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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 17 of 17. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by chess on May 9, 2005, at 20:49:01
Has anyone had success with Seroquel for anxiety?
Could you take it once a day?
What dosage?
How long did it take to work for the anxiety?
Posted by chess on May 9, 2005, at 20:54:07
In reply to Seroquel for anxiety?, posted by chess on May 9, 2005, at 20:49:01
I forget to ask if Seroquel is addictive or can cause dependency like Xanax?
I'm looking for something other than Xanax after having a pretty tough withdrawal from it.
Thanks all!
Posted by Phillipa on May 9, 2005, at 21:28:23
In reply to Is Seroquel addictive?, posted by chess on May 9, 2005, at 20:54:07
25mg knocked me out during the day. l00mg at bed and I still woke up after 4 hours. The l00 was divided into initially 50 at bedtime and another 50when i woke up. If you could call it that. I was drunk and dizzy. Had to be helped back to bed by the nurse. I was in the hospital. Didn't have to ask to have it dc'd. They never gave it to me again. Never again! I'll stick with valium. Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by yxibow on May 9, 2005, at 23:13:35
In reply to Seroquel for anxiety?, posted by chess on May 9, 2005, at 20:49:01
> Has anyone had success with Seroquel for anxiety?
> Could you take it once a day?
> What dosage?
> How long did it take to work for the anxiety?
>I take Seroquel but its for a complex anxiety related disorder; for pure anxiety without psychotic, extremely irrational, or (fill in the blank) features I'm not sure why an antipsychotic is necessary although you're in fairly good hands with Seroquel in terms of "bad things" as I mentioned in a previous posting, its fairly low potency.
Dosage... well some say a "clinical" dose (and this is probably for schizophrenia, who knows) is not until 400mg. No, its not addictive; for a non-psychotic disorder, does it wear out over time... who is to say, I dont think so really, but anything is possible. It can and in fact is taken by many once a day even though it has a 6 hour half life, it reaches a steady-state. It probably takes less than a week to reach some modest "effectiveness" like most antipsychotics.
But I would be more inclined to suggest a modest dose of something like Paxil and/or a long acting benzodiazepine like Klonopin.
I think many doctors are reluctant to prescribe benzodiazepines when in fact they can be right on the mark and many people happily take a steady dose for years and not reach "addiction". I would classify benzos as habituating anyway and not addictive. But thats my 2c, I'm not a doctor, etc.
I hope you find some answers and feel better.
Posted by PM80 on May 10, 2005, at 14:24:07
In reply to Is Seroquel addictive?, posted by chess on May 9, 2005, at 20:54:07
Seroquel is often prescribed for anxiety. Some people only need 25mg/day others need 400mg/day (for anxiety). It really varies by person. My doc sayd that anxiety is now one of the most common uses for seroquel. Initially, it can make some quite sleepy about 1/2 hr after taking it. This usually gets better after a few weeks, although some people just take one dose at night. At the right correct dose for a person, it helps them sleep without making them groggy during the day. I do not believe that seroquel is addictive. Although you do have to taper off of it just like you have titrate up if you are on a dose higher than 100mg. But this is done relatively quickly.
I take 300mg/day (at bedtime) and it really helps me with hypomania and panic attacks(I no longer have them - ever). I'm happy with it.
Posted by tygereyes on May 10, 2005, at 15:36:08
In reply to Re: Is Seroquel addictive?, posted by PM80 on May 10, 2005, at 14:24:07
I am a recovering drug addict who has abused everything from heroin to Xanax to Adderall to Ambien ... and I can tell you with 100% certainty that Seroquel is not addictive. If ANYONE could get addicted to Seroquel, it would be me - and I have had NO problems with addiction since taking it. It doesn't have euphoric properties.
Posted by Phillipa on May 10, 2005, at 16:55:26
In reply to Re: Is Seroquel addictive?, posted by tygereyes on May 10, 2005, at 15:36:08
And it didn't make any of you dry up like a prune like it did me? My face was puckered up, and my lips cracked and peeled a few days to a week after taking it. Maybe I was slightly allergic to it. Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by chess on May 10, 2005, at 21:16:33
In reply to Re: Is Seroquel addictive?, posted by PM80 on May 10, 2005, at 14:24:07
hi pm80
so you take seroquel once a day (at bedtime) and it works throughtout the next day for you until you take it again at bedtime?
you say it works for your panic attacks, does it help with general anxiety (if you have it)?
Thanks! and you can babblemail me if you'd like> Seroquel is often prescribed for anxiety. Some people only need 25mg/day others need 400mg/day (for anxiety). It really varies by person. My doc sayd that anxiety is now one of the most common uses for seroquel. Initially, it can make some quite sleepy about 1/2 hr after taking it. This usually gets better after a few weeks, although some people just take one dose at night. At the right correct dose for a person, it helps them sleep without making them groggy during the day. I do not believe that seroquel is addictive. Although you do have to taper off of it just like you have titrate up if you are on a dose higher than 100mg. But this is done relatively quickly.
>
> I take 300mg/day (at bedtime) and it really helps me with hypomania and panic attacks(I no longer have them - ever). I'm happy with it.
Posted by chess on May 10, 2005, at 21:21:15
In reply to Re: Is Seroquel addictive?, posted by tygereyes on May 10, 2005, at 15:36:08
hi tygereyes
xanax helped me alot but i always felt worse in between dosages and if i missed a dose, and then i seemed to need more of it to get the same effect, plus i never again want to go through the withdrawal i'm going through now from xanax, i guess i want to be more careful what i take from now on
> I am a recovering drug addict who has abused everything from heroin to Xanax to Adderall to Ambien ... and I can tell you with 100% certainty that Seroquel is not addictive. If ANYONE could get addicted to Seroquel, it would be me - and I have had NO problems with addiction since taking it. It doesn't have euphoric properties.
Posted by PM80 on May 11, 2005, at 8:08:36
In reply to Re: Is Seroquel addictive? » PM80, posted by chess on May 10, 2005, at 21:16:33
I do not have generalized anxiety, but I do get hypomanic - racing thoughts, very restless, etc - and the seroquel helped with that.
Posted by chess on May 11, 2005, at 10:58:01
In reply to Re: Is Seroquel addictive? » chess, posted by PM80 on May 11, 2005, at 8:08:36
pm80
are you taking any other meds, like an ssri?> I do not have generalized anxiety, but I do get hypomanic - racing thoughts, very restless, etc - and the seroquel helped with that.
Posted by PM80 on May 11, 2005, at 15:03:46
In reply to Re: Is Seroquel addictive? » PM80, posted by chess on May 11, 2005, at 10:58:01
SSRIs and I don't get along too well. The only other drug I'm on is 750mg/day Depakote (an anticonvulsant mood-stabilizer). 750mg is a fairly low dose of that drug.
Posted by tygereyes on May 11, 2005, at 19:30:16
In reply to Re: Is Seroquel addictive? » tygereyes, posted by chess on May 10, 2005, at 21:21:15
I usually take Seroquel (25 mgs) for sleep but I am allowed to take it PRN for anxiety and/or when I feel like cutting myself (25 to 50 mgs)... it is amazingly helpful in this way.
Posted by 4WD on May 12, 2005, at 17:31:35
In reply to Re: Is Seroquel addictive?, posted by tygereyes on May 10, 2005, at 15:36:08
> I am a recovering drug addict who has abused everything from heroin to Xanax to Adderall to Ambien ... and I can tell you with 100% certainty that Seroquel is not addictive. If ANYONE could get addicted to Seroquel, it would be me - and I have had NO problems with addiction since taking it. It doesn't have euphoric properties.
Hi, I'm a recovering drug addict too. It's good to hear that about the Seroquel. When you're a former user, it's especially hard to treat anxiety without waking up the beast.
Marsha
Posted by tygereyes on May 12, 2005, at 22:20:04
In reply to Re: Is Seroquel addictive? » tygereyes, posted by 4WD on May 12, 2005, at 17:31:35
I know exactly what you mean, Marsha ... it sucks that I can never take benzodiazepines again but I'm glad I've found SOMETHING that helps with acute anxiety without resulting in taking an entire bottle and landing me on an acute psychiatric unit!
> Hi, I'm a recovering drug addict too. It's good to hear that about the Seroquel. When you're a former user, it's especially hard to treat anxiety without waking up the beast.
>
> Marsha
Posted by bannanatime on October 19, 2011, at 2:00:33
In reply to Re: Is Seroquel addictive?, posted by tygereyes on May 12, 2005, at 22:20:04
I have been taking the antipsychotic SEROquel for a month now and I consume 100 mg at bedtime for bipolar disorder 2. I can safely tell you that it is not addictive by any means since I myself have done every drug out there and I do not get the high\euphoric feel from it. It just simply makes it to where you can easily sleep and not have any disturbances. This drug is also known as a tranquilizer along with the antipsychotic that it supplies.
Posted by Chairman_MAO on October 24, 2011, at 21:49:21
In reply to Re: Is Seroquel addictive?, posted by bannanatime on October 19, 2011, at 2:00:33
Addiction is not dependence. FWIW, there is a black market for Seroquel, especially in prisons. I have seen people trade their seroquel for illicit drugs; that is, someone had an illicit drug with substantially more value and preferred seroquel.
Experiences are addictive, not drugs.
This is the end of the thread.
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