Hi SZ,
Should I switch back to Invega? Would I sleep the same? Is what I am worried about. I love the serogenic effect of seroquel but absolutely hate the reality of it's drowsy groggy side effects. Plus I remember for one year I was on Invega, and the reason I switched to seroquel was because of less prolactin or something like that pls educate.
I’m on 800mg seroquel I take a 400mg tab in later after noon wake up and later at 12A I take my bedtime 400mg. I have gone higher in dose but I’d be laying there sleeping on a couch and my arms would just lose it. Like it would literally fall limp, and I’d feel faint and dizzy. Horrible feelings.
On Invega, it had absolutely no side effects except weight gain for me. And to be honest I have not really noticed a weight reduction this includes exercise and diet, on as low as 400mg Seroquel and that is pushing minimum dose for me.
Plus I will be moving and the timed seroquel doses will conflict with everything and I feel like just popping one invega will be the solution. What you guys think? Thanks. Leave your comments below.
I have had good results with the seroquel XR. It is a slow release version. I have far less sedation than normal seroquel. I take 600mg in the morning (note it has to be taken on an empty stomach).
When I was taking seroquel normal, 300mg in the morning and again at night, I was knocked out. Now I can take 600mg at once and not really feel sedated.
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Ps like you I value seroquel a serogenic effects. In fact I have had better results with seroquel XR than I had with clozapine.
Jimbob. Seroquels (not XR) sedation effect was not required for a peacefuls nights rest? I’m in denial because I think if I trade off for XR instead I won’t fall to sleep. Not too worried, my pdoc appt in mid June. And I will say hey my decision is to switch to XR. cheers Jimbob
Hey flux. I don’t really have a problem with sleeping so lack of sedation was never an issue. You could try taking the XR at night. It just has to be taken a minimum of 2 hours after a meal (so on an empty stomach).
Hey Jimbob thanks for answering my question. Thats awesome. What about the XR and it’s release you got to take on empty stomach? I could guess that it has to do with the delivery system. But that is okay. Ever since I went on seroquel I’m proud to announce I went almost a year of consecutive sleep cycle. There were some nights though where I had to add trazodone. But rarely. Ever since my crisis a while back thankfully my pdoc added klonopin. I could handle taking the XR 2 hours after a meal.
Have you done any psychotherapy for the sleep difficulty? I hate to see people get strung out on hypnotic sedatives if there’s a cognitive reason for the sleep problem. If your mind races at night, it may well the direct result of the meds reaching half-life exhaustion, as well. This is waaaaaaaaaaay typical with almost all hypnotic sedatives.
There are mindfulness-based cognitive psychotherapies that work pretty well for sleep disorders. MBSR (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mindfulness-based_stress_reduction) is probably the best of them for this particular difficulty.
Workbooks are available. (Hey! Get expensive therapy on the cheap!) See http://www.amazon.com/A-Mindfulness-Based-Stress-Reduction-Workbook/dp/1572247088.
Not entirely sure why you have to take the XR on an empty stomach. I read somewhere that if taken with a fatty meal it loses its slow release properties and acts just like normal seroquel - with a more sedating effect.
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