Seroquel and Weight Gain: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Pol...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 3, 2020

For Bipolar Disorder "This drug absolutely did not work for me. Well, the sleeping part worked... I never slept so much in my life. Instead of waking up from 12 hours of sleep feeling well-rested, I woke up angry and wanting to punch someone in the face. Sure, I can have anger outbursts, but only while on Seroquel did I want to punch someone. Started low at 25mg, and my doctor kept increasing my dosage to 100mg. At 100mg, I would sleep 18 hours straight, and my days and nights were blurred. The anger caused me great urges to drink alcohol, which is ironic because I don't even like alcohol. Eventually, I just stopped cold turkey, and to this day, I have never woken up as miserable as I was on Seroquel. Also, I gained 60 pounds in a little over 2 months and had severe impotence. So definitely not for me."

• Aub...
• September 23, 2016

For Bipolar Disorder "I've been taking this for a few weeks, and I think I've already gained 10 pounds because I am hungry 100% of the time. I've had insomnia for all 20 years of my life and have yet to find a medication that makes me sleep until this one, and on the 50 mg dose. That would be amazing if it did not make me sleep for the rest of the day too. It shuts me down to the point where it is harder than normal to breathe. I've been staying with it in hopes that I would improve, but all I've noticed is that I am more irritated by even the smallest things."

• 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."

• poo...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 30, 2014

For Bipolar Disorder "I was on Seroquel for a year. I was fat, no energy, restless leg syndrome, and elevated glucose. Seroquel has too many serious side effects."

• 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."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 31, 2023

For Bipolar Disorder "This medication almost killed me. Developed a prolonged QT interval and almost went into cardiac arrest and feel lucky to be alive. I had been on the medication for 3 months before this happened. As far as psychiatric benefits go, it was extremely helpful, but not worth dying. I also gained several pounds while on the medication. There are safer treatments for bipolar, so I will be avoiding it from now on."

• 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."

• 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!"

• 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."

• 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."

• 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."

• 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
• August 14, 2012

For Bipolar Disorder "I was on Seroquel for only a few weeks, but that was more than enough. I had hallucinations and gained a significant amount of weight in that time. It did help me sleep at night and helped with my racing thoughts, but that's about it."

• cot...
• October 9, 2011

For Schizoaffective Disorder "This medication made me gain lots of weight, and after being on it for about a year or so, I suddenly stopped being able to breathe after taking it. So I was placed on a different medicine."

• Syd...
• August 2, 2011

For Insomnia "I've been taking this medication for quite a while, and while it worked at first, I noticed that I quickly started building up a tolerance to it. Every couple of weeks, my dose is increased, and it's been very frustrating. While it does get me to sleep, it doesn't help me stay asleep. Also, there has been a tremendous amount of weight gain, which I can't lose even with diet and exercise. Great for short term, not for long term."

• Aff...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 14, 2020

For Bipolar Disorder "They don't call it the demon drug for nothing. I was prescribed 25 mg in the evening for extreme irritability and 'insomnia' off-label. I cut it in half because I'm relatively small at 115 pounds. Knocked me out like a light. Went up to 50 mg and became nauseous, saw stars, had heart palpitations, and my body felt extremely heavy. I stopped taking it immediately after. Please note that the mood-stabilizing effect only kicks in at a minimum dosage of 100 mg. Anything under that is a sedative, like Benadryl on steroids, with the added benefit of developing akinesia and metabolic syndrome. You WILL gain weight on this drug regardless of dosage. On the bright side, it'll get rid of your allergy sniffles."

• 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."

• CNC...
• November 9, 2015

For Bipolar Disorder "I was on Seroquel from November of 2014 to September of 2015. This medicine was terrible. By the end of me being on it, I was up to 400 mg. Before I started taking this medicine, I was losing weight, and bam, all the weight I lost came back. I was sleeping all the time, I didn't have the energy to do the things I loved. My mood swings were getting worse. I hated myself on it. It was awful."

• 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."

• hap...
• July 23, 2015

For Bipolar Disorder "I have been taking Seroquel for 18 months and have gained about 30 lb. I take 200 mg at night and find I feel as if I am starving and eat crazy amounts of sugary food that I crave. I find that when I wake, my eyes have a haze over them for a half hour or so. If I miss a dose, I cannot sleep no matter how much I try. I get a clenched jaw and grind my teeth when I miss a dose. I was in prison and sometimes was not given the opportunity to take it. Those nights and days were long. I will say that it helps slow the mind down and it is amazing to get to sleep. With that said, after taking it, I was ready for bed in about 20 min whether I wanted to sleep then or not. When I tried stopping, I did not sleep right for months."

• Anonymous
• August 8, 2009

For Depression "It made me incredibly sleepy, which was a bonus. I took the medication combined with Lexapro and gained 20 lbs in my first 3 months on both. Since I got off Seroquel, my weight returned to normal."

• 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."

• Wei...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 10, 2022

For Bipolar Disorder "I gained 50 lbs in less than 2 months. I stopped the medication months ago and still have most of the weight on, it’s a frustrating situation! Seroquel seemed helpful with my sleep, especially. Not sure about the mood swings, but it was great for sleep. Horrible for weight gain, though!"

• Upp...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 19, 2018

For Bipolar Disorder "Seroquel and I have a love-hate relationship. When I first started taking it, I was in a hospital, my psychiatrist prescribed it. I had super vivid dreams, but he insisted I stay on it and they’d go away. He was right, they did. Seroquel works great to calm your mind when you start receiving the correct dosage. However, I’m sleepy all the time! It’s definitely a drug that I don’t want to be on very long. I’ve gained about 20 lbs since being put on it, 7 months ago."