Life with Seroquel

Hello my fabulous readers,

Today I will be writing about my experiences with the atypical anti-psychotic called Quetiapine which is known as Seroquel in the medical world.

Do not be ashamed of taking medication for your head. 

What is Quetiapine used for? 

• Manic Episodes 
• Bipolar Depression 
• Psychosis 
• Schizophrenia 

I had an ECG before I was prescribed this medication as they needed to check my heart as when I was a baby I had a hole in the heart but thankfully it healed up when I was a little baby.

I started this back in 2019 I think when I got diagnosed with bipolar disorder in March 2019 when I was in a depressive/manic mixed episode. This is the first anti-psychotic what I have ever tried because thankfully my brain is working with it now. I take this tablet to reduce my manic or depressive symptoms. It does not get rid of my illness; it just helps my brain fight more harder to try and control my illness.

Before I had Quetiapine, I heard voices. I still hear voices when I am in a bad depressive episode, but I do not hear voices 24/7 anymore. It helps with my impulsive behaviours, before I had it, I would spend £££ on some questionable stuff and I would do risky things. Now when I am having manic symptoms, I put my impulsive ideas in to creating things like art or baking. It helps when I feel irritable

I was on 150mg start of last year but now I am on 300mg because of my relapse and being admitted to a psychiatric hospital last august which I will write about soon.

When I first started taking it. It was horrendous and I thought oh god I cannot take these if they going to make me feel like this every day.  But it stopped after 6 weeks but I still get side effects from Seroquel to this day.  

The side effects I have had: –

Dry Mouth – Still to this day I have a dry mouth when I wake up.

Weight Gain – This is the one I hate the most. I gained 5 stone since being on quetiapine. I have a balanced diet too.

Headache – I was so sensitive to the light when I first started taking Seroquel, but now I rarely get the headaches and I can look at light without the pain.

Decreased appetite – This is one I do not understand because how can you gain weight when you do not eat much because you do not feel hungry at all?

Indigestion – The first 6 weeks I had reoccurring heart burn every time I ate. I occasionally get it now but not as bad as I did when I first started.

Light headedness & Fainting – I still get this. When I stand up, sometimes I see black spots or when I am walking somewhere, I suddenly drop on the floor then get back up in no time! 

Drinking & Quetiapine

I do not drink anymore as the alcohol acts like a depressant to my brain which I do not need. I tried a drink last year and it made me very sleepy.

Sleep & Quetiapine

When I first started taking this drug, I was asleep for hours and when I mean asleep, I mean deep sleeping. It helps when I am having a real bad night which makes me fall asleep more at night. But when I am manic it is a bit harder to sleep and I can be up till 6am while taking my quetiapine. It depends on what day I have.

Sex & Quetiapine 

My periods have change which is a nuisance as I use to have a period every month without fail but now, I have one then miss two then have one.  My sex life well that is private, but I feel like I do not want it that often anymore.

So, now it is working, and I pray that it continues to work as If I am honest, it is working with head and it has helped me. I will even say it has saved my life because when I was off medication, I was doing some dangerous things to block what was happening in my mind.  

I will also be writing a life with anti-depressants soon!

See you soon x