Seroquel XL

[ally]

I'm in a terrible state, has anyone else had any experience of this med, my dr has just changed from the other type of quetiapine to this one, 100mg at night. I'm suffering so bad with anxiety and also having to take more of the Valium again. I also take 20mg escitalopram, I feel at such a loss, have had suicidal thoughts and in general my mood is so low, I had had some better days last week but it's all back again, I'm so scared and lonely and worried about these meds and don't know what to do please some one help me:(

[em1]

I think it will take a while for your new Meds to kick in,I've only started taking Meds for my Anxiety I've never even on any be4 apart from beta blockers that is,it's a very scary thing to have,but I'm sure everything will be ok it's just your Anxiety Causing you to be more on Edge

[alankay]

Hang in there but another ssri might need to be tried like effexor or paxil or even a TCA like Clomipramine, etc, but stay the course longer if you can as this all takes time to work. I would try at least 1 more(prozac, zoloft) outside paxil and effexor before asking to try those. Alankay

[ally]

They seem reluctant to try another SSRI as I've been on 2 previously and that's why this has been added? Do you think these are not a good idea? I'm worrying so much, I can't stop shaking and crying and the sickness is all back, I haven't been able to eat and feel terrible, my whole body is trembly, and panicky, I can't believe I feel as bad as I do after last week seeing me slot better, now I'm back to square one and feel so scared:( my family aren't coping at all, and the guilt I feel is terrible, I'm worrying about them, and also about back taking more of the diazepram, because they don't seem to be helping me at all?

[Lin]

Changing a med or adding new needs can mess you around for a while and it always takes a few weeks for new ones to kick in and start helping. They also all have side effects especially at first so can make you feel worse to start with. I shouldn't worry about anything else at moment than getting yourself sorted out on the tablets. When tablets start working and you feel better then start doing something about other things in your life. Give yourself some time and space to let the meds work.

[Judie]

They seem reluctant to try another SSRI as I've been on 2 previously and that's why this has been added? Do you think these are not a good idea? I'm worrying so much, I can't stop shaking and crying and the sickness is all back, I haven't been able to eat and feel terrible, my whole body is trembly, and panicky, I can't believe I feel as bad as I do after last week seeing me slot better, now I'm back to square one and feel so scared:( my family aren't coping at all, and the guilt I feel is terrible, I'm worrying about them, and also about back taking more of the diazepram, because they don't seem to be helping me at all?
Lin's right Ally, it takes time for any new med to work. If you have to rely on the diazepam,then that's what you have to do, don't be so hard on yourself.Your family just doesn't understand the Panic. When people are watching someone they love suffer, it can be frustrating if they can't help. Try wrapping yourself up in a warm blanket for the rigors ( the shakes). You are not back to square one, just like your mind remembered the panic, it also remembers the feeling of wellness that you had last week.The trembling is probably your Hypothalamus Gland that regulates body temperature and is off because of the anxiety. I always got terrible shivers ( almost felt like seizures but they weren't ) Your body is cold warm it up. Try some warm broth and crackers. Be kind to yourself, you are sick. Treat yourself the way you would a sick child. When an alcoholic quits drinking and then relapses, they often go back to drinking far heavier ( the alcoholism is returning with evengence) Anxiety is the same way when it quiets and you have good days it sometimes comes back hard, very hard. Don't get discouraged by this because in those quiet days your brain was reprogramming away from anxiety. Just like the alcoholic learned in those days of sobriety how to get sober, so have you learned more about anxiety. The anxiety will go away again and it will be easier to remain anxiety free for a longer period of time. You are worrying about what everyone else is thinking and then is a lot of Negative Stuff feeding your anxiety. This is about you and it matters what you think above all else. Your focus needs to be on you and any positive thoughts you can muster up. Treat yourself like a child, comfort yourself, warm yourself, coax some nice warm food into you. You are a mum, you know what to do. As far as meds go for now just do what your Drs.tell you to do, everything will be ok. This is just the Acute Phase of Anxiety, it doesn't last, it will calm down. Be Well, feel better XO

[ally]

Thank you, I wish I could eat but I feel so choked and sick I can't get it to go down, I honestly feel worse, it's so hot here too, I'm hot and cold, like flushes of heat, I can barely keep my eyes open but can't rest because of the agitation and palpitations, it's like I've got worse since taking more Valium? my whole body just feels terrible I can't hardly write this, I'm so disappointed and just feel so drugged up it's horrible and scary:(

[acetone]

I want to try seroquel. How is your experience with this med? I have read that seroquel acts like a sleeping med on low doses. How is your sleep?

[Lin]

Thank you, I wish I could eat but I feel so choked and sick I can't get it to go down, I honestly feel worse, it's so hot here too, I'm hot and cold, like flushes of heat, I can barely keep my eyes open but can't rest because of the agitation and palpitations, it's like I've got worse since taking more Valium? my whole body just feels terrible I can't hardly write this, I'm so disappointed and just feel so drugged up it's horrible and scary:(

You have to be strong and work through this bad time. It is really difficult and scary but you have to realise that it is your head playing dreadful tricks on your mind and body. You need to eat and to try and do some normal things even feeling really bad. If you manage to do just one normal thing you will start to feel better and start to break the spiral downwards. I know it is really hard, and I am not managing it at the moment either, but you have to hold on to something. Mine is my job and because that is not good at the moment my life is worse than ever, but I am still going because if I don't I know I will be back off sick and either in the house 24 hours or in hospital, so I am making myself go and making myself put up with whatever happens there. So you need to find something which gives you something to hold on to and break the spiral - how about just simple meditation for five minutes every now again? Just simply sit quietly and concentrate on your breathing for five minutes, and let any thoughts just pass through your head. Just five minutes will calm your breathing down and will help and then you can simply do it again later when down again, or gradually increase the time you do it for. Or find something you can really concentrate on - a jigsaw puzzle, or crossword or whatever else you can find which needs you to really concentrate on. Concentrating on something will calm you down to, and then you may find you can eat and be OK for just a few minutes which is a start. Good luck, hope you can do this, it is very hard and difficult but you need to try to do it. A small achievement will be good and give you a glimmer of hope.

[ally]

Hi Lin, I'm really struggling again after having some hope last week, all this is back worse than ever? I just feel so desperate and like nothing is working, I'm so drowsy and feel terrible from taking the Valium but I can't cope with these symptoms because they are constant, now I'm back to no appetite severe nausea, and panic has really set in:( how can I start to have a few better days and now it's back in full force, I'm starting to think the meds aren't working? But why if they aren't did I feel slightly better, I did still feel distant and not able to engage like I'd like to but it was better and I really thought I was going forward, my little boy who is only 2 and a half just wants his mummy as do my two teenagers, I feel like my life and theirs is passing by and I feel terrible;(

[Lin]

Set backs are always hard because all your hope goes again. Try and relax and let the Valium work again. I know it is hard when feel not there for our family but you have to think of yourself at moment and then you will be there for them again. We also have to focus on ourselves sometimes and it won't hurt therm for a while until you bit better again. Try not to worry about them and concentrate on yourself.

[ally]

Thanks Lin, it's just so hard when you have a glimmer, I may have just got complacement, but Im not really having the support other than medication to get me through all this,I'm finding this so hard:(

[Desk Lady]

Is it time to perhaps contact you doctor and let him/or her know what is going on? I know when we get to a certain point, it is hard to even believe in the people we need to turn to and trust but they are certainly our "go-to-people"! Sometimes, as we all know, meds have to be changed, so please do not hesitate to contact your doctor if you feel you can't move past this!

You are very brave and we are all pulling for you!!!

[ally]

Thank you, but I've seen dr and psychiatrist both conflicting, and the last visit the psychiatrist made the suggestion of lithium as a replacement to the seroquel but it doesn't sound very good and I'm reluctant to be a guinepig with it:( the other option was only to stay as I am? The problem is when I saw the nurse after that visit I seemed to be improving, so this has really upset me and worried me as to why it's happened as I really did think things were improving? I can't believe I feel so bad again:(