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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Cass on June 26, 1999, at 0:09:15
My doctor recently prescribed Seroquel to me. I was shocked to see that the patient information says the drug is for Schizophrenia. I have never been diagnosed with Schizophrenia. No doctor has ever mentioned any possibility at all of my having that disease. When he was prescribing the med, my doctor told me that the drug was just a sedative. Also, he abruptly discontinued my use of Lorazepam, which he had prescribed to me for years. Is it possible that he prescribed the Seroquel for withdrawls from Lorazepam? Has anyone ever heard of a doctor doing that before? I know I sound clueless, but when I ask him questions, he starts spouting off medical terms which no layperson would understand.
Posted by JD on June 26, 1999, at 16:23:21
In reply to Why Seroquel?, posted by Cass on June 26, 1999, at 0:09:15
Cass,
While it's not as common as it used to be, some doctors routinely prescribe low doses of so-called
"anti-psychotic" medications as sedatives or sleeping aids, especially when they're concerned about their patients getting hooked on things like ativan or lorazepam, which can be very addictive. From what I gather, it's a tad controversial, but the newer medications like seroquel at least have a pretty good safety profile compared to some of the older ones. You may want simply to raise the issue with your doctor the next time you see him, so he can explain his rationale to you personally. If the seroquel "helps", that may actually be justification enough...
Best,
JD> My doctor recently prescribed Seroquel to me. I was shocked to see that the patient information says the drug is for Schizophrenia. I have never been diagnosed with Schizophrenia. No doctor has ever mentioned any possibility at all of my having that disease. When he was prescribing the med, my doctor told me that the drug was just a sedative. Also, he abruptly discontinued my use of Lorazepam, which he had prescribed to me for years. Is it possible that he prescribed the Seroquel for withdrawls from Lorazepam? Has anyone ever heard of a doctor doing that before? I know I sound clueless, but when I ask him questions, he starts spouting off medical terms which no layperson would understand.
Posted by Joy Robins on September 23, 2000, at 3:35:50
In reply to Why Seroquel?, posted by Cass on June 26, 1999, at 0:09:15
> My doctor recently prescribed Seroquel to me. I was shocked to see that the patient information says the drug is for Schizophrenia. I have never been diagnosed with Schizophrenia. No doctor has ever mentioned any possibility at all of my having that disease. When he was prescribing the med, my doctor told me that the drug was just a sedative. Also, he abruptly discontinued my use of Lorazepam, which he had prescribed to me for years. Is it possible that he prescribed the Seroquel for withdrawls from Lorazepam? Has anyone ever heard of a doctor doing that before? I know I sound clueless, but when I ask him questions, he starts spouting off medical terms which no layperson would understand.
Posted by Cam W. on September 23, 2000, at 13:23:25
In reply to Re: Why Seroquel?, posted by Joy Robins on September 23, 2000, at 3:35:50
Joy - For what symptoms are you taking the Seroquel? The class of atypical antipsychotics can be seen more as mood stabilizers, than as anti-schizophrenia drugs. - Cam
Posted by Joy Robins on September 24, 2000, at 16:56:49
In reply to Re: Why Seroquel?, posted by Joy Robins on September 24, 2000, at 16:54:23
> > >Cam--Thanks. For depression and anxiety.I just started taking it. I'm wondering if it could have the reverse affect and create jumbled thinking or psychosis. I tend to have paradoxical reactions to many things. (they do the opposite of what they do for most people. i.e. caffeine often puts me to sleep.) Even thinking about taking meds. makes me anxious. But I am afraid I might need it--so I am trying it.
Posted by Cindy W on September 25, 2000, at 9:22:41
In reply to Re: Why Seroquel?, posted by Cam W. on September 23, 2000, at 13:23:25
> Joy - For what symptoms are you taking the Seroquel? The class of atypical antipsychotics can be seen more as mood stabilizers, than as anti-schizophrenia drugs. - Cam
Cam et al, my pdoc recently asked me to take Seroquel, for anxiety and OCD as well as to improve sleep. Am already taking Effexor-XR 375 mg/day and Serzone 150 mg/day. He wanted to up the dose to 100 mg/night of Seroquel(have been taking 50 mg/night of Seroquel) but that seemed like a lot to me. Does that seem reasonable, for anxiety, sleep, and OCD? Thanks!--Cindy W
Posted by Cam W. on September 25, 2000, at 21:30:11
In reply to Re: Why Seroquel? » Cam W., posted by Cindy W on September 25, 2000, at 9:22:41
Cindy - A dose of 100mg a night is fairly low and safe. The most common bedtime dose that I see is 200mg, but some people require higher doses and some people require lower doses. It's hard to guess at a proper dose of Seroquel for someone, so most docs start low and increase the dose as needed.
Hope this helps - Cam
Posted by Cindy W on September 26, 2000, at 0:11:44
In reply to Re: Why Seroquel? » Cindy W, posted by Cam W. on September 25, 2000, at 21:30:11
> Cindy - A dose of 100mg a night is fairly low and safe. The most common bedtime dose that I see is 200mg, but some people require higher doses and some people require lower doses. It's hard to guess at a proper dose of Seroquel for someone, so most docs start low and increase the dose as needed.
>
> Hope this helps - CamCam, thank you for the information! I'll talk to my pdoc and I guess I'll tell him I'll try l00 mg/day. It just bothers me taking an antipsychotic med, I guess (I'm not crazy, just because I have OCD and am depressed!!).--Cindy W
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