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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by lunksmoo on October 6, 2009, at 4:08:22
I am coming off of Emsam 12 mg. about 3 weeks ago (gave me bad orthostatic hypotension), and doc started me on Seroquel 50 mg, then upped it to 100 mg. Since then I have had the most frigtening panic attacks of my life; sitting pulse of 160, BP 187/105, chronic chest pains, hyperventilation, extreme dizziness. I thought Seroquel was supposed to have a calming effect? By the way, I am not bipolar or Schizophrenic, my doc is giving it to me for treatment resistant depression (by itself). I was reading online the FDA hasn't approved it for unipolar depression by itself.
Posted by Jeroen on October 6, 2009, at 4:58:51
In reply to Can Seroquel cause extreme panic attacks?, posted by lunksmoo on October 6, 2009, at 4:08:22
yes seroquel caused a severe pannick attack in myself caused by depression of the med
they put me on Paxil 20 mg to combat it, and it did work after months
Posted by Phillipa on October 6, 2009, at 10:57:36
In reply to Can Seroquel cause extreme panic attacks?, posted by lunksmoo on October 6, 2009, at 4:08:22
Guess the Emsam didn't work. Did the seroquel at 50mg work? No don't think it's FDA approved. Phillipa
Posted by lunksmoo on October 6, 2009, at 12:32:16
In reply to Can Seroquel cause extreme panic attacks?, posted by lunksmoo on October 6, 2009, at 4:08:22
I don't remember much a couple of weeks ago on the 50 mg, except I fell asleep extremely quickly, and I didn't have the panic attacks until later in the week on the 50 mg.
My doctor is going to put me on another med in a couple of weeks to augment the Seroquel, possibly something like Wellbutrin. She put me on Seroquel to help alleviate the weaning-off of the Emsam. But I am afraid of the panic attacks. She did prescribe some ativan yesterday to help with the panic.
Posted by bleauberry on October 6, 2009, at 19:55:30
In reply to Can Seroquel cause extreme panic attacks?, posted by lunksmoo on October 6, 2009, at 4:08:22
I do not understand the popularity of Seroquel. I would say in maybe 2 out of 10 people it has some remarkable effect, but mostly not. If someone needs a real good antipsychotic for depression, I would usually turn to Zyprexa first choice, Amisulpride second choice, Abilify third choice. Risperdal is also a potential second or third choice. All of these work best in combination with a low dose SSRI, probably either lexapro or prozac, sometimes zoloft or effexor. In small trial of treatment resistant patients, combination of Milnacipran+Risperdal or Milnacipran+Zyprexa resulted in complete remission of most of the patients (about 80%).
Seroquel, and all antipsychotics actually, cause me increased anxiety. It's weird though, they kind of sedate me and soothe me in some ways, yet get me nervous in other ways at the same time. Bizarre combination. My best guess is it has something to do with the 5ht2 antagonism firing too much norepinephrine and dopamine, or the alpha2 antagonism firing too much norepinephrine. Serotonin and dopamine are partially blocked, accounting for the calming, while norepinephrine is stimulated, resulting in the nervousness. Maybe in your case, the norepinephrine elevation is overly strong due to individual biology.
I would say at least 50% of what you are feeling is post-Ensam readjustment. Even though it might not have helped you feel better, your synapses were flooded with more neurotransmitters than they were accustomed to. They were getting used to it. Now all of a sudden the floodgates have been opened and all the neuros are draining away, leaving those synapses frieking out.
Just some thoughts.
Posted by lunksmoo on October 7, 2009, at 13:50:59
In reply to Re: Can Seroquel cause extreme panic attacks? » lunksmoo, posted by bleauberry on October 6, 2009, at 19:55:30
Thank you bleauberry for your explanation, it means alot, especially the effect of norepinephrine after going off the Emsam. Last night I ate about 1/2 can of baked beans, took a seroquel, and about 1/2 after taking the seroquel, I started passing out, extremely dizzy, and my heart rate when berserk. My BP was 120/81, my blood sugar level was 114, and my temp was 98.7. The heart rate thing, and the overall feeling of sicklieness and chest and body pains scared the bejeebers out of me, and the loss of control of conciousness scare me too.
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