Seoquel symptoms and conditions

I've been on Seroquel for a month now. My dosage was progressively increased from 100mg to 400mg for severe chronic insomnia, a symptom of manic depression.

Within one month, I've gained 20 pounds and I look as if I'm six or seven months pregnant.

I am weaning myself off of it, because my doctor doesn't seem to care much about the weight gain, despite the fact that I eat less than 1000 calories a day.

A symptom of bipolar disorder is also depression, and the more I look at myself in the mirror, the more depressed I get.

I'd rather go without sleep than gain weight at the rate I've been gaining it. It's just not safe, and I can feel it taking its toll on me physically and psychologically.

It's just not worth it in my opinion. I'm giving Melatonin a try. Hopefully, that will work for me. It was suggested by one of my nurses.

It's not easy to go from a 4/5 to nearly a size 9 in a month. It really makes you feel terrible, especially when you exercise an hour and a half everyday and are on a low calorie diet.

Until I'm given something that can counteract the weight gain, I refuse to stay on Seroquel.

I admit I'm having some bouts of insomnia, but they're not nearly as bad as they were before I started the Seroquel. Perhaps that will change once the Seroquel is all out of my system.

I also notice I'm itching everywhere, from head to toe. I suppose that's a symptom of weaning yourself off of the drug.

I have recently (end of July/02) gone off Seroquel as I felt absolutely fatigued and tired out all the time, and felt
like I did not have a life. I was first put on Seroquel in 1997 as I have been hearing voices since 1996 following a mild concussion after a fall. I am now 69 yrs. old. Another serious side affect was a weight gain of 45 lbs. Being on Seroquel did not take the voices away, so as well as still having to cope with that on a daily basis, I had all these nasty side affects. I felt that if I continued to gain weight at this rate, that I would end of having a heart attack or diabetes. The only thing Seoquel did for the voices was to subdue them somewhat. Since telling me doctor that I wanted off this medication (I tapered off it), I have lost 24 lbs., and continue to lose weight. I feel more like I am a part of what is going on around me, and I don't feel so totally lost. However the voices have gotten more bothersome, and I try to cope as best I can by keeping my faith in Jesus Christ. It is my faith that has brought me safe thus far, and not the medication. It is now 5 months since I stopped the Seroquel so hopefully it is now all out of my system. I don't know if one day I will have to try another form of medication or not, I take one day at a time, and will just have to wait and see what develops from here. Hope this information helps others.