Seroquel For Treating Mood Swings For Those With Complex Trauma - Is It Effective?

[Ed Norton]

I'm horny on bupropion but maybe I'm just horny :P

Seriously, I TOTALLY see your perspective though.

 

[Queen Boudica]

"With regard to comparative harms, the re-submission presented the same results as in the previous submission. The occurrence of specific adverse events was different for quetiapine and lithium. Quetiapine XR treatment was mostly associated with dry mouth, somnolence, fatigue, sedation, dizziness and weight gain, while lithium was mostly associated with nausea, tremors and diarrhoea.

The PBAC expressed particular concern that 14 of 231 patients on quetiapine gained more than 7% of their body weight over the course of the six week trial. The PBAC noted the potential flow-on health consequences of weight gain with regard to incidence of diabetes in younger patients most likely to be prescribed quetiapine for this indication.

The PBAC noted that 5 patients (2.2%) in the quetiapine XR group suffered serious adverse events (SAEs), while 1 patient (0.4%) in the add-on lithium group had SAEs. 23 patients (10%) on quetiapine had AEs leading to discontinuation, compared with 18 patients (7.9%) in the add-on lithium group. The proportion of patients with any AE was 51.5% of lithium patients compared with 67.1% quetiapine.

Overall, the PBAC considered that the short duration of the trial precluded the possibility of concluding that lithium and quetiapine are non-inferior in terms of comparative safety"

http://www.pbs.gov.au/info/industry/listing/elements/pbac-meetings/psd/2013-07/quetiapine

Not even approved for PBS for treatment of depression. That's why she wanted me to go private script, because if I went PBS she would have had to lie and say I had bipolar. Pretending it was so she could protect me if there is a custody case. OMG

And the other thing it said is that at least 2 antidepressants should have been prescribe and failed before prescribing Seroquel

"The PBAC noted and expressed concern over the utilisation patterns for quetiapine from the Drug utilisation Sub-Committee (DUSC) analysis of antipsychotics, particularly the use of low doses as potential hypnotics and the current use of quetiapine outside the proposed restriction for treatment resistant major depression in patients who have not been on two antidepressants prior to initiation. The use of quetiapine in combination with antidepressants was also a matter of concern to the PBAC. Overall, the PBAC considered that there is high risk of use outside the proposed restriction

The PBAC considered that a stakeholder meeting may help to provide context to the antipsychotic utilisation patterns observed in the DUSC analysis, particularly regarding prescribing patterns that may be regarded as unsafe. The PBAC requested that the Department liaise with relevant stakeholders to organise a meeting.

The PBAC referred the matter of antipsychotic prescribing patterns to the National Prescribing Service as the subject of a future education campaign"

 

[Queen Boudica]

http://www.pbs.gov.au/info/industry...eetings/psd/2007-11/pbac-psd-zonisamide-nov07
This one is useful, gives a table of side-effects due to lamictal found in clinical trials.

 

[Queen Boudica]

None of these anti-seizure drugs are approved for depression on PBS so I would have again to pay a fortune for them as well.

 

[Queen Boudica]

Topomax:

"Across all topiramate treatment groups, the most commonly reported adverse events were related to the central and peripheral nervous system (i.e., neurologic) or were psychiatric in nature. Paresthesia was the most frequently occurring adverse event in patients receiving topiramate, with higher incidence (35%-51%) than in the placebo group (6%). Other common neurologic or psychiatric adverse events that were reported at least twice as frequently in all topiramate dose groups compared with the placebo group included language problems (6.5%-8.0% vs. 1.9%), anorexia (9%-15%% vs. 6%), difficulty with memory (7%-11% vs. 2%), anxiety (4%-6% vs. 2%), mood problems (3%-7% vs. 2%), difficulty with concentration/attention (3%-12% vs. 2%), and nervousness (3.6%-4.8% vs. 1.9%)."

http://www.pbs.gov.au/info/industry/listing/elements/pbac-meetings/psd/2006-07/topiramate

 

[Ed Norton]

In the US it's so much more liberal when it comes to prescribing ability. Off label prescriptions are very common. Here the physician determines what's best. I'm sorry about the frustrating situation that you face.

 

[Queen Boudica]

I'm concerned she handed me a script for Seroquel, with known associations of weight gain and all the things associated with that. I am actually in the obese range.I have major back problems. Doesn't matter if it is due to me not exercising enough, fact is i am already at risk for diabetes and cholesterol problems to add something that then could cause my weight to go up further and tell me just exercise. There have been many court cases in the US about Seroquel and diabetes and they are being settled out of court. She didn't even check my blood pressure, weigh me. And as others have now suggested, I'm actually peri-menopausal I am having really bad hot flushes, so my hormones are all over the place and could be contributing to this.

She told me I wasn't trying with my mental illness, because I wasn't listening to them and I am saying no to this, when in fact I have been going to weekly therapy, asking for help and trying to learn how to cope with this, I took antidepressant which I was so against doing, despite my immense fear of meds and all that happened with my sister. I have pushed myself up in the day, I look after my kids, I take them to numerous appointments, deal with all their anxiety, ADHD, extreme allergies. Protected them from their abusive father who not only has a history of violence but rape and child abuse, got out of that abusive relationship. Still have my abuser around. Still stuck in the house I was abused in and can't move on. I am trying to work on my back problems by doing pilates 2x a week. I am now studying a Masters which causes me extreme stress. I got a distinction for my last unit. I have low confidence, social anxiety, extremely poor image of myself, fear all the time. I couldn't drive I had so much fear, I have pushed myself to overcome that. I have no family, virtually no friends. But I get up and get through it every day, and sometimes times in the day I can be down on my knees with the depression and crying. Panic attacks. But I get through. Way to go to encourage me feel better about myself. Way to go.

Telling me I am not my sister. I know that. I had the same abuse, the same illness, difference is I did fight for myself.

 

[Ed Norton]

:(
Maybe a psychiatrist will be more helpful than a gp

 

[Queen Boudica]

:(
Maybe a psychiatrist will be more helpful than a gp

well I had tried to avoid psychiatrists because they are known as drug pushers and because of what happened to my sister. But actually yes considering one (and I do have extreme fear of them as well) Problem is, it is like everything, you need to find a good one who gets your situation. See too many misdiagnosis of bipolar for people with trauma. Beginning to think that is so they have reason to prescribe these antipsychotics. They cost a fortune, and how to find a good one. But I have a recommendation for a psychiatrist who is supposed to be not like that and will work without prescribing meds and listen to your concerns to find the best solution (I hope, I am sceptical, really getting more and more distrusting of mental health system, but already had good reason to)

See I think my psychologist is really concerned and trying to do the best. But to risk my physical health, which is so associated with my mental health anyway and my situation with I am sole carer of kids. He said I am making life difficult for myself. How on earth would it not be difficult. THis would just add more problems.

 

[joeylittle]

I think you're doing really well with sorting through all the info and staying clear about what you will and will not tolerate.

Dosing for all the 'off-labels' is usually considered 'sub-clinical', meaning 'not enough to be called a dose, according to the approved treatment protocol'.

So, that's why they say, 'oh, you're not even taking that much'.

What is usually true is that you won't be taking a dose that they have any data on. The side effect info will relate to a dosing range.

But, one thing I personally know - seroquel at a sub-clinical dose was, for me, a guarantee of 12-14 hours unconsciousness, and another 4 hours of that hung-over druggy feeling. And I am a person who regularly takes very high levels of anything.

I'm so sorry you're getting the run-around on this stuff. Maybe someone will be wiling to discuss things other than antipsychotics and mood stabilizers.

 

[Queen Boudica]

I think you're doing really well with sorting through all the info and staying clear about what you will and will not tolerate.

But, one thing I personally know - seroquel at a sub-clinical dose was, for me, a guarantee of 12-14 hours unconsciousness, and another 4 hours of that hung-over druggy feeling. And I am a person who regularly takes very high levels of anything.
.

Yes I think it is very common. I checked on here there have been other threads about Seroquel and very many on low dose and with drowsiness, extreme difficulty waking up in the morning. Something which I have 3 ADHD kids, I have to wake up and organise in the morning. My son is virtually comatose he would never get up himself. Now if I am the same what happens?

Yes I wanted to just go on the Cymbalta as a second antidepressant to try and target the depression. She told me I cannot take 2 antidepressants at the same time. Told me I would have to come off the Zyban. I told her I knew of lots of people on a combination of antidepressants. She told me the Zyban is not working. Wouldn't believe when I said it is good for the quelling the anxiety and has given more energy but not for the depression. Even my psychologist said he did not want me coming off the Zyban as he can see it has helped. She said the Cymbalta would take months to work whereas Seroquel would be a couple of weeks. Well with those effects I think I'd hang on. Anyway Zyban started to give me some relief after a couple of weeks.

I said to my psychologist I would look at taking other mood stabilizers but yes, seems the PBAC are saying I should at least have tried 2 antidepressants before even attempting the mood stabilizers. And there is good reason for that. Again she is obsessed with SSRI's as being better than SNRI's and SSRI's don't cause weight gain but SNRI's do which I think is the complete opposite. But if you disagree with her, you are not supposed to know this stuff and trust her professional opinion. God I really need someone who is good and knows what they are doing with meds. But is there such a person in mental health? I am better off just not going there. Problem is if I got really bad I could end up in hospital and they WILL drug you up and you have no say.

 

[Queen Boudica]

Duh maybe I should talk to my pharmacist, she seemed to have more knowledge of pain killers than my GP and helped me get the right dose of codein for my back. So maybe she might know better?