Those of you on seroquel

[breakdance202]

How do you handle excessive hunger, if that is a side effect you experience?

I can't stop thinking about food! I'm obsessed with it! If you put an entire buffet in front of me I'd probably eat the entire thing. I can't stop thinking about buffets and chocolate cake. It's horrible. I'm frantic with starvation. I spent an entire morning pacing around frantic with hunger. All I can think about is food! And I'm paranoid about gaining massive quantities of weight and becoming morbidly obese and only being able to fit into sweatpants. And it's not like I'm NOT eating. I am. Not in massive quantities. Just in the same amount I always have (prior to seroquel). Well, for the most part anyway. I made a chocolate cake the other day because I love baking, but not actually eating what I bake because usually after I'm done baking I'm so sick of whatever I was making that I don't want to eat any of it, but I ended up eating the ENTIRE THING. My husband was impressed. He didn't think I had that in me. I didn't think I had that in me!

And it ***** because this is just an overly annoying side effect. It's not like I'm not tolerating the medication, or it's not working for my mood and anxiety, because it is (I know because I stopped taking it for two days and started going down into depression and my anxiety tripled).

So, seroquel people, how do you deal with this side effect?

Tricks, tips, suggestions?

(And no I don't plan on eating an entire chocolate cake again. ;o) I'm refraining from baking from now on.)

[breakdance202]

I just bought a scale, and according to the scale I've actually lost weight since starting it (was 128, now 122). But, I've only been on it for a couple of months.

I bought some sugar free gum and have been gnawing on that, and I've been trying to drink more water. And I've been smoking more (I know. Unhealthy. Horrible). Unfortunately none of those things have helped with the hunger. I'll just deal with the hunger situation until my doctor calls me back. I'm afraid to even eat a carrot now, so I've started just not eating anything. This stuff is going to give me an eating disorder. I'm so paranoid about gaining weight.

[breakdance202]

Thanks. :o) Due to all the water I've been drinking, my hunger has thankfully lessened somewhat. And my weight so far has remained the same.

[LADYMEDY]

HI THERE...
I KNOW ITS FACT THAT I HAVE GAINED ? LBS .....BUT IT IS WORTH THE PROGRESS IVE MADE.
MY DOCTOR WAS GOING TO SWITCH TO DEPACOTE BUT I HAVE A BAD LIVER.

SO IAM NOW KEEPING PEELED SLICED APPLES, NUTS,JUICE POPCYCLES AND YOGURT AVAILABLE OTHER THAN THAT I AM STARTING A WALKING ROUTINE TO HELP....

GOOD LUCK TO YOU

[breakdance202]

I was just wondering about the rapid weight gain thing, because with the other ap's I've tried I gained right away, rapid speed, twenty pounds in a month. It was horrible.

[breakdance202]

I will set rules for myself now...like no jars of strawberry jam after nine thirty (I work 12 - 8 shifts, so we have dinner around 8:30). Luckily I don't eat meat or dairy, so other than the jam (disgusting I know!) I have to actually bake something if I want something sweet. Thanks for the advice seroquel people. :o)

[Bubulous]

Weight gain with Seroquel can start pretty quick but you may not notice it for a little while.  By the tie you have noticed it a lot of times you will feel defeated or insecure about it.  It is a lot harder to prevent things when they are small rather than try to shrink them once they have grown.

[breakdance202]

When did you start gaining? Was it right away, or over a period of time?

[Midwalian]

I only got diagnosed with bipolar 2 last year. Quetiapine (seriously) helped me out a lot. But I also gained a lot of weight... too much. So, after speaking to my pdoc I've switched over to respiadone which doesn't seem as bad.

So, now trying to watch what I eat and drink more... Hopefully I'll manage to lose the pounds as well as feel more balanced. Not easy on these mess

[Crystal413]

Some meds have made me smoke more too!!

You may just have a high metabolism and that's why your not gaining which is a great thing. Not eating is not only not good for the brain but body too. Not eating also will slow down your metabolism. Some meds actually change your metabolism.

Bubulous gave some great advice.

[Bubulous]

I am one of the Seroquel people lol
It is a challenge to fight the temptation to stuff yourself when the Seroquel kicks in.  I had to make rules for myself kind of like Gizmo on the gremlins.  I won't eat after 6 pm.  I won't allow myself seconds on anythiing.  of course exercise helps too.
Resisting the urge to eat a lot or eat all of the time is an unfortunate part of taking the Seroquel and both of us know that it works because I have been on it for a long time (off and on) and I too have stopped it before and noticed how the depression came back or somtimes mania.

[Crystal413]

I know what you mean about the hunger and sugar cravings! You might want to try always having a bottle of water around. Water fills me up so it helped with the cravings/hunger. It might help for you. I know this trial and error business with meds is frustrating. You could always try a diff med (financially feasible) and always go back to Seraquel if you didn't find one that works. Watch your weight and if it creeps up too high you'll know it's time to change. At least that's what I did with meds that caused this type of problem.

[breakdance202]

Yeah. I spoke to my doctor about different antipsychotics we could try, but I've already tried many in the past. Abilify, risperadol (sp), zyprexa, and they either made me really twitchy, gain tons of weight, or gave me that horrible restless feeling (name of which I can't remember). I've been on so many meds I had trouble remembering them all when my doc asked.

She recommended latuda, gave me a bunch of samples, but I have a way high deductible on non generics. Even with the savings card it would be seventy five a month, and I can't afford that right now, so I didn't see the point of even starting it.

The seroquel is really helping me a lot, especially with my anxiety. Prior I had all sorts of phobias and fears, and its very much lifted my mood. And it doesn't make me twitchy or restless, and I haven't gained any weight so far, but I haven't been on it that long. Just damn hunger! And sugar cravings. I even dream about frosting and cakes. ;o)


So, calling doctor's office tomorrow. I read geodon is weight neutral, but I'm not sure if that has a generic.

I just love the seroquel. Haven't felt this level in years. Sigh. Happy and content and starving and potentially fat, or thin and anxious and unstable and the potential of going psychotic again. Decisions. I suck at those.

[Crystal413]

I have had Seraquel and other meds cause excessive hunger. My solution was stopping the med and choosing another one that didn't do this to me.