2400MG OF SEROQUEL A DAY!!

Seroquel was the first antipsychotic I was put on, during my first hospital admission under my first psychiatrist, Professor Burrows. It’s commonly used as a sleep aid as well as a treatment for schizophrenia. This happened a long time ago — around 2002, I think. The reason I’m writing about something that now feels like ancient history — 24 years ago — is because the dosage I was prescribed was shockingly high for someone who had never taken medication before. To give you an idea of how potent this drug can be, the average dose is under 100 mg a day. Even people with severe schizophrenia are sometimes prescribed higher amounts, up to 400 mg in extreme cases. I was put on 2,400 mg without trying different alternative meds. When I was in the ICU and they increased the dose, I fainted twice, which was terrifying. It turned me into a near-zombie — I slept through most of each day and felt detached and unwell.

I am taking Seroquel again, this time under the care of a different psychiatrist, but only at half the original dose. 1200 mg — 400 mg three times a day. That still feels like a lot, but I’m a big guy now and better able to tolerate it. I’ve been on this regimen for over twelve months, and it appears to be effective, which is more than I can say for the multitude of other medications I’ve been tried on in the past.

The downside of Seroquel is that it causes weight gain. This is a real bummer, because I can’t stop taking it and I keep getting bigger. It’s a bit of a conundrum. During my last stretch of sobriety — seven months — I was exercising twice a day, every day, eating well and, of course, off the beer. When I stepped onto the scales hoping for good news, I couldn’t believe it — I HAD PUT ON WEIGHT. It is the bloody pills doing it. I was disheartened and eventually abandoned my health regime. To be fair, it isn’t only the Seroquel; I’m on several other strong medications as well, so it’s hard to know which one is responsible. I hate relying on medication, but I’ve been medicated since I was a teenager, so it’s difficult to know who the real Dave is.