Ugh.... The Seroquel weight has really effected me as well.... I hate it.... I have found Melatonin to help however it can have a rebound effect so it should just be taken for a short while

I'm on Tegretol as a mood stabilizer and that helps with sleep.... I think it's a symptom that many of us struggle with and it sux….. Big hug.....xo

Seroquel is not a Sleep Aid, its an Anti-psychotic, you don't use Anti-Psychotics for sleep. If you're BiPolar and on a med cocktail, just throwing an Anti-Psychotic in the mix can screw up your medication balance. Also the Sedation side effect of Seroquel wears off as you get used to it.

There are actual sleep meds like Lunesta, Ambien, Sonata, etc. There are low dose (low dose like .5 mg) benzo's like Klonopin that helps many with sleep. RX Anti-histamines like Vistaril which is used for sleep and anxiety. You can mix any of these with Melatonin the naturally occurring hormone your body produces to regulate your sleep cycle.

The thing with anything, any med you take for sleep, is your body will adjust and become tolerant of them relatively quickly....so you need to focus more on your Sleep Hygiene and get that straightened out and make sure you're doing all you should be doing naturally to support your body in its natural Sleep Rhythm.

Sleep Hygiene is a very real thing. Meds will work for a while, but not long, so you have to keep switching .... and the longer you stay on them, the less your body/brain remembers how to sleep on its own, in its natural rhythm like it's supposed to.

Take care,
Kat

I agree with you also. My doctor and I have been working on this sleep issue for a while now and he is running out of medications to prescribe to me. Serequel was his idea, but I have refused so far. We've tried everything from antihistamines, to benzo's, to sleep medications such as Lunesta. The only one that works is Trazedone and that only works for 3-4 hours and I'm awake the rest of the night!!

There was a period where I was energetic even though I wasn't sleeping, now I'm soooo tired and lethargic and getting depressed. I can barely do anything! I see myself slipping into a sort of a zombie state

I just saw my psych doc today and he discontinued my Adderal and wants me to try Saphris 5mg at night. So we'll see what happens tonight!

I had had very difficult to manage insomnia. I take Ambien (12.5 mg - max amount), Trazadone (150 mg), Vistorol (100 mg), and Gabapentin (1,200 mg). This generally doesn't work that well. I still sleep only about five hours a night. I find that a double scotch does about the same thing.

One thing this is good... I can work on my work emails in the night. Makes me a favorite with work and lots of questions like - why are you emailing me at 2 AM? Before, I would walk my puppy and spend some time with my furry therapist. Now that he has gone on before me, I just stay awake and work on work.

Sepi have you seen an M.D. or specifically a Neurologist? Had tests done?

I have a Cyclic Rhythm Sleep Disorder, so...my Circadian Rhythm or Internal Clock stopped working in 2012. My brain doesn't know when its time for me to sleep or be awake, I literally do not sleep unless I'm medicated.

I have to take large amounts of various meds to make my body sleep and I sleep for 4 - 4.5 hours a day, between the same hours every day. It never changes and unless I'm very ill I don't sleep more than that or fall asleep when not medicated.

If your practicing good sleep hygiene and meds don't work there can be other reasons your having trouble sleeping, you might want to go see a Dr. and see about tests like a Sleep Study. Because you've already figured out that meds are limited in what they can do.

Take care,
Kat

Ambien 12.5mg isn't necessarily the max amount, it's the Controlled Release version. Depending on your disease/disorder you can be prescribed much more. I take 30/40 mgs of Ambien with Klonopin and Vistaril and large amounts of Melatonin, because my Penal Gland doesn't produce it as it should.

Some of us with weird brains have different reactions to meds. If I just took the Ambien it would do absolutely nothing to me.

I take 5mg Melatonin about an hour before I go to bed. It helps me fall asleep faster and stay asleep most nights. I sleep well also.

They told me the seroquel and ativan helps with mood, sleep, and anxiety. So those two combos are making me sleep as I have Bi-Polar. You can still lose weight but have to watch your calorie intake and exercise, but yes it is a weight gainer. It is a matter what works for you. You can stay on a low dose of seroquel while taking other mood stabilizers and anxiety meds too.

My pdoc says Melatonin is a natural thing for insonima .

Melatonin was among the first things I tried. As a matter of fact I also took a very low dose of Seroquel. But the low does didn't work. I'm sure it would work on higher doses, but I am not willing to take it at a higher dose

He told me on Tuesday that he has tried every sleeping medication with me and he wants to approach this differently, so he gave me Natrexone to take at night before bed.

I took the first one last night. I still didn't sleep through the night, but I slept longer and my sleep was deeper. However, I'm devoid of any desire to do any type of workout or walk today!!! even though this has been my ritual for the past 18 months or so!

I hope this is not going to be my new norm! I'm kind of concerned. I am usually not this unmotivated about my physical health.

Trazodone worked for me for years. But I was getting too sleepy so I stopped taking it per my pdoc. Now I only take 5mg melatonin in addition to the lithium and Zyprexa I take at night

I take 150 vistaril to help me sleep. But it takes me awhile for my brain to shut off.

I’ve tried everything for sleep, nothing works...I guess I’m an insomniac...I get 2-3 hours of sleep per night...I can fall asleep but staying asleep is a problem. My Doc thinks it’s Mania. I have no idea. I have to take a good dose of Xanax to make it work I’ve been on practically all the benzos without much luck. My mind constantly races, all day long. Some nights I don’t sleep at all and feel just fine,any recommendations ?

B1 if you're always in a state of hypomania maybe a tweak the help the hypo would help

People with Bipolar unfortunately often have problems with sleep.... There are medical texts on it

I try to be really careful about caffeine intake