hopeful7 here - withdrawal from quetiapine

[hopeful7]

Hello there folks

 

Hopeful here. I stopped quitiapine 9 days ago. I was on 150mg and just stopped all straight away. I had tried to taper previously but my head was all over the place.

 

This cold turkey hasn't been too bad. The sweating is the worst thing, then the not sleeping properly. I get waves of dizziness from time to time and feel drunk sometimes. I have a bit of a headache and a bit of akithasia.

 

But I must say that depsite the withdrawel effects my head does actually feel free-er. I had been on the drug since April/May 2015 for depression. But it hasn't been effective as an anti-depressant for over a year now so decided to stop it.

 

Just looking for some support 

 

many thanks 

 

hopeful

Edited December 10, 2016 by Shep
added tags

[Survivor1]

Hello Hopeful,

 

You need to get back on right away.  I had used Q for several short periods and cold turkeyed each time, the last at only 7 mg and went into horrible withdrawal.  I also rapid tapered trazodone and it was brutal.  W/d does not kick in right way, so be warned that things could get very rough, based on my experience.  

 

Please follow the advice of the moderators when they respond.  There is a lot of info here on tapering properly, just use the search function. You have found this forum just in time, don't squander the opportunity.  Many of us found it after we had already quit our drugs for a while, and wd was far gone.

 

Best wishes.

[Shep]

Hi, Hopeful. 

 

Welcome to Surviving Antidepressants (SA).

 

Please note that even though you're reporting that this cold turkey "hasn't been too bad", psychiatric drugs are notorious for a delayed onset of withdrawal symptoms. Your symptoms do sound quite troubling, as insomnia alone can cause all sorts of problems. As Survivor just mentioned, you may want to consider a reinstatement, followed by a slow and careful taper. 

 

Even though you were prescribed quetiapine for depression, this drug is really an antipsychotic, and a very powerful one.  Since you report this not being the first time you've tried to come off, let's see if we can get you information so this time will be a success. 

 

Please read over these threads for more information:

 

About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms 

 

Tips for tapering off Seroquel (quetiapine)

 

What is withdrawal syndrome? 

 

The Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

Is this your first and only psychiatric drug? If not, please list all of your current and recent drugs. Please also place them in your signature:

 

Please put your withdrawal history in signature

 

This is your thread to list your symptoms and to ask plenty of questions. I'm glad you found us for information and support. 

 

 

 

[jmncrr]

I agree with the posts above.

 

You could get hit hard at any time. However not everybody gets discontinuation syndrome, but is that a chance you want to take. I wouldn't take that chance.

[ChessieCat]

Hi hopeful and welcome to SA,

 

So that we can see your drug history at a glance Please put your Withdrawal History in Signature.  Please include details for the last 12-18 months of  all drugs, dates, doses and discontinuations & reinstatements.  If you can't remember dates, please write it as "early March" or "mid-August".  Please provide a summary of any drugs prior to that which can just be listed with start and stop years. Please include all prescription, non-prescription drugs and supplements you are currently taking.

 

These helped me to understand SA's recommended 10% tapering of the previous dose followed by approximately a 4 week hold to allow the brain to adapt to not getting as much of the drug:

 

Brain Remodelling

Video:  Healing From Antidepressants - Patterns of Recovery

 

I first came to SA after having reduced my Pristiq dose from 100mg to 50mg and experiencing extreme brain fog for 3 weeks, finally getting to the point where I couldn't type (because I am a professional typist this was a benchmark that I could use).  Within several hours of updosing I was able to type again.  After this I held my dose for several months and since then have been tapering successfully and I am now down to 37.5mg, 1 year after trying to drop to 50mg!  Earlier this year, after I started lowering my dose, I found that I was regaining my feelings and began laughing and joking again.

 

Tapering and holding doesn't necessarily mean that you will not experience withdrawal symptoms but the idea is to allow the brain to adapt as you lower the dose so that the withdrawal symptoms are kept to minimum and are hopefully minor ones and don't last long.

[hopeful7]

Thanks everyone for your kindness and information. The sweats have stopped so l feel great about that.

 

Today has been one of rest which has been lovely. I've had good sleeps. Tomorrow l will have a work-out then go on a walk before having my piano lesson. Monday l will rest up again.

 

It's great having you all around with your knowledge and insight. I've been using essential oils for 26 years. They've been very helpful during this withdrawal process.

 

Drinking a lot of water has really helped with the headaches. So going to go now and have a wee sing as singing makes me feel good ☺.

 

Hope you're all doing okay

 

hopeful

[hopeful7]

Just updating my situation folks. It's been 16 days since l quit quitiapine and each day just feels more and more positive

 

The extreme sweats, dizziness and shakiness have stopped and my head continues to feel free-er and free-er. I'm still resting for a whole day every couple of days just so my mind and body can get stress free times as they continue to heal. This also helping with managing the change in sleeping pattern.

 

I'm talking magnesium and omega 3 tablets and mainly eating fresh fruit , fish, pulses,seeds and nuts and yummy green veg. Oh almost forgot, drinking loads and loads of water too!

 

Hope you're all doing okay.

[Shep]

Very nice update, hopeful. 

 

Is amitriptyline your only drug now? It sounds like you're doing really well and I hope this trend continues. 

[hopeful7]

Hello Shep

 

Yes amytriptaline is the only med l take now. It helps keep my sciatica in check which can be very debilitating.

 

Regular exercise and stretching is something l find very useful both for my physical and mental wellbeing.

 

Today is a rest day. Monday/Tuesday l'm up and about then rest again on Wednesday. Thursday and Friday is a busy time then l can relax over Christmas.

 

Best wishes to you Shep.

[hopeful7]

So here l am 22 days in from my decision to stop quitiapine.

 

It's still going really well. One thing l've noticed is l think starting on 800mg of magnesium (two tablets of 400mg at meal times taken at separate times) was possibly too high.

 

The magnesium has definitely helped my sleeping. But l noticed l felt kind of woozy sleepy in the mornings. So l've gone down to one tablet of day. It's a bit too soon to assess how my body is responding but so far l am less sleepy in the mornings which is a good thing.

 

But as l said apart from that things feel good. My mental clarity continues, my heart is managing intense exercise again (for the first a couple of weeks of withdrawal my heart felt under great strain when l would do a work-out on my exercise bike) and l am generally a lot more at ease within myself and feel more in sink with the world at large.

 

☺

[Shep]

Very nice update, Hopeful. I hope this trend continues. 

 

[hopeful7]

It has now been just over 4 weeks since l stopped taking quitiapine.

 

I've been feeling well, happy and have great clarity in my mind.

 

I'm so pleased l made the decision to stop the medication.

 

If anyone is looking for support l'm very happy to offer my time.

 

Best wishes to you all

[Shep]

Hi, hopeful. 

 

Thanks for this wonderful update. 

 

If anyone is looking for support l'm very happy to offer my time.

 

 

 

If you click on the "Seroquel" and "quetiapine" tags at the top, you can find other people going through quetiapine withdrawal for when you have time to offer support. 

 

You have a very positive way. 

 

Sending healing vibes your way. I hope you keep feeling better. 

[hopeful7]

Many Thanks Shep 

 

I'm still bright-eyed and bushy-tailed 

 

I'll take your advice and have a look to see if anyone would like some support.

 

Best wishes to you

[hopeful7]

Feeling anxious. I've been struggling with being bullied at college by a lecturer. It's gone on for about five months now. Today was really bad. Need to be up in 5 and a half hours but struggling to get to sleep. Sad and anxious times

[Shep]

Hi, Hopeful.

 

Is there anyone you can speak with at your college about this lecturer? Is this someone who is only lecturing temporarily and will be gone soon?

[hopeful7]

I've made a complaint Shep. It's not a temporary lecturer.

 

Not sure how to keep going but keep l will. This is the lowest l've been over it, l think because the last lesson had everything in it - shouting, humiliation, sidelining, passive aggression, isolating and undermining.

 

My anxiety at break time was massive so l went for a quick brisk walk to try and shift the physical affects of anxiety caused by the adrenalin produced. But things escalated after break and l became dizzy and disorientated with the stress caused.

 

After class l went on a long walk. I knew going straight home would be unwise mentally. To have done so l may well have cracked up there and then. So l walked and walked and walked for about an hour. When l got home l was still in a bad way but able to email a friend about what had happened that day.

 

That evening and night were bad but l had equipped myself enough to get through to the next day intact with no self harming or other destructive behaviours taking place.

 

My complaint should arrive on Monday and l should receive an acknowledgement letter by Wednesday.

 

I have decided to no longer go into class. I will study at home. I just need to be very disciplined. I'll start off studying during the time l would be in class plus a couple of extra hours that day as on the day of class l always did several hours at home first anyway.

 

Feel very lonely and not part of the human race. This is the third academic l've come across to treat me badly. This time is particularly tough. I feel quite damaged and weary.

 

To go on living when the thing you love the most - learning - is turned into a horrible experience, is difficult.

 

I'll keep trying though. I will keep trying.

[Shep]

I'm sorry you're having to deal with this, Hopeful, but very happy to read you're lodged a complaint.

 

Is there a counselor at your college that you could confide in? Or a private counselor? They most likely won't understand withdrawal, but it might help to deal with being bullied by the lecturer. 

 

Are you able to take any yoga classes at your college? Any mindfulness classes or groups? I'm glad your long walk helped and hopefully, you'll be able to add in some yoga and more walks, at least take breaks from your studying to help find ways of relieving the stress.

 

You sound very determined with your studies and that's the best thing you can do now. 

 

I hope you get a good resolution with the complaint. 

[hopeful7]

Not sure why you mention withdrawal. I feel this way due to the bullying l have experienced.

 

It's important to hear what a person says and not pathologise their experience which is effectively blaming them for something outwith their control and in doing that completely minimising the reality of their experience.

 

Tying what l have said to withdrawal seems a bit odd to be honest. Mentally away from the college situation life couldn't feel more different and fresh compared to when l was taking quitiapine.

 

I know this site invests heavily in the idea of suffering but sorry you still can't get me to give you a distraught withdrawal story. Nice try Shep but l ain't biting.

[scallywag]

We mention withdrawal because too fast discontinuation of psych-neuro-active medications can create emotional symptoms. If a counselor doesn't acknowledge that people can be experiencing iatrogenic symptoms, s/he could provide inappropriate counseling or suggest inappropriate treatment.

[Shep]

Yes, what Scallywag just posted is very true.  I'm sorry if I was unclear about what I meant by this. 

 

Also, when I mentioned yoga and mindfulness, it was not to take away from the fact that you are dealing with being bullied. It was to find ways for you to become empowered in spite of being bullied, and to find ways of handling the stress. Even if you weren't dealing with withdrawal, it's good to have these types of coping skills in your toolbox. 

 

You may want to discuss the topic of dealing with bullying in the Relationships section. Here's the link:

 

Relationships

 

Members discuss all sorts of issues regarding personal and professional relationships in that section. The Intro section where you're posting now tends to deal more with tapering and symptoms of withdrawal,  but in other sections, such as the Relationship section, the responses are less likely to be "tied" to withdrawal, as you wrote. It's a more general-discussion type of section of the website. 

 

Please note, though, this is a website dedicated to getting people off of their psych drugs, so we can't be all things to all people. Many of us are struggling with withdrawal symptoms 24/7, so it's really impossible to deal with any external issues without also learning how to do a lot of self care in the process.

 

Please do not think that anyone offering you these types of non-drug coping skills are discounting or delegitimizing what you are going through due to being bullied by a college professor.  That sounds like an incredibly difficult situation to be in, withdrawal or not.