⭐

Community AnchorEffexor

Hi @ruth, welcome! I'm glad our community is showing up in search results. 😊 How long have you been on Seroquel? If you've been on for some time, you'll want to read about Hyperbolic tapering. You can do this in the Resources section of the site on the left sidebar. Keep in mind that most psychiatrists will advise rapid linear tapers, so don't agree to anything until you can read a bit about safe tapering here. When you get a chance, go to Settings (in the bottom of the left sidebar) and create a Drug History signature for yourself. This will then appear at the bottom of all your posts and gives your fellow members an overview of your current situation. Thank you! We look forward to assisting you with tapering off the Seroquel! Catina 🩵

Venlafaxine (tapering) - Current dose 17.28 mg
Trazodone - 50 mg
Synthroid - 25 mcg

“Your brain and body know how to heal. Trust the process and keep going.”

Please Note: I am not a healthcare professional. Any advice given is based on personal experience and that of others in the lay withdrawal community.

R

ruthSep 17

Seroquel · supporting

Hi Catina, Thanks for your note. I was on seroquel for sleep for years. I tried going down very slowly but the restlessness came back. The restlessness is something I cannot deal with. I cannot find settings. Thanks, Ruth

⭐

CatinaSep 17

Community AnchorEffexor

Hi Ruth, You can add your Drug History Signature here: https://taper.community/settings Scroll down to where it says Drug History Signature. Hit "Save" when you're done...thank you!

Venlafaxine (tapering) - Current dose 17.28 mg
Trazodone - 50 mg
Synthroid - 25 mcg

“Your brain and body know how to heal. Trust the process and keep going.”

Please Note: I am not a healthcare professional. Any advice given is based on personal experience and that of others in the lay withdrawal community.

R

renee jSep 25

NavigatorSeroquel · active

Hi Ruth, I failed my 1st seroquel/ quetiapine (same drug) taper several years ago because I didn't know any thing about hyperbolic tapering, and just kept taking 12.5mg off even at the lower doses of about 100mg, which is when the trouble really started. At the time 12.5mg was the smallest cut I could make, because I didn't know I could get the liquid form from a compounding chemist. Hyperbolic tapering is when you decide on a reduction rate based on a percentage of the present dose, normally between 5 and 10%, and cut by that every 2 to 4 weeks, pref 4 at first. My present taper has only been going several weeks but in comparison to my first time virtually no withdrawal symptoms, a couple of rubbish nights of insomnia and a bit of irritability that's all. Catina's suggestion to get more info in the Resources is a totally good one.

Seroquel — 69 mg — 13 years — actively tapering

R

ruthSep 27

Seroquel · supporting

thank you Renee for you message.

anne noni mossSep 27

NavigatorPaxil · holding

Hi Ruth! I too take seroquel and want to taper but I must first get off paroxetine. I tried it the other way around before and forums like this recommend getting off the most stimulating medication first. So here I am, trying to be patient. I want off everything!!! Now! LOL. But I've found wisdom in the gradual approach.

atypical in presentation of side effects, super sensitive to small doses and general delayed responder. never took a psych med that didn't' make me sick immediately with infections and restless legs. have never been able to tolerate being on them, but have never had support to get off so I've been bouncing back and forth. i don't like capital letters. sorry.

Paxil — 1 mg — 2 yrs — holding until Oct. 7 doc appt.
Seroquel — 50 — planning taper |
trileptal -75 planning taper
prasozin 1 mg planning taper

started my psych med saga in 2001 and wish I never had. I had some difficulties with sleep and anxiety, but NOTHING like what was in store for me after trying every med out there. My last treatment center promised to "get me totally off" in 2022 but it was a lie. They just switched drugs and added more and more in a desperate attempt to help me "stabilize," so they could call me a "success story" once insurance stopped paying. I agree with those who state that this industry needs to change. AND I'm working on not being resentful about my suffering because it doesn't help anyone.

been on an off cocktails since 2001. Most recent mixture, prescribed in 2024: 20 mg Paxil, 150 Trileptal, 50 Seroquel, 2 mg prasozin, (for PTSD/nightmares.)

immediately went to 1 mg prasozin, and after 3 months cut to 10 mg paxil. No felt effects. Then went to 5 about 3 months later, (though I didnt' keep track so I'm rusty.) No felt effects. So, I've roughly been on 5 mg for a year and a half.

Side effects always force to to start tapering RIGHT AWAY.

I didn't start keeping track of my Paxil taper until this year. I went from 3mg to 1 in 10 months, using a liquid Maudsley-ish slow taper. Again, no felt effects until now.

October 2026...sleeping less and feeling more sedated during the day. Having trouble managing my social life without getting over-stimulated. Must set boundaries according to my body and not my heart.

Holding 1 mg paxil until blood work done and evaluated, and to see if build a social life that doesn't make me lose sleep. Sounds silly as I type it, but actually, nothing is "silly" on this ride! Everything is WILD!!!! LOL

Keeping all other meds the same. Sorry so long.

R

renee jSep 28

NavigatorSeroquel · active

A lot of people on these ghastly drugs naturally want to get off them as quickly as possible, but the urge has to be resisted. I've read some pretty horrifying things on these forums where people have rushed things, made their taper cuts too large or too rushed, usually misled by their clinicians about how easy it was supposed to be, and seem to have ended up with what looks like Protracted Withdrawal as a result. I'm tapering down from 75mg quetiapine, using 7% cuts of the current dose once every 30 days, and so far maybe a couple of nights early on of rubbish sleep and feeling a bit hungover-ish, and nothing more, unlike the last time when I got big-time withdrawals at this dosage, at first a 12.5% reduction after only 10 days, and 16% the next one. Had to give up, as you might expect. Marz, I read that when you are on more than one drug, it's easiest to get off the one you were put on most recently, as the brain hasn't had so much time to adapt to it, so withdrawal should be easier. Just as an example, my ex-psychiatrist suggested I reduce from 100mg at a rate of 25mg a fortnight, as one of her other patients had recently done successfully. Turned out she had only been on Q for 6 weeks, I've been on it for 13 years! I would have been in hospital with major withdrawal and possible seizures within 10 days if I'd taken that doctor's advice. Just something to think about though. Best, R.

Seroquel — 69 mg — 13 years — actively tapering

anne noni mossSep 28

NavigatorPaxil · holding

@renee j Thanks, R!!! Nice to meet you. And thank you so much for the reminder of "EASY DOES IT." I have failed to get off my meds three times previously, partly because I believed the lie that my withdrawal was "relapse". I was put on these drugs---like so many others, during a time of extreme stress and change. Oh! how I would take back the level of anxiety I had BEFORE the drugs. Just like Dr. Horowitz, my feelings of angst were a 4 out of 10 before medication. After? 15 out of ten! It was pure hell. Anxiety so strong that never left. I couldn't even sleep AT ALL to escape the pain for a few hours. HELL HELL HELL. I never knew life could be that painful. So, yes. Thanks for reminding me. I started taking all my current drugs at exactly the same time. Another forum suggested getting off the hardest-Paxil, while keeping the support of the other meds. My doctor didn't see any reason to disagree. Especially since doing it the OTHER way, (getting off the "easier" meds first) led to the horrors more than once. So, I suppose, keeping myself on quetiapine for another year or so as I get off this last mg of Paxil may not kill me. If it does, well, something has to, eventually. :)😏

atypical in presentation of side effects, super sensitive to small doses and general delayed responder. never took a psych med that didn't' make me sick immediately with infections and restless legs. have never been able to tolerate being on them, but have never had support to get off so I've been bouncing back and forth. i don't like capital letters. sorry.

Paxil — 1 mg — 2 yrs — holding until Oct. 7 doc appt.
Seroquel — 50 — planning taper |
trileptal -75 planning taper
prasozin 1 mg planning taper

started my psych med saga in 2001 and wish I never had. I had some difficulties with sleep and anxiety, but NOTHING like what was in store for me after trying every med out there. My last treatment center promised to "get me totally off" in 2022 but it was a lie. They just switched drugs and added more and more in a desperate attempt to help me "stabilize," so they could call me a "success story" once insurance stopped paying. I agree with those who state that this industry needs to change. AND I'm working on not being resentful about my suffering because it doesn't help anyone.

been on an off cocktails since 2001. Most recent mixture, prescribed in 2024: 20 mg Paxil, 150 Trileptal, 50 Seroquel, 2 mg prasozin, (for PTSD/nightmares.)

immediately went to 1 mg prasozin, and after 3 months cut to 10 mg paxil. No felt effects. Then went to 5 about 3 months later, (though I didnt' keep track so I'm rusty.) No felt effects. So, I've roughly been on 5 mg for a year and a half.

Side effects always force to to start tapering RIGHT AWAY.

I didn't start keeping track of my Paxil taper until this year. I went from 3mg to 1 in 10 months, using a liquid Maudsley-ish slow taper. Again, no felt effects until now.

October 2026...sleeping less and feeling more sedated during the day. Having trouble managing my social life without getting over-stimulated. Must set boundaries according to my body and not my heart.

Holding 1 mg paxil until blood work done and evaluated, and to see if build a social life that doesn't make me lose sleep. Sounds silly as I type it, but actually, nothing is "silly" on this ride! Everything is WILD!!!! LOL

Keeping all other meds the same. Sorry so long.

R

renee jSep 28

NavigatorSeroquel · active

Yeah, it can be pure hell alright, been there during my valium withdrawal 13 years ago. But I came out the other end at last, even if it was a linear taper. Originally took it casually for stress and anxiety, but had a 25mg a day habit within a fortnight. I think we are too ready to think of anxiety/stress as something abnormal that has to have a drug like these things we've been put on, but it's always been part of life, it's a natural response to, among other things, dangerous or harmful situations. And I think that there are far better ways to deal with it in the long run, by making lifestyle changes, CBT therapy, general relaxation techniques etc. Are you more or less stable on your meds? if you are it's the time to start a taper if you want to. And can you do a hyperbolic taper? It's working well for me right now. It's going to take a while, but the withdrawals are barely noticeable compared to the linear one. Hang in there, you look to me like you're doing all the right things, especially checking out other people's experiences on this website.

Seroquel — 69 mg — 13 years — actively tapering

anne noni mossSep 29

NavigatorPaxil · holding

Yes .more or less stable. But very sick. These meds lower white blood cells levels and I'm especially prone to infection. So I must accept the constant illness for now. Thanks for your thoughts!!

atypical in presentation of side effects, super sensitive to small doses and general delayed responder. never took a psych med that didn't' make me sick immediately with infections and restless legs. have never been able to tolerate being on them, but have never had support to get off so I've been bouncing back and forth. i don't like capital letters. sorry.

Paxil — 1 mg — 2 yrs — holding until Oct. 7 doc appt.
Seroquel — 50 — planning taper |
trileptal -75 planning taper
prasozin 1 mg planning taper

started my psych med saga in 2001 and wish I never had. I had some difficulties with sleep and anxiety, but NOTHING like what was in store for me after trying every med out there. My last treatment center promised to "get me totally off" in 2022 but it was a lie. They just switched drugs and added more and more in a desperate attempt to help me "stabilize," so they could call me a "success story" once insurance stopped paying. I agree with those who state that this industry needs to change. AND I'm working on not being resentful about my suffering because it doesn't help anyone.

been on an off cocktails since 2001. Most recent mixture, prescribed in 2024: 20 mg Paxil, 150 Trileptal, 50 Seroquel, 2 mg prasozin, (for PTSD/nightmares.)

immediately went to 1 mg prasozin, and after 3 months cut to 10 mg paxil. No felt effects. Then went to 5 about 3 months later, (though I didnt' keep track so I'm rusty.) No felt effects. So, I've roughly been on 5 mg for a year and a half.

Side effects always force to to start tapering RIGHT AWAY.

I didn't start keeping track of my Paxil taper until this year. I went from 3mg to 1 in 10 months, using a liquid Maudsley-ish slow taper. Again, no felt effects until now.

October 2026...sleeping less and feeling more sedated during the day. Having trouble managing my social life without getting over-stimulated. Must set boundaries according to my body and not my heart.

Holding 1 mg paxil until blood work done and evaluated, and to see if build a social life that doesn't make me lose sleep. Sounds silly as I type it, but actually, nothing is "silly" on this ride! Everything is WILD!!!! LOL

Keeping all other meds the same. Sorry so long.

R

ruthOct 1

Seroquel · supporting

I think I am doing ok. :) I am having other symptoms that are kicking my butt. I live with chronic pain but now my pain is through the roof. I am checking other issues I have like psoriatic arthritis and fibromyalgia with a Rheumatologist. So I will see if anything is going on there. Thanks all for the support.

Hi, I'm ruth

11 Replies

Join the conversation

Need a clinician who understands tapering?