Help Sas Anyone Come Off Quetiapine Successfully-Really Scared.

[successful_workthru]

I am looking for some reassurance please.

I am weaning off benzos and when I am off benzos I intend to wean slowly off quetiapine.

I am on 150mg quetiapine a day and have been reading horror stories about coming off them, some of the stories say it's impssoble to come off them and it could take years.

I have heard that it can be so bad that people resort to crimimal behaviour.

I also read that death can occur.

I was told by medical professionals that quetiapine is not addictive.

This has scared me stiff, so I am looking to hear from people who have weaned off quetiapine successfully with no trouble.

Many thanks

SW

[Benway]

Hiya s_w,

I have been on it on & off since 04. On it daily for ages, but can stop taking it ok.

Maybe it is a mental thing, i was never 'addicted' to quietipine, never 'fond' of it,

But i have been 'fond' of other stuff of course.

Incidentally, i had to nearly force myself to take 25mg today, for anxiety & stuff. I have it on prn, but only use it for extreme anx & restlessness, or a wrecked head.

There are horror stories out there about a lot of meds, but it dosen't mean you will have a horrible experience.

Wish you well, xx am

[successful_workthru]

Hiya s_w,

I have been on it on & off since 04. On it daily for ages, but can stop taking it ok.

Maybe it is a mental thing, i was never 'addicted' to quietipine, never 'fond' of it,

But i have been 'fond' of other stuff of course.

Incidentally, i had to nearly force myself to take 25mg today, for anxiety & stuff. I have it on prn, but only use it for extreme anx & restlessness, or a wrecked head.

There are horror stories out there about a lot of meds, but it dosen't mean you will have a horrible experience.

Wish you well, xx am

Hi Badkitteh

Please can you tell me what dose you were on?

I also look forward to other members experience of coming off quetiapine with no difficulties.

thanks

[CrippleAndStarfish]

hey sw,

I've been on and off quetiapine, at varying dosages, over the pat 3/4 years, only problems i've had with coming off the tablets is headaches and a bit of a dodgy tum for a few days, and mood has been a bit lower.

As with any meds, reactions are diff for most everyone, so while i don't doubt there's been some real not-nice experiences, there's also been fine ones. Would think so long as you're aware and have support, someon medical-wise you can contact/see if need be, then there should be no prob. xxxx

[Benway]

Most- 350mg a day spread thru the day.

Mostly tho i took a 100mg nightly.

I have not taken them daily for about 18 months now. (1st one i took this month was today)

Best wishes x

[CaTsEyEs]

I have been on it a few times I think 200mg morning and night, if that sounds right? Anyways never had any side effects stopping and was also told it isn't addictive, although I found olanzipine addictive.

((((hugs))))

[Honeyflower]

I have been on them and tbh I didn't like them at all, I didn't find them addictive, When I stopped taking them I had the sweats and headaches but nothing severe.I was on 300mg morning and night I think.

[successful_workthru]

Hi Crippie'

When you came off quetiapine, did you go straight onto another anti-psych, or did you have periods of time when you were anti-psych free?

If you had anti-psych free periods, how long were these please?

Thank you for telling me, so far, how your experience has been.

I have a strong suspicion that I am about to be discharged from psych services soon, as discharge has been discussed, and our local chmt no longer treat patients on a long-term basis.

Badkitteh.

When you said you took the 100mg nightly, were you also taking quetiapine during the day too?

CaTsEyEs

Please can you tell me the lengths of time you were taking the quetiapine and the lengths of time you had quetiapine free.

Many thanks all

SW x

[aurorablues]

I lowered my dose a while back and didn't have a great time, but it passed after about a couple of weeks or so.....Sweats, nausea, anxiety and rebound insomnia. But i was becoming unknowingly dependent on Zopiclone and Lorazepam at the time, so that may have factored in there somewhere.

I would definitely taper off them slowly, listen to your body and if you're finding that you're experiencing any overwhelming symptoms, slow it down a notch more.

I was also told it's not addictive by my Psychiatrist, but is one of those drugs you need to taper off slowly because there can be some withdrawal or rebound issues.

Aurora :)

[CrippleAndStarfish]

Hiya hun,

Didn't switch to dif ap, no. Can't remember exactly the lengths of time, but varied from 1-2 months to nearly a year, and the only thing I noticed was that I had to pay particular attention to avoiding as much stress as possible, lots of self-soothe, distract, lots of venting, release and displacement activities. When i get stressed i begin hearing things - I was able to avoid that successfully without any medication.

It was only earlier this year when i was put back on them after presenting at a&e - i think i posted about it a while back, Bimo had to take me to the hosp as think was a result of stress from moving plus altered sleep patterns etc.

xxx

[CaTsEyEs]

Longest I took it was 3 months I think, I didn't take another anti psychotic afterwards, the last time I took it was maybe 2 years ago and that was for about 1 month I think. So I have never taken it long term but long enough for the sedative effect to dampen down.

[piuma]

same for me, i take 600, have stopped abruptly and been fine, well, the only down side is symptoms may return, so for me, no sleep, mood changes, etc

[lauraw2693]

Hey I'm off Quetiapine and wouldn't go back on it if you paid me.. I had bad trouble with weight gain on it, plus it just didn't help me - other than my sleep to start with. I came off it nearly two years ago and didn't have much of a problem - my insomnia returned but I was expecting that. I think I was on 200mg day & night. Good luck xxx

[successful_workthru]

I have been on them and tbh I didn't like them at all, I didn't find them addictive, When I stopped taking them I had the sweats and headaches but nothing severe.I was on 300mg morning and night I think.

Hi Honeyflower

Thank you for your information.

Were you on anything else at the time?

Cheers

sw x

[successful_workthru]

I lowered my dose a while back and didn't have a great time, but it passed after about a couple of weeks or so.....Sweats, nausea, anxiety and rebound insomnia. But i was becoming unknowingly dependent on Zopiclone and Lorazepam at the time, so that may have factored in there somewhere.

I would definitely taper off them slowly, listen to your body and if you're finding that you're experiencing any overwhelming symptoms, slow it down a notch more.

I was also told it's not addictive by my Psychiatrist, but is one of those drugs you need to taper off slowly because there can be some withdrawal or rebound issues.

Aurora

Hi Aurora

It may be that the zopicline and the lorazepam were dulling the bad withdrawal symptoms from the quetiapine.

You say that you were becoming unknowingly dependant on zopiclone and lorazepam at the time. Are you stil on these two? or are you still having withdrawal symptoms from the lorazepam and zopiclone?

If so, I have learnt a lot about withdrawing from these drugs, as I am currently tapering from them.

If you need any help or info, please let me know.

Many thanks

[successful_workthru]

Thanks Pie,

How long were you on Quetiapine for? and were you taking any other meds?

Sorry for all of the questions, it's jsut that apparently the more time someone is on a med, the more severe the withdrawal symptoms can be.

[successful_workthru]

Hey I'm off Quetiapine and wouldn't go back on it if you paid me.. I had bad trouble with weight gain on it, plus it just didn't help me - other than my sleep to start with. I came off it nearly two years ago and didn't have much of a problem - my insomnia returned but I was expecting that. I think I was on 200mg day & night. Good luck xxx

Hi Shadow,

Please can I also ask you, how long were you on quetiapine for.

Many thanks

[aurorablues]

Hey SW,

Thank you

Yes, i'm still on the Lorazepam and Zopiclone and am about to face my demons.

It's possible that the Tranquilizers were numbing the effect of tapering off Quetiapine. Trouble is, they all affect people in such ways it's hard to know how one individual will fare from the next.

I had to up my Quetiapine again unfortunately, but it's helping me at present, so will leave that one until i get through tapering off of the Zopiclone and Lorazepam.

Aurora :)

[piuma]

i have been on it for 2 years, on and off, but solidly for last year, the last couple of weeks i messed up me meds, and i noticed mood changes quite rapidly, but not anything physical, other than not being able to sleepp

[successful_workthru]

Hey SW,

Thank you

Yes, i'm still on the Lorazepam and Zopiclone and am about to face my demons.

It's possible that the Tranquilizers were numbing the effect of tapering off Quetiapine. Trouble is, they all affect people in such ways it's hard to know how one individual will fare from the next.

I had to up my Quetiapine again unfortunately, but it's helping me at present, so will leave that one until i get through tapering off of the Zopiclone and Lorazepam.

Aurora

Hi Aurora

Thanks for linking me to your thread, I will go and have a look at that.

Love

SW x

[successful_workthru]

i have been on it for 2 years, on and off, but solidly for last year, the last couple of weeks i messed up me meds, and i noticed mood changes quite rapidly, but not anything physical, other than not being able to sleepp

Thank you Pie, for that info.

x

[DaisyChain]

a month ago i was taking 800 mg, 400mg XL slow release and 200mg in mroning and 200mg at night, went to see pdoc, he suggested I drop the 400mg slow release, I did and thoght fuck him and dropped the 200mg in morning too, maybe its not going so well, but yeah whatever, what do they know xxx

ggod luck with it xxxx

[successful_workthru]

I have read that quetiapine should be tapered very very slowly, as it can have some really nasty withdrawal symptoms. One person even ended up with a heart attack and could have died.

Another site said that it can be lethal withdrawing form quetiapine quickly.

I dont have the sites addresses I'm afraid, and I don't want to scare you but please don't make that big drop, it may cause you to be very very ill.

I don't want to scare you.

[lauraw2693]

Hey I'm off Quetiapine and wouldn't go back on it if you paid me.. I had bad trouble with weight gain on it, plus it just didn't help me - other than my sleep to start with. I came off it nearly two years ago and didn't have much of a problem - my insomnia returned but I was expecting that. I think I was on 200mg day & night. Good luck xxx

Hi Shadow,

Please can I also ask you, how long were you on quetiapine for.

Many thanks

About 18 months I think, though my memory's not so good with trying lots of different meds :ashamed0005:

[successful_workthru]

Hey I'm off Quetiapine and wouldn't go back on it if you paid me.. I had bad trouble with weight gain on it, plus it just didn't help me - other than my sleep to start with. I came off it nearly two years ago and didn't have much of a problem - my insomnia returned but I was expecting that. I think I was on 200mg day & night. Good luck xxx

Hi Shadow,

Please can I also ask you, how long were you on quetiapine for.

Many thanks

About 18 months I think, though my memory's not so good with trying lots of different meds

sorry to hear that, and thanks.

love sw x