Skip to main content

Trying Seroquel

Earlier this week, I started on the medication Seroquel. I'm on 100 (milligrams, I think) and will gradually increase to the therapeutic dose of 250, if all goes as planned. I just wanted to give a quick update on my experience so far.

Issues It is Intended to Treat

  • Insomnia
  • Paranoia
  • Delusions

Benefits so Far

  • Mood stabilization- My mood fluctuates a lot less throughout the day. I did not realize that the amount that my mood changed independent of external circumstances was unusual, but it stays steady more now. 
  • Insomnia Drastically Reduced- I fall asleep without trouble and only wake up 1-2 times per night. I have NEVER experienced that before. At first, it made me sleepy during the day, too, but melatonin and a little caffeine sorted out my sleep schedule well.
  • Increased Focus

Side Effects so Far

  • Drowsiness- It puts me to sleep about 1-2 hours after I take it, and it's hard to wake up in the morning without caffeine.
  • Nausea- I experience nausea right after I take it and also if I consume caffeine.
  • Dry Mouth- I experience dry mouth for the first few hours after I take it.
  • Mania- I feel manic for a few hours a day, ever day. Update 8/4 My support team says I seem "elevated" "reactive" or "hostile" for a few hours a day. It's hard not to hurt my service dog or myself (but like a meltdown, not like intention to hurt; it's reactive not premeditated).
  • More meltdowns- I'm not sure if this is because of the medication or because I'm trying to do more as a result of being on the medication
  • Not negative, but I switch from more vocal stims to more movement stims.
  • Not negative, but my brain "feels weird" after I take it

No change

  • Delusions- No noticeable change, yet. 
  • Paranoia- No noticeable change, yet.
  • Issues, like autism things, that it was not intended to treat
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Increasing my Testosterone Dosage

TW: Body changes, sexual changes, suicide mention   I started low-dose testosterone on February 1, 2016 . My step-dad had just taken his own life, and I felt the need to take control of mine. I was on testosterone for a long time before I was sure that I really wanted to be on it- that it was the decision that would reduce dysphoria the most for my nonbinary self. Part of this indecisiveness came from my autism; I've always had trouble making decisions due to being overwhelmed by the options and fearing regret. I talked a lot with my therapist about my uncertainty around testosterone, and the ongoing theme was that I was happy about the current changes; I was just afraid that I would regret future changes. So, I stayed on testosterone, reasoning that I could always go off of it if the changes started causing dysphoria from being too masculine. Since then, I've started trying my hand at online dating. Through answering the many, many questions on the sites, building my profil...
Post a Comment
Read more

Distress Tolerance Skills Part 2: Reality Acceptance Skills

All posts in this series reference working through DBT® Skills Training Handouts and Worksheets, Second Edition , and all quotes come from that book unless otherwise specified. To learn more about distress tolerance skills as a whole, why they are important, and the goals the book sets forth for studying them, click here . The Distress Tolerance Skills section of the book is divided into two main types of handouts: Crisis Survival and Reality Acceptance. There will also be some material for "When the Crisis is Addiction". This blog will cover reality acceptance skills.  Reality Acceptance Skills: Radical Acceptance:  The first reality acceptance skill is radical acceptance. Radical acceptance means completely accepting and ceasing to fight: the facts about the past and the present realistic limitations on the future that even painful events have causes that life can "be worth living even with painful events in it"  Some phrases for practicing radical...
Post a Comment
Read more

Make Doctor's Appointments Easier

As a chronically ill person, I spend a lot of time at doctor's appointments, and, as a chronically ill, autistic, and mentally ill person, I find them overwhelming and draining. I want to talk about some of the things I do to make them easier for myself. Use mobility aids - If you use mobility aids, and your doctor is understanding about it, they can make the trip a lot easier. One mobility aid I use is forearm crutches.   Make visit notes ahead-of-time - I try to make my notes complete enough that I can hand them to the doctor if I'm having trouble with verbal communication. I take notes in my planner.   Present accommodation needs in writing- Carry a printed report of your accommodation needs to each appointment, and present one to each doctor's office to have on file. Discuss it with your doctor. Use an AAC program - Personal Favorites are Talk for Me for laptop and tablet and Speech Assistant for mobile. These are good if you prefer text-based AAC. I use Let Me ...
Post a Comment
Read more