolar Disorder "I used this medication at the peak of my mania-induced paranoid psychotic episode, and it helped calm it immediately. However, I am extremely sensitive to medication, so while taking only 25 mg of this, I became so tired that I couldn't possibly stay awake. Even though I took it at night, it became dangerous because I could no longer walk or talk properly, I even considered peeing in the bed because I couldn't even walk to the bathroom...lol. Although it completely knocked me out for 8+ hours and I had a fantastic sleep, when I woke up, I was still tired... which eventually made me depressed. I ended up stopping this medication because I couldn't get the dose up to where it needed to be to control my bipolar symptoms (any higher than 25 mg and I'd start drooling). I guess I'm just very sensitive."

• Lau...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 9, 2017

For Bipolar Disorder "I was diagnosed with bipolar, PTSD, and depression. I was put on lithium and Seroquel about 5 months ago. Lithium makes it so I don't feel... anything. And seriously, I take it around 6 pm, and the next morning I feel like a zombie. Half the time I can't even get out of bed to go to work. All I want to do all day is sleep. I've told my doctor, but he keeps telling me to give it some more time... I have kids I have to take care of, but I feel so tired and lazy on Seroquel. The only upside is it does help me sleep throughout the night instead of being awake, depressing about my life. Lithium, not sure what it does to me, but tries to block my emotional feelings, which is good and bad at the same time. I still feel sadness, though. Every day."

• st3...
• September 11, 2016

For Bipolar Disorder "After being on this medication for several months, I finally reached a dosage (600 mg) that helped. I needed this to calm down my manic state. This being said, I gained close to 20 lbs. As an 18-year-old girl, this affected my confidence greatly. I was on a vegan diet for 7 months prior to being on this medication and stayed on the diet while taking it. My weight was stable around 125 for all those months, however, upon starting, I went up to 145. Not to mention how absolutely exhausted this medication made me. I highly suggest trying to find another medication."

• Cle...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 6, 2015

For Bipolar Disorder "Seroquel helped my mental status, but I couldn't take being tired all the time, and the weight gain was ridiculous, even with eating healthy and working out six days a week. To get off of it, you have to taper so slow. When I dropped from 12.5 mg to 0 mg, I went through terrible withdrawals, way worse than stopping opiates. Throwing up, flu symptoms, I lived in bed and was close to wanting to just quit. I was worthless from day three of stopping to day nine. I woke up on day ten feeling back to my old self and so happy to be free of this stuff they call Seroquel."

• Rya...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 27, 2023

For Schizoaffective Disorder "Helps with sleep, that's about all, and makes you tired."

• Pat...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 12, 2013

For Bipolar Disorder "I suffer from mainly depression and anxiety. I have had a few bouts of hypomania. This was recommended to me to help with anxiety and mood swings. Within an hour of taking this medicine, I was always somewhat buzzed and not in a good way. It felt like you had to lie down and sleep, or you would become extremely irritable. The sleep was great on it, however, you wake up in a fog for hours, usually until dinner time for me. It really flattens you out, so you don't feel much, just emotionless and tired. I took anywhere from 50 to 200 mg, and the result was the same. I am off now and trying safer meds. Seroquel wasn't for me, but I'm glad it helps millions, though!"

• Anonymous
• February 2, 2009

For Bipolar Disorder "This medication brought me out of a long manic episode very quickly (which was a huge relief), but I couldn't bear the tiredness and lack of tolerance I had because I was so tired. I felt quite grumpy most days. The sugar cravings were wild, and I lost all restraint with cakes and sweets. I guess I'm just one of the very few people it doesn't agree with."

• Rya...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 27, 2023

For Schizoaffective Disorder "Helps with sleep, that's about all and makes you tired."

• vos...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 12, 2017

For Schizophrenia "Definitely calmed me down during the first-time onset of schizophrenia. However, it makes me very sleepy, sometimes I sleep 14 hours a day, and when I wake up, I feel like I want to sleep even more. Also resulted in a lot of weight gain. Eventually, had to stop taking it because of how tired I always was."

• zai...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 6, 2014

For Schizophrenia "I've been on Seroquel since being diagnosed (now 18 months). Started taking 50 mg but now I'm on 100 mg. I've got to the point on this medication that the side effects are too much. Constantly tired. Feel very vague. My memory is terrible. I'm starting to forget about things I've already done. Still very paranoid. Also, I'm still having panic attacks. So for me, it's time to move on and try something new (Olanzapine)."

• 0rd...
• September 24, 2014

For Bipolar Disorder "Seroquel helped my paranoia and really kept me mentally stable, but I also was tired all the time, sometimes sleeping for 15 hours a day. I also gained 30 pounds within three months of being on Seroquel. I wouldn't recommend this medicine for anyone who does not wish to rapidly gain weight."

• Haz...
• July 19, 2012

For Borderline Personality Disorder "I have been on these tablets for 3 days now, for borderline personality. I've been so tired after I take the 100 mg at night, but my anger is still a problem, and I'm feeling a tiny bit less like I'm lonely and no one understands me and my emotions. But honestly, not much of a change. I just still don't know if my life's going to get any better."

• Anonymous
• March 31, 2010

For Bipolar Disorder "I am a 49 yr old male - after a confusing and distressful life for myself and family at the age of 35 yrs and a 3 mth stay in the hospital, I was diagnosed as being bipolar. I have taken different medications over the last 14 yrs (Seroquel, Tegretol, etc.) and after my most recent manic/depressive episode, started taking Seroquel. I take 300 mg at night and at present am quite stable with mood, thoughts, and sleep patterns, though I do feel lethargic, drowsy, and being on 'auto pilot' during the day and suffer aching limbs. This, however, is a small price to pay for actually feeling like a normal part of society for the 1st time in my life."