extended release Seroquel? show me one patient who has been on Seroquel that actually thinks this is a good idea?

I feel sorry for anyone who gets put on the XR version. It's hard enough to have a few hours out of the day, a few days a week, where you don't feel like a zombie and have a functional brain, on the immediate release version. Anyone who gets put on the XR version, cept maybe some serious cases os schizophrenia that would improve thier functioning on such a heavy dutey med, is going to end up worse off then they ever were befor.... ie they'll loose thier ability to function and loose whatever sort of life they actually had, become the perfect compliant zombie patient....

... But I guess that is the whole point these days in psychiatry. Seems to me the whole field is set up to make sure that any and all "serious" psyche cases (BP schizo etc) stay as dissabled and disfunctional as they are, or become worse off - As long as they are sleeping all the time, not able to feel normal feelings, and not able to make a ruckuss or complain beacause they are numbed enough.. well let's call that progress and wellness.
And then when you go to the doctor and say "hey I think I am doing worse on these meds than I was off of them" you'll be told "it's not the meds, it's your illness my dear, so you see you really do need the meds. In fact you need MORE meds and you definately are going to need them for the rest of your life. I mean really, just look at what a mess your life is now and immagine how horrible it would be if you didn't have these wonderful meds to help you."

what TF ever, XR seroquel is a bad idea IMO.
If the docs are givig people Seroquel for sleep, and all these other non-psychotic/psychosis disorders that have better and safer treatment options... and Seroquel is going off patent and so is going to be replaced by the XR version and dr's are going to have samples of the XR version to hand out... they'll probably hand it out like candy just like they have with the immediate release version. It's just going to mess up a whole heck of a alot of peoples lives. It's hard enough to see the bad effects that an antipsychotic has on your overall quality of life (when you are given one for a non-psychotic disorder) when you are on one that "wears off" somewhat for a part of the day. I can't immagine it will be at all easy, or even possible, to be aware of the bad effects an XR version is having on your functionality and quality of life, since you'll be spending your days 24/7 in a mental fog.

The only reason I realized Seroquel was having a bad effect upon my life when I got up to the 600mg dose (I am BPII without psychosis, but I had an idiot Pdoc -big suprise) was because the people in my life who cared about me kept telling me I was not myself and convinced me to lower the dose. I don't even remember a four month chunk of my life thanks to being on such a high dose. I am assuming that with teh XR version, even the lower doses will have a bad effect on many. I know for me the 600mg dose mainly caused problems because it never worse off at any point of the day or night, leaving me with no time where I could actually use my brain for deeper thought about my life etc.

Well, we will see. Come 2009 or 2010, we'll see the lawsuites rolling in. If Seroquel immediate release makes a decent portion of patients go on an uncontrollable eating binge for a few hours after they take it, until the majority of those effects wear off, just immagine the weight gain, diabieties issues etc., that an extended release version is going to cause.
What a stupid move on Astra Zenicas part. Sure they'll make some money from having a fresh patent for their lovely Seroquel, but they are definately, in the end, going to loose a sh*t load of money as well to all the numerous class action lawsuites an XR version of the drug is going to create.
like usual another pharma company has shown itself to be a bunch of greedy IDIOTS. woo-hoo! way to go guys.

I wonder if the Abilify folks will license Spongebob Squarepants as a spokesperson for the drug.

I am using Seroquel and I think it is very effective in controlling my mania. The XR version is probably the same thing but more expensive. As long as the state pays for that, I wont be complaining.

Seroquel XL based on my own experience would simply be an extension into a living hell. The withdrawals alone are reason enough I won't take Seroquel ever again. What a nightmare! extended release all day stupor, wow.

I am an ex-opiate addict (clean for 6 1/2 years) and was taking methadone for a little while, than suboxone in combo with seroquel (300mg, once before sleep) and it has honestly been a god send...I have suffered from insomnia my whole life even before my addiction, and the seroquel does its job for the 1 purpose I use it for - sleep. I am not a bipolar or anything - always been a very happy person - done great in school - I am just another normal person, in college majoring in criminal justice...Its funny as I read this, because I happen to agree with 80% of what you have said...My DR pushed the XR on me today, gave me a sample pack of some 300mg XR, taken once before sleep...I normally take 300mg of reg. seroquel, and it knocks me out about 1-2 hours after taking it - I get great REM sleep and wake up refreshed every morning - The eating is not a problem for me I have a tall and skinny build and fast metab- My DR said try it, see if it works better and if it doesn't than just go back to Seroquel...What do you guys think, should I switch over? BTW I have tried every other rx sleep aid out there, ambien, lunesta, all of that crap and none of it works..Seroquel on the other hand, FOR SLEEP, works great for me..But thats just me...

I have been taking Seroquel 200 mg 4 x a day for a total of 800 mg a day for almost a year. I also take Lithium and Ambien to sleep. I am a rapid cycling bipolar I without psychosis. The reason I have to take 800 mg a day is because the half life of seroquel is 6 hours, and I need it to stay in my system so I don't get manic. I'm not zombied out or sleep all the time. This is the best medicine thats on the market and an XL of it would be great. I can't wait for the FDA to approve it for bipolar disorder. Also the XL isn't probably that much more expensive than the regular because I don't know about yall but without insurance my seroquel is $895 dollars a month. In 2017 there will be able for a generic to be made. I hate that Aztra Zeneca charges so much for a medicine that so many people need. Seroquel is the best med on the market for bipolar I and schizophrenia.

Hey folks,i have to admit that seroquel has done wonders for me,at times it can make you feel flat,however,depends on when you take it,i was recently prescribed abilify,i hated it so much,that i couldn't wait for it to get out of my system,i take 3 other meds to,klonopin,tegretol,and remeron,i also take seroquel as a prn,and abilify was added by my docter becouse i kept asking her about it,it made me real depressed and i didn't want to be bothered,but i would never want to take seroquel xr,since i don't need the xr,i use it for sleep and also when my mind races to much,from anxiety.Abilify made me think of depression to much and how bad i felt,awful,just awful.

I made the switch from Seroquel to Seroquel XL and found the new version to be very beneficial to me in treating my psychotic disorder; the differences between the two drugs is really night and day. I was on a night dosage of regular Seroquel and felt it was too sedating for the daytime, so taking the XL has been great because I feel as if now I am experiencing the true potential of the drug since it actually relieves some of the symptoms the regular kind did not.
BTW the somnolence ("zombie" feeling)I experienced went away once I approached 200mg. On how this drug changed me and my character, I am choosing to keep my opinions on that to myself, but as a medication I have found it to be very effective.

i actually really appreciate seroquel. just 300mg. perhaps you just have to really be manic or psychotic, or it just happens to balance things for some people...sure, i'm more tired, but that's the point, i think, and it's not all day (regular) or now really at all (XR - recent). i can actually sleep for once in my life - time to behave more like a normal person, for better or for worse.

abilify i tried as well, because i had doubts about having to sleep regularly at first, but it didn't work and only gave me akasthesia. back to the seroquel, and it was like instant relief. then to xr, because i did start napping afternoons and XR is like taking nothing at all side effect-wise but still effective where it needs to be. i am annoyed though that the price will be different. oh well.

lol. oops - forgot to mention the addition of provigil when back on the seroquel. maybe that's why i can stay awake this time around. whatever. i'm not really manic either, but depressed, supposedly. so sue me, but i think i was having a mixed episode for undiagnosed BPI. cymbalta as well on the second try. but it seems to be working. i am more socially able and relaxed and my intellect and creativity seem unchanged. i can make rational decisions esp. regarding food. it's worth what i pay with insurance. although, that will probably change and i'll be broke.

Hi, I'm Bipolar I rapid-cycling, used to take 225-800 regular Seroquel. I am now on 300mg XR. I also take slow release
Lithium and sometimes Valium. I feel more stable throughout
the day and not zombified. I do however tend to take it much
earlier in the evening to help with sleep. Different folks react
differently to different meds but the whole point of slow release is to prevent being knocked out part of the time and then not covered at all the rest of the time. How you'll feel on it depends on dosage and what else you are taking at the same time. If you need a lot of flexibility with your Seroquel, this may not necessarily be the best choice. You need to have a psychopharmacologist who is up there with the latest research.
One girl's medicine is another girl's poison . . .

I've been on seroquel now for about 2 years. It helps me sleep and I'm bi-polar and it helps control the manic episodes. The only bad thing was it made me groggy the next day, and I slept way more than a normal person. But I just accepted it because it worked so well. But recently my doctor decided to see if switching to the XR would help with the "hangover" feeling. Not sure how it works but I love it! I can't remember the last time I had this much energy. The good kind, not the manic kind :).

I'm bi-polar II with very short manic episodes. Well, used to be before I stabilized on lamotrigine and seroquel IR. Now I'm just depressive with no manic episodes. In some ways it's an improvement, but my doc and I are still trying to tailor my meds to better treat my condition. I should add that I've been taking psych meds for about 10 years so I've tried a lot of different meds.




I took Seroquel Instant Release for about 2 years, only 50-100mg at night. I must be extraordinarily sensitive to it judging from the doses I see posted by other patients. Anyway, my doc switched me to the XR version a couple of months ago, and it has been hell. At first I couldn't figure out what was going on and from reading others' posts I assumed it would take my body a few weeks to acclimate to the new formula.




But it didn't happen. I've reduced my dose to about 33mg but I am still in dreadful shape. I have No energy and I have to sleep at least 12 hours/day before I can get up and do stuff. It is frightening. If I wake up before 12 hrs, it's like I'm underwater. I *can't* wake myself up. My eyes are at half mast and I can barely speak. I've got an appt w/ my doc tomorrow to get sorted but it's astonishing to me how dramatic the difference is between the IR and XR versions.




Plus, I've started religiously calorie-counting b/c I've gained easily 10 lbs in 2 months on the same exact diet and exercise regimen. It's great that the XR version works so well for some people but it's truly scary how horrible the XR version is compared to the IR even at such low doses.

Jeez, a few comments sounded like drug company testimonials.

When your 100 lbs heavier, have diabetes, and some of those other wonderful side effects like TD; please come back and give an up date on how wonderful Seroquel and XR work for treating your Madness.

i am on seroquel instent realeas.and i dont know if i should be worryed of a long term effect?i have been taking it for about 2 months.

Here is a comment for "womanwhosoldtheworld", I was on Seroquel IR for about 8 months and I could only get up to 100mg a night. It turned me into a zombie like you said. What I found, however, was when the psych put me on 300mg, it put me out with a deep nights sleep, and I was refreshed in the morning. What might be happening to you is that you are assuming that a higher dose will make you feel even more zombie like all day, I doubt that it will. It will take a couple of days to get used to, but I went from 100mg to 150mg for a few days, then right to 300mg and it works like a charm.

Now, I accidently started the XR version through a new doctor who gave me samples. I am not sleeping as good, have had a couple of night terrors, but it is helping with my Asperger's symptoms which include OCD, anxiety, and night terrors. I have had a couple of night terrors, and am adjusting to the extended release since they don't put me right out like the IR, however, I feel less obsessed and anxious during the day. Less ruminating. Anyhow, I recommend it. I might need something more at bedtime however.

Whoever is worried about long term side effects, needs to go to a basic site such as rxlist dot com and read the fine print or ask the pharmacist for the package insert!

Diabetes, is a permanent possible side effect, the drug is not a sleeping pill it is an antipsychotic now being broadly prescribed for insomnia, anxiety and depression, you'd be better off taking a shot of tequila!

Ok what to say about seroquel. It's the 10th med I have tried. between my times for the pill I feel like I am going into withdrawl way before the next dose is due. This is on the immediate release tablet. At night with the higher dose is suppose to help me go to sleep. Problem I have run into is my legs, its like restless leg syndrome. Only way to make it stop is to walk or hope that I go to sleep quickly. Tonight the doc out me on the XR. 5 hours after taking it I'm not the least bit able to sleep. I feel like I am on speed but my mind is blank. Though out of the meds I have tried this one is working the best, but it's not where I should be to make it thru the day

Seroquel XR is a godsend to bipolar persons. The urge to eat needs to be resisted (possible for intelligent people). Sleep instead, get up, go to work, university or whatever your goals is.

I was on normal seroquel for 5 years and then during my last hospitalization they switched me to XR and the difference was night and day I wasn't a zombie the only thing I have learned is you have to take it about 730-8 pm to get to sleep at a decent hour right now I take 500 at night and 200 during the day split up (for some odd reason it don't stay in my system that long) it has helped but that's just my opinion