STEPHEN FRY

I was on 800mg of seroquel. The higher the dose, the less the sedative effect (weirdly). But the dry mouth never goes away and I've had to have 2 teeth pulled and 2 crowns because bacteria thrive in a mouth where there is less saliva to kill them off. It also makes me dizzy. As a drug it works but I want to stop it mainly because of the weight gain. Quetiapine is well known for causing weight gain, though in this case, the higher the dose, the worse the weight gain. I've halved my dose to 400mg - with the agreement of my psychiatrist, and when i next see him i will ask to come off the stuff entirely.

KSx

Can sympathise with dry mouth issues, really bad on Lithium. I find sugar free chewing gum helps a lot and ice pops. I am now on the liquid lithium as was struggling with the tablets. Noticed dry mouth not been so bad, early days though and have to go back to weekly blood tests till levels stabalise again.

Vx

Aloha. As a total "medication resistant" soldier of mental health, I know two things about Suzi Qs. Firstly, the small doses DO work for anxiety and moderation of my nightmares. Secondly, do not purchase, store or tempt yourself with ANY form of sugary, carbohydrate ridden treats. Seroquel doesnt put weight on, but it causes insatiable cravings for sugar etc. I have read a scholarly paper that several diabetics were put on Qtpn, and despite being vigilantly monitored, their blood sugars were not able to be stabilised. As such, I have found being a menace with my diet does help. And when the sugar cravings hit, drink more water. The "Less sugar/More water" rule can only be helpful with 'likely' side effects. Last word; we have to be our own masters regarding our physical and emotional well being so as to keep our mental health in check. Good luck and remember, your anxiety CAN NOT KILL YOU. Only our behaviour when anxious is literally dangerous so stay strong

I suffer from depression (severe/moderate)rather than bipolar, but take Quetiapine along with two other anti depressants to level out moods. I take it at night, so any drowsiness caused by the drug helps me to sleep rather than make me drowsy during the day. My mix of meds enable me to live a fairly "normal" and active life, although I no longer work.

For me Quetiapine really works.

The downside; like many other drugs for depression/bipolar, it can cause weight gain, probably through causing a craving for sweet things. Having a glass or two of water helps. Try not to skip meals - you'll only crave sweet things and will end up eating loads of sweets with far more caleries than the missed meal. Never go food shopping when you're hungry/just before a meal etc. Dryness of mouth? Hadn't really noticed, but I drink a lot of water anyway.

I've been on quetiapine for a few weeks/months now, I guess, (was originally prescribed it to mitigate hallucinations), and gained a ton of weight, despite my best efforts to continue to exercise, eat healthy, and drink lots of water. In theory, I should not have gained weight (calories in were not > than calories burned). It's really starting to worry me, and when I asked the psychiatrist if I could stop taking them (have not hallucinated for a while, have been relatively stable) she refused... does anyone have any suggestions as to what I should do?