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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by dayandnight on June 24, 2008, at 21:04:43
Seroquel 50mg at night, Lexapro 20mg daily. Since starting Seroquel I am very calm, more than I have ever been. Welcome at first now not sure about this change in me. Things that used to interest me are now bland. I dont get excited about anything and am happy to be complacent, compliant and docile. I am not sure about all of this and I find myself looking forward to each night as I can sense the conflict rising inside me, should I continue the medicine. So it is that I take my evening dose and within a hour or so my conflicting thoughts that have started to rise are gone and I am happy to just be in the space that I am in again. I started to write this about six times before I could find the desire to finish it. I keep remembering the movie a long time ago Stepford Wives I think I am turning into the Stepford Husband as I am willing now to go along with almost if not all of my wifes suggestions, not a bad thing I guess. I like the calming effect but worry that it will change me permanently as it seems to take longer to come back than it did a month ago. I think I need a edge in some areas of life and it seems that I am turning into this zombie. Has anybody else here had the same internal battle? How did you cope, surrender of fight?
Posted by Justherself54 on June 24, 2008, at 22:00:35
In reply to Seroquel Calm, posted by dayandnight on June 24, 2008, at 21:04:43
If you are taking seroquel for sleep you could try droping it to 25 mg..that's what I use and it works... Some SSRI's can cause apathy so it may be the Lexapro and not the seroquel..
Posted by obsidian on June 24, 2008, at 22:01:17
In reply to Seroquel Calm, posted by dayandnight on June 24, 2008, at 21:04:43
Hi,
so, you think it works then? I mean for anxiety..
I take 50mgs of it, and I am fairly convinced that it's the sedation that's calming me.
I honestly can't tell. I've been thinking perhaps that it is equivalent to some antihistamine like benadryl or something, and if that's the case why bother?
in any case however, my mind is calmer on it, I think less, I am less bothered by things that would really bother me (but trust me, I still get plenty bothered)
About the time I take it, I think 'I'm not sure why I take this, but things could be worse *perhaps* I guess', or is that just what I tell myself?
I really don't know
anxiety kicks my butt, so I am inclined to give myself a fighting chance...but I continue to think it just might be mind over matter??
so I put up with sedation and some dullness, and yes, my thoughts are not as "interesting" or as plentiful, but horror shows can be "interesting", I just dont necessarily want to watch themmaybe you feel like you've been watching PBS for too long??
Posted by obsidian on June 24, 2008, at 22:08:22
In reply to Seroquel Calm, posted by dayandnight on June 24, 2008, at 21:04:43
why not use a benzodiazepine like ativan or klonopin for anxiety??
why seroquel?
maybe you're just so freaking tired you don't have the energy to be other than complacent??
that's part of my personal theory
sleepy people usually aren't too much trouble, they're usually too tired to care
Posted by yxibow on June 24, 2008, at 22:36:09
In reply to forgot to ask..... » dayandnight, posted by obsidian on June 24, 2008, at 22:08:22
> why not use a benzodiazepine like ativan or klonopin for anxiety??
> why seroquel?
> maybe you're just so freaking tired you don't have the energy to be other than complacent??
> that's part of my personal theory
> sleepy people usually aren't too much trouble, they're usually too tired to careOh... I would highly disagree about sleep. It is interlocked and intertwined with depression and anxiety. I don't know if one causes the other for me but I have a bad sleep disorder.
For others, sleep as you note, may just be a sign of apathy. But then apathy can be a sign of depression, so we're back where we started, because apathy causes retreat.
Benzodiazepines have their place, and if they work for people that's fine -- personally (yes, projection), I am dealing with possible habituation of using a benzodiazepine too long. Yet it also has a subtle use still in my treatment, that's another story.
That's why going into therapeutic use with benzodiazepine should be with the caveat that it may down the road not be as effective as possible. Its personally why I don't advocate the use of short half life benzodiazepines because I think they're the most likely to loose their "zing" when anxiety roars its head and someone needs Ativan. I am not of the anti-benzodiazepine side at all, though.
Sometimes serious anxiety situations require more than a benzodiazepine, especially for long term use. This, is informed consent of course, and is the choice of the patient, as noted previously.
An antihistamine like benadryl, atarax, etc can be a depressant, so they're not necessarily the best choice for long term use. As they say, your miles may vary
-- tidings
Jay
Posted by Phillipa on June 25, 2008, at 0:42:51
In reply to Re: forgot to ask..... » obsidian, posted by yxibow on June 24, 2008, at 22:36:09
They gave me seroquel for one night in the hospital. In the morning almost fainted and could think but not talk no words would come out the staff put me back to bed got me real coffee that I can't drink normally as it makes me too anxious. So valium for me that puts me to sleep. When my first was born I could no longer sleep as thought she might stop breathing in the night. I was l9. And before that nothing could wake me up so my waking came from having kids. Love Phillipa
Posted by yxibow on June 26, 2008, at 17:49:15
In reply to Re: forgot to ask....., posted by Phillipa on June 25, 2008, at 0:42:51
> They gave me seroquel for one night in the hospital. In the morning almost fainted and could think but not talk no words would come out the staff put me back to bed got me real coffee that I can't drink normally as it makes me too anxious. So valium for me that puts me to sleep. When my first was born I could no longer sleep as thought she might stop breathing in the night. I was l9. And before that nothing could wake me up so my waking came from having kids. Love Phillipa
And as I mentioned before, fainting is a known side effect of at least several neuroleptics. It comes from the orthostatic hypotension (low blood pressure), and is -not- a typical EPS symptom or as a result of the main effects of the medication.
You were probably given a very low dose, just from what I can surmise, not told that you had to sit up and stand up slowly to adjust your blood level from lying down to getting throughout your system.
Unfortunately that's common and not limited to APs, other agents can cause that such as Trazodone.
-- tidings
Jay
Posted by Phillipa on June 27, 2008, at 12:09:24
In reply to Re: forgot to ask..... » Phillipa, posted by yxibow on June 26, 2008, at 17:49:15
Jay was given 50mg with 15cc of chloral hydrate and xanax, and valium. Woke in four hours my pattern and they repeated the 50mg of seroquel. Then They call on the loud speaker get up and get to breakfast you have l5 minutes. There was a time on very low doses of meds think .5 of xanax where I fainted for no reason during the day. An MRI showed a microadenoma on the pituitary no one will read it four years old now but makes me wonder if the inability to regulate thyroid is related to this. Was asked if I lactate and don't so told not to worry about it ignore it it's nothing. Sorry got off topic it was on my mind. Love Phillipa
Posted by yxibow on June 28, 2008, at 1:58:18
In reply to Re: forgot to ask..... » yxibow, posted by Phillipa on June 27, 2008, at 12:09:24
> Jay was given 50mg with 15cc of chloral hydrate and xanax, and valium. Woke in four hours my pattern and they repeated the 50mg of seroquel. Then They call on the loud speaker get up and get to breakfast you have l5 minutes. There was a time on very low doses of meds think .5 of xanax where I fainted for no reason during the day. An MRI showed a microadenoma on the pituitary no one will read it four years old now but makes me wonder if the inability to regulate thyroid is related to this. Was asked if I lactate and don't so told not to worry about it ignore it it's nothing. Sorry got off topic it was on my mind. Love Phillipa
Jan, maybe you can metabolize that, but you do realize that for a number of people Seroquel, chloral hydrate, Xanax, and Valium all together could put them in respiratory depression. That's an amazing amount of CNS depressants, especially the chloral hydrate.
I know for different people it differs, and how long one has been exposed and used to such agents -- the amount of CNS depressants that I can tolerate to a point, is probably more than others, but that has to do with a lot of factors including exposure, metabolism, weight, etc. So I suppose I'm projecting a bit.
I can't believe a hospital would do that. Its no wonder that the combination of CNS depressants plus the orthostatic hypotension of Seroquel would make you feel faint as your pulse would be VERY low."They call.."? Loudspeakers? Is this a regular hospital or something out of some movie, pardon me, I am really not trying to mock the situation at all. I hope you do not take that personally. That obviously did not sound like a good situation. However, minus the other medications, Seroquel itself at 50mg, and they should have allowed you to rise carefully, especially since you're older and may metabolize it differently. There's basically no AP effect at that level. Its all in the antihistamine load, and with your organic condition [below] it wouldn't surprise me double dizziness.
Microadenomas are benign so they aren't expected to spread and therefore a doctor wouldn't do a followup MRI normally because so. I suppose if you were really worried you could have one done but I don't know that your insurance will cover it.
However microadenomas -can- cause such things as, exactly, dizziness, headache, and vision issues, and possible hormonal issues which can be measured with a test. This doesn't mean it will cause all or any of those issues, but I know you have had pituitary issues.
Posted by Phillipa on June 28, 2008, at 19:41:02
In reply to Re: forgot to ask..... » Phillipa, posted by yxibow on June 28, 2008, at 1:58:18
Jay big hospital in Greenville, Nc. Very large psych unit. Thanks for the pituitary reassurance as I will put it out of my mind. And I have a very high tolerance to downers. Love Phillipa
Posted by dayandnight on June 29, 2008, at 17:59:18
In reply to Re: Seroquel Calm, posted by Justherself54 on June 24, 2008, at 22:00:35
> If you are taking seroquel for sleep you could try droping it to 25 mg..that's what I use and it works... Some SSRI's can cause apathy so it may be the Lexapro and not the seroquel..
Thanks, I did that but did not seem to make a difference, just less help. Not so much apathy as a very compliant mood. Never have taken a med that changed me so much. I also find I can get lost in something for hours - good or bad thing?
This is the end of the thread.
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