Quetiapine and Dizziness: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Fin...
• July 20, 2009

Quetiapine for Insomnia "I have had a problem with sleep for a long time. My doctor prescribed Seroquel 50 mg. It works great - it takes about usually an hour and fifteen minutes to make me fall asleep. I have to eat about 35 minutes after I take it because I get hungry from it. If I don't eat, I won't sleep well. It's a very good medication. I do sometimes, once in a while, feel dizzy and feel lightheaded. Other than that, it's good."

• KoR...
• February 3, 2011

Quetiapine for Bipolar Disorder "I had a 'nervous breakdown' in November of 2009 and ended up in a psych hospital where I was promptly given Seroquel, among other medicines. The Seroquel was amazing. I felt like someone switched the on button in my brain and I finally woke up. When I got out of the hospital and sought out a new psychiatrist for treatment, he took me off of the Seroquel because I am diabetic. After a year of unsuccessful treatment with other medicines, I begged to be put back on the Seroquel because the depression was unbearable, and I wasn't responding to other medicines. So he agreed, and once again that switch has been flipped on and I feel 'normal'! I am only on 300mg. I have to take it early because it knocks me out. In the morning, I am very dizzy and have slurred speech."

• tes...
• October 28, 2009

Quetiapine for Depression "I was prescribed Seroquel 200 mg doses along with Lexapro after a bad episode recently. I have been unable to work since and have found my dreams to be vivid and disturbing. This drug should not be taken lightly, and I would recommend a second opinion from a medical professional before commencing a course. This drug will make you sleepy, so much so it can be difficult to continue with your employment, driving, development and maintenance of relationships between family and friends, nausea, dizziness, depletion of sex drive, and the list continues. It can be helpful in many cases, but please make sure by second or even third opinion."

• Ric...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 31, 2019

For Insomnia "A horrific experience. I have never been prone to side effects until I took 50 mg of quetiapine for insomnia. It made me drowsy but unable to fall asleep, which is the worst feeling. It was like I’d been drugged. It also caused the worst episode of restless leg syndrome I’d ever had. My nasal passages were swollen, which caused me to breathe through my mouth with the associated dry mouth and increased thirst. After enduring this torture all night, I finally got my normal fitful 2 hours after the pill started to wear off. On top of my normally exhausted state when I wake up, I also felt dizzy and drugged. Will never take this drug again. I believe the drowsiness that is associated with this medication comes from its antihistamine properties. So, if Benadryl (diphenhydramine) doesn’t work on you, avoid this medication at all costs because it won’t help."

• Pat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 12, 2022

For Insomnia "I've been on 12 mg every night for a month along with Lovan. It's great for sleep, but the next day I'm tired, weak, dizzy, and can't function until late afternoon. Then I take the medication again, and the same process starts over. I thought it might be the Lovan, but I took that years ago with no side effects. I'm not sure if it's a combination of both or just the quetiapine. I have to get off it, but I need sleep. What to do..."

• Geo...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 8, 2017

For Insomnia "For those who have been having anemia or low blood pressure problems (esp. ladies), Quetiapine lowered blood pressure and blood sugar levels, and that causes me to feel light-headed, dizziness, fainting spells, and developed slight vertigo. Check your blood pressure and discuss with your doctor before taking Quetiapine. I've stopped taking it for more than one week, and my symptoms of dizziness and fainting spells slowly subsided."

• Geo...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 8, 2017

For Insomnia "For those who have been having anemia or low blood pressure problems (esp. ladies), Quetiapine lowered blood pressure and blood sugar levels, and that causes me to feel light-headed, dizziness, fainting spells, and developed slight vertigo. Check your blood pressure and discuss with your doctor before taking Quetiapine. I've stopped taking it for more than one week, and my symptoms of dizziness and fainting spells slowly subsided."

• HLS...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 15, 2022

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "Generalized anxiety but also suffer from suicidal thoughts and depression, racing thoughts, bouts of anger, mood swings. Crazy lady moments. I may be bipolar, but I think the doctor does not want to label me with it, but we discussed it. Quetiapine has been a lifesaver. I am sleeping the best after 25 years of insomnia. Everything I listed above dramatically improved. Even my boss mentioned she sees a huge improvement in my behavior and personality. It's like night and day. Side effects were being off balance at night but went away after a week or two. Also, insurance pays. I do not remember the cost, but it's under $10."

• Mat...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 19, 2020

For Borderline Personality Disorder "I’ve been on 300 mg of quetiapine for over a year. Was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, but I’ve now been recently re-diagnosed with BPD (borderline personality disorder). The quetiapine is very draining, constantly sleepy, and made me put on a lot of weight, even if I’m controlling my eating. But it does stabilize my mood out to an extent. I’ve also been put on Lamotrigine recently due to trying to attempt to take my own life. Wasn’t too sure about taking it as it has a black box warning due to its serious side effects. The only side effects I am experiencing are dizziness, headaches, and loss of appetite. Seems to be working okay."

• Sud...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 27, 2021

For Insomnia "I had a panic attack one night and couldn’t get much sleep. I’ve never had bad sleeping problems before, really, but the problem kind of persisted for a few days. Somehow, I ended up being prescribed this for sleep. One 50 mg tablet a night before sleepy time. First off, it barely even helps at all. At most, I get 3 hours of very poor sleep on this, even if I do everything needed to be tired and get a good night's sleep. I’m going on 3 days of taking this, and it’s basically ruined my life (not kidding). The side effects are 100% not worth it: the extremely dry mouth, dizziness, inability to focus on anything, and tiredness the following day are pretty bad alone. But when I consider the fact that I’m no longer able to get even 1 hour of sleep at night without it now, and it has caused me to fall into a deep dark hole of depression where all I do every day is research whether this drug is right for me (which I don’t believe it should be prescribed to anyone for sleep)."

• tig...
• September 23, 2009

Quetiapine for Insomnia "Was taking Seroquel in combination with Wellbutrin and Zoloft. Took at night to help me sleep, but it left me foggy, tired, and dizzy the next day. In addition, it made me VERY fat. Gained 20 lbs in a little over a month and could not stop eating. Off it now, will save the pills for anxiety attacks (knowing it will knock me out). Effective, but side effects were too much."

• Jar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 3, 2020

For Bipolar Disorder "Quetiapine seemed to help quell the hypo end of life. Most important, it got me sleep! I got used to the side effects of daytime zombification pretty quick, and it actually seemed to decrease my appetite. But the sleep is what really did it for me. I could feel it come on like a wave of warmth and chill simultaneously, and I knew I was actually going to get to sleep. I was having to titrate up relatively quickly, approaching the more antipsychotic dosage and away from the sleepy doses. But then constipation hit pretty bad after about a week of having a hard time going to the bathroom, that led me to eating less and less, until I was so weak I had to eat a big meal to get through the day. This led later to me nearly passing out at work with nausea and growing dizziness that lasted to severe levels for a couple of days and didn't dissipate completely until over a month of having to quit it. Every time I try to get back on, I can feel my stomach knot up. Bye bye sleep. Bye bye quetiapine."

• Joa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 15, 2019

For Bipolar Disorder "I was recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder to add to GAD and PTSD. I have major anxiety around starting new medication and have horrific intrusive thoughts about things that could happen to me if I change medication, often resulting in non-compliance with medication packages. I took 25 mg Quetiapine the first night and literally after 30 mins had a panic attack, felt dizzy, felt sleepy, and overall weird. The 2nd night I took 50 mg, the same thing happened again, only this time horrific acid reflux and stomach pain, oh, and vivid dreams. The 3rd night I went to 75 mg, took these with food, no acid reflux, and felt a lot calmer, major dry mouth, and drowsiness. I have noticed I am a lot calmer with loads of motivation already. I have just gone up to 100 mg this evening, had a lot of intrusive thoughts, and again bad anxiety. I am going to persevere with the tablets and keep a log of side effects that I have experienced!!"

• Mim...
• March 26, 2019

Quetiapine for Bipolar Disorder "I have bipolar. Been on 175 mg quetiapine for many years. Tried other antipsychotics, they didn't work at all. Was sectioned in 2016, was changed to 700 mg quetiapine XR. Yes, a very high dosage. My weight was 49 kg, gained weight very fast to 67 kg, not happy at all. I have put myself on a diet (carbs are the problem with this medication). I have all the side effects that are on the leaflet that you get with the medication. I guess many of you know the side effects: shortness of breath, fatigue, memory loss, dizziness, lightheadedness, vertigo, tinnitus, agitation, itchy skin, weak muscles, aches and pains, blurred vision, poor judgment, awful constipation, restlessness, hand and leg tremors, evil weight gain. On the plus side, I am stable. Along with the quetiapine XR, I am on a cocktail of medication: lamotrigine, promethazine, Valium, procyclidine, cyclizine. I have many side effects and other health issues."

• Mim...
• March 26, 2019

Quetiapine for Bipolar Disorder "I have bipolar. Been on 175 mg quetiapine for many years. Tried other antipsychotics, they didn't work at all. Was sectioned in 2016, was changed to 700 mg quetiapine XR. Yes, a very high dosage. My weight was 49 kg, gained weight very fast to 67 kg, not happy at all. I have put myself on a diet (carbs are the problem with this medication). I have all the side effects that are on the leaflet that you get with the medication. I guess many of you know the side effects: shortness of breath, fatigue, memory loss, dizziness, lightheadedness, vertigo, tinnitus, agitation, itchy skin, weak muscles, aches and pains, blurred vision, poor judgment, awful constipation, restlessness, hand and leg tremors, evil weight gain. On the plus side, I am stable. Along with the quetiapine XR, I am on a cocktail of medication: lamotrigine, promethazine, Valium, procyclidine, cyclizine. I have many side effects and other health issues."

• Anonymous
• August 20, 2009

Quetiapine for Depression "This made me very tired. Definitely helps if you have insomnia, but makes it pretty much impossible to have a normal day's worth of activity. If you try to force yourself to wake up early, you will be rewarded with dizziness, headache, and overwhelming fatigue. A good sleep, but didn't really help my depression."

• lis...
• September 1, 2010

Quetiapine for Bipolar Disorder "I've been diagnosed with bipolar type 1 for 7 months now and have been taking Seroquel along with another drug. I take 300 mg twice a day of Seroquel and find it extremely wonderful. I find it keeps my manic and psychotic symptoms at bay, however, they're not totally eradicated but minimal and helps with my insomnia very much. For me, I've only found that it made me drowsy for the first 2 weeks of taking it, some dizziness, and it gives me dry mouth enough to be irritating but manageable. As for eating, I haven't noticed any real big change, I've kept a stable weight and even lost some (healthily) when I do get munchies for sweets or otherwise I just have crackers or some fruits and veggies around and try to keep a balanced eating scheme."

• che...
• September 9, 2015

For Depression "I had depression and could not sleep longer than 2 hours. With Seroquel 200 mg, I was okay and slept 8 to 9 hours after 6 to 7 weeks. Side effects: dizziness, weakness, sweating, chills, cough, loss of appetite. I got to dread taking it because of the side effects. I would wait and fall asleep naturally, but it would only last for 2 to 3 hours. I would wake up, take a short walk to feel tired again, and then would take 100 mg and go to sleep. Still, the side effects were not as bad, but I would get anxious upon awakening and needed to usually take lorazepam or an equivalent. Going to see the doctor and hope he can suggest something different."

• cha...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 28, 2018

For Borderline Personality Disorder "27 y/o male here. I have a diagnosis of borderline PD and bipolar affective, and I use quetiapine for both. I'm on 150 mg, of which 100 mg is XL and 50 mg is IR for sleep. This drug is extremely effective in treating mood disturbance, acute depressive episodes, and general anxiety or exacerbations of BPD. I increase my dose every time I trigger acutely, and it calms me down. Drawbacks are I get hypotension from the XL, meaning I feel faint, dizzy, and nauseous multiple times a day. Last but not least, I gained 40 lbs whilst on it. Were it not for the weight and the hypotension, it'd be the perfect med - insanely effective and highly recommended."

• Mel...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• April 8, 2018

For Schizophrenia "This med really helps with paranoia and delusional behavior, but the side effects are horrific! Weight gain is unavoidable. It drops my blood sugar, and I’m forced to eat or I’ll pass out. I hate the dizzy, light-headed feeling of needing to eat immediately after taking it. It also distorts my vision, and I already wear glasses because I can’t see 10 ft in front of me. I take 150 mg four times a day, and it doesn’t make me sleepy, but it does put me in a foggy haze. Restless legs at night are awful. At my next appointment, I’m switching to another drug because I can’t handle these side effects! If I don’t take this med and skip a dose, the extreme paranoia instantly comes back along with an irregular heartbeat, and it feels like the quetiapine KNOWS you didn’t take it, so it makes your day awful until you do. Weirdest drug I’ve ever taken."

• LMT...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 28, 2023

Quetiapine "I was on hydroxyzine for 5 years for insomnia, but it’s not for long-term use, so I tried Seroquel 50-100 mg. I really like it and sleep great and have fun, vivid, and creative dreams. However, after a month of use, an hour after I take it, I have this horrible allergic reaction where my nose completely swells shut and I can’t breathe. I take Flonase and have to get up and walk around, feeling loopy and dizzy. My nose does clear up. Then I wake up in the middle of the night and have a pounding headache, like my head and neck have a lot of pressure. It’s horrible and such a bummer because it was great at first. I don’t know what I’ll be on next for sleep. Are there other sleep meds like hydroxyzine and Seroquel?"

• Cas...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 20, 2021

For Depression "The psychiatrist at the crisis hospital put me on quetiapine for my depression. She said that although it’s an antipsychotic (I’ve never had any psychosis symptoms), it would work with my mirtazapine (which only improves my sleep and has no effect on my mental health). It had no benefits at all, only side effects. My movements became even slower, my coordination worsened, my PoTS symptoms got worse (now tingling in my face, pain around my eyes, and temporarily losing vision; as well as the lightheadedness, dizziness, vision disturbances, and rapid heart rate I had before). I was asked every few days how the medication was going, and I reported this each time. After 2 weeks, another doctor saw the notes and took me off it immediately. I have ADHD, and this medication does basically the opposite of what ADHD meds do. The psychiatrist told me quetiapine can treat ADHD instead of the actual ADHD meds I need. I couldn’t find evidence of that."

• Mak...
• March 24, 2017

For Insomnia "I was prescribed Brintellix for depression after denying it for a year and insomnia that got even worse; I get 2-3 hours of sleep max, which is rare. Accidentally took 25 mg of Seroquel instead of half; I went from insomnia to hypersomnia in one night! Got up high and dizzy. Not cute when you're the one taking care of ICU patients."

• sin...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 23, 2016

Quetiapine for Schizoaffective Disorder "I'm taking Seroquel XR 400 mg. It all started last winter with my psychotic episode. I went a bit manic, anxiety, depression. Won't get into details. I went into the mental hospital for 2 months, there is where I started taking Seroquel. To be honest, the first 2 weeks I have been vomiting every single night, had dizziness so hard that I had to hold walls while walking down the hallway. It's fine because at that point I didn't know if it's just a bad dream or reality. After a period of let's say 2 months, I got much better. Still, I was feeling like my emotions, vocabulary, thoughts were really in bad condition. As time passes, I got used to it (I'm using it for 10 months now). DON'T DO COLD TURKEY!!!"

• Hal...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 27, 2022

For Insomnia "Very dangerous side effects such as increased heart rate, orthostatic hypotension, dizziness, etc. I have been prescribed 25 mg for insomnia, but after one week it stopped working, sadly, and I upped the dose to 200 mg (so high for insomnia), but it didn't work as well. It can help someone with paranoia or delusions, but you will need a higher dosage. There are many antipsychotics on the market better than quetiapine."