Will Seroquel Work? My experiance.

Alot of people question Seroquel based on the side effects, which is completely understandable.  I was diagnosed at 16 with depression/panic dissorder and anxiety of course. I was initally put on prozac, DID not work, then Paxil.. again a fail. THEN seroquel (at age 17) 100 mg. I felt so much better, but felt like I wasnt getting the 'full bennefits' from it. So the dr. added Lexapro. Eventually I felt myself again. I was so depressed and upset I was done.. But thankfully This medication saved me. I eventually lost my insurance, came off the both of them and felt fine actually. But then after a couple months it all started to kick back in. I will tell you, comming off of Seroquel is not fun. You HAVE to wean yourself off with dr. supervision. I switched to Celexa, because it was affordable.. Still on it 4 years later. But, in between these 4 years, I went back on seroquel for the second time.. It just didnt work.. didnt necessarily make me feel worse, but it just didnt do anything. So I went on Abilify.. AWFULL!!! Talk about bad side effects, and then Geodon.. again.. AWFULL. I ended up in a wirld wind of horrible depression, recently married and felt no emotion. I wanted to actually die. I didnt want to kill myself, but just didnt want to be here.. I have a breaking point. I went to the dr. we decided we will try the Seroquel for the 3rd time, seeing how that, along with an SSRI is the only thing in the past 6 years that I has any sort of bennefit from. Well, 1 week into it..and Ill tell you.. I feel AMAZING! I myself am extreemly sensitive to medication, I have had a hard time finding something that works, and when something doesnt for for me.. It really doesnt work and makes me an awfull feeling person. The side effects of seroquel are like and antiphcotic, anti depressant medication. But all you can do is try it.. be aware of symptoms (but dont let the worry of getting negative symptoms get to your head) and just go with it and see. If all else fails and unfortunatly you do not agree with the Seroquel, let your doctor know and you can stop taking it. Just keep your emotions in check and be aware of yourself and your feelings. You will not die, you will just feel like ****. Excusse the laguage there <--- but it is true. I did in the past gain SOME weight, but nothing untollerable, you just have to controll your cravings for food because it makes you want food, big time! esp. at night. It helps with sleep, but make sure to allow yourself to go to bed early so you get a good nights rest and dont wake up to soon with the tired feeling of the Seroquel. Seroquel XR is what I am on, and it helps. Esp. since when I was on regular seroquel the first time, I did however get restless legs, and the first couple times got rapid heart beat. But this time nothing. My advice.. Try it if the dr. suggests it.. What else can happen? If you feel that awfull, and need a medication.. The least thats going to happen is youll feel the same as you do now, or unfortunatly get worse.. but thats where you need to be aware of your body and mind.. and know when that is happening. Seroquel has been my miracle. And as stated before, I am extreemly medication sensitive. Good luck!

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[SarahL2491]

I'm not trying to be disrespectful but don't think this pertains to MS
perhaps another forum?

[nursegirl6572]

Hello, and welcome!

Well, thanks for sharing your story!  It always is helpful for people to be able to read other people's experiences.  I think another REALLY important fact for people to realize is that we all react SO differently to medications.  

While, as humans, are chemical make up is generally the same, there are a lot of variations due to age, genetics, past medical history, other medications, physical condition, the presence of other psychiatric disorders...the list is endless.  One med that may be MY miracle, may be someone else's nightmare.  That's why I ALWAYS tell people who are asking others how a med worked for them, not to weigh that info too heavily, and allow yourself to have your OWN unique experience.  It's important to try not to go into taking a med with too many preconceived notions.

The MOST important moral of the story you shared, IMO, is that, despite a lot of trials and tribulations, and some really significant ups and downs with your disorders, you always kept trying.  THAT'S the key.  People think it's going to be as easy as taking a med, and all their problems will be gone.  NOT the case for most people.  For most people, finding the "right" medication regimen is largely trial and error.  It can take a lot of time to zero in on a med or combination of meds that works for a person.

On top of that...managing depression also takes work on our part.  Therapy is helpful for a good deal of people, and EVERYONE should at least give therapy a fair shake at some point.  That too, is a process...sometimes it takes trying a few therapists before finding the "right" one you connect with and feel comfortable enough with, to get down to business.

Even for those who aren't in therapy...they have the job of working at managing their depression.  That means pushing oneself when there is NO motivation, it means forcing ourselves to be in uncomfortable situations sometimes, and going outside of our comfort zone.  It means making an effort to be around people when we would rather isolate ourself.  It also means not letting our depression affect the people in our lives to the point where we're destroying relationships and making others miserable.  That's a lot of work!  Just popping a pill every day isn't the answer.  My personal opinion is, that it's just one of many tools necessary for a lot of people to keep their depression to a tolerable level.  I'm a huge supporter of meds, because, like you, they gave me my life back and controlled the symptoms of anxiety and depression well enough to allow me to work on myself.

Again, thanks for sharing your experience with others, and I'm very happy you found a regimen that works for you!  Take care!

[witheredrose]

Hi, i am on seroquel 400mgXR, and an added 25mg non XR, and it works for   me okay! I get very very tired but thats the only side effect plus headaches, that ive gotten frim it.

[adnamaEG]

I'm new to the site. Didn't know that is was posted on Ms.. My bad. I had just read some questions of people curious and worried about taking this medication ect. and thought that I was posting something that was a related topis to depression, medication and emotional/mental dissorders. Again, didnt know it was MS. Still getting used to the site.

[adnamaEG]

Thats awesome! Alot of people have different side effects, some people dont tollerate it well, others do. Just like any other medication. I found it to be a god send for myself. I feel like a whole new person. To be able to give people advice and know that others are starting to feel better, on any medication really.. Or some people can manage depression, anxiety, panic dissorder or what have you, by them selves with no medication, either way. Its always great to know others are feeling better and dont have the nightmare feelings as bad, if any, anymore.

[adnamaEG]

Your post really hit home! I can relate with everything you said, relationships, trying a whole number of medications before finding the right one, and to KEEP trying!  Just everything you said, I completely agree with you. For anyone else reading this as well, she made an excellant point, and one that I have followed, is therapy! Many people say "oh no way, i'd never do therapy, that wont work" or they give it one session and are done with it. People who have to cope with these awfull problems on a daily basis often all the time, have underlying problems that have forced your body to act this way. Sometimes it's from traumatic experiances, drug and alcohol abuse or its passed down through genetics, there are a varitey of causes.
             The main thing with any mental/emotional dissorder is to find that cause, find out what made you feel so bad, find out "WHY AM I FEELING THESE FEELING?!" and from there, you learn coping skills and ways to overcome these 'triggers'. Also, educate yourself! Know about your dissorder and always be aware of your feelings. Another point I want to make is to never keep it bottled up inside. My personal opinion is to find atleast one person you can vent to, because keeping it bottled up, will destroy you and make it worse.
           I also like the point you made about relying on taking a pill to erase all your problems, that will not work. I've strugged day in and day out to even 2 weeks ago where I spoke with my husband, parents and a close friend, AS WELL as my therapist and dr. That I was too the point of considering in treatment therapy. Just because I was so bad off. But I hit my bottem and it actually saved me. As low as I felt, hitting the bottem where I never felt so isolated, detached, scared, worried, lonely and the list could go on and on flipped my brain into action and I said "I am done, I'm going to do more (and I was allready doing sooo much) to make myself feel back to 'my normal'.
        Anyone struggling with finding the right solution to your problems, and who ever feels so low, and loney.. and you feel like you will feel that way forever, and feel that theres no way your ever going to feel better... Keep in the back of your head that there is a light at the end. You WILL find something eventually. Just dont give up. As tiring as it is and as emotionally exhausted you get, to the point were you just dont want to be here anymore... Know that you need to keep trying and keep pushing and you will be where you want to be eventually.
       This post was posted initially about seoquel, but all this follows under it. My personal experiance with it was good, then I had no effect and now, finally after so long.. It works now. It just takes time to find that right one. As I have stated, the symptoms can vary from person to person, some may have a horrible experiance, other may find themselves getting back to their own normal. The only side effects I have encounter (during the 3 times Ive been on it) was a totall of some weight gain, being tired, hungar, and also when it was getting into my system the first couple days, was heart pounding. But that was it. Nothing compared to other medications.
       But if you are at the point of wanting to get better, know the possibilities that a medication very well may not work.. But also keep in your head.. That it may be the thing that makes you where you want to be. Everyone is different. I've been on medications people have said was amazing.. But it wasnt amazing for myself.
      But I want to thank you nursegirl6572, because I relate to what you said and I thank you for making great points and stating you are glad I found the right regimin.. Btw, if anyone hasnt noticed.. My spelling is awfull!!! lol. I do have schooling.. just a bad speller :p haha.

[christineyvette]

I was put on serequel 7 months ago and it does WONDERS. it helped so much. I take it alongside my lexapro and Valium and propanol.

[nursegirl6572]

Thanks for the input, christine.  I've repliesd to your thread about meds.

[wunderkid]

I think you are irresponsible, saying people can come off it and won't die.
I think posts like this should be illegal on the internet. You are not a doctor, and everyone is different.
Major depression is easily life threatening.

[Anneinside]

When we talk about people dieing from major depression, we are referring to suicide. I agree that it is more likely to happen if you are not on medications or your medications are not effective.

However, I believe the original poster  was talking about dieing in a casual sense, not referring suicide... like if I don't get some ice cream right now I am going to die.

[nursegirl6572]

The OP never claimed to be a doctor, none of us are.  She was simply sharing her experience.  I think you misunderstood her comment about "not dying".  She simply meant, while the process of finding a med that will work, adjusting to it, may make come with some unpleasant side effects, but those feelings aren't something that is life threatening, and that's true.

No one would ever argue that depression can be life threatening, of course it can be.  The most important thing to take away from this thread, as I said in my first reply, is that, regardless of WHAT med or treatment modality one chooses, it's important to always keep trying, and keep working toward managing one's depression.

[Anneinside]

You are right nursegirl... sticking with it is the way to go.