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Seroquel or Quetipine…. Advice needed
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Hey Guys.
I am a bit of a ghost around here but I realllllly need some good advice.
I have been poling now for 2 years, pretty sporadically due to my mental health. There have been points that the dancing has really got me through the bad times, however recently things have been a lot worse and I have realised that I have to accept my limitations and my diagnoses and take medication in order to control my Symptoms.
I am diagnosed Borderline Personality Disorder and I have all 9 criterions. My doctor has finally found me the correct medication to control the ugliness that goes on inside my head and I am taking Seroquel, generically known as Quetipine. It is an antipsychotic drug and really working for me. The biggest side effect however is fatigue and a tendency to lose time – and of an evening it is incredibly hard to keep my eyes open. I have been on it for only two weeks and hoping maybe these effects might wear off…
I recently had a non mental illness related surgery and am not allowed to pole for 6 weeks, or any other kind of aerobic exercise for 4 weeks, but I am really worried that I have to leave my pole alone more permanently due to the side effects.
Does anyone here have any experience of this drug and or this disorder?
I am SO happy they have finally found a way to help me cope. I have been section twice in the last year and I will do anything I have to to keep that from happening again, but I love my pole. The last thing I want to do is injure or endanger myself having come so far…..
Any advice appreciated X
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6 Replies
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↵Please DM me if you are uncomfortable talking about this.
I really cant be the only one? :CCCCC
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Hey Ruby!
I'm really sorry to hear that you're struggling with the things going on in your head, and with your medication. I don't take medication for either my depression or my anxiety, but I know some things about it.
First, I'll tell you this: It will likely clear up. Unfortunately, when it comes to medication like that, doctors have somewhat less information than they would like you to think- what you're messing with are the chemicals in your brain, and psychologists and doctors are about as clear about what those things do as… well, as mud. They have great guesses and some accurate understandings, but… yeah.
Medications like that, though, take some time to "settle," so after four weeks or so, you should know how it will be affecting you in the longer term. Keep in touch with your doctor about that one, and be sure to emphasize what you need to happen with your medication, and what things are problems for you.
I'm a strong believer of people overcoming their mental illnesses. I was told a LOT that I would never get rid of my depression- It was long term, very difficult, but I continued to refuse medication. I worked hard to get rid of it. After all the counselling, all the discussions, and all my lost and screwed up jobs… really what I needed to do is teach myself something new, and ask myself some very hard questions.
So, even though you are on medication and you may feel much better, I still think that asking yourself those questions. Get a journal! It's been amazing for me. And don't be afraid of the stuff inside your head- it is what makes you. You deal with it every second of every day. You hear those horrible things in your head all the time, even if you aren't aware of it… But, if you question it, if you explore it, you learn to rule it. You become able to make the choice!
And I wish you luck and happiness, no matter how you choose to go about it 🙂
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Hi Ruby,
Sorry to hear you're having a rough go with the medication. I suffered from severe depression when I was younger and it was terrible. I originally tried quite a few anti-depressants & anxiety medications before I quit all together.
I'm probably going to sound like an crazy person but hear me out. Have you thought about talking to a naturopath or going in that direction? I'm not saying they can 100% fix the problem or that you're not trying everything possible already, I just know how much taking a hollistic approach can sometimes help.
I guess the reason I'm suggesting it is that I found all the medications I tried only made something else worse. I gained weight, was sluggish and exhausted, my blood worked was ridiculous and sometimes I was just plain too stoned to function. Those kinds of medication solve one problem but create three more sometimes.
I did, eventually overcome my depression. I know it's not the same as a personality disorder but maybe there is a middle ground?
Anyways, whatever you try and decide good luck. Keep fighting and stay positive.. it's worth it 🙂
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I took Seroquel several years ago. I was on a very low (12.5 mg/day) dosage, but noticed if I did not get a full 8 hours (or more) of sleep it left me very tired and disoriented, a similar feeling to being drunk. I was on it for about 8 months (stopped due to insurance / financial issues) but those side effects did not fade with time. With adequate sleep it was a wonder drug, but I had to take it EXACTLY on time or skip it for that evening, unless it was a weekend and I could sleep as late as needed. (NOTE: I'm not advising you to skip your meds.) I don't know the level of structure you have to your life or how sensitive you are to medications in general, but if, while helping you, it's causing other problems, talk to your doctor. It could be a matter of timing, or your dosage might be too high, but he/she is the only one, other than you, who knows your full history and is qualified to make such decisions. My psychiatrist admits it can be a crapshoot trying to find the right medication and the right dosage, and my psychologist advises that the best one can do for themselves is to get enough sleep, eat a healthy diet, and get plenty of exercise. Once your medication issues are straightened out and your physical healing period are through, I can't imagine why your diagnosis would preclude you from continuing on the pole. If you love pole dancing/fitnesss – whatever you prefer to call it – then don't walk away from it. In any case, do know that there are others here who understand.
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↵Hi Everyone 😀
WOW thank you all for writing me back!
I will write back properly this afternoon, I have to go to work this morning… UGH (and totally overslept. My body is forcing these 8 hours that someone mentioned…
But I just wanted to say quickly that I have seen your messages and am very grateful for the really helpful responses X
really really thank you so much xxxx
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Sorry to hear you've had a difficult time – and now with a surgery on top of it. <3 I agree quite a bit with Runemist & Zzzzzz that medicating many mental 'disorders', particularly 'personality disorders' is less evidence-based than you might expect. Currently no medications are approved by the FDA as effective for borderline pd, while some types of nondrug therapy do have supporting evidence. That doesn't mean quetiapine isn't going to help, but as Zzzzzz stated, it can be a bit of a crapshoot. Regarding therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy isn't so much 'therapy' as learning tools to change how you think and behave to get different outcomes & stop negative emotional-thought patterns. There are also natural & nutritional angles to consider as well like Shelbsy said – in fact there is some evidence for Omega 3 fatty acid supplementation specifically for Borderline as well as niacin, for other possibly related mental-emotional concerns. You should do more research obviously – but this is just a starting point. I'm not opposed to drug therapy – I'm a pharmacist! But it's important that you are getting the best therapy to really help you, rather than you being a guinea pig or being in a sense sedated to the point of losing awareness of problems. Good luck recovering from surgery & being well!
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