Seroquel XR and Drowsiness: What Users Say

• Wan...
• February 7, 2014

For Depression "I am presently in the hospital and have been put on Seroquel XR. As previously commented, the low dosages cause lethargy and sleepiness. However, I am not nearly as suicidal as I was, I have hope for the future and have not been on it for more than a few days. I am optimistic that once I have reached the proper dosage, I will once again enjoy life as I once did. Paxil, Effexor, and a number of other antidepressants worsened my symptoms over time and/or never did much for the depressive symptoms in the first place. This medicine is worth trying if you are extremely depressed or suicidal."

• Ano...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• May 14, 2025

"So I take 400 mg daily of Quetiapine XR. I take it for Borderline Personality Disorder and ASD. I’ve been taking it just over 10 years now. I take my dose at night around 8 pm. I sleep very well. My mental health is so good on this drug. Yes, you get daytime drowsiness and weight gain, but I can live with that. Would recommend."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 6, 2013

For Depression "I have had depression since I was a child, but I didn't start getting help for it until I was 19. I have tried Prozac and Celexa, which did nothing for me, and then my doctor asked me if I have ever heard of a medicine called Seroquel XR. I started out on 50mg and then worked my way up to 300mg. The only side effects for me were weight gain and drowsiness, but the drowsiness went away after a couple of months of using this medicine. Overall, I really like this medicine. It has helped me tremendously!"

• Sym...
• January 31, 2011

For Depression "I recently started Seroquel 50 mg for the first couple of days and then up to 150 mg. This medication works great! It creates anxiolytic effects similar to Klonopin and relieves all my anxiety. I sleep well too. This medicine really knocks you out and makes you very sedated. Take it at night. I can actually function thanks to this medication and it works excellently for paranoia, anxiety, and depression. I also found it to work greatly for sleep. I was previously on Abilify, which was very activating and gave me a lot of anxiety. I couldn't sleep more than 1-2 hours with Abilify. On Seroquel, I sleep a full 8 hours, and I wake up refreshed and ready for the day. It controls my anxiety and works wonders. Side effects are: No sex drive and drowsiness."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 5, 2014

For Depression "Made me a zombie at low doses and didn't help with depression. In fact, I felt even more depressed since I wasn't able to hold a conversation or think straight due to drowsiness. But it seems to work for some people."

• Sof...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• September 4, 2019

For Bipolar Disorder "I have bipolar disorder type 2. I'm on Seroquel XR 150 mg for 10 years now. Before, I was on Seroquel 300 mg for more than a year. I have tried different antipsychotic medicine combinations for years, but only Seroquel works for me. Changed my life for the better. I have chronic insomnia, tried all sleeping pills, but only lasted for weeks, then I couldn't sleep anymore. But Seroquel put me to sleep, deeper sleep, and I wake up feeling better. I just need to sleep every night at the same time. Also, I gained weight, and the side effect when I feel groggy at night is I feel hungry, so I ended up eating at midnight. I know it sucks that I gained weight. I tried to stop taking it for a few days, then my depression attacked me very suddenly and my mood fluctuated. From then, I never stopped taking Seroquel and I feel better. I told my psychiatrist that Seroquel is my best friend, without it, I feel horrible. It is indeed a lifesaver."

• Koo...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 20, 2013

For Depression "I have had bipolar disorder/personality disorder and severe depression for about 30 years and have tried just about every medicine there is. A recent setback had me in the hospital: my doctor decided to put me on Seroquel XR 400 mg along with my other medicines. In the beginning, it seemed to help me, as time went on, my symptoms of low mood, suicidal thoughts, etc. came back. Most important to note was the weight gain. In under a year, I gained almost 50 lbs for no real reason. Extreme fatigue and sleepiness made it hard to get out of bed in the mornings! I am now reducing my dosage to slowly get off it as per my doctor's orders and switching to an alternative. I am hoping this will work."

• Anonymous
• August 29, 2009

For Bipolar Disorder "I have heard all kinds of bad things about Seroquel, but to me, this medicine has saved my life. I was diagnosed with cyclothymia with racing thoughts and extreme hypomanic phases followed by intense depression. Not to mention, I would get so paranoid sometimes that I couldn't leave the house. I had tried everything including lithium, but then I went to a new doctor. She said I could try Seroquel XR, but I probably wouldn't like feeling sedated. I said, 'Sedated? Fine!' The funny thing is that I have more energy, but it is calm positive energy. I made a huge turnaround, and life is back on track. I thought I had ADHD as well, but now I have great concentration, no anxiety, and can sit still for hours. I highly recommend it if your symptoms sound like mine."

• Thi...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 15, 2016

For Depression "I have only been on Seroquel XR for about a week at 50 mg. My doctor prescribed it as an adjunct to Remeron to treat anxiety, depression, paranoia, and insomnia. I also take gabapentin, atenolol, and Xanax. When the Seroquel XR works, it WORKS. I can feel it sedating me two hours after I take it. I've been sleeping eight and nine hours a night, which has not happened in a very, very long time. It's effective at neutralizing both anxiety and depression. BUT... it doesn't last 24 hours for me; it only lasts about 15. Once it wears off, my anxiety and depression return with a vengeance. Makes for a very rough 8 or 9 hours until I can take it again."

• Nix...
• January 18, 2012

For Depression "I've had depression for 12 years, and have been on Paxil for about 10. The Paxil worked for a few years, but the anxiety and depression slowly worked their way back into my life. So, along with the Paxil, they added other drugs (Effexor, Wellbutrin), but they made me even more anxious. I was finally put on regular Seroquel and found it worked for a little while, but I was so tired all the time I couldn't function the next day. I was literally fired from 3 jobs for being stuck in bed and refusing to get up. I was switched to Seroquel XR 100mg last year, combined with the 90mg of Paxil I'm still on, and I've found a drastic improvement in my mood, anger, and anxiety. My only complaint would be how sleepy it makes me in the mornings. A large coffee or a caffeinated beverage does the trick, though, and it's worth the sleepiness to have some peace of mind."

• Mik...
• November 28, 2014

For Depression "I was prescribed Seroquel 100 mg for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and I could only take it for two days. I took it as prescribed before bedtime. I almost crashed my truck several times on my way to work, and I had to pull over on the shoulder to sleep on my way home from work. Day 2 was a Saturday. I slept for 14.5 hours. I can't function at all on this."

• Bri...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 24, 2014

For Bipolar Disorder "I've only been on Seroquel for 2 to 3 weeks, but I have had a largely positive experience. I have had a diagnosis of depression for about ten years and was using Cipralex (Lexapro). I came off Cipralex twice, and both times I became very depressed. Even on Cipralex, my mood was constantly changing, so I went to see a psychiatrist who thinks I may have Cyclothymia or bipolar II, so he started me on 50 mg of Seroquel. Initially, I was very groggy but have gotten over that. I've also gained a stone in weight. But my mood has really stabilized for the first time. I feel happy, confident, and passionate. I no longer have a million thoughts in my head, so I can focus better. Hopefully, this continues."

• Sli...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 8, 2020

For Bipolar Disorder "Finally was able to get back on Quetiapine after adding fiber pills to my diet, and I am loving sleep. Spent my whole life not sleeping well or at all lately (was up for almost a week straight last year). Quetiapine IR was a surefire way of knocking me out within an hour and staying asleep well into the morning. Pretty groggy, though, and had to keep increasing my dose. My Pdoc recently sent the XR version into the pharmacy instead, and it is rather different. I don’t get knocked out right away, which means I can create a better sleep hygiene routine. If I am more relaxed, I don’t need to be put to sleep but gradually work my way into it. It does take a minute to fully wake up, but I have to say I feel my overall mood remains pretty stable for most of the rest of the day."

• Bli...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 27, 2019

For Major Depressive Disorder "Have had major depression and major depressive episodes over 45 years. Have tried various SSRIs. Seroquel is the best so far, it helped me significantly with one 25 mg dose. Where the SSRIs did not seem to help much at all after months of use: Prozac, Zoloft, Effexor. Side effects seem to be minor, except it does make me sleep a lot. A LOT. Up to 10 hours a day. Deep sleep, not just REM sleep. Works extremely well for me. Although I try to use it only when I need it. In short periods of 2 weeks or so, and then see if I still require it. Very effective. I can honestly say this drug saved me from the edge of desperation and suicide."

• Bri...
• April 5, 2017

For Bipolar Disorder "I have been on this for about 2 months, and I've recently been getting extremely tired all day long (even if I take it way earlier the day before). The drowsiness is so extreme that I can't even watch a show. I'm literally struggling to stay awake all day because I feel like I just want to sleep my life away. My depression has been through the roof as well! And to top it off, the weight I have gained since I have been on it has been insane. I constantly want to eat all the time! I have gained at least 20-30 pounds in the past month or two! I am definitely going to tell my doctor I want off of it ASAP! I can't take it anymore."

• Jen...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 12, 2016

For Bipolar Disorder "OK, it's only early days, day 4 to be exact on 50 mg morning and night. It's amazing! After reading all the horror stories of the tranquilizer effects, zombie-like states, and cravings. It's an understatement when I said I was petrified what effect this would have on me. First day, within an hour of taking it, I slept for six hours, woke up feeling fine, refreshed even. Then dosed up in the evening at 9, again, asleep by 11, slept like a baby. 7 am woke feeling energized, lighter, happier. No drowsiness or brain fuzz! I feel so much more positive about life in general. I feel so blissfully normal! Day 4, still napping within 4 hours of dose for 2 hours max, but I could push through it. And still sleeping all night!"

• Ang...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 23, 2016

For Bipolar Disorder "This med is pretty wonderful for my bipolar mania and my bipolar depression. Only setback is the sedation, but at the same time I've always struggled with anxiety, so this side effect is okay with me as it helps the anxiety. Really saved my life."

• Ang...
• April 11, 2012

For Depression "Was taken off Geodon because of nighttime anxiety and put on Seroquel XR. I feel so unmotivated. Sedated. I no longer feel better by afternoon when it's time to take it again. I dread the next dose. Haven't felt this depressed in a while."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 30, 2016

For Depression "It was mainly prescribed as a sleep aid, in addition to its antidepressant qualities. I was on regular Seroquel and now on XL as I have trouble staying asleep. It's slightly better. I'm getting 6 hours of sleep a night. I am not usually groggy or snowed by this, maybe once per 30 doses. I'm okay with it. Only downside is cost (XL is brand)."

• Thi...
• October 13, 2016

For Bipolar Disorder "My diagnosis is bipolar I. I have been on Seroquel XR for 3 years now. I have been stable for one year, which is amazing. I am very lucky that this medication works really well for me. For the first few months or so, it increased my appetite, and I was fairly sedated throughout the day. As I adjusted to the medication, this wore off. I now function better than I ever have. Suicidal thoughts are pretty much all gone, and when they do come, they pass. I have not had any depression and only slightly concerning elevated moods (which happen rarely). This drug prevents me from psychosis, and for that, I am extremely thankful. I am on 600 mg once at night. UK resident."

• Dan...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 17, 2021

For Depression "I have been on the Seroquel XR 50 mgs, and it absolutely works better than anything I have ever taken for anxiety. And I've taken every SSRI under the sun, Valium, clonidine, gabapentin, and Vistaril all in the past. This medication is a lifesaver. It does make me feel drowsy 3-4 hours after taking it, so it should be taken around dinner time. My doc first started me on it first thing in the morning, and I was dozing off by noon. But other than that, it has been a lifesaver. Almost no anxiety, I sleep better, my appetite is good, my mood is good and confident. For me, it even helps to relax my muscles. I'm so glad my doc took a chance and prescribed this medication off-label for my anxiety. It has given me a new lease on life."

• Cye...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 8, 2015

For Bipolar Disorder "For years I took Seroquel in various doses throughout the given day. I was prescribed Seroquel XR about 3 years ago for anxiety and bipolar I. Since then, it has been very effective. I did not gain weight at all. The only drawback is it does cause dizziness and sleepiness. Therefore, I sometimes opt to take it later than prescribed, 7:30 pm instead of 6."

• Bef...
• February 7, 2019

For Bipolar Disorder "I've taken this medication in the past. I required a higher dosage because I was feeling paranoid. A few months ago, I weaned myself off of it, but I took other medications. I started to lose weight, and I was feeling healthy physically, but mentally my mind was active. I don't feel paranoia like I did in the past, but lately I'm taking a low dose of 150 mg compared to 600 mg several months ago. If I take it too soon before bedtime, I tend to feel groggy in the morning, and it takes me 9 hours of sleep. It can cause weight gain and diabetes. Make sure you have your blood sugar monitored every 3 months. Eat small snacks, fewer carbs, and exercise. Healthy sleep makes you happy."

• Ano...
• June 6, 2016

For Bipolar Disorder "I really noticed a negative difference when comparing the XR version to the regular Seroquel. It took longer to kick in and made me so drowsy at work that I felt like I was drunk. I think I was taking 100-200 mg. When I went back to regular Seroquel, 100-200 mg put me to sleep fast and made a difference in stabilizing my mood without me feeling too drowsy to function the next day."

• Bip...
• July 31, 2017

For Bipolar Disorder "I have to say I've rated this medicine a 7 out of 10 because it has brought me out of both some wicked manias and depressive episodes. The sedation is a love-hate relationship with me-it's nice for my anxiety, but is also a nuisance. I must take this medicine 12 hours before I need to wake up, or I have trouble waking up. I feel it does interfere with my creative and intellectual abilities a tad bit. Overall, however, it's a good med."