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Overview
Side Effects of SeroquelSeroquel (or Seroquel XR) is the brand name for quetiapine fumarate made by AstraZeneca. It's often prescribed for bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. It's sometimes prescribed for off-label uses such as major depression and anxiety. Some people can take Seroquel and not get any side effects, but other people can get minor or major side effects.
Common Side Effects
The usual side effects include making the mouth feel very dry, dizziness, sleepiness, some nausea, diarrhea or constipation. Seroquel does have a powerful sedative effect on some people, making them feel very drowsy all of the time. Some people feel as if they have a cold, even getting a sore throat and a stuffy nose. These generally go away after a couple of weeks after the very first dose.
Emergency Situation
There are people who are allergic to Seroquel. They get allergic reactions after the first couple of doses and need to be hospitalized as soon as possible. These allergic reactions include trouble breathing, rash, hives, severe confusion, swelling of the face or limbs, sudden vision problems, sudden coordination problems, sudden mood change, seizures, hallucinations, very painful erections, chills, fever, tremors (with or without fever) and memory loss.
Long Term Side Effects
For those taking Seroquel long term, or over six months, side effects include heartburn, weight gain, miscarriages or birth defects of any children gestated or breastfed by a woman on Seroquel. Many people on Seroquel get either an increased sex drive or a decreased sex drive. Studies have provided varying results about how many men become impotent, but generally between one in 500 is the average.
Overdose Symptoms
It is possible to die from an intentional or unintentional overdose of Seroquel. Overdose symptoms include very rapid or irregular heartbeat, feeling suddenly very sleepy and lowering of blood pressure. All of this can lead to a coma if not treated immediately with stomach pumping, intravenous fluids and any medication to get the heart beating normally again. To combat the chances of overdose, many pharmacies will only give out only enough Seroquel for a couple of weeks at a time.
Warning
You should never suddenly stop taking Seroquel but need to work with your doctor or therapist to gradually reduce the dose. The only exception to this is if you are allergic to Seroquel. Otherwise, suddenly stopping Seroquel can give you painful withdrawal symptoms. These usually go away a few weeks after the last dose. These symptoms include insomnia, headaches, nausea, vomiting and a return of bipolar mania or symptoms of schizophrenia.
