Posted by Cam W. on November 29, 2001, at 0:48:37
In reply to Question for Cam...RE: Seroquel Mix, posted by kiddo on November 28, 2001, at 17:09:13
Kiddo - Give the Seroquel™ (quetiapine) some time. You have to slowly increase the does to about 400mg/day (either 200mg twice daily, 100mg am & 300mg at bed, or 400mg at bed). The range of Seroquel's usual efficacy is between 200mg and 600mg a day. I have seen it as high as 900mg a day in some patients with schizophrenia.
The slow titration is to try to avoid the side effects that you are presently experiencing. Perhaps ask your doc for some 25mg tablets and start at 25mg to 50mg at bed for a week, and then sloewly raise it by 25mg or 50mg a week. Judge how fast to increase the dose by how you feel. If the side effects are slow to fade away, increase the dose slower.
I find that Seroquel works well as an augmenting agent. When used by itself, especially in schizophrenia, it seems to poop-out fairly fast (eg. within a month or two of after reaching a target dose of 400mg to 600mg per day. Adding Seroquel to Lamictal™ (lamotrigine) and Tranxene™ (chlorazepate) seems like a good idea. The Seroquel doesn't cause near as much weight gain as Clozaril™ (clozapine), Zyprexa™ (olanzapine), or even Risperdal (risperidone). It also does not seem to cause EPS at any dose (it doesn't seem to block the dopamine receptors a levels of greater than 80% occupancy, which is similar to Clozaril).
Again, give your body a few weeks to adjust to the Seroquel. Ask your doc about increasing the dose more slowly. Seroquel can be great for sleep, but you have to get over the start-up side effects.
I hope that this is of some help. Good luck and hang in there! - Cam
P.S. Keep us posted on your progress.
poster:Cam W.
thread:85440
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20011123/msgs/85482.html