trg247 Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 Hi: A few weeks ago when coming off a host of other meds and ativan was proving to be useless Seroquel was added to the mix. At first it was just before bed 75mg along with Temazepam so I would be able to sleep through the night. When I was clear out of all other meds in my system I had/have a lot of trouble with racing thoughts, self harm urges and fast mood swings. So I started to take Seroquel in the middle of the day as needed and it helped kind of, my head slowed right down and the self harm urges diminished greatly. For some reason everyday about six or seven hours after I awoke I had to request Seroquel to slow me back down and it got to a point where I told my doctor just to make it part of my daily routine so for the last two weeks I now take 75mg twice a day. Now the whole point ot the above is at this point I take it and fight the urge to go to bed for the next couple of hours then I swear any benifits the med have are gone and I slowly start ramping back up again. So far I like this drug but I need to figure out away to keep the benifits apparent all day without passing out cold at the same time. Would it make sense to divide it up over the course of the day like 25mg every couple of hours (I need the whole 75mg at bedtime we figured this one out in the hospital). Or will this complete feeling of tiredness will fade as my body adjusts? Any help is appreciated, due to another med I am pretty stricted on other available medication. take care trg247 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
borzage Posted November 8, 2007 Share Posted November 8, 2007 It is said that Seroquel is less sedating at higher doses. This is partly true: if you work your way up to a higher dose, your body will have some time to adjust to the drug and eventually it will be less sedating. It's more accurate to say that Seroquel is less sedating at any dose, after a period of time (about 3 - 4 weeks for me), if you take it regularly. So, you could continue doing what you're doing now and see if the sedation eases up. I kind of doubt that your daytime dose will get any less sedating, but I could be wrong. I take 100 mg of Seroquel at night (I have come down from a much higher previous dose). Occasionally, when I feel racing thoughts, self harm urges, etc., I find that 25mg (or half that) during the day helps tremendously. But inevitably I feel very tired and useless for a couple of hours. It's just a trade-off. My suggestion is to see if a smaller dose helps you during the day, and take a higher dose before bed. Seroquel builds up in your system and does a darn good job at keeping obsessive thoughts and self-harming impulses away. - MG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mel1 Posted November 8, 2007 Share Posted November 8, 2007 when I was on seroquel, i used to spread out my doses. I took 50 mg. 3 X's a day and 100 at night. It worked for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnneMarie Posted November 8, 2007 Share Posted November 8, 2007 I took a similar Seroquel dose and schedule for around six months. For me, it peaks around two hours after taking, so during the day I took it every four hours. It helped me. Note, I was hypomanic at the time and sedation wasn't too big of a factor. From what I gather, the sedation wears off for some after a month or so. For others, it doesn't. The reason Seroquel is less sedating at higher doses goes something like this oversimplified model. S first blocks histamine receptors. Once the histamine receptors are adequately blocked, it moves on to blocking dopamine receptors. Blocking histamine reuptake is the cause of the sedation. Blocking dopamine reuptake is the source of "added energy." It also is why S starts having some anti-d efficacy at higher doses. The dopamine action (gross guestimate) starts somewhere around 100-300mg depending on the person. When I was going off and reduced below 100mg, I had a short-lived bout of depression, so for me, 100mg is the dopamine start point. Play around with timing a little, but once you find what seems to work best, stick with it. S has a short half life and you wouldn't be doing yourself favors by always changing when you taking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diamondgirl Posted January 12, 2008 Share Posted January 12, 2008 Hi sorry to intrude, but i too take seroquel and have heard of the drug wearing off or not working as good. I had mentioned to my doc and she said that the reason is because it is the most weakest ap out there. I also mentioned that i heard of people that i knew being on like 800 mgs. and plus another sleep aid along with it. I don't understand if this med isn't any good at higher doses then why do they keep raising it, for it not to work any better.? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiaB Posted January 12, 2008 Share Posted January 12, 2008 The idea that seroquel is only sedating at lower doses doesn't apply to everyone. Anything under 800mg has no effect on me whatsoever - it's only that dose that'll shut down my brain and put me to sleep. At times of particularly high stress I have needed a benzo or a sleeping pill to kick me over the edge. So it's not that the "med isn't any good at higher doses" or that my pdoc gives me extra sleep aids for the hell of it - it's what I need. I've been through most of the atypical antipsychotics and seroquel is the best one for me. Who cares if I have to take a very high dose? We're not all the same. That's why they say "your mileage may vary" so often around here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmb252 Posted January 12, 2008 Share Posted January 12, 2008 I was on 600 mg and I HAD to take it at night, and be in bed within 30 minutes of taking it. If I wasn't, I'd be dead weight type asleep wherever I was. There were many times I stayed downstairs to finish watching something on TV, only to need help getting up the stairs to the bedroom because I was so tired. I was on that dose for about 8 months and it never dipped in efficacy for me, and I never stopped being incredibly sedated by it. A month or so ago, I took one 300 mg pill (I'd been out of my Risperdal for a few months and it was catching up with me in a very, very bad way). My boyfriend said he had to keep checking to make sure I was breathing because I was so sedated on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anelize Posted January 12, 2008 Share Posted January 12, 2008 I take 300mg at night, and it gets me to sleep and holds me for 24hrs. I have bumped up to 450mg on an exceptional crappy day, but I am definitely oversedated the next day--I took 3 naps on Friday because of not being able to turn my brain off thursday night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newtonium Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 I find that it works best if I spread out my dose. I take 200 mg at 9 pm, plus .5 mg Ativan, and that puts me in a deep enough sleep. Then I take 100 mg at 9 am. It is a little sedating during the day (for a couple hours), but not so much that I can't function--I work fulltime and have no problems doing my job. I find 300 mg per day to be the optimal dose for me. Above that it doesn't do any more good and the side effects are much worse; below that it doesn't calm my thoughts. You might have to tinker with the amounts and times you take it. But if you find that "sweet spot" it can be a real godsend. It's worked for me when nothing else did. HTH, Jackee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit37 Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 I take 50mg 3 or 4 (or 5) times a day, however I need it, because it calms me down, but it also activating, it doesn't make me sleepy at all. You might give it a few more weeks, to see if the small daytime doses become less sedating. I take 400 mg at night, and for the most part I sleep. 600mg puts me out cold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CER Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 When I needed to take it during the day for anxiety I would take it in 25mg increments. For example, 25mg in morning, 25mg in afternoon, 25mg at dinner, etc. I never had a problem with sedation, but then again, I was really jumping out of my skin! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiet storm Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 I didnt realize how much mental anxiety I had been having until I started taking Seroquel XR. I'm on 300mg. Kicked the living shit out of that anxiety from day one. Dont get drowsy at all anymore unfortunately when I take it at night. So I'm still having to take lunesta BUT when I am asleep I sleep much better and deeper. Seroquel is all that and a bag of chips. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trg247 Posted January 17, 2008 Author Share Posted January 17, 2008 Right now I am taking Seroquel three times a day. As soon as I get up, dinner time then at bedtime. There really has been any negative with this med as of late. The drowsiness is long gone so I still require another med to sleep but Seroquel definitely has enhanced it. My self harm issues are in control and the urges are a lot less. The only thing I don't like is the time it is effective for seems to be decreasing but this was pretty much expensive. I have been on what feels like every drug under the sun and this is the only one I have felt comfortable taking after a few months. Looks like I have finally found the right drug for me I just hope it lasts. take care trg247 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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