weight gain from atypical antipsychotic Quetiapine (seroquel)

[LifetimeStudent]

This is a long shot but I'm wondering if anyone on this forum might be able to help enlighten me on something. I've been on a fairly high dose of the atypical antipsychotic Quetiapine for 9 months now, 700mg/day (most people are closer to 300-400 but can go as high as 1,200) and like other antipyschotics it can contribute to sometimes signifigant weight gain. I've noticed a bit of extra bodyfat that I think is a result of my quetiapine use and seem to be getting a little bit of a belly too (not too bad at all though but gotta watch it close since I am also bulking and this seems to be making it harder to clean bulk).

Anyway my question is does anyone know exactly how the weight gaining effects of quetiapine actually work? Does it slow my metabolism down? etc. And in theory, not to suggest it being used strictly for bodybuilding, but -IF- you already -have- to take it, do you think it could actually help make the bulking phase easier for an otherwise hardgainer? Or are the weight gaining properties associated with antipsychotics limited to bodyfat.

thanks

[byates5637]

I just saw a thread about this the other day actually.

If you are even semi-normal and functional (which I can tell you are by your writing ability) you really might want to consider getting off of those things.

[LifetimeStudent]

Thanks for the heads up, I'll have to have a search.

And aye, I am doing well and always had a lot more insight than most people during an episode, but I am psychotic. I've got it completely under control and don't have any positive symptoms but unforunately as I've only been on the meds for a short time it wouldn't be wise to drop 'em... It can take as little as a half-hour late on one dose to send you all the way back to square one believe it or not. Some people can never get off them or never fully recover, some people are luckier though. But still, I'll unforunately be on them for at least a few more years, as unpleasant as they are. I will in the least be able to bump my dose down over time though gradually.

[pa mma]

I just saw a thread about this the other day actually.

If you are even semi-normal and functional (which I can tell you are by your writing ability) you really might want to consider getting off of those things.

writing ability has nothing to do with mental health problems and being able to say that since his writing is good he doesn't need meds...complete joke

Thanks for the heads up, I'll have to have a search.

And aye, I am doing well and always had a lot more insight than most people during an episode, but I am psychotic. I've got it completely under control and don't have any positive symptoms but unforunately as I've only been on the meds for a short time it wouldn't be wise to drop 'em... It can take as little as a half-hour late on one dose to send you all the way back to square one believe it or not. Some people can never get off them or never fully recover, some people are luckier though. But still, I'll unforunately be on them for at least a few more years, as unpleasant as they are. I will in the least be able to bump my dose down over time though gradually.

i work in the mental health field as a caseworker and it is great first of all that you are able to recognize that you do have problems and that there is a justification for medication...many times people with mental illness especially psychotic disorders feel they don't need them or if they are doing good mentally at the time decide to d/c them...you know your body better than anyone!!!i can't answer your question but wanted to acknowledge your situation!

[byates5637]

writing ability has nothing to do with mental health problems and being able to say that since his writing is good he doesn't need meds...complete joke

Actually it has a huge amount to do with psychosis. It is usually one of the most prominent symptoms.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thought_disorder

[em-dubya]

Interesting ...i do know someone who takes 4 or 500mgs and they did gain weight for about 3 months...pretty good amount

[LifetimeStudent]

Actually it has a huge amount to do with psychosis. It is usually one of the most prominent symptoms.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thought_disorder

Thanks for the post pa mma. And no, byates you misunderstood what pa mma meant I think. He wasn't saying psychosis (in my case it seems to be schizophrenia but hasn't been officially sub-classed yet/further diagnosed) can't effect your writing ability (this is what's referred to as a negative symptom, a positive symptom is something occuring that should not exist - for example an auditory, olfactory, or visual hallucination in the absence of any real physical stimuli - a negative symptom are things like disorganized thoughts, focus problems, math difficulties etc., usually the positive symptoms go away first from medication) what he was saying is that if you are psychotic and you aren't having negative symptoms and have no problem with writing it doesn't mean that it is okay for you to discontinue your medication. Usually you should taper down very slowly over years at a time and make sure you don't notice any symptoms at all, if you do get any symptoms returning you should immediately increase the dose until you have no symptoms once again. It's a delicate process because one wrong move and you can have a 100% relapse and it's harder to recover and less likely to recover after a relapse.

[TheUnlikelyToad]

Thanks for the post pa mma. And no, byates you misunderstood what pa mma meant I think. He wasn't saying psychosis (in my case it seems to be schizophrenia but hasn't been officially sub-classed yet/further diagnosed) can't effect your writing ability (this is what's referred to as a negative symptom, a positive symptom is something occuring that should not exist - for example an auditory, olfactory, or visual hallucination in the absence of any real physical stimuli - a negative symptom are things like disorganized thoughts, focus problems, math difficulties etc., usually the positive symptoms go away first from medication) what he was saying is that if you are psychotic and you aren't having negative symptoms and have no problem with writing it doesn't mean that it is okay for you to discontinue your medication. Usually you should taper down very slowly over years at a time and make sure you don't notice any symptoms at all, if you do get any symptoms returning you should immediately increase the dose until you have no symptoms once again. It's a delicate process because one wrong move and you can have a 100% relapse and it's harder to recover and less likely to recover after a relapse.

You have great insight rarely seen at your (our) age.

[LifetimeStudent]

You have great insight rarely seen at your (our) age.

Thanks a lot mate. I've independantly studied brain chemistry/pharmacology/mental health really intensively ever since I've been starting to have an easier time focusing and retaining information. I've been studying it even harder than fitness/nutrition because I figure the more I know about my own illness the better. And I also like to know everything I can understand about something if I'm going to be putting it into my body - I'm also taking propranolol which is a betablocker, sometimes lorazepam which is a benzodiazepine (better known by the trade name ****** - similar to ******, *****, klonopin, etc.) and gabapentin as a sleep aid because I'm temporarily having sleep complications.

That being said, it's pretty important for me to know these things. I don't mean to say it arrogantly but I exceed the general knowledge of my doctors when it comes to neurotransmitters and the central nervous system/how things act on it (though they know a bit more about psychosis as they're my outpatient doctors [I had to be hospitalized a few times when I was at my worst last summer] and specialists) so they've actually set me up with the neuropsychopharmacologist that works there to help me in regards to questions I have about the medicine. The best thing about him is unlike the other doctors an d nurses if he doesn't have an answer to something right away he'll say so rather than try and babble about something with some small arbitrary relation to my question.

anyways if anyone is interested in anything related to psychosis or that sort of thing feel free to ask questions here and I can do my best to help or should be able to get an answer quickly.

[LifetimeStudent]

You have great insight rarely seen at your (our) age.

Thanks a lot mate. I've independantly studied brain chemistry/pharmacology/mental health really intensively ever since I've been starting to have an easier time focusing and retaining information. I've been studying it even harder than fitness/nutrition because I figure the more I know about my own illness the better. And I also like to know everything I can understand about something if I'm going to be putting it into my body - I'm also taking propranolol which is a betablocker, sometimes lorazepam which is a benzodiazepine (better known by the trade name ****** - similar to ******, *****, klonopin, etc.) and gabapentin as a sleep aid because I'm temporarily having sleep complications.

That being said, it's pretty important for me to know these things. I don't mean to say it arrogantly but I exceed the general knowledge of my doctors when it comes to neurotransmitters and the central nervous system/how things act on it (though they know a bit more about psychosis as they're my outpatient doctors [I had to be hospitalized a few times when I was at my worst last summer] and specialists) so they've actually set me up with the neuropsychopharmacologist that works there to help me in regards to questions I have about the medicine. The best thing about him is unlike the other doctors an d nurses if he doesn't have an answer to something right away he'll say so rather than try and babble about something with some small arbitrary relation to my question.

anyways if anyone is interested in anything related to psychosis or that sort of thing feel free to ask questions here and I can do my best to help or should be able to get an answer quickly.

EDIT: Or a bit more related to the topic, if there is any curiousity about any type of antipsychotic or anything.

[TheUnlikelyToad]

Thanks a lot mate. I've independantly studied brain chemistry/pharmacology/mental health really intensively ever since I've been starting to have an easier time focusing and retaining information. I've been studying it even harder than fitness/nutrition because I figure the more I know about my own illness the better. And I also like to know everything I can understand about something if I'm going to be putting it into my body - I'm also taking propranolol which is a betablocker, sometimes lorazepam which is a benzodiazepine (better known by the trade name ****** - similar to ******, *****, klonopin, etc.) and gabapentin as a sleep aid because I'm temporarily having sleep complications.

That being said, it's pretty important for me to know these things. I don't mean to say it arrogantly but I exceed the general knowledge of my doctors when it comes to neurotransmitters and the central nervous system/how things act on it (though they know a bit more about psychosis as they're my outpatient doctors [I had to be hospitalized a few times when I was at my worst last summer] and specialists) so they've actually set me up with the neuropsychopharmacologist that works there to help me in regards to questions I have about the medicine. The best thing about him is unlike the other doctors an d nurses if he doesn't have an answer to something right away he'll say so rather than try and babble about something with some small arbitrary relation to my question.

anyways if anyone is interested in anything related to psychosis or that sort of thing feel free to ask questions here and I can do my best to help or should be able to get an answer quickly.

EDIT: Or a bit more related to the topic, if there is any curiousity about any type of antipsychotic or anything.

Sounds like you could be a great asset and resource for those interested. I'm quite familiar with all those drugs working as a Treatment Specialist for a moderate care MH CRR.

[LifetimeStudent]

Very nice; propranolol is great... I've not tried a newer gen./more selective betablocker before but no need to really as I'm not having any side effects like nightmares or anything. It helps because I get akathisia from my antipsychotic and I already have an essential tremour to begin with, have all my life. It hasn't helped as much as I hoped with the tremour but takes care of the akathisia. I like how it's fat-solluable (I think?) too so it absorbs very quickly contrary to most oral med that aren't sub-lingual. It's great too because it helps me a lot with some psychosis-related anxiety I've been dealing with while not impairing me like the benzos. I'd take lorazepam over propranolol for a panic attack, but for general anxiety propranolol does the trick if not better. And luckily I've not had any panic attacks since my very lowest/worst phase. I was misdiagnosed by 4 different doctors! Because I had too much rationality and insight they didn't think I had pyschosis.

[flagger66]

I'm on Serequel (800mg/day) and have had significant weight gain. My answer to you in regards to bulking with my experience would be that it will all be BF not lean gain so be very leary in how you use this med. A question for you however, you say you are taking ****** for Sleep issues, does the Serequel not knock you the #$% out? Especially at these doses? I'm having huge issues with taking the weight off that I've gained and keeping any additional weight off. Yes I mess up with my eating once in a while but I work my #$$ off and it seems that it is because this medication is slowing my metabolism down. I gather this by the fact that my nose gets full of mucus, the weight gain, a rise in hunger etc.

[stradstyle]

I take 400 mg of seroquel for bipolar and could not function without or would be in prison by now i cant find any info on creatine and seroquel ,I went from 135 lbs to 220 lbs but it is the only med that works for me and ive taken all of them

[DR_P]

I just saw a thread about this the other day actually.

If you are even semi-normal and functional (which I can tell you are by your writing ability) you really might want to consider getting off of those things.

ugh.... I would be careful with such recommendations.


people shuld discuss the weight gain issues with their psychiatrist and he will then decide if changing the med migh be an option or not. aripiprazol for example barely causes any weight gain.

[DocEndo]

Seroquel can be used to treat bi-polar symptoms, but also has an off label use for anxiety and sleep deprivation from other anti-psychotics. It does increase weight gain by increasing appetite for carbs, but also seems to slow metabolism in general. No medication will be perfect with side effects. It's all a trade-off. Better to be stable and chubby than a lean, mean man-slaying machine!

[Cameroon7]

byates5637, I'm waiting for the punch line, but no, it seems you are serious. Please note that I was diagnosed as having schizophrenia in 1978 and quite recently had a book published. It's quite true that one can write well and still be mad...and yes, I must take my meds 3xdaily.

[tabhoogstad]

I recently stopped taking seraquil cold turkey ~ couldn’t deal with the weight gain one more day. I was taking 1200mg for 7 years to treat my bipolar and gained 70 pounds. Just curious if anyone else has stopped ~ and if they experienced any significant weight loss and how soon... secretly hoping that this is the answer to my body image issues and trading some portion of my sanity is worth it? #help

[tabhoogstad]

This is a long shot but I'm wondering if anyone on this forum might be able to help enlighten me on something. I've been on a fairly high dose of the atypical antipsychotic Quetiapine for 9 months now, 700mg/day (most people are closer to 300-400 but can go as high as 1,200) and like other antipyschotics it can contribute to sometimes signifigant weight gain. I've noticed a bit of extra bodyfat that I think is a result of my quetiapine use and seem to be getting a little bit of a belly too (not too bad at all though but gotta watch it close since I am also bulking and this seems to be making it harder to clean bulk).

Anyway my question is does anyone know exactly how the weight gaining effects of quetiapine actually work? Does it slow my metabolism down? etc. And in theory, not to suggest it being used strictly for bodybuilding, but -IF- you already -have- to take it, do you think it could actually help make the bulking phase easier for an otherwise hardgainer? Or are the weight gaining properties associated with antipsychotics limited to bodyfat.

thanks

So... idk about bulking but I know about seraquil... I’ve taken it for 7 years and gained 70 pounds ... despite walking 5 miles a day and working out 3 times a week ( minimum) It definitely slows down your metabolism ~ which is what my psychiatrist intern flat out told me at my last visit ~ she said I could “run on a hamper wheel “ all day and never lose an ounce 😞... quite discouraging... so I guess what I’m saying is seraquil sucks.. do whatever you can to get off it