Scared about going off seroquel HELP!

[Chloe]

I am literally wigging out about going of my Seroquel XR 50mg. I keep reading forums about it some people say it's like hell like I don't think I can handle that. Can someone please tell me it's not that bad!!

[Chloe]

P.s I am also taking Zoloft 100mg will this make it easier?

[Ponder]

honestly, don't let other peoples stories worry you so much. There are many factors to consider when coming off medication. A lot of people simply come off it too fast. First seek advice from a doctor and make sure it's the right dicsions or view it as some kind of step to trail and error as is the case for many medications. Took me years to find something that actually works. None the less ... what has worked for me in the past is to use a pill cutter ... I went down by taking 3/4 of a tablet for a few weeks or a month, then would go down by one quarter again and so on ...

In most cases ... the longer you have been on the, the slower you should take to come off them. Perhaps others could share their experiences? Any time I came of them too quick ... sure it was hell ... but I have also come of then slowly without issue.

[Chloe]

First night without Seroquel & it was a night of HELL!! My anxiety is through the roof I can't handle this can't stop crying why why why this isn't fair! I hate my life!

[Ponder]

I'm sorry your feeling this way Chloe. Has your doctor given you advice about coming of this medication?

[Chloe]

Hi Ponder,

Well he said I shouldn't get any side effects because it's a small dose but clearly I am it's so frustrating. I spoke to him today he has given me some Valium I'm just hoping it will pass.

Thanks for caring!
:)

[Ponder]

Your most welcome. I know first hand how discomforting it was for me ... kind of makes you wonder about the whole medicine scenario. Just know, that many medicines react differently with different people and it can take quite some time in finding something that works for oneself.

About the doctor getting it wrong ... it happens. Turns out my Doctor said exactly the same thing, however when I explained that was not the case, we decided to dose it down little bit by little bit. I hope your proposed solution eases your discomfort. You know I used to be hard core anti meds ... however my extreme bouts eventually led to getting something a little more mind altering than ones typical antidepressant, however I still take that as well. Finding the right antidepressant can take quite some trial and error. If one is persistent and can accept the side effects of both cumming off them and being on them ... as in learn to work & avoid with them ... it seems less daunting.

I'm still learning to take mine bang on time as messing with that can throw me out some. Try to avoid doing too much with coming of them as for me, dizzy spells seem to be quite frequenter coming of Zoloft. I fixed the problem immediately by going back on them as I tried to stop cold turkey ... I did not know anything about meds back then ...
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Just keep posting and think about your goal. We all have our reasons weather on or off them ... I wish you the very best with your intentions and wish you well in doing whatever works for you.

Let the forum know however your feeling and whenever you need to (We are in this all together )... Do you have anything that you can distract yourself with that would rate as Light Duties or not to excessive on your bodies energy? I guess reading might be a bit dizzying??? How about watching a few movies and or surfing the net ... a little sunshine either on the front or back door step area? Fresh air really helps me ...

Seems to be lot's of people here who care. That's why I'm here ... to find others who want to get well and share in that process. I just as thankful to you for reaching out.
Again ... come back and share as you have done. :)

...Dave.

[Chloe]

Thanks Dave for all your advice I really appreciate it. I guess I'm just finding it hard to come to terms with all the anxiety and depression stuff. I'm hoping this anxiety will go away when I stop having these withdrawals but then I think well what if the seroquel was helping with my anxiety like the Zoloft. Maybe I should have just put up with the tiredness and no energy at least the anxiety was gone!

[Ponder]

Sorry if I seem to be going on with continued replies ... I really need to think about this stuff as well Chloe. :) Tired and No Energy! BINGO ... me too! Whilst I may write as if I have answers, I acknowledged I am just telling myself what I need to hear as well. If I take my Anxiety medication like one hour late; my whole next day is completely deflated and ZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzz. The science behind some of these medications are down pat with timing.

Your response hits home with me, as I have been contemplating my tired days with the use of my anxiety medication and like wise wondering some, to how the anxiety medication may actually be complementing my antidepressant in a positive way. I really do get what it's like to have those bad days where the body just can't keep up with the day - just in our own homes -

Narrrr ... don't just put up with the tiredness and no energy. I really believe there are things we can do to combat this issue.
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Coming to Terms .... Well Put! anxiety and depression:

First ... what's worse ... the anxiety or the depression? ... LOL @ Myself here ... Only because for me I know my anxiety feeds my depression. It creates the larger part of it! It's that part of me that always worries about what others are thinking, drives my need to please, drives me to be needy, makes me always second guess myself and others ... all the way down to keeping me in the past and future ... robing me of actually just being myself, enjoying life in the present. Where is this anxiety coming from and what is it. It's like a constant state of worry that makes us panic other things that have not happened yet, sapping at us until we reach that state of exhaustion that leaves us tired and without energy.

Here lays the problem ... as discerning between length of time on said medication plus lapses in administering times Vs my ability to come to terms and or my attitudes to even being on medication Vs the known and proven predisposition or reoccurring bouts to "long term sufferers" (AKA Depressing) Forgive me if I'm not making sense here ... there are many variables and leaning about them can really help us get a grip on our recovery.

I think also another way to put it, is not to mistake those times that one lacks energy and finds oneself tired on off days as a pure relapse into depression. It could simply be because of a metabolic change and miss timing in our administering technique.
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More to the point ... how long have you been off your medicine? ... unfortunately to add further to this complicated mix ... coming of some medicines will increase anxiety ... accept that and you can relax a little that it's not just you. :)

I have to start being more active again ... thus more discerning for me .... regards my Obesity Vs Anxiety & Depression. It really is a messy circle and gets worse as one ages. hmmmmmm (I care less about growing old ...welcome it actually)

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I'm at a point where I'm having to roll my eyes at the effort to physically get up and expose myself to the outdoors let alone throwing myself into uncomfortable situations that I have no desire to be in. I really need to write a book on this stuff for my own benefit. I had a call from Government Welfare sector the other day to touch base and make sure I was interacting with society ... I had to explain about the new meds I am on, and how I need time to gauge the effectiveness and combat the resultant tiredness that comes over me, in order to help me settle down. It's a double edge sword that requires me to make other changes in my life so that over a period of time my brain can rewire itself.

I guess that is the crux of it. Developing a healthy attitude towards the use of medicine and ignoring the stigma commonly associated to mental illness by having a better understanding of it. Often the stigma alone brings our self worth down before we even have a chance to take measures to heal ourselves. We think, it's just us that is all wrong. It's not. It's an imperfect world and unfortunately that imperfection needs to be reasoned with one way or the other; lest our whole society becomes medicated for life. In other words I believe a great deal of the population can work towards reducing the dosage and possibly come off medication, whilst respectfully developing a healthy attitude that both users and non users have, towards themselves & those individuals that actually need medication for both long term and life.

Factors such as Marketing Campaigns and consumerism in General only complicate finding information about coming off medication all the more difficult. Society is driven be economy and unfortunately mental health is just a side effect of that funds the spinning wheel. You really can't expect much from a society that spends Millions on stop smoking campaigns ... that aim to educate people on how poisonous such an addiction is, yet makes Billions by feeding that addiction, responsible for millions of deaths each each year.

They are to some extent, doing the same thing with pharmaceuticals, welfare and the health sector ... by keeping a large portion of society dependent, whilst running campaigns to advertise independent rehabilitation programs and the like.

My wife just recently did a search on the numbers being medicated for anxiety and depression ... and the numbers are STAGGERING!
But lets not get carried away with the hype although it be true ... Hell ... I can totally understand why so need anti depressants as well as anti psychotic meds.

What are the meds for?
What are the Variables - cons and pros?
What kind of crutch - how long will I use them - will I just rely on them?
What else can I do to complement, reduce dosage or even come off them?

Sure the information is out there ... but just like the fine print covered so well to sell something quickly ... there's no quick fix to taking the time to research before you buy. Question everything ... especially oneself. :)

Again ... for now I'm using my meds to get by not because I am the problem, but because I am unable to deal with the problem ...
Coming to terms is everything! I believe I am getting there and have plans to reduce my meds and make more gains over the next few Years ... not like "will significantly improve in two years" Tick & Flick for the professionals ... but more so, I'll will stabilize or as of am now ... but refuse to allow my depression to drag me back into hell. I'm aiming to fine tune my medication with lots of exercise and healthy eating...to fight back the long live pattern of negative thinking ... so that I may actually one day see some sense to all the madness that surrounds me and understand why it be.

THANKS CHLOE ... I'll try and come up with me own thread and dribble in that. LOL After having talked about herbs with Dahlia (sorry can't remember spelling) and thinking about growing som in the near future...perhaps I can rant so in thier about the med thing and all that.

I just hope your feeling a little better today. :)

Cheers Dave.

[Chloe]

Progress Update:-

It's 6 nights since I have stopped Seroquel 50mg & I still feel like shit. I have spoken to my doctor and he rekons Seroquel has no withdrawal side effects and basically made me feel like it's all in me head but I'm pretty sure I know when I feel sick! I'm sick all the time I just want it to go away if he says wdls doesn't exist does this mean these symptoms will never go away?