Depression and sleeping too much...Effexor XR and Seroquel

BgDave · Post by **BgDave** » Sat Feb 09, 2008 6:40 pm

I am having trouble sleeping too much with my depression, I am taking 150 mg a day Effexor XR and 100 mg a day of Seroquel at bedtime. I am struggling with a lot of problems and sleep is I know sometimes an escape . I just must break this behavior does anyone else use these meds and have these troubles?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Feb 09, 2008 7:17 pm

Dave, How long have you been taking Seroquel? If it's a fairly short time I think this med could be causing your problem. If you look up seroquel on the "find" section, you will see many who have had problems with it. Just this week we had to see the Neurologist for my mother-in-law. We had to have him decrease her meds. The nurses called very concerned because she had a real frightened look. She's in the nursing home and has Lewey Body Disease which is a fast progressing Alzheimers. For her disease this med is a balancing act. Please read the different posts about this med. It seems the majority think it's bad. I'm on Lamictal. Ask your Dr. about that. Someone started a thread about it and it seems most comments are good. I found it to have much less side effects. How is "The Experiencing God" book helping. Are you also doing the program?Are you exercising and eating right? Sorry to ask so many questions. Just really want to see you well again.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Feb 09, 2008 7:18 pm

Also wanted to ask, does your wife support you?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Feb 09, 2008 9:54 pm

I have been taking it for over a month but was only taking 50mg and I would go to sleep and wake up in 3 hrs....sometimes in a panic....then they uped me to 100mg and it makes me too sleepy I think.
I will try taking less Seroquel....she is my gf we are not married Barb G..

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 3:32 am

Dave,
I was on Efexxor for 3 years. It seemed to make me sleepy on its own. I imagine the combination of the 2 is too much. I have been taking Cymbalta for 3 years now and it seems to work much better with less side effects.
Julie

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 4:20 am

I took Effexor yesterday for the first time and it made me really nauseous all day then at the 12 hr mark of having taking the one dose in the morning; I got extremely nauseous and almost threw up. My stomach was upset all day too. I still feel really horrible today and I didn't take it yet because I read some people were taking it every other day and I think I rather try that. I have IBS(Irritable bowel syndrome) and I certainly don't need something to make that worse but that's why the doctor put me on it for my IBS and my bad depression. But today besides the stomach ache I have a horrible headache. I'm so tired of feeling like crap; especially on the weekends. We never really get to do anything anymore because I'm always feeling like crap. So frustrated and I'm so worried my husband will eventually get tired of me being sick and house bound all the time and leave me.
Laura

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 5:11 am

Dave, I am going cold turkey off of Seroquel and Elavil and Klonopin. I have gotten worse and worse. I am the mother of 3 y/o twins and I have had 4 severe panick attacks in the last 2 weeks worse than I had ever had before taking any medication. I was never a depressed person, I had high energy, great fun personality, and now I don't leave the house, I have pain in my body so severe I ended up on pain pills. The only reason I started taking Elavil and Klonopin was because I couldn't sleep. I was so high energy and I couldn't slow my mind to sleep. I would think about anything and everything when I would try to go to sleep. I had less than 2 hrs of sleep a night for over 10 years while at the same time I was working a full time job and working out 3-4 hours a day. Since takin seroguel I have decided that I am more depressed than ever and I have absolutely no energy when just up to 1 year ago I still had enough energy to take care of my twins. This is not the case anymore I have a panic attack if my husband is not around while I have my daughters it is terrible. I hit bottom 2 nights ago and I am headed down the road of withdrawl where I have read on other chat sites is horrible from seroquel. I have read many post that have called it poison. I will be chekcing the posts often for my own sanity while I m going through withdrawl.

jillzmind · Post by **jillzmind** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 10:05 am

Punky, Have you talked to a Dr. about going off those meds cold turkey. I'm very concerned you could be setting yourself up for a very big fall especially if you've been on any of them any length of time. Please check with a Dr. before doing this or at least go off gradually. Also do you have any xanax or ativan to take before bed while going off these? I will be praying for you. I'm very concerned. Let us know what's happening.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 2:15 pm

Julie,

My gf takes Cymbalta and says it works well but makes her stomach upset, has it affected you that way?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 6:22 pm

I don't know how I would have handled my bout of anxiety/depression last year without seroquel. My psychiatrist did not want me to be on a benzo due to its physical addiction and I am just one of those people who get increased anxiety on an anti-depressant. I had a real hard time sleeping until seroquel. I used to take a tiny bit of seroquel in the day and 25mg at night and now I just take the night dose. I sleep 8 to 9 hours and wake up feeling just fine. The negative posts that I have read regarding seroquel seemed to be those people who really take too much.....unless being treated for another mental condition other than anxiety/depression. Every med affects people differently. I hope you find something that helps you through and keep on working on those thoughts....that helps a lot better than the drugs in my case.