politicat Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 Sorry if this is long, I usually don't talk about my meds because they usually don't affect me much... I just started on Celexa. It's OK I guess. Yesterday I saw a psych nurse for meds instead of my pdoc (who I've seen all of once). She was one cold, unresponsive, perfunctory...well you know. I've got major depression but now I that I'm sober I know my anxiety and paranoia really had nothing at all to do with my drinking. (I thought maybe just a bit of it was from hangovers, or from my body craving alcohol during the day- but no). I'm quite paranoid about my sister and sister's boyfriend, who I live with. My heart races all the time. I'm not "conspiracy-government agent" paranoid, I'm just paranoid. Anyway, this nurse was about to prescribe me BuSpar and Trazadone for anxiety and sleep. Should have gone with that. Then she was about to give me Klonopin, but she asked me about past drinking and like an idiot I told the truth (assumed it was in the history, but anyway I'm a poor drug seeker because I'm so honest) Told her I've been on BuSpar and don't remember it, must not have worked well. Trazadone did work at one time, not most recently. Then she brought up Seroquel. Thought I might go for something I've never tried before. Read about it here (barely), but really know nothing about it. I just know that my thoughts are not normal, though not psychotic. So I said "maybe just a tiny bit" (of Seroquel). She prescribed 50 mg, a free sampler of 20- told me to take half at first. By the way, I can't sleep and usually have to take 4-6 OTC sleeping pills to do so. This is not comfortable, but it works OK. So I take my half pill and almost immediately feel spaced out. Psychosomatic, maybe? But then an hour later I get up and feel like I've been conked on the head, is the only way to describe it. Dizzy and sick- scary. Have to lay down. This happens again a little later. Then I try to go to sleep and I can't. I cry because sleep is all I have. It scares me not to sleep. Later I take one OTC sleeping pill and finally do sleep. Needless to say I didn't want to take anything else with such a powerful drug, but I gotta sleep. Of course I'm still anxious and paranoid. ANYWAY, after all that, should I even bother continuing to take this? I understand some side effects could be because antipsychotics are completely new to me, but is it even worth it if I can't even sleep? By the way, I COULD "call my pdoc", but I think it's pretty clear they don't give a shit. They can tell me to stop taking it but won't prescribe anything else without an appointment, and the next is a month from now. So should I stop taking it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ar27xc Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 It's not an easy question. The idea that Seroquel is specifically antipsychotic is kind of misleading: in terms of receptor affinities, it goes for histamine first, then adrenergic receptors, then 5-HT2a, then finally dopamine. At 25 mg it's essentially a strong antihistamine. If the OTC sleeping pills you're taking are antihistamines like Nytol then it's possible you're already tolerant to their effects, and Seroquel will do little to help you sleep. Nausea and dizziness are common side effects of Seroquel that generally go away, but they might also be psychosomatic. Since you already have the pills, it might be worth taking Seroquel a few more times to see what happens. If the effects are completely unbearable, then just stop. The first time I took Seroquel it hit me after about an hour: rapid heart rate, intense tiredness, panic. Everything except the tiredness went away after a few days. I used it for quite a long time as a sleeping aid even though I found it useless for everything else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
politicat Posted July 24, 2009 Author Share Posted July 24, 2009 I don't know, I'm usually blase when it comes to meds, but I don't think feeling like I've been conked on the head could possibly be psychosomatic. I've been on antidepressants since I was 14 and this is something quite new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tryp Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 Seroquel can be nasty at first, but things might get better if you let your body adjust. For anxiety, I prefer to take some IR at night, some XR in the morning and additional PRN as needed. I think using it just PRN would be a problem for me because it might hit me like a ton of bricks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
politicat Posted July 24, 2009 Author Share Posted July 24, 2009 Seroquel can be nasty at first, but things might get better if you let your body adjust. For anxiety, I prefer to take some IR at night, some XR in the morning and additional PRN as needed. I think using it just PRN would be a problem for me because it might hit me like a ton of bricks. Sorry Tryp, I don't know what those terms mean, that's either a good or a bad thing depending on how you look at it . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tryp Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 Basically, instead of taking it when I need it, I just take it every day. 150 mg of the normal stuff at night and 50 mg of the extended release in the morning. Because it's extended release, it doesn't snow me the way the IR stuff can, and because I take it regularly, I build up a blood level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MistyGypsy Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 I don't have any experience with seroquel, but just wanted to say that I relate to your frustration over the anxiety & paranoia still hanging around after the drinking has stopped. My depression's never been so bad, & I had my last drink nearly four years ago. At least I have absolutely no doubt as to why I drank! Still, at least there's a chance of getting better without the booze poisoning everything Anyway, hope you feel better soon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
politicat Posted July 25, 2009 Author Share Posted July 25, 2009 I don't have any experience with seroquel, but just wanted to say that I relate to your frustration over the anxiety & paranoia still hanging around after the drinking has stopped. My depression's never been so bad, & I had my last drink nearly four years ago. At least I have absolutely no doubt as to why I drank! Still, at least there's a chance of getting better without the booze poisoning everything Well, I knew they would Misty, and I know why I drank. But I did think at least some of the anxiety was just my body in withdrawal (I never drank during the day, but maybe my body wanted to). That's what doctors told me. Bull! My anxiety is much worse, considering the financial issues that were causing much of it are gone. I just took .25 Seroquel again, like an idiot. Is it at all dangerous to take OTC sleeping pills with this? The only thing I can do is be careful not to stand up too fast. I hope you feel better too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lorraine Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 It's not an easy question. The idea that Seroquel is specifically antipsychotic is kind of misleading: in terms of receptor affinities, it goes for histamine first, then adrenergic receptors, then 5-HT2a, then finally dopamine. At 25 mg it's essentially a strong antihistamine. If the OTC sleeping pills you're taking are antihistamines like Nytol then it's possible you're already tolerant to their effects, and Seroquel will do little to help you sleep. Nausea and dizziness are common side effects of Seroquel that generally go away, but they might also be psychosomatic. Since you already have the pills, it might be worth taking Seroquel a few more times to see what happens. If the effects are completely unbearable, then just stop. The first time I took Seroquel it hit me after about an hour: rapid heart rate, intense tiredness, panic. Everything except the tiredness went away after a few days. I used it for quite a long time as a sleeping aid even though I found it useless for everything else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LORRAINE Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 Hello first time a site looks cool I take Serequel I am ready to quit because of the insane restless legs syndrome I have studied it and seems to be connected to the Serequel I am only on low dose 100mg nightly but cant take the rls GOT ANY TAKE ON THAT? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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