Two weeks ago, I spoke with my psychiatrist and we agreed that it would be a good idea if I could do without Seroquel.It's been about a week now since I stopped.
Not surprisingly, the biggest impact has been on my sleep. Typically, I go to bed around 10, sleep for an hour-and-a-half, perhaps two, and then am awake for most of the night. I'll catch a few hours more, perhaps in the early morning or in a short nap during the day. In all, though, I've averaged less than five hours per day since I started reducing and then stopped the medication.
That said, I feel better than I probably ought to feel. The tiredness that I feel is quite different from the daytime grogginess brought on by Seroquel. I have been able to think reasonably clearly and get the most important stuff done each day. My mood is good.
I'm under no illusion that there is no risk here. I've changed medication regimens before, seeing significant improvements for weeks and even months, only to spin back into trouble. I'll be careful and, most importantly, honest with myself and my family about how I'm doing.
Nevertheless, with all that's coming out regarding Seroquel's side effects and how AstraZeneca has not been totally forthcoming regarding the company's test results, I feel much safer without the drug.
By the way, I keep a collection of links regarding Seroquel on delicious.com. You can find the links here. I update the list almost daily. The Furious Seasons blog has done some very good reporting on Seroquel and AZ.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Seroquel update
Sunday, March 8, 2009
On Seroquel (and off)
The reports about Seroquel and AstraZeneca's behavior during the approval process get scarier. The AZ lawyer commenting on the various lawsuits reminds me of Nathan Frum, the character played by Martin Short, who was the lawyer defending the tobacco industry.
So, after doing my homework, including reading the Seroquel Prescribing Information (PDF file) that's been updated recently, I had an appointment with my psychiatrist and discussed the option of discontinuing Seroquel. He thought that it was a fine idea.
So, I've been reducing my dosage and, last night, went without it. I had a lousy night's sleep, which isn't surprising, but have felt good. My doctor and I agreed that, if the need presents itself, I can start taking it again, but I only need to do so for the duration of a difficult time.
Here's a just a few of the links about Seroquel that I've collected in the past few weeks:
You can see an updated list of links in my Delicious bookmarks.
