Quetiapine and Insomnia: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Pou...
• July 21, 2018

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "I was surprised that other people say how this puts them to sleep, as it did the exact opposite to me. When I first took it, I started feeling very disoriented and anxious, and after barely falling asleep, I soon woke up with a panic attack. I continued taking it because the doctors pressured me, but the more I took it, the harder it was for me to fall asleep, and I started having very painful heart palpitations one hour after I took the quetiapine. I noticed that it has a mood-stabilizing effect and also suppresses OCD. After a few days, all my obsessions and intrusive thoughts greatly decreased. After a few months of taking it, I even started taking some other pills for sleep because quetiapine ruined my sleep, but it did make me more stable during the day. The side effects I had are: insomnia, feeling tired in the morning, heart palpitations (which greatly decreased the longer I took it), and hunger for carbs. As a sleep aid, I give it a 1/10 - it's awful and even ruins my sleep, as a mood stabilizer, 7/10, and as an anti-OCD, 8/10."

• fre...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 27, 2013

Quetiapine for Bipolar Disorder "Took for bipolar disorder (for the depression). In small doses, this caused me to be too sleepy to function. When I took a large dose at night, however, it knocked me out, and I was good the next day. This really did help with the depression and mood swings. However, it caused significant weight gain. I had to stop taking this when a job had ended and I no longer had insurance. I fought insomnia for around 6 months, but after that time, was finally able to sleep again, and the weight came out. I would recommend this for someone who really needs it, but not until other medicines have been tried first with no success."

• JJJ...
• February 23, 2013

Quetiapine for Bipolar Disorder "I have found Seroquel to be very helpful in my life. I was on high antidepressant medicines but gave those up. The Seroquel helps me lead a normal life by allowing me to sleep and calm down after long working hours in a high-demand job. I take 100 mg before dinner, which helps my appetite also. I would not take Seroquel during the day, as I feel it would inhibit my ability to communicate at work. From what I've read, some interpolate the effects of the medicines in differing ways, but I can honestly say it has saved me from a very dark place. Expensive but worth the cost."

• fin...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 2, 2013

For Borderline Personality Disorder "I was first diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder eight years ago in my teens. Co-morbid major depressive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, panic disorder. I have only been on this medicine for just over two months, but it has changed my life. It is available generically and affordable. I also suffered from insomnia from a very young age, and now about 30-45 minutes after taking my pill, I dozed off for exactly 8 hours of sleep and wake up rested and refreshed. If I have to be up for something in the morning, I need to remember to take it ~9 hours before I need to get up. It's a minor inconvenience compared to all the good it has done me. I am a much calmer person."

• may...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 27, 2016

For Insomnia "I am having insomnia for ages, sometimes it gets better, sometimes worse, depends on how much I am stressed. The subsequent things in my behavior happen based on how long the insomnia period lasts. I had a very bad period last year-depression with insomnia, sleeping for 3-4 hours a night for a couple of months. I almost lost my job because I was not able to focus on anything during the day, just blankly looking at the monitor, not understanding what I read. I was put on quetiapine for insomnia, 25 mg before going to bed (+ Valdoxan), and it worked immediately, also, my colleagues noticed how my behavior changed. I loved it. When I was back to normal, I quit with quetiapine, was sleeping less for 2 weeks, and then I was fine."

• Rot...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 6, 2019

Quetiapine for Bipolar Disorder "I tried this medication a few years ago and could never get the dose correct. It was either too much or not enough. I recently tried it again and only took it for a week before the doctor took me off. I was taking this medication for bipolar disorder and insomnia. 30 minutes to 1 hour after taking this medication, I would have constant dry mouth and my legs would twitch, RLS. Constant tossing and turning because of my legs and having to drink water because of the dry mouth, finally passing out hours later and feeling like rubbish the next day."

• lvs...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 4, 2014

For Insomnia "My sons, ages 10 and 14, have been taking this for a year. I had tried everything to get them to stop wetting the bed, but nothing worked. Then the dr. thought that the reason they were wetting the bed is that they were not getting a good night's sleep. I was very skeptical, especially about giving them any medicine. Also, my 10-year-old had a hard time falling asleep. Within a couple of weeks of taking the medicine (25 mg), they both stopped wetting the bed. It was a miracle. A couple of months ago, I started taking the medicine. I thought I was getting my 8 hours of sleep, but the dr. thought that I was not, since I was exhausted all day long. Well, after taking this for a couple of days, I noticed the quality of my sleep was much better."

• Par...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 18, 2017

Quetiapine for Schizophrenia "Out of all the antipsychotics I have taken, Seroquel makes me feel the most normal! I was put on Geodon originally in 2012 when I had my first psychotic break. The Geodon made me gain 60 lb, eventually caused insomnia, binge eating, and heavy drinking. Drugs like Fanapt and Latuda made me more depressed/mind rush. I was put on Seroquel in 2015. My binge eating disorder continued, and I gained 40 lbs that year :/. It made me feel a million times better than Geodon, though. I was able to stop popping Xanax and Klonopin every day. I eventually stopped binge eating in October 2016 and lost the 40 lbs. Currently, I take 600 mg of Seroquel and 100 mg of Zoloft, and 0.5 mg of Xanax at night as needed to quiet my thoughts."

• Aub...
• September 23, 2016

Quetiapine 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."

• Che...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 11, 2019

For Borderline Personality Disorder "I have struggled from a very young age with depression and anxiety very badly. I have tried so many different medications, and this is by far the best! I don’t think I could have carried on with life without this medication, I had really bad insomnia as well, and now I get a great night's sleep. I suffer from borderline personality disorder, very bad depression, anxiety, insomnia, and autism spectrum disorder. To anyone who’s thinking of taking this medication, I would definitely recommend it."

• MG ...
• March 30, 2017

Quetiapine for Bipolar Disorder "I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety 5 years ago. I was so stressed about work, even though I liked my job and wasn't stressed about it for years before. Had continuous trouble sleeping more than 4 hours a night, sometimes less. I went off work for two months due to stress, anxiety, and depression. My doctor prescribed 25 mg of Seroquel and 20 mg of Cipralex for depression. I take both at night, an hour before going to bed. I saw a psychiatrist for about two months during the time I was off work. I didn't get off the couch basically all day for about a month. Started to sleep better and feel a bit better after a few weeks. I sleep perfectly now and haven't had any real problems the last five years."

• who...
• February 10, 2017

Quetiapine for Bipolar Disorder "My doctor told me basically nothing else has worked, so what do you want him to do? The Seroquel seemed to help at first, but I gained weight quickly, and people are always asking if I'm expecting because I look maybe 5 months pregnant. I have paranoia problems as well with anxiety. I have suicidal thoughts throughout the day, but I don't share that with my doctor because I don't want to get put in a hospital, so I keep that to myself. I'm extremely depressed, and it doesn't help me sleep. I can't sleep because of the thoughts going crazy in my head, so I have to take Ambien. I'm sick of all these medications. I also take Wellbutrin for depression and Xanax for anxiety. The Xanax helps, but when I try to pull back from using it, my body jerks. I know I need help."

• Imd...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 21, 2017

For Insomnia "After taking heroin on a regular basis for a year, I couldn't sleep properly at night. Insomnia and depression were the worst, until my doctor prescribed me quetiapine fumarate 200 mg tabs. I sleep like a baby now, 8-11 hours without any morning after effects. Also helped me a lot to get out of depression."

• OnT...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 28, 2015

Quetiapine for Bipolar Disorder "Where do I even start? Been fighting my crazy mood and bipolar disorder since I was an adolescent. Was prescribed this years back, and slowly I saw my life start to tangle up. Mood problems got worse, could not feel much remorse or feelings, just dampened emotions that got harder to control. I strongly believe this medicine harmed my mental health during one of the times the brain develops significantly. Been off for exactly a year and still recovering. Finally, I can sleep through the night after about 10 months, but still dealing and slowly on the way back from a miserable journey of anxiety, insomnia, and instability. Mood should arguably be stabilized, not muted and worsened by this medication. Be safe."

• Mat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 25, 2017

Quetiapine for Bipolar Disorder "Been suffering with moderate/major depression with periods of extreme anxiety and daily thoughts of specific suicidal thoughts for 7 months. Suffered really rough initial side effects with Lexapro and endured this medication for 4 months up to 30 mg. Felt worse than ever at this dosage, and so I sought help from a private practice. He immediately told me to lower my dosage to 20 mg of Lexapro (to eventually taper off completely) and put me on 300 mg Seroquel, 200 mg at night and 100 mg in the mornings. The day after, I woke up with new hope and a sense of calmness. I no longer felt suicidal. Thus, the conclusion is that I'm probably Bipolar Type 2, meaning antidepressants are not right for me. Seroquel always makes me sleep every night, all night! :)"

• Blu...
• March 22, 2016

Quetiapine for Bipolar Disorder "Been in therapy with a counseling psychologist for just over 3 years. Diagnosis from consultant psychiatrist - complex PTSD, bipolar type 2, and fibromyalgia. Been on sertraline 200 mg for 2 years. Ate diazepam 2.5 mg like smarties after a relationship with an antisocial personality disordered man. Been taking quetiapine since December '15 and slowly moved up to 125 mg to increase to 200 mg. Was taking 7.5 mg mirtazapine for sleep though have now removed it due to increase of quetiapine and weight gain. Overall I'm feeling much calmer, more rational, less reactive, and more confident talking to people. After intrusive thoughts, cognitive dissonance, depression, anxiety, insomnia, crying, dissociation, nightmares, etc. I'm happy!"

• Bip...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 14, 2022

Quetiapine for Bipolar Disorder "I had depressive episodes all my life (I'm 55) and was diagnosed with bipolar II about 9 months ago. I have had insomnia all my life, but it became severe and unremitting about a year ago when I became severely depressed/anxious. Started on Lithium and then 25 mg Seroquel and went up to 100 mg Seroquel. It never helped my insomnia or my mood and caused constipation. I was on it for about 7 months. Big issue - now trying to get off and having major withdrawal problems. Mild insomnia, excessive sweating, severe abdominal pain. Something new every time I lower the dose by 12 mg. I recommend staying on this drug only if you see significant progress. I wish I had been taken off sooner."

• Twe...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 4, 2015

For Insomnia "I have really bad insomnia, which is triggered by my depression and anxiety. My shrink gave me this medicine, and I sleep like a baby. The thing is, I started having these dreams, and they feel so real. But I thought this was only me until I started reading other reviews. I have to have at least 8 hours to sleep, or then I'm rather groggy. I'm happy for the sleep because I was up for 36 hours at a time."

• Mop...
• June 6, 2019

For Depression "Seroquel did slightly help with my anxiety and depression, more so depression, though the doctor prescribed me this for the diagnosis of bipolar (later found out I was misdiagnosed after different second opinion). Side effects experienced: fatigue, dizziness/lightheadedness (normally experience this quite often, but Seroquel increased frequency), weight gain/increased appetite. Gained 10 lbs within 3-4 months, and I'm the type of person that can eat as much as I want and won't gain anything, but on Seroquel I definitely did. This messed with my mental health even more and in the end caused me more depression and anxiety. Seroquel also made me incredibly irritable. It was very easy for me to get upset and angry. I also got some odd feeling of restlessness in my body after each time I took the next pill, especially at 100 mg (stopped at 150 mg, my highest dose), and going to sleep was the only way the feeling went away. The withdrawal was awful, as I experienced insomnia for 2 weeks. Overall...I did not like Seroquel."

• Mis...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 2, 2018

For Borderline Personality Disorder "I was recently diagnosed with BPD after years of suffering with emotional problems on top of depression and anxiety. Antidepressants don't seem to touch the BPD, and I worked with my psychiatrist to get on Seroquel (regular, not extended release). I started at 25 mg and then titrated up to 50 mg as prescribed. At first, it caused drowsiness, but that wore off after a few days. My family and I have definitely noticed my emotions are much more leveled, and I don't feel anxious nearly as much as before. It helps with the quality of sleep, but I still struggle with insomnia as far as when I go to bed (not currently working). I'm very happy with the results so far."

• New...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 31, 2019

For Insomnia "If you would like to read this as a review, it might help a lot in regard to your choice. I have insomnia. So I thought about giving quetiapine a go. This is my experience after taking two tablets (25 mg each). Took 2 pills an hour before sleep. Within 45 mins, I could tell they were working. I was feeling very sleepy. I went to bed within an hour after consuming the tablets. Fell asleep straight away. Sleep was good, however, I woke up at about 4 a.m. needing to go to the bathroom. I tried moving out of bed but was immobilized. This led to a panic attack, as I was unable to get out of bed, but I desperately needed to move and relieve myself. I then fainted. (Due to the panic attack?) Only to wake up 30 mins later in my own urine and to feel very, very sleepy. I managed to crawl to the shower. Terrible first night, though. Also, when I awoke at 8 a.m. or so again in the morning, I was very groggy. Very tired for a few hours till lunch. Don't take 2 tablets your first night!!"

• Sha...
• August 22, 2011

Quetiapine for Depression "I was diagnosed with mild bipolar disorder, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and generalized anxiety. Most of my adult life, I had insomnia. I use Seroquel 50 mg once a day and Celexa. The Seroquel stopped the racing thoughts, generalized anxiety, allowed me to sleep well at night, and I'm able to think things through rationally. Seroquel is the best medicine for me. I love it. I used to only take it at night as I would fall asleep immediately, but now I'm able to take it during the day."

• Lex...
• April 8, 2017

For Insomnia "The doctors say there is no withdrawal from Seroquel, but I know there is! Every time they raise or lower, or take away altogether, I have days with no sleep, cold sweats, and feelings of being overly alert. That's how I feel when I am completely taken off."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• October 28, 2024

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "I have been taking quetiapine long term for about 7 years. I was prescribed it for anxiety and insomnia. I began on a high dose but now only take 25 - 50 mg at night. Once I started taking this drug, there was no need for the doctors to try any more antidepressants or other pills. It helps me sleep at night, calms my anxiety, and therefore I am able to tackle my day. I find it quite sedating, so the smaller the dose I can manage, the better. I have tried going off it once, but ended up with horrible side effects such as no sleep for days and itching, crawling skin, intense nausea, and feeling very mentally fragile. Overall, this drug has helped me a lot over the years, and I am able to function quite well on it with minimal side effects - sometimes can feel quite drowsy the next day. I have had restless legs and muscle aches as side effects too, but I have been taking it long term. I would recommend a low dose to someone also struggling with anxiety and sleep."

• peo...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 13, 2016

Quetiapine for Bipolar Disorder "Seroquel, 50 mg nightly in addition to Lithium (2 x 200 mg) and Cipramil (20 mg), a dream combo for me. Stops the racing thoughts and knocks me out cold for 8 hours/night. Slight weight gain of maybe 2-3 kilos, but hardly noticeable. I'll take the extra weight over hypomania and insomnia any day."