Posted by bleauberry on March 10, 2010, at 16:50:28
In reply to Who's taking Seroquel for (bipolar) depression?, posted by Hombre on March 9, 2010, at 0:25:43
Well, we are all different and we all repond differently so it is hard to predict anything.
Going simply on trends seen here and at other forums, seroquel doesn't pan out as one of the better performers for bipolar. The real hero in that department is zyprexa.
There are risks with all meds. The antipsychotics have their own risks. I do not believe any single one is less risky than another. That's because prediction of individual response is impossible. Someone in fear of diabetes might expect it from zyprexa but not have a problem, but instead get quite a problem from a med less likely to be at risk such as maybe seroquel. While the risks are known up front, there really is no way to predict.
Who knows, seroquel could be a miracle for you. Or not. Zyprexa has a more impressive track record. I guess if feeling sedated and in desire of long deep sleep, seroquel would get the edge. Not that zyprexa doesn't give good sleep also, but seroquel is much more sedating. If bipolar control on both the depressive spectrum and the manic spectrum are the primary goals, then zyprexa wins hands down. Both carry longterm risks. Most meds do.
Everyone has their own preferences, based on their own experiences and observations. I've been on all the APs and watched the comments of others for many years. Taking all that into account, zyprexa is #1, abilify #2, and seroquel is either #3 or #4, maybe tied with risperdal. Now if we are talking antipsychotics from around the world, not just USA, then amisulpride blows them all in the weeds.
As I see it, remeron and seroquel both share the primary function of being two of the world's most potent antihistamines. Obviously they hit other neurotransmitter systems as well, but histamine much more than anything else. I'm not sure that has much purpose in bipolar, other than sedation and weight gain.
Some people love seroquel. I don't see them very often, but they do exist. The success stories of the other APs seem more numerous.
poster:bleauberry
thread:938976
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20100305/msgs/939103.html