Quetiapine and Insomnia: What Users Say (Page 3)

• Bpd...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 9, 2016

For Borderline Personality Disorder "I began taking Seroquel 100 mg 3 nights ago, it has helped a lot. I have been suffering for 20+ years and didn't know I was BPD. At first, I was diagnosed E.H. (emotionally handicapped) when I was 12, then when I was 30, Dr. said I had alcohol-induced psychosis. Now I'm 38 and I have BPD. The emotional roller coaster in my brain sucks. I go from suicidal thoughts to smiling and shaking hands and pleasant conversation. Mostly I'm depressed, I have paranoid thoughts as well. Seroquel has calmed that down a lot. I slept great the first night, then woke up 4 times the next night, last night about 4 times as well. I don't feel any emotion. Everything is slow and I have stopped talking to myself, with a few words here and there. I hope I get better."

• ver...
• February 9, 2017

For Insomnia "Starting 50 mg of quetiapine fumarate and 50 mg of sertraline for the first time tonight. I have had constant anxiety for about a month. Heart races, mind races, trouble sleeping, sometimes I don't sleep at all. Had trouble eating, lost 10 pounds that I couldn't afford to lose. Bad headaches, even stomach pain and diarrhea. Crying a lot, feeling stressed about everything. Has anyone taken these two meds together? Even having anxiety about starting these meds."

• Dea...
• September 19, 2019

For Depression "I was put on Seroquel for depression and psychosis, which was troubling: paranoia, weird thoughts, and hallucinations. I also suffered from severe insomnia for years. Seroquel has seriously helped with my awful thoughts and improved my self-esteem. I have an easier time with other people, and my grades have gone up in school. Unfortunately, some of the side effects are troubling because it's not reliable for insomnia. I can stay awake for 2-3 days or sleep for 20 hours. I'm very tired, and I often pass out. I've lost weight and my appetite. Another good thing about it is that it got rid of the horrible hallucinations I have from sleep deprivation that are much worse than my usual ones. My parents and doctor don't like that I'm on this drug. For years, people have been telling me to exercise, eat healthy, sleep well while forgetting that depression makes everything impossible. Don't listen to people who say this, you know what works for your body. Seroquel has been great for me, but some of the side effects are concerning."

• Lrb...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 5, 2021

For Insomnia "Seroquel saved my sanity. I was very good at falling asleep until I had a terrible anxiety attack where I developed insomnia, and it was this vicious cycle of being utterly miserable. My Dr. prescribed me Seroquel, and the first night I knocked out immediately at 25 mg. I was so relieved. Over the next couple of months, I knew I would get some much-needed sleep with it. It wasn’t consistent, and for the first month, I probably only got about 4 hours per night, even with upping the dosage to near 100 mg at some points. Eventually, I realized I wanted to keep it at 25 mg, so I started watching YouTube videos about how to deal with insomnia. I am now barely taking any, sometimes even none now. So I just wanted to say you can use it as needed, and it works, and it’s easy to get off of!"

• Anonymous
• December 4, 2011

Quetiapine for Bipolar Disorder "I have been taking Seroquel 200 mg for over a year for bipolar disorder. After years of taking antidepressants, I couldn't figure out why they weren't working. I was having really bad manic episodes that would last days to weeks, in which I was staying up for days at a time, spending money I didn't have, and had extreme OCD. My anxiety and mood swings were spinning out of control, and I was failing as a mother. I started therapy and Seroquel and noticed an immediate difference in my manic episodes and insomnia. I gained weight at first but have since lost it over the course of the year. I am taking Adderall during the day, and I am back in college, working as a full-time accountant and am able to relax at night with my family."

• FOU...
• December 26, 2017

Quetiapine for Bipolar Disorder "I was on numerous different bipolar medications, but this one was the worst! This medicine landed me in the hospital. I had pain in my right waist when I urinated. My creatinine levels were high and I picked up a lot of weight. I wonder if some of these reviews weren't written by the company itself. It seems there are lots more people struggling with these meds. I weaned off it, but now it seems I have bad withdrawals, blood pressure problems, headaches, fainting, dizziness, severe insomnia, heart palpitations, red spots on my skin, and my insides feel like they are shaky! I would never, ever recommend this."

• okj...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 10, 2019

For Insomnia "I tried everything, and I did Xanax for my insomnia, but the side effects weren't good! My doctor started me on Seroquel 200 mg in the hospital, and I have dreams on it. I have cut back to 100 mg, I take it at 8:30 pm, so I'm out about 10 pm and up at 6 am. I'm a manic depressive, but a positive manic depressive. I'm hardly ever down, my mind is always going! So Seroquel was perfect for me. It saved my sleeping life from only being 1 or 2 hours to about 7 or 9 a night, and I wake up to go to the bathroom if I need to and I go right back to sleep, not like Xanax. When I was out, I was out and almost died in a fire because of Xanax. Now I keep 2 smoke detectors in my home, one right by the head of my bed. Smoke detectors have saved my life 2 times, once was a fryer fire and once I forgot to turn off the burner on the stovetop of a pan of deep-fryer oil! So I always keep a few smoke detectors and a fire extinguisher around, they save lives. For the people that have to use medication, please be wise. I'm also a chronic pain patient!"

• Liz...
• April 8, 2016

Quetiapine for Schizophrenia "I complained to a friend of insomnia, mainly stress-related. She offered a Seroquel on the promise that it would relax me and put me in la-la land. I will never again take medicine that is not prescribed for me! For the first time ever... I heard voices starting at 2 a.m. I heard two men arguing on the other side of my closed bedroom door, loud enough to wake me, but I couldn't make out what they were saying. I was too afraid to look because I knew no one was there. Then around 4:30 a.m., I heard a baby crying nonstop, this lasted until 7:00 a.m. I sat up for hours listening to what it feels like to be going insane! Never again!"

• A S...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 13, 2016

For Borderline Personality Disorder "My psychiatrist and I decided to give this a try when my Effexor was helping my depression but not my anxiety. I was also having constant episodes of insomnia and felt angry all the time. 50 mg wasn't enough, so we upped it to 150 mg, where I felt great-my anxiety was eradicated and I was able to sleep fine, but I was still having an issue with anger. We went up to 300 mg as a last-ditch effort to help the anger, and all that did was make me really groggy and out of it all the time, which actually made my anxiety worse. So we went back down to 150 mg, and that's where I am. All in all, I really like my Seroquel, but I feel like it made me gain weight a bit easier-not a large amount but between 5-10 pounds, but my diet also isn't great."

• Anonymous
• September 23, 2016

For Insomnia "This drug was pushed for off-label uses that the FDA did not approve. Google Seroquel for more details, including legal repercussions faced by the pharmaceutical company. The drug also has severe side effects and should be weighed against the pros and cons of other (possibly more) appropriate drugs. Due to this, Seroquel, I became allergic to the sun, also known as a photoallergic eruption. Seroquel was prescribed to me for insomnia, and not only was I in extreme pain for months due to burning of the skin, itchiness, and more, but I went on to develop the worst insomnia of my life that left me debilitated and suicidal."

• hap...
• July 23, 2015

Quetiapine 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."

• Nin...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 8, 2022

Quetiapine for Bipolar Disorder "As a teen, I was on a lot of mood stabilizers. I stopped taking them before as a child. Cut forward 10/13 years, I've been really struggling to control my thoughts and mood, so I sought out help, and they put me back on Seroquel. To my surprise, the medicine had me pretty sedated the first 3 days or so and is slowly building up in my system. I feel so much better, my mood is not constantly up and down, I don't have racing thoughts, I don't feel suicidal. I was iffy about getting back on it just because I remember, as a teen, trying to get off it and the sleepless nights, however, I am very pleased with this drug right now. This is a fast-acting drug that saved me a trip to the psych ward."

• Too...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 16, 2018

Quetiapine for Bipolar Disorder "Of all the meds I’ve taken for my bipolar, Seroquel is the best with the least side effects. I’ve been on Abilify, Depakote, and another one can’t remember the name. Horrible side effects: severe blurred vision, rash, panic attacks, restless legs, insomnia, gastritis, blood in stools, and more. Seroquel is working for me, and for that, I’m very grateful."

• aku...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 13, 2024

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "IR tablets really helped me. Been on 100 mg for about 8 months, but some stressful events at the job and working too much made me burn out. So my doctor tried to add 50 mg XR version, but that gave me anxiety, couldn't sleep, tension in muscles. First day after taking it, I was feeling the best in my life, but the second and the third it was an awful experience. I will never take XR version again. Quetiapine only agrees with me once daily before bed, if I take it through the day, it makes me climb out of my skin. I am back to my original dose of IR, and I am feeling good again."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 29, 2022

For Insomnia "I've been on Seroquel for about 3 months now. I started at 25 mg and quickly had to jump to 50 mg, and that is where I will try and stay for a while. I take it at 8 pm, and it kicks in at 10:30 pm for me. I don't understand how people say it kicks in for them in 30 min, but I guess we all have different body chemistry. I suffer from extreme insomnia, where I wasn't sleeping at all for days. I had been taking Ambien on and off, and then that quit working. My biggest fear is when this will stop working for me. I do see many reports that people have had success for 5-10 years, so I am hoping that will be me in the future. It does take a good 2.5 hrs to kick in for me, so make sure you try and remember that if you think it will knock you out immediately. It does not for me."

• Bst...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 10, 2022

Quetiapine for Bipolar Disorder "I was put on this a second time around and helped a lot. It stopped working, so it seems. I have been having increased anxiety a few hours after taking it for bed, which leads into panic attacks for the past month. I have terrible insomnia and was going through a manic episode over the summer of 2021 and tried Depakote prior, which did nothing, and even tried Latuda, which gave me twitches. The Seroquel knocked me out and made me sleep so well, along with clonazepam. I even got it upped to 100 from 50 mg but noticed nothing and even stayed up all night most nights on 100 mg. I’m so sad this seems to not work for me anymore, so I’ll give it a 5/10 because it works but then it stopped. I didn’t gain weight, sex was fine, just did its job with controlling manic episodes and panic attacks and insomnia for me. Wish one pill did wonders for me."

• Bro...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 11, 2017

For Post Traumatic Stress Disorder "I was shot in the neck four years ago. I have PTSD, depression, anxiety, depression with psychosis. I have panic attacks to where I don't sleep at all sometimes, like 2 days. So they prescribed Seroquel for me, and I took it, and I had the craziest, scariest dream ever in my life. I gained like 20 pounds within two weeks. I didn't want to do anything but sleep all the time. The medicine just doesn't agree with me, so I have to stop taking it - but it's nice to know that it is helping others. God bless! So I'm still trying to find a peaceful life, hopefully, I will soon. My team of doctors is on it... awesome that it works for some, just not me."

• sle...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 18, 2015

For Insomnia "I do feel that I have better sleep with 100 mg of Seroquel XR. I have, however, had adverse effects with the quick release (non-XR) with this medication. I have nightmares, vivid dreams, and poor sleep."

• Anonymous
• December 5, 2011

Quetiapine for Bipolar Disorder "At age 19, I have been taking Seroquel for more than a decade, as I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder extremely young. Seroquel is not a quick fix for an incurable syndrome that those diagnosed will continue to have to live with for the rest of their lives. Seroquel did not fix my sleep problems completely, although it did at first. Now I have to take extra sleep medication to quell my continually racing thoughts. I am still moody, and I still do have meltdowns, but the frequency has decreased drastically. What Seroquel and other antipsychotics allow you to do is function in daily life to the best degree possible. I'm not saying everyone with manic depression should take it because bipolar disorder is a different experience for everyone."

• poo...
• January 6, 2012

For Borderline Personality Disorder "I have been on Quetiapine XL 50 mg (with a 25 mg as required for more difficult days) for about a year now following a history of poor sleep, self-harm, overdose, binge eating, depression, and hospitalization. The difference it has made to my life has been amazing, far more beneficial than all the antidepressants I have been on over the years. At first, I also struggled with the sedative effect, but with persistence, it reduces and can be managed. The main reason I have decided to post is because yorkiegal mentioned being unable to empathize. I too have noticed that I do not seem to be as 'affected' by sad events/news as I feel I should be, sometimes feeling a bit disassociated."

• Aka...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 6, 2022

For Insomnia "Seroquel gave me severe akathisia. When I was hospitalized and had insomnia, the nurse kept on giving me more and more Seroquel overnight with zero insight that it's causing and worsening akathisia. It was a horrible experience, and I would never take more than 25 mg. The nurse had given me a total of 350 mg when I had taken only 25 mg in the past. I can only rate it 1/10, given this negative experience. I'm also surprised how frequently this drug is prescribed in British Columbia, Canada. It's like a Tylenol for every mental health issue. It's an antipsychotic used for illnesses as severe as schizophrenia and bipolar, but it's given to people for everything from mild insomnia to personality disorders. Maybe our gov't (we have universal healthcare) has made a deal with the manufacturer, and its use is promoted to all doctors as it saves money for the gov't. That's the comment a psychiatrist who had recently moved from Alberta to BC made. He was surprised at how commonly its use is in BC."

• Ama...
• July 23, 2015

Quetiapine for Depression "In the beginning, I was on 300 mg of Seroquel (not extended release) for 3 years. Got pregnant, they took me off. I moved provinces, they ended up putting me back on a smaller dose, 150 mg. Sleeping-wise, I would go to sleep right away and stay asleep all night. For the past 2 months, they decided to put me on 150 mg Seroquel XL. Now it takes me hours to fall asleep, and I wake up constantly throughout the night and have a hard time falling back asleep! I feel like XL does not work near as good, depression-wise and sleeping-wise."

• Dia...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 20, 2016

Quetiapine for Bipolar Disorder "I have been on this medication for about a week now. I am a type 1 diabetic. My sugars are extremely on the high side. It was like overnight it raised my sugars terribly. It has the complete opposite effect, my mind races. I pace, no sleep for me. So I think I need to be done with this. The not taking it versus the side effects. And I don't need this. So diabetics, beware."

• BPD...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 26, 2014

For Borderline Personality Disorder "Diagnosis: PTSD, Borderline Personality Disorder, Avoidant Personality Disorder. I've been taking Seroquel for 2 months now. Hospitalized for an episode. My thoughts were super distorted, probably from lack of sleep in combination with my disorders. Obsessive thoughts that wouldn't stop. Intrusive thoughts over past traumas (PTSD). Couldn't get to sleep at night without sickening dreams. I finally got my life back with this stuff. I got a job, but I was working night shift, so I only lasted 2 days. Night shift and these meds are hard to manage. But my health is more important. The only thing that is a downside is that I can't drink on it. The nights I do drink, I don't take the Seroquel. If I do take it, I try to wait until I sober up."

• Bee...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 10, 2019

For Insomnia "Was on quetiapine 100 mg, gave me awesome sleep, but quitting was a few restless nights. Now on zopiclone and wanting to switch back, as I can't use it every day. SSRIs are a better option than benzos or Z-class drugs for long-term insomnia or sleep issues."