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Below are Seroquel (Quetiapine) reviews, ratings, comments submitted by patients and caregivers. Based on a total of 13 ratings/reviews, Seroquel has an overall score of 6.23. The effectiveness score is 8 and the side effect score is 5.69. The scores are on ten point scale: 10 - best, 1 - worst. This information is not vetted and should not be cosidered as clinical evidence. | | Seroquel review by 55 year old female patient | | | Rating |
| Overall rating: | |   |
| Effectiveness: | | Highly Effective |
| Side effects: | | Mild Side Effects | | |
Treatment Info |
| Condition / reason: | | Insomnia |
| Dosage & duration: | | 25 mg. at bedtime taken once a day for the period of a few years |
| Other conditions: | | migraines |
| Other drugs taken: | | Gabapentin, Zoplicline, Actonel, Maxalt | | |
Reported Results |
| Benefits: | | Was able to sleep for seven hours at night without waking up. |
| Side effects: | | Bit of drowsiness in morning. |
| Comments: | | I get depression quite badly and one of the precursers to that is usualy a period of severe insomnia, over days or weeks. Taking the Seroquel helps to ensure I have enough sleep so that depression doesn't often become a big problem. I know it's prescribed as anti-psychotic, but for me it's the effect ot drowsiness that my doctor desired, as I have no psychoses. |
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| | Seroquel review by 38 year old male patient | | | Rating |
| Overall rating: | | |
| Effectiveness: | | Highly Effective |
| Side effects: | | Severe Side Effects | | |
Treatment Info |
| Condition / reason: | | bipolar disorder |
| Dosage & duration: | | 100 mg taken daily for the period of still taking it |
| Other conditions: | | OCD |
| Other drugs taken: | | Xanax, Wellbutrin, Lexepro | | |
Reported Results |
| Benefits: | | Mood was more stable. Better quality of sleep. |
| Side effects: | | For the first few days of the use of Seroquel I had very bad nightmares. My nighmares felt so real that I almost stopped taking the medication. After about two day the nightmare just turned into very vivid dreams... sometimes very pleasant dreams. Seroquel also makes me urinate more often so I drink more water to stay hydrated. |
| Comments: | | I was diagnosed with PTSD after several negative incidents happened in my life. There was a point when I felt like I was going to crawl out of my skin. The doctor started me on Seroquel... a very high dose at first, 300mg. Later when I found out about some of it's very negative side effects such as TD, I started taking only 100mg a night. And soon I will try to lower that dosage. |
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| | Seroquel review by 39 year old female patient | | | Rating |
| Overall rating: | | |
| Effectiveness: | | Moderately Effective |
| Side effects: | | Severe Side Effects | | |
Treatment Info |
| Condition / reason: | | Anxiety |
| Dosage & duration: | | 12.5 mg taken 1 per day for the period of 3 weeks |
| Other conditions: | | None |
| Other drugs taken: | | Lamictal | | |
Reported Results |
| Benefits: | | Helped relieve anxiety |
| Side effects: | | Dizziness, moodiness, anger and agitation |
| Comments: | | At first the medication seemed to work wonders in a very short period of time (a few days). After about a week I began to get extremely moody - crying a lot, getting very angry and agitated. It appeared that once the medication started building up in my system the side effects became worse and worse. It was not worth it and I quit the medication within a few weeks. |
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| | Seroquel review by 40 year old female patient | | | Rating |
| Overall rating: | | |
| Effectiveness: | | Considerably Effective |
| Side effects: | | Moderate Side Effects | | |
Treatment Info |
| Condition / reason: | | Sleeplessness and restless mind at night |
| Dosage & duration: | | 40 milligrams (dosage frequency: daily, right before bed) for the period of 3 weeks |
| Other conditions: | | depression |
| Other drugs taken: | | Prozac | | |
Reported Results |
| Benefits: | | Calmed racing mind (caused by stress and depression) and allowed a restful night's sleep. Cleared the mind completely, did not dream at night, and did not wake during the night. |
| Side effects: | | Difficulty waking up. Grogginess during the entire morning. Inability to clearly focus throughout the day, due to the grogginess. Increased frequency of migraines, in a person already subject to migraines. |
| Comments: | | Prescribed to be taken nightly as needed. Originally prescribed 20 mg, increasing to 40 mg, and potentially increasing to 60 mg if needed for a 135 lb woman. Intended to be taken for a few months, but due to grogginess and difficulty focusing, stopped using it after 3 weeks. |
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| | Seroquel review by 45 year old female patient | | | Rating |
| Overall rating: | | |
| Effectiveness: | | Highly Effective |
| Side effects: | | Mild Side Effects | | |
Treatment Info |
| Condition / reason: | | schizo-affective disorder |
| Dosage & duration: | | 200mg taken once daily at bedtime for the period of 2 yrs |
| Other conditions: | | high cholesterol |
| Other drugs taken: | | none | | |
Reported Results |
| Benefits: | | A very good nights sleep is one of the benefits, found out that the sedative effects are actually increased in the lower doses. I lowered my dosage and live the sound sleep. it knocked out my delusions and hallucinations, hopefully for good. |
| Side effects: | | weight gain is the worst side effect, but a small price to pay for sanity. |
| Comments: | | I actually ended up with motion disorders from all the other meds, the worst one being parkinsons for over a year. I had to take parkinsons drugs. It was so scary drooling all the time and looking stone faced, no expression. I dont feel any signs of this with the seroquel. |
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| | Seroquel review by 27 year old male patient | | | Rating |
| Overall rating: | | |
| Effectiveness: | | Ineffective |
| Side effects: | | Severe Side Effects | | |
Treatment Info |
| Condition / reason: | | Bipolar disorder, hypomania. |
| Dosage & duration: | | 100 mg taken 1 for the period of 5 days |
| Other conditions: | | None |
| Other drugs taken: | | Lithium Carbonate, Zetran, | | |
Reported Results |
| Benefits: | | None. I only took them for a couple of days, but had to stop because of the side-effects. |
| Side effects: | | The biggest side-effect was that it made me experience shock-waves through my head and sometimes even my body, just like if someone would have turned on and off a lamp very quickly. That side-effect ended the same time I stopped taking Seroquel. The other one was that everything started to smell and taste very bad. Itīs hard to explain exactly how, but it was a mix of vodka and mould. After I stopped taking the medication it took 2 weeks for the taste/smell-problem to disapear. |
| Comments: | | I was prescribed with Seroquel after I was released from hospital after a period of deep depression to help me to sleep better and stop me from becoming hypomanic. |
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| | Seroquel review by 19 year old female patient | | | Rating |
| Overall rating: | | |
| Effectiveness: | | Considerably Effective |
| Side effects: | | Moderate Side Effects | | |
Treatment Info |
| Condition / reason: | | Bipolar Disorder |
| Dosage & duration: | | 100 mg taken daily - bedtime for the period of 2 months - continuing |
| Other conditions: | | None |
| Other drugs taken: | | Lamictal | | |
Reported Results |
| Benefits: | | I was plagued with sleeplessness, and the seroquel worked wonders for that. I've noticed a decrease in the speed of my thoughts and can concentrate much better than before. |
| Side effects: | | I find it gives me pretty severe tremors in my hands. It doesn't happen as often as it used to, but when it does it's almost a minute before it stops. Also I get extemely vivid dreams, usually about mundane things. Some light headedness and dizziness still occurs, but the instances are few and far between now. |
| Comments: | | Was hospitalized for two weeks after a suicide attempt. Was treated in hospital and released after properly medicated and was of sound mind. |
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| | Seroquel review by 20 year old female patient | | | Rating |
| Overall rating: | | |
| Effectiveness: | | Highly Effective |
| Side effects: | | Moderate Side Effects | | |
Treatment Info |
| Condition / reason: | | Insomnia, Bipolar |
| Dosage & duration: | | 200mg taken daily for the period of Still taking it |
| Other conditions: | | Depression |
| Other drugs taken: | | Cipralex | | |
Reported Results |
| Benefits: | | Calmed Anxiety - Was having 4-6 anxiety attacks daily. Helped to stabilize my mood.
Slept at least 7 hours - Initially was started on sleeping pills. Would wake up around 5 times a night. With the Seroquel I only wake up a couple times a night. |
| Side effects: | | First day I took off from work. Felt as if I was trapped in someone elses body. Driving wasnt a good decision either. Left me drowsy for the first week.
**Now its a God send. I dont feel any side effects!! |
| Comments: | | Start at 50mg for two nights. Then increased to 100mg. Two weeks later increased to 200mg. |
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| | Seroquel review by 22 year old female patient | | | Rating |
| Overall rating: | | |
| Effectiveness: | | Moderately Effective |
| Side effects: | | Severe Side Effects | | |
Treatment Info |
| Condition / reason: | | PTSD, Bi-polar, anxiety |
| Dosage & duration: | | 300mg taken daily for the period of 8months |
| Other conditions: | | none |
| Other drugs taken: | | none | | |
Reported Results |
| Benefits: | | I feel more level, able to think and concentrate, less stressed and not bothered about anything. |
| Side effects: | | Seroquel hangover/comedown. Everyday I feel I am sweating all these nasty chemicals out of my skin, I feel weak, fatigued, numb and motionless, I am not climbing the walls of my room anymore, instead I sleep 20hours at a time and when i wake i want to eat everything in my house and go back to sleep. I cant function normally, yes i can be out in society and safe as it takes away my urges, but i feel emotionally numb, i can't cry and at night my legs twitch untill i pass out. Yes i am not trying kill myself, but am i really living like this? |
| Comments: | | I started off on 25mg daily, mosved up to 150mg night and 100mg morning and now i am on 300mg of the XR Seroquel. |
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| | Seroquel review by 31 year old female patient | | | Rating |
| Overall rating: | | |
| Effectiveness: | | Highly Effective |
| Side effects: | | Mild Side Effects | | |
Treatment Info |
| Condition / reason: | | bipolar I |
| Dosage & duration: | | 100mg taken once daily and as needed for the period of 2 yrs, still on it |
| Other conditions: | | none |
| Other drugs taken: | | lithium, paxil | | |
Reported Results |
| Benefits: | | The benefits were numerous, I don't have panic attcks for the first time in 20 yrs, and if I do, they are less than 20 seconds. I haven't had a mixed state or very rapid cycling since getting on it 2 years ago. These symptoms continued to get more severe until I got on this drug. Every episode was worse and lasted longer. This drug gave me my life back. I lost my job(s) and wound up in psychiatric inpatient care. But I have become steadily better since first taking the drug. I have to admit, to get to the point I'm at now took 2 years, but it's better then I was, and it's better than not getting better at all. The longer I'm on Seroquel, the better I feel. Also, I am able to sleep because of Seroquel. At the worst when I went into the hospital I couldn't sleep at all which was making my episode even worse. Sleeping drugs and benzodiazepines such as valium that were given to me made me feel horrible, very tired the next day, and even made me panic. Anticonvulsants and even other psychotics gave me panic attacks, made me antsy or made me so tired I couldn't even function in day to day life. Seroquel doesn't make me real tired, but it has made a sleep schedule possible again. I also don't feel too tired in the morning. |
| Side effects: | | There are side effects of course, as there are with any drug. I have a little more stomach troubles than what I started with but that could be due to the Lithium. I have also had about 20 pounds of weight gain. Before the seroquel I was thin with a high metabolism. My weight is steady now, but at 20 lbs higher than it used to be. I tried losing the weight but it has been impossible to get it off. The drug doesn't make me groggy but I know some people on it that it just knocks out. |
| Comments: | | I have been on and off lithium and paxil for years. I tried zyprexa, depakote Triliptal and Lamictal, but these made meunfunctionally tired or I had severe reactions to them. I have a problem where drugs create severe reactions and sensitivity in me so dr.s give small amounts of several rather than a mega dose of one. I tried Risperdal but it gave me severe panic attacks and restlessness. I started out with an antipsychotic and lithium at the hospital to bring the mania and mixed states down. Later I switched to seroquel and Paxil was added to help with my anxiety and depression. I was on Seroquel at a lower dose than most 200mg to start, 900mg lithium (anymore than that makes me very sick even though the blood tests show it's within normal limits)and Paxil at 25mg. Now 2 years later, as I am not in a severe episode I can get by on half the Paxil, 50 mg Seroquel and the lowest Lithium possible to keep it in treatment range. I raise the doses if I have to (with permission of the Nurse practitioner)and I take 25-50mg Seroquel as needed throughout the day if I need to for anxiety, although I don't need to very often. The combination of seroquel, Paxil and lithium works best together for me. |
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| | Seroquel review by 37 year old female patient | | | Rating |
| Overall rating: | | |
| Effectiveness: | | Highly Effective |
| Side effects: | | Severe Side Effects | | |
Treatment Info |
| Condition / reason: | | sleep aid |
| Dosage & duration: | | 100mg taken 1x a day for the period of 2 mo |
| Other conditions: | | anxiety |
| Other drugs taken: | | paxil | | |
Reported Results |
| Benefits: | | This drug knocked me out i did not wake during the night nor did I remember any dreams. It was difficult to get up in the morning.. This drug is an effective sleep aid but with recent concerns i think there are better choices... |
| Side effects: | | The worst side effect was that I gained weight at an alarming rate, almost like I had diabetes. Also the drug made me feel zombie like and flat....I think this too strong a choice as a sleep aid and there are better choices. |
| Comments: | | Doctor perscribed this with paxil for and anxiety disorder. This was meant to help me sleep which it did and it REALLY knocks you out...do not take this drug and drive you will feel like a zombie... |
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| | Seroquel review by 38 year old male patient | | | Rating |
| Overall rating: | | |
| Effectiveness: | | Highly Effective |
| Side effects: | | Mild Side Effects | | |
Treatment Info |
| Condition / reason: | | bipolar mania |
| Dosage & duration: | | 50 mg taken as needed for the period of 2 years |
| Other conditions: | | bipolar depression, anxiety |
| Other drugs taken: | | lamictal | | |
Reported Results |
| Benefits: | | I am using this on an as needed basis. I only take it a couple times a month, which is why 50mg still works for me. I may have to go to 100mg though. If I have been up for 20-25 hours straight and if I am still "bouncing off the walls" (manic), then this is great stuff to have.
For as needed manic episodes and severe insomnia--this is great stuff. |
| Side effects: | | Biggest problem is the LONG half-half. After sleeping for over 10 hours, I spend the next 6 hours after I wake up foggy-headed and VERY lethargic. After this I usually feel good again. |
| Comments: | | I mainly suffer from severe depression and anxiety but after a couple weeks of this I sometimes suffer from 2 or 3 days of mania. |
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| | Seroquel review by 45 year old female patient | | | Rating |
| Overall rating: | | |
| Effectiveness: | | Marginally Effective |
| Side effects: | | Severe Side Effects | | |
Treatment Info |
| Condition / reason: | | Bipolar |
| Dosage & duration: | | 25 - 200 mg taken daily for the period of 3 months |
| Other conditions: | | none |
| Other drugs taken: | | lithium, tegretol | | |
Reported Results |
| Benefits: | | I slept wonderfully well. |
| Side effects: | | Staggering and running into objects in the house when I got up, wanting to sleep 18 hours a day, weight gain of 30 lbs in the short time I took it confusion, clouded thinking, forgetfullnes which increased the longer I was on the medication. The confusion, being in a daze part was the worst. I couldn't remember where my Doctor's office was located and I live in a small town and less that two miles from his office. My thinking cleared up as soon as I stopped taking the Seroquel. This was an awful medication for me. |
| Comments: | | I took 200 mg at night at first. This was then decreased to 25 mg at night to help me sleep. |
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