Story It's back - why? And any reviews of quietiapine?

[LittleJem]

I had 3 weeks off and now the depression is back again. Why does nothing ever help for longer than 3 weeks? Also, psychiatrist has prescribed quietiapine - any thoughts or experiences?

 

[oneess]

quietiapine was really helpful for me when my anxiety was more physically felt, it made me physically sleepy and drowsy and more emotionless, it's really different from benzos like kpins and Valium tho

 

[MartyByrde]

quietiapine was really helpful for me when my anxiety was more physically felt, it made me physically sleepy and drowsy and more emotionless, it's really different from benzos like kpins and Valium tho

Kpin and valium are both benzoes.

 

[LittleJem]

Do you think I'll be able to work? Very scared ATM of the depression and of being incapacitated again. Want it over.
Benzos don't help me

 

[oneess]

Kpin and valium are both benzoes.

I'm certain it was what I wrote

 

[Kumachan]

I had 3 weeks off and now the depression is back again. Why does nothing ever help for longer than 3 weeks? Also, psychiatrist has prescribed quietiapine - any thoughts or experiences?

Is your depression situational(reactive) or its what they call "chemical imbalance" kind of stuff? As i understand, youve been having counceling sessions with your psychiatrist is that so? Have you ever gotten any helpful advice from him that would change your perspective somehow? Maybe my question sounds naive... Im just wondering how a councelor can help a depressed person simply by talking

 

[Walilamdzi]

I really dislike Quetiapine, I'm prescribed 500mg daily but I don't take it.

 

[LittleJem]

Is your depression situational(reactive) or its what they call "chemical imbalance" kind of stuff? As i understand, youve been having counceling sessions with your psychiatrist is that so? Have you ever gotten any helpful advice from him that would change your perspective somehow? Maybe my question sounds naive... Im just wondering how a councelor can help a depressed person simply by talking

Psychiatrist said I was hard to diagnose. My depression went for 3 weeks after a megadose of LSD. Now it's back.

I'm scared of risking more psychedelics, but I'm also scared of meds.
I've always had this

 

[BlackPoppet]

I really dislike Quetiapine, I'm prescribed 500mg daily but I don't take it.

Yeah I was on 150 mg dropped to 100mg. I was on it for 2 years or so. It worked but then the side effects took over. I stopped taking them. Now I'm pre diabetes and overweight because of them. I will never take quetiapine again. I've now got metabolic syndrome too. I feel as though they are for short term only. Be careful. These are very harsh on the body

 

[toomuchtimetodie]

Yeah I was on 150 mg dropped to 100mg. I was on it for 2 years or so. It worked but then the side effects took over. I stopped taking them. Now I'm pre diabetes and overweight because of them. I will never take quetiapine again. I've now got metabolic syndrome too. I feel as though they are for short term only. Be careful. These are very harsh on the body

Someone I know thought he could not take the tablets while claiming sick benefit... When they realised he wasn't taking them he was put on a depot shot of that and had horrific side effects. He wasn't too sick before but he sure is now. He's actually lost a ton of weight, used to be quite well built... And his brains like he's been lobotomized. It just shows the different effects these drugs have on people. I hope you reverse your sides soon.

 

[LittleJem]

Is your depression situational(reactive) or its what they call "chemical imbalance" kind of stuff? As i understand, youve been having counceling sessions with your psychiatrist is that so? Have you ever gotten any helpful advice from him that would change your perspective somehow? Maybe my question sounds naive... Im just wondering how a councelor can help a depressed person simply by talking

I am having therapy at the moment, but it helped more during the sessions when I was not feeling depressed. Now the depression is back, I don't think it will do anything.

I'm waking up with dread and panic and wanting to die - and nothing I can do.

 

[mathieu]

I take 200mg of quetiapine. I suspect it doesn't do much.

 

[Genetics]

Is your depression situational(reactive) or its what they call "chemical imbalance" kind of stuff? As i understand, youve been having counceling sessions with your psychiatrist is that so? Have you ever gotten any helpful advice from him that would change your perspective somehow? Maybe my question sounds naive... Im just wondering how a councelor can help a depressed person simply by talking

Good question. I began to go through a massive mental breakdown in January 2017. In September 2017 I went to the VA mental health clinic to get into counseling and seeking medication. I have previously been on lithium with a lot of success. The psychiatrist, who I had never seen before, gave me lithium and effexor (I had taken a very low dose of this before). Then he went on vacation for 2 MONTHS. VA sent me to a counselor in the community because they couldn't schedule me within 30 days there. The lithium and effexor have a severe interaction (known to doctor, pharmacy) with each other and with my migraine medication (which I take at least 12 times a month). I began almost immedately experiencing this severe reaction with major body tremors (times I couldn't drive or walk or write, or use my mouse or computer). I called and messaged the VA continuously about this beginning end of Sept. "Don't stop taking your medications. The doctor will return the Tuesday before Thanksgiving and see you then." Hell NO! The severe reaction was "tremors, coma, death". I stopped taking the lithium and effexor immediately and reamed the doctor out on Nov 20 when he saw me. The counselor they sent me to was just as useless but not as deadly. She saw me for intake first Friday of Nov 2017. She talked about her kids almost the entire time. We scheduled our next 2 appoints (weekly) and she cancelled the 1st on, rescheduled for 1st week in Dec. She didn't show for the second one (her office was closed). She called after Thanksgiving and said her friend had died so she had to cancel the Dec appt. I never even tried again.

I went back to mental health at the VA in mid Dec 2017 and demanded to speak with a counselor (not a psychiatrist). I spoke with a woman that day, she referred me to the DBT (Dialectic Behavior Therapy) clinic. DBT is usually for BPD, which I hadn't been diagnosed with yet.

DBT at the VA is a wonderous program. It is 6 months to a year long, it's a weekly individual counselor and a weekly group session (I hate group). It really helped me pull out of the massive mental breakdown and has given some tools to work with going forward. I ended up loving group. It wasn't like other groups were you had to share trauma, as a matter of fact you're not supposed to (it could trigger others in the group).

I still have had not one day of therapy or counseling for my childhood molestation and rapes by my father or the gang rape I experienced in the Navy or any of the other traumas I've had.

I'm torn whether I want to go to the VA's MST counseling because they like to use REM and exposure therapy and other evidence based therapies. Not interested in exposure or REM (migraine trigger).

So though I now where to go, I don't have a financial cost (VA), I still am not sure I want to or will.

Jeez we're talking about things that happened 54-40 years ago and the gang rape I have blocked out totally.

Sorry I hope this is what you were talking about.

Yes, I over share but these things aren't secrets and I don't care who knows because none of what happened to me is my fault.

 

[Kumachan]

so all that happened 50+ years ago... Yes, that was my question but all these things are extremely complex, different meds/therapies... I wish you find strength to do whatever needs to be done

 

[LittleJem]

@Genetics I am so sorry for everything you have been through and send you huge admiration and hugs for your strength and resilience.

Doctors don't know everything and am pleased you trusted yourself and dodged that - they did not take care of your health properly.

 

[Downinginagony]

I had 3 weeks off and now the depression is back again. Why does nothing ever help for longer than 3 weeks? Also, psychiatrist has prescribed quietiapine - any thoughts or experiences?

I was taking 3 different meds to combat the side effects of quetiapine. Ridiculous

 

[LittleJem]

I was taking 3 different meds to combat the side effects of quetiapine. Ridiculous

Thanks for sharing. Are you still taking it, or did you come off? If you are off, how was it getting off it?

 

[xalltoowell]

I took quetiapine for 12 years for sleep. It was really hard to get off it, and I haven't had a decent nights sleep since stopping four months ago.
It worked great for sleep, but didn't make a difference on my mood. The side effects were pretty sucky though! I wouldn't personally recommend this medication unless the positives way outweighed the negatives! Good luck!

 

[Downinginagony]

Thanks for sharing. Are you still taking it, or did you come off? If you are off, how was it getting off it?

I got off of it a few years ago. I just stopped taking it, no issues getting off of it except my sleep was messed up for a few weeks. I was getting TD and cogentin wasn't working anymore. I have tried so many medications over the past 20 years. Nothing worked for me. A pill is not going to cure the pain I have experienced or the pain I have inflicted on other people and the guilt and shame I feel from that.

 

[AlexM]

I have been taking since last September as a part of complex my antidepressant therapy. I started from 400 mg per day, now it is 25 mg. I had some side effects, but not sure it depended to quietiapine. As I understand it in my case quietiapine helps to reduce another heavier anti-depressants, as well it works like sleeping pill. I dont know how it impacts on mood, here is enough reasons for depressed - weather, quarantine, etc. I can not say anything negative about quietiapine.

 

[JustLosingMyself]

I was prescribed quetiapine. 25mg/day.
It knocked me back for sixes. When taken at 8 pm I could not function the next day until mid afternoon. I was lightheaded, sleepy, and could not remember what i did 5 minutes earlier. I work with stats, numbers and databases for a living. What could have gone wrong.
Stopped taking them after 6 days.
Work great to knock me out when travelling though.

 

[Oh so tired]

I take quetiapine 75mg and initially it seemed to help stabilise my mood, but currently doesn't seem to be helping much. It really helps with my sleep though, which was awful before, I have to take the whole dose (3 tablets) before bed as to take during the day makes me too drowsy. I hope you start to feel better soon.