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The Pros & Cons of Seroquel

Seroquel is an antipsychotic drug used mainly for treating bi-polar disorder and schizophrenia. In some cases, Seroquel is mixed with lithium or divalproex to help in maintain symptoms cased by bi-polar disorder.

  1. Warnings

    • According to AstraZeneca---the makers of Seroquel---there is an increased risk of death in elderly patients diagnosed with dementia. Seroquel is also shown to cause increase in suicidal thoughts in some patients.

    Side Effects

    • Some of the most common side effects include constipation, weight gain, dry mouth, drowsiness, high blood sugar, difficulty speaking and upset stomach.

    Sleep disorders

    • Seroquel is often used to help with insomnia and other serious sleep disorders. One of the effects of Seroquel is drowsiness. Seroquel is not intended to be prescribed to patients with sleep disorders but it is commonly used for this purpose.

    Effects

    • Seroquel has been helping bi-polar and schizophrenia patients for over 10 years. In bi-polar disorder, Seroquel lessens symptoms such as racing thoughts and irritability. In schizophrenia patients, it minimizes paranoia and other symptoms stemming from schizophrenia.

    Withdrawal

    • Seroquel like many other psychotic medications will cause strong withdrawal symptoms for some people. These symptoms include paranoia, depression or suicidal thoughts. Most doctors ween patients off the drug by slowly decreasing the dosage.

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