Is seroquel difficult to come off of
health advisory
Hospital
Mental Health
2007-11-15 17:37:15
Answer:
Yes...one of my daughters took it for only a couple of weeks, and stopped suddenly (a big no-no)--she needed emergency care--but she's okay now. She had side-effects and wanted to stop, so now the doctor is weaning her off gradually, while increasing her other medicine gradually as well.
i take seraquel and for me it's been the best med for my bi-polar. i've gone through prriods of not taking my meds and i haven't or didn't have any problems w/it. talk to your dr. first before stopping. hope all works out for you. take care.
Do you mean is it addictive or does it have after-effects if you stop taking it? It can be slightly addictive if it helps you sleep. I don't know what your dosage is or how long you've been taking it but it's usually best if you are weaned off of it gradually. For example, if you take 100mg a day, cut back to 75 for a week or two, then 50, then 25, then 25 every other day then quit. It's easier on your system and less likely to cause side effects if you stop this way.
And please see your doctor before you stop taking any meds. There was a reason they were prescribed and if you're feeling better, it means they are working and you probably need to keep taking them.
I found I needed something else to help me sleep, so I used Valerian until I was able to get to sleep naturally. I have also rad that Melatonin can help with getting to sleep and getting a restful sleep. I was not taking very much - only 25mg per, so my experience may not apply to you. good luck.
The most common side effect of Seroquel is sedation, and is prescribed specifically (off-label) for this effect in patients with sleep disorders. Seroquel's newest indication, for Bipolar Depression, specifically calls for the entire dose to be taken before bedtime because of its sedative effects. Although quetiapine is approved by the FDA for the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, it is frequently prescribed for off-label purposes, including insomnia or the treatment of anxiety disorders. Seroquel is not classified as a controlled substance, however reports of quetiapine abuse (sometimes by insufflating, then crushed tablets) have emerged in medical literature; for the same reason, abuse of other antipsychotics, such as chlorpromazine (Thorazine庐), may occur as well, but research related to the abuse of typical antipsychotics is limited.