I wish I had done my research.
I was prescribed 200mg of Seroquel for a number of different reasons, though the primary one was bipolar disorder. My background information is relevant in explaining the damage that this drug did to me. I am 5'8 and throughout my HS and current adult life I have weighed between 170-180. I have always been very active, very (obnoxiously) muscular, I played sports, I love going to the YMCA, rollerblading, biking, hiking. Of course at my height and weight I could afford to lose weight, but I have always had excellent blood pressure, sugar levels, energy levels, endurance, etc. Prior to taking the drug I was averaging between 15-20 miles a week jogging. Within 6 months of this drug, I gained 60 pounds, couldn't function on less than 12 hours of sleep, and was very apathetic when I was awake. My knees and ankles hurt, I had trouble breathing, my shoe size went up, and on a more superficial level, I needed to buy all new clothes and it was a very difficult to adjust to my new size mentally. My doctor told me I needed to change my diet and exercise more, but truly, (and admittedly I'm not a medical professional) the issue went way beyond that. Obviously we all have different reactions to medications. This was my experience. However, I would only recommend this drug in an extreme condition. It took 2 years after I stopped taking Seroquel to finally get back to my original weight, and I still have 10 pounds to go. I have worked hard to lose EVERY single pound. It wasn't worth it, but It has been a learning lesson. Since then, I have been MUCH more vigilant about reading about prescriptions before taking them, whereas before I took the doctor's word, without question.
js21
USA