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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by joy on February 14, 2003, at 15:33:26
My elderly aunt who is 86 with Alzheimer's was given Seroquel, and it has made a big difference. The other meds made her withdraw, and she wouldn't eat anything, and her speech was gibberish. She can speak now, and is eating. This is the first medication that has really helped and I just wanted to post it.
Joy
Posted by highanxiety on February 14, 2003, at 17:43:13
In reply to Seroquel, posted by joy on February 14, 2003, at 15:33:26
I read a thread here about folks using it for bi-polar and OCD(yes!!) and I'd like to mention this to my psych dr. and ask if I can try this when I see her next week. If people are having good results with less anxiety and/or depression, that'll help.
I'm slooowly cutting back on remeron (have to) and my mood is slooowly going south. Could I start taking it while tapering off the rem?
Waiting to see the neuro to then start topomax...but thats a whole n'other story. He also wants me to try Lexapro, but so far I can't tolerate any SSRI:-(.
Thanks for any responses! Apologies if this was addressed before..
Posted by xjs7 on February 14, 2003, at 20:23:15
In reply to Seroquel, posted by joy on February 14, 2003, at 15:33:26
Hi Joy,
It's great that the Seroquel helped your aunt. Her condition sounds very severe. Do you know if she has had any hallucinations or delusions? It sounds like she has formal thought disorder (disorganized speech). I am interested in how medications help people who have Alzheimers or other dementias. I always like to read about people who have attained relief from psychosis or other severe mental disorders. Thanks for posting this.
xjs7
Posted by xjs7 on February 14, 2003, at 20:36:58
In reply to Can Seroquel work as a good anti-anxiety-AD?, posted by highanxiety on February 14, 2003, at 17:43:13
Hi highanxiety,
If you want to try an antipsychotic you should be very careful about possible side effects. I have read about far too many people who suffer permanent side effects from antipsychotic drugs like Seroquel. Some of these people were never even psychotic (or manic).
I am echoing the opinions of most psychiatrists I have read about. Most say there are better things to take for non-psychotic conditions than antipsychotics. This is why it is critical for psychiatrists to detect true psychosis. If there is psychosis, the usage of an AP agent makes sense in the long term. If there is no psychosis, the side effects of even the best antipsychotics just are not worth the possible benefit. Remember that this opinion is just what I have learned from reading a lot of papers about psychiatry. You are free to see things differently. I hope this helps.
xjs7
Posted by highanxiety on February 14, 2003, at 21:11:55
In reply to Re: Can Seroquel work as a good anti-anxiety-AD? » highanxiety, posted by xjs7 on February 14, 2003, at 20:36:58
thanks xjs7, all informed opinions are helpful! I really need to ask the psych about that..
Apologies to Joy, I'm sorry, I thought I had started a new thread. Glad to hear your grandmother has responded so well to Seroquel.
Posted by Tabitha on February 14, 2003, at 23:57:22
In reply to Can Seroquel work as a good anti-anxiety-AD?, posted by highanxiety on February 14, 2003, at 17:43:13
Hi,
I used seroquel for obsessive-compulsive thoughts and it was fabulous. I'd be lying in bed, my poor crazy mind going round and round its same tired loops, and the seroquel just broke up the crazy thought trains and stopped them dead. Aaaah, what relief!
I only used it at bedtime, and for short term. I've tried it for more garden variety anxiety and it didn't do much. I'd be afraid to rely on it daily due to the fear of the movement disorder side effects.
I had a hard time with using a drug with that name 'antipyschotic', after all, I'm not psychotic, right? But if you think about it, psychosis is just your mind creating too much stuff on its own, and so is OCD. It's just the nature of the thoughts that are different.
Posted by missinglynxx on February 15, 2003, at 4:49:01
In reply to Seroquel, posted by joy on February 14, 2003, at 15:33:26
Joy , Im happy for you that your aunt got great treatment and at 86 , was not ignored or unfairly treated! You sound like a COOL woman . CONGRATS. how is she eating and talking now?
Posted by Emme on February 15, 2003, at 8:49:28
In reply to Can Seroquel work as a good anti-anxiety-AD?, posted by highanxiety on February 14, 2003, at 17:43:13
I've had good luck with a low dose of seroquel for anxiety and lamictal-induced insomnia. My pdoc said it also could provide some additional mood stabilization. She felt the risk of movement disorders was low enough for the benefits.
I use it sporadically. Normally clonazepam does very well for me with anxiety. But on those days when my body and mind just *won't* settle down, a crumb, and I do mean a tiny nibble (probably about 3 mg) helps. When I have needed extra help with sleep, about 6.25 mg does the trick for me. I'm med-sensitive and I tolerate teeny doses of it well. (Using an SSRI to help with my chronic anxiety isn't an option for me.)
Emme
> I read a thread here about folks using it for bi-polar and OCD(yes!!) and I'd like to mention this to my psych dr. and ask if I can try this when I see her next week. If people are having good results with less anxiety and/or depression, that'll help.
>
> I'm slooowly cutting back on remeron (have to) and my mood is slooowly going south. Could I start taking it while tapering off the rem?
>
> Waiting to see the neuro to then start topomax...but thats a whole n'other story. He also wants me to try Lexapro, but so far I can't tolerate any SSRI:-(.
>
> Thanks for any responses! Apologies if this was addressed before..
Posted by SLS on February 15, 2003, at 11:37:42
In reply to Re: Can Seroquel work as a good anti-anxiety-AD? » highanxiety, posted by Tabitha on February 14, 2003, at 23:57:22
> I had a hard time with using a drug with that name 'antipyschotic', after all, I'm not psychotic, right? But if you think about it, psychosis is just your mind creating too much stuff on its own, and so is OCD. It's just the nature of the thoughts that are different.
Hi.It is tempting to pigeon-hole drugs by giving them a label based upon their initial clinical usage. Seroquel is not an antipsychotic, rather, it is a chemical compound possessing properties that when used as a drug has the ability to mitigate psychotic states. However, it may, and does, possess other properties as well - antidepressant, mood-stabilizing, hypnotic, anxiolytic, antiemetic, etc. The label given a drug or the clinical catergory it has been placed into does not dictate its usage nor represent a diagnosis of the person using it.
- Scott
Posted by laurarn on February 15, 2003, at 12:48:13
In reply to Re: Can Seroquel work as a good anti-anxiety-AD?, posted by SLS on February 15, 2003, at 11:37:42
I've used a low dose of Seroquel at night and prn during the day when my racing thoughts have tumbled out of control. Daytime use results in sleeping for about an hour and then I wake up with my thoughts much more in order.
I think AP's are overused by those who don't need them. But for those of us who do benefit greatly from them they can be a lifesaver. Yes, there are the risk of side effects but that is the price I am willing to pay in order to not lose my mind.
I've been fortunate in that my low dose has most likely resulted in no side effects. My experience with using Seroquel for anxiety has been to use a very low dose. Increasing the dose only resulted in more anxiety for some reason.
Posted by highanxiety on February 15, 2003, at 15:06:29
In reply to Re: Can Seroquel work as a good anti-anxiety-AD?, posted by laurarn on February 15, 2003, at 12:48:13
My problem is compound: I have temporal lobe seizures, I experience tremendous terror and anxiety, and I have one, just one, particular phobia that kicks into overdrive and DRIVES ME NUTS. The phobia interferes with some activities & my daily life. I know it's completely irrational but it's an obsessive fear and it's virtually impossible to get it out of my head. It sounds like from what some of you are writing that a low dose could be effective in getting off this particular OCD train of thought. I don't know if it fuels the anxiety or if the anxiety fuels the phobia... the perrenial chicken/egg question!Of course if it also helps anxiety and depression...sounds like something good for my situation (hope its not something that lowers the seizure threshold to where I have to worry).
I am also very med sensitive...tried Luvox, worked somewhat but couldn't tolerate:-( Remeron has done zip with this.
I really appreciate all (and more if anyone else posts) the information and experience you provide. You've helped me make an important decision. I'm definitely going to ask to try this while I'm tapering off the rem...
Again apologies to Joy! thanks again...
Posted by justyourlaugh on February 15, 2003, at 15:24:21
In reply to Re: Can Seroquel work as a good anti-anxiety-AD?, posted by highanxiety on February 15, 2003, at 15:06:29
hi,
just wanted to give you another opion.
i use 75mg at night for many months and a few times in the evening when i felt"on the wall".
it took 1 and a half hours to work.
but it knocked me out after that.
i havent used it in 3 days..
slept well last night..
no withdrawl .
j
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