Seroquel and Ambien

[conflicted]

I've been taking Seroquel for about 5 years for sleep. Started at 200mg and about a year ago went to 300mg. Right around that time I noticed that I started eating more at night, after I took the Seroquel and gained a lot of weight. Fast forward to two months ago and I cut my dose back to 150mg. I didn't sleep thru the night on 300mg so when I switched to 150mg it didn't feel any different, still wasn't sleeping thru the night but it wasn't anything new.

Since cutting back I've began doing what I can excersise wise (I am a disabled veteran so it's limitied) but I've been able to excersise in my parent's pool, and it's helped a lot. That and changing my eating I've dropped 20lbs.

I've heard a lot that Seroquel can cause weight gain and for me it certainly did. My question to you guys who might be in a similar situation, is it safe to take say 100mg of Seroquel w/ 10mg of ambien? That's where i'd be. I've put a lot of thought into quiting the Seroquel completely before I try an ambien but I've read a lot on line about people taking both together. So i'm asking for advice. Thanks in advance

[Ravenousbird]

@conflicted it is truly wonderful that you have lost the weight and feel better. Well done.

I would however, consult your gp about the combo. Yes, I have heard of people being prescribed both, but under a doctors supervision as it is quite easy to OD and the amounts are important.

Best of luck. Easy does it. RB

[chris100]

Zero quell is an antipsychotic drug and I feel it can do more harm then good. I was on it for about a year and my life changed in a bad way. Yes it helped for sleep but there are other meds for sleep other then this one. I guess doctors feel more comfortable giving this medication out cause it's not a benzo. Benzos for sleep are way better then using Seroquel. Way to many side effects. Benzos have less side effects in my opinion. I would stress for people using this drug for sleep think otherwise. Talk to your doctor and tell him your not comfortable using this med for sleep. Tell your doctor you want a medication that helps with sleep and sleep only. It's time for these doctors to wake up and start giving you the right medication for your condition and stop worrying about it might look bad for them giving you a benzo for sleep. Your the one who needs the help, not them. So they should wake up and start doing there job right.

[Missmolly]

I've been taking Seroquel for about 5 years for sleep. Started at 200mg and about a year ago went to 300mg. Right around that time I noticed that I started eating more at night, after I took the Seroquel and gained a lot of weight. Fast forward to two months ago and I cut my dose back to 150mg. I didn't sleep thru the night on 300mg so when I switched to 150mg it didn't feel any different, still wasn't sleeping thru the night but it wasn't anything new.

Since cutting back I've began doing what I can excersise wise (I am a disabled veteran so it's limitied) but I've been able to excersise in my parent's pool, and it's helped a lot. That and changing my eating I've dropped 20lbs.

I've heard a lot that Seroquel can cause weight gain and for me it certainly did. My question to you guys who might be in a similar situation, is it safe to take say 100mg of Seroquel w/ 10mg of ambien? That's where i'd be. I've put a lot of thought into quiting the Seroquel completely before I try an ambien but I've read a lot on line about people taking both together. So i'm asking for advice. Thanks in advance

For a sleep aid, a higher dose of serequel does not make it any more effective.
yes ive taken them both together and noticed no difference, it will make you gain weight though,

[conflicted]

Well he know's I've had a bad experience in the past w/ ambien, so he's not going to prescribe them to me. He does prescribe me xanax 1mg 3 times a day. As far as the Seroquel i'm doing my best to work my way off of it but I don't feel like it would work out if I told him I stopped taking the Seroquel and started taking ambien (even if I said they were from years ago when I was prescribed them by the same dr). I'm just going to ween myself off the Seroquel (shouldn;t be to hard). Then I'll take the ambien. Don't feel like mixing the 2.

[Gibson]

Hi @conflicted , oh welcome to the forum by the way , ive been prescibed serequel for two years now, at 600mg per day,not for sleep like you,for other reasons,along with other cocktails of various flavours (ssr'i) and i am currently being tapered of the serequel,down to 100mg at the min. with out feeling like i missed them, infact imho feel much better for it,more clear headed , can't wait till im of it completely, as they say every ones different when it comes meds, but for me i wouldn't touch it again,no offence to anyone, but it put me in a veg like state, that is serious med. as for the weight thing well done! i didn't gain weight ,thankfully. Ive not been on ambien so can't comment on that, but have been on a lot of other meds alongside the serequel, zopiclone is one amoung others. as ravenousbird said talk to doc. im no professional but tapering of the serequel is making thing's better for me any way.

Kind Regards Gibson

[Frank Leigh]

It seems as though Seroquel is prescribed alongside another drug or drugs and it really is all about the dosage. It works well as an anti psychotic with pregabalin but from my experience is used as a sleep aid.

[conflicted]

Hi @conflicted , oh welcome to the forum by the way , ive been prescibed serequel for two years now, at 600mg per day,not for sleep like you,for other reasons,along with other cocktails of various flavours (ssr'i) and i am currently being tapered of the serequel,down to 100mg at the min. with out feeling like i missed them, infact imho feel much better for it,more clear headed , can't wait till im of it completely, as they say every ones different when it comes meds, but for me i wouldn't touch it again,no offence to anyone, but it put me in a veg like state, that is serious med. as for the weight thing well done! i didn't gain weight ,thankfully. Ive not been on ambien so can't comment on that, but have been on a lot of other meds alongside the serequel, zopiclone is one amoung others. as ravenousbird said talk to doc. im no professional but tapering of the serequel is making thing's better for me any way.

Kind Regards Gibson

Thanks for the welcome. I'm the same way as far as not feeling like I'm missing anything and much more clear headed. That along w/ not binge eating at night is all the reason I need to get off it completely.

[Ravenousbird]

Thanks for the welcome. I'm the same way as far as not feeling like I'm missing anything and much more clear headed. That along w/ not binge eating at night is all the reason I need to get off it completely.

I've been told that Seroquel does do that; binge eating, and what they now are calling 'sleep walk eating'.

[chris100]

I went to a sleep clinic and the doctor said she gives her patients Klonopin for sleep but does not give anymore then 2mg. If the 2 mg doesn't help , she tries something different. As for me, the Klonopin did work for the sleep problems and the anxiety also. So it's a win win for me. Helps me for both. Like I said before, please look into using a different med for sleep instead of Seroquel. Yes it helps for sleep but it's not a sleeping medication. Doctors know this so I hate it when they give this drug for sleep.

[Vikingblood]

Well he know's I've had a bad experience in the past w/ ambien, so he's not going to prescribe them to me. He does prescribe me xanax 1mg 3 times a day. As far as the Seroquel i'm doing my best to work my way off of it but I don't feel like it would work out if I told him I stopped taking the Seroquel and started taking ambien (even if I said they were from years ago when I was prescribed them by the same dr). I'm just going to ween myself off the Seroquel (shouldn;t be to hard). Then I'll take the ambien. Don't feel like mixing the 2.

Welcome to the forum, @conflicted . Due to the fact that you are scripted 1mg of Xanax T.I.D. from your doc, I doubt he would have a problem prescribing the ambien. Was there a bad maybe "one time only" kind of experience you told your doc about with the ambien that might not have been the best idea? Sometimes, if you tell them these one-time events/reactions, they assume these things occur all the time, regardless of what you say. I, too, was on 300mg of seroquel for around one year... It caused breathing problems and I ate EVERYTHING in the house... And I mean everything! Ambien makes me a bit hungry when I take it (which is 95% of the time)-- but NOTHING like that damn seroquel... Didn't help with sleeping at all, either.

[Vikingblood]

Well said, @chris100 ! Nothing angers me more than when doctors prescribe anti-depressants and anti-psychotics for sleep disorders... Another way that they don't have to script a controlled substance and put their ass on the line. God forbid we become dependent on a medication that helps improve the quality of our lives! Could controlled substances be addictive---excuse me "a likelihood of developing dependency, even when taken as directed over a period of time" because they actually work for those who have severe and debilitating insomnia/anxiety/pain?!!?

[chris100]

Well said, @chris100 ! Nothing angers me more than when doctors prescribe anti-depressants and anti-psychotics for sleep disorders... Another way that they don't have to script a controlled substance and put their ass on the line. God forbid we become dependent on a medication that helps improve the quality of our lives! Could controlled substances be addictive---excuse me "a likelihood of developing dependency, even when taken as directed over a period of time" because they actually work for those who have severe and debilitating insomnia/anxiety/pain?!!?

. Yes your right Viking. It's sad when doctors know a certain med will help, but they want to play it safe cause it may look bad on them to what they are giving us. I'm lucky cause my doctor understands me. He listens to me. He controls my pain, anxitey , and now he is helping me with my muscle pain with Flexiri. But I do read the stories from people that have such a hard time getting what they need and it bothers the hell out of me. I think doctors are more worried about themselves other then us. Take care my friend.

[conflicted]

Welcome to the forum, @conflicted . Due to the fact that you are scripted 1mg of Xanax T.I.D. from your doc, I doubt he would have a problem prescribing the ambien. Was there a bad maybe "one time only" kind of experience you told your doc about with the ambien that might not have been the best idea? Sometimes, if you tell them these one-time events/reactions, they assume these things occur all the time, regardless of what you say. I, too, was on 300mg of seroquel for around one year... It caused breathing problems and I ate EVERYTHING in the house... And I mean everything! Ambien makes me a bit hungry when I take it (which is 95% of the time)-- but NOTHING like that damn seroquel... Didn't help with sleeping at all, either.

Looking back, it was clearly a bad idea to tell him. He doesn't have a problem prescribing anxiety medicine as needed, and since I've always been honest about it maybe he'll be willing to give it a try.

I don't remember Ambien making me eat more but it's been a while so we'll see. I'll be happy to finally be off Seroquel. I haven't experienced any negative effects from reducing my dose so I'm going to keep reducing until I'm off it completely. Did you experience any negative effects when you went completely off the Seroquel?

[jcee]

Heya @conflicted

1) I cant answer whats good or not for you, only offer my observarions...

2) I've seen Seroquel prescribed alongside ambien by doctors a lot, especially in medical detox environments, or even as an alternative to ambien / sleeping meds / benzos as it (seems) to be considered to have a reduced profile for abuse / addiction than benzos or the Z sleepers.

Some people describe a side effect of Seroquel as 'munchies' akin to marijuana munchies, hence the weight gain (apparently weight gain must in the medical community be considered less harmful than reliance on safe & established medications like valium simply due to that never-to-be-considered 'A' word Addiction***)...

- jcee


*** A position i cant reconcile is the medical professions position between (for example) benzos, and anti-depressants. If one uses benzos regularly, one may become 'addicted' (you will experience withdrawl symptoms etc if you simply stop taking them, indicating you are an addict of benzos). If one uses an antidepressants on the other-hand (eg Lexapro), one must 'ramp down' gradually, otherwise one may experience 'unpleasent side effects'. Sorry, I've wandered off topic, i apologise.

[Brax]

Especially for sleep ?

I know it's off label. Not 'safe', but there are no 'safe' drugs.

I'm talking about 'duration of action'. Although I'd be interested in the time it takes for tolerance to set in !

[Kris]

@Brax I moved your post into this thread. Hope that helps.

[VWHITE33]

I take 100 mg of seroquel for sleep and I usually sleep 8-9 hours a night. I have been on this dosage for 5 years and have not developed a tolerance. However, it does increase your appetite and I believe the higher doses increase your appetite more.

Ambien did not work for me?? I'm not quite sure why.

[Brax]

Do you feel sedation during the day ? Do you fall asleep easily ?

Ambien did not work for me either. Sometimes drugs just don't work.

[Walty]

Especially for sleep ?

I know it's off label. Not 'safe', but there are no 'safe' drugs.

I'm talking about 'duration of action'. Although I'd be interested in the time it takes for tolerance to set in !

I would also appreciate answers to these questions. Especially, can one use seroquel 15 to 30 mg the occasional night for insomnia to get a rest form benzos? I would not want to acquire an additional tolerance!