Tink22 - Withdrawing from Seroquel, have a question please.

[Tink22]

Hello, I am new to the group and have a question.

 

I have been on 25mgs of Seroquel for the last 5 months, and am now off of it for 5 days. I am having some pretty horrible withdrawals.

My question is, how long do Seroquel withdrawals at a low dose usually last? Do does anyone know, or have had any experience with

low dose withdrawals from this?

 

Thank you

[Gridley]

Hello, Tink22, and welcome to SA.  I'm sorry you're having these horrible symptoms.  Please describe your symptoms..

 

To give members the best information, we ask them to summarize their medication history in a signature -- drugs, doses, dates, and discontinuations & reinstatements, in the last 12-24 months particularly.  Please include whether you're taking immediate or extended release Seroquel.

 

Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature.

 

There is no way, unfortunately, to predict how long withdrawal will last, regardless of dose. While some do recover relatively easily, for others it can take many months or longer.  

 

Withdrawal symptoms arise because your body got used to the drug being present and now has to work very hard to accommodate its absence.  

 

What is withdrawal syndrome.

 

Glenmullen’s withdrawal symptom list.

 

At this time, reinstatement of a very small dose of the original drug is the only known way to help alleviate withdrawal syndrome.  The only other alternative is to try and wait out the symptoms and manage as best you can until your central nervous system returns to homeostasis.  Again, no one can give you an exact timeline as to when you will start feeling better.

 

Reinstatement isn't a guarantee of diminished symptoms for everyone but it's the best tactic available.  You're still in the time period where reinstatement predictably works, up to 3 months after last dose.  We usually suggest a much smaller reinstatement dose than your last dose.  These drugs are strong, and when reinstating it is better to start with a small amount and increase if symptoms remain unbearable. Your system has become sensitized and If you take too much it may be too much for your brain and can cause you become unstable.  Sometimes it can be hard to regain stability after this happens.  Then, once you've stabilized on that dosage, which can take several months,  you can begin a 10% per month taper down to zero.   Please read:

 

About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms. -- at least the first page of the topic

 

If you are interested in reinstatement, please let me know and we will suggest a reinstatement dosage.  

 

These links explain the 10% taper and how to obtain the small doses of Seroquel needed for a reinstatement.

 

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

Tips for tapering off Seroquel (quetiapine)

 

Please let us know how you're doing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[laydefish]

Hi @Tink22 & Welcome to the group! Sorry to hear your suffering so, with time it will get better!  Hang in there! I'm 8 1/2 months Antidepressant free after 11 years & I feel better now than I have in years!  Stay Strong!

[Maca44]

3 minutes ago, laydefish said:

Hi @Tink22 & Welcome to the group! Sorry to hear your suffering so, with time it will get better!  Hang in there! I'm 8 1/2 months Antidepressant free after 11 years & I feel better now than I have in years!  Stay Strong!

That's always encouraging to hear. 

[Bee5]

Hi @Tink22,

Unfortunately, come people have bad withdrawals coming off even the lowest doses. You will need to taper at 10% per month; in my country the lowest dose is 25 mg, but this can be cut up into 4 pieces of 6.25 mg (pretty accurately is you use a scale). Smaller than this and you will need to get compounded tablets or a liquid, or you will need to make up your own liquid. Please contact the mods on how to do this - they have links to all the threads that explain this in detail.

I am about to drop to 137.5 mg quetiapine, so I still have a looooooong way to go. This is my second attempt at coming off these meds, so I'll be doing it super slowly, for as long as it takes.

Good luck!

Bee

[Tink22]

Thank you everyone.  I am thinking to try and reinstate at 6.26 and see if I can sleep.....  I hope I can, if  not I'll go up a bit until I can sleep and then try going down slowly at 10%.  

 

Thank you Bee5 for your response.  Good luck 

[Tink22]

Oh also, is there anyone who can tell me.  The only withdrawal I am having now is zero sleep.   

 

I would really like to know if anyone's sleep improved, by cutting at 10%?   

 

I am off 17 days..... and the only issue I am having at this point is literally zero sleep for the last 4 days and nothing is helping me sleep......    if reinstating and lowering 10% will eliminate the insomnia, I'll do so.  If it's not going to eliminate the insomnia, then perhaps I should just stay off of it at this point?  

 

Thank you so much for you help, I so so appreciate all of your advice.  ❤️

 

Tink

[Tink22]

Well, tried to reinstate and couldn't.  The pain in my arms and legs was unbearable.....  

 

Looks like I am going to have to grind out the insomnia.  I am feeling so defeated right now.   😥

[planifolia]

Hi Tink, sorry about your situation! Was this arm and leg pain a new symptom you experienced when reinstating? 

 

I am not sure with antipsychotics, but for antidepressants sometimes coming off it completely destabalizes the nervous system and reinstatement can cause severe adverse effects, especially if you reinstated at too high a dose. 

 

If you reinstated at your full dose, maybe you can try just a fraction of your normative dose. This is often suggested for people for wish to reinstate after coming off completely to minimize adverse effects and promote stabalization. 

[Tink22]

Thank you, Planifolia.  The pain was there before reinstatement and was a big reason for stopping as it was getting worse and worse,

but got way worse after I tried to go back on it.

 

I went back on it at 1/4 of the normal dose....  so that was no good even at a little bit sadly.

 

I wish I had thought to do the 10% taper in beginning, as now it's too late....  😢