Quetiapine for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder User Reviews

• DylanS
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 29, 2012

Seroquel (quetiapine) "300 mg 4x/day. I used to have horrible hyper-vigilance, hyper-startle, anxiety, paranoia, insomnia symptoms. NOTHING (meditation, yoga, EMDR, etc.) helped that much, let alone fix it. So, the doctor said to try this. Because of my side-effect sensitivity, my doctor started me on 25 mg. That first night, I slept a full night for the first time in months. But then I started sleeping too much - up to 14 hrs a day on the weekends. We backed off to 12.5 mg & my life CHANGED. I'm under more stress right now so my dose is back to 25 mg & I'm doing great on it. It pulls me down out of that watchfulness that prevents me from doing anything but surviving (and poorly, at that). For me, after a near-lifetime of struggle, this is a miracle."

• Vegon...
• December 3, 2016

"I have had PTSD since age 9. I am a severe abuse and torture survivor of 14 years of daily abuse and torture. I tried many medications but this one for me is a life saver. I've had so many anxiety attacks (like heart attacks but not fatal) that my heart is covered in scar tissue. Quetiapine (Seroquil), has stopped a lot of my issues and made me calmer. It's extending my life. I'm thankful for that."

• Mano
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 18, 2020

"After no luck with two SSRIs, I was put on quetiapine at a dose of 12.5-25mg per night before bed for PTSD, as an augment to the 50mg/day desvenlafaxine SNRI anti-depressant. I tolerated it super well, and it’s made such an amazing difference to my sleep/rest. No more flashbacks at night, or waking up in terror/sweats, just back to my old self. After 6 months, I now take 1/4 of a 25mg tablet a night just before bed, and sometimes none at all. I’ve also noticed my hyper vigilance during the day has almost completely gone, but that could be the desvenlafaxine more than the quetiapine."

• Sophia
• September 19, 2015

"I experienced a major traumatic event that resulted in the loss of my 4 year old daughter and almost the loss of my own life with permanent organ damage. In the hospital, I was started on high doses of lorazepam which did nothing. When I returned home I deteriorated fast and the PTSD symptoms increased. Anyone who has PTSD can tell you it's completely paralyzing. I was taken to the emergency room and given Seroquel to take 25mg in the morning and 50mg before bedtime. This medicine honestly saved my life. I was able to make it through her funeral and some very hard times. It's been 1 1/2 years and with therapy I've been able to taper down to 12.5mg at bedtime. This dose easily puts me to sleep and has a calming effect."

• Anony...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• May 30, 2020

"After 39 years of severe PTSD Seroquel along with specialized inpatient and outpatient therapy has turned my life around. I function 75% better now for the last 39 years. I have been on 200-400mg seroquel at night with 25-50 mg per day if needed for severe anxiety/panic attacks, for 17 years. I have developed type 2 diabetes and have gained weight, but this is nothing compared to what I went through in childhood into my late. Seroquel helped my capacity of to learn recovery tools. In the past 2 yrs I’ve reduced Seroquel from 550-700 mg at night to 400 mg & daily 50-100 mg to 25-50 mg once/week I am so relieved to have been given a second chance at life, along with 12 step recovery & private therapy"

• Rebecca
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 22, 2019

"I was on this medication quetiapine a couple of years ago and it ruined my life. I wasn't diagnosed with anything at the time, I now am diagnosed with PTSD and ASD and I'm so glad I got off them. Quietiapine made me hallucinate and made me extremely paranoid that people wanted to hurt me , I don't have any of these thoughts anymore thank goodness, but I still have a lot of anger about the drug. If you are being but on it like any drug ask lots if questions and just start with the lowest dose. BE CAREFUL WITH THIS DRUG"

• BeachD
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• September 13, 2012

"Various incidents in Viet Nam combat, intel work of over two decades slowly became an affect on sleep. The use of therapies, 12 steps, counseling all left something still not quite right. When an enlightened physician in the VAMC psych ward dosed Seroquel at 100 mg three daily, first sleep in 30 yrs. At 200 mg nightly, no more dreams of conflict, resulting in a life saved, a definite sleep within 45 min., usually six to eight hours. Waking easily, up for a happy day every day."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 28, 2012

Seroquel XR (quetiapine) "Within three days basically all my anxiety is gone, and I feel fantastic! FINALLY a doctor and psychologist worked together to treat what they said "unique" problem. I had anxiety all the time but wasn't depressed. So I'm one happy lady, and I'm sure my kids are loving there old mum back."

• LZ Br...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• July 5, 2014

"Vietnam, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) went FUBAR 15 years ago. That's the first time I contacted the VA or even heard of PTSD. One severe symptom was inability to sleep. VA was very slow to give me an appointment so I went to a private shrink who got me on Seroquel. VA has kept me on it since. Taking this, I have been able to get a good night's sleep every night since. Since then and to this date, if I forget to take it, I either can't fall asleep at all or doze off for about 45 min, then wake up wide awake, and can't get back to sleep . The FDA hasn't approved this for PTSD sleep disorders, but should do so immediately. I've had no side effects whatsoever, unlike many other medicines I've been on/off for PTSD."

• Anonymous
• February 12, 2010

Seroquel (quetiapine) "The side effects that most complain about are what I love most about this medication. I am a 5'9" male in the Army that had lost weight all the way down to 128 lbs and was sleeping 3-4 hours a night on average. I have been on Seroquel for 4 months. I weigh 165lbs now and sleep 8-9 hours a night"

• Misse
• Taken for 10 years or more
• December 16, 2020

"I've been on Quetiapine for Dissociative Identity Disorder for over 10 years. This is the only medication that works for me. I seem to be physically unable to sleep on my own due to mental illness. I've been on doses ranging from 50mg to 1600mg for various reasons but works best at 200mg. It's a true wonder drug. Never fails. 10/10 for me too."

• Jade...
• December 17, 2017

"I got traumatised (PTSD, anxiety, depression) when my boyfriend hung himself in front of me and I got the blame and was made to go to NZ (where it is traditional to stay/sleep next to his body for 5 days straight before the funeral) - and told it was all my fault. I take 50mg which is 2x25mg at night and it relaxes me and makes me around 6-8 hours a night but I smoke Marijuanna as well for my PTSD."

• Airbo...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 5, 2015

"I am a veteran of Iraq and have been struggling with PTSD since I got out. I have also bipolar disorder and was thinking about suicide a lot. I will tell you one thing, this medication (forgetting the weight gain) have saved my life! I feel completely normal, of course I am not taking it by itself. I take another mood stabilizer and a antidepressant with it. Right now I take 3 doses of 100 mg daily and I feel normal again!! This medication is just great!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 10 years or more
• May 15, 2017

"Spent 6 years in the Marine (Iraq 2007) and 7 plus years as a Narcotics agent with law enforcement. I take 25-50 mg at night and I sleep like a baby now. Before, I would sleep approximately 2 hours a night. This pill has helped me and my family life is better now. Definitely recommend for PTSD."

• Anonymous
• April 6, 2009

Seroquel (quetiapine) "Seroquel has helped to reduce my post traumatic stress disorder symptoms by 3/4's. I am mostly living a "normal" life again and the anxiety, fear and psychosis is nearly gone after one and a half years on it. It is working for me and I am on a low dose of 40mgs per night. "

• jhano
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 22, 2020

"I've been on Seroquel for about 1.5 weeks now and so far so good. My pdoc added it to my Prozac and Klonopin regimen in order to help my insomnia and augment the Prozac. I was still feeling extreme generalized anxiety during the day, along with panic attacks (which Klonopin tremendously helps). The first few days were sooooooo sedating -- could barely function during the day and slept 16 hours every night. This goes away. Now, I'm finding the medication so helpful. My anxiety is much better, my mood swings quelled, and triggers have a "dampened" effect on me now, albeit still an effect. I'm on 50mg. Kind of want to go up to 100mg. The anxiety is still there but just muted a bit. No weight gain so far or change in appetite."

• Jesse
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• October 12, 2018

"I went through a lot of recurring trauma and couldn't sleep at night, I'm constantly on hyper arousal and anticipating something. If I don't sleep my symptoms can worsen. At one point they increased my dosage up by another 50mg and I started having nightmares, the Dr decreased my dosage by 50mg over 3 months until I got to 300mg. So while there was a little hiccup, this is probably one of the best medications I have taken."

• SGM
• June 22, 2014

"I went to a psychiatrist last week for post traumatic stress disorder having been diagnosed by the VA when I retired. I was put on 50 mg quetiapine. While in two days my lifetime nail biting ceased and I feel less anxious I am tired as heck."

• Cant...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 28, 2015

"I have only just begun a week ago 25mg to start. So far the worst of my Post Traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms: panic upon waking, has subsided. Increasing dose tomorrow as still anxious through the day."

• Stein...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• September 20, 2018

"14 years in military so have seen much in my life. I've being taking 2x 400mg a day for around 6 years. Need it everyday, if I don't take it, it's very hard for me to function well. I started with seroquel XR and it was over $1300.00 a month for 60 400mg. At least now there's a cheaper generic version of quetiapine fumarate at almost $400... I copay $3.35..."

• KiLox
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 11, 2020

"Seroquel was initially given to me because my doctor suspected I was bipolar. I ended up not being bipolar, but I was definitely psychotic. I was hearing things that weren’t real. I thought that God was communicating with me , but That obviously was not the case. My doctor prescribed me Seroquel and about 10-14 days later I was feeling like my normal self again. My starting dose was 50 mg and increased to 100-200 mg, then 300-400mg. The only complaints I have about this medication is the weight gain & extremely dry mouth. It makes you extremely hungry. I had just lost about 35 pounds prior to starting these meds, I was 195 & now I’m 240 and every week no matter what I do my weight continues to climb higher. So now I’ve began to wean myself off of these meds so I can start my weight loss journey & be successful again. I’ve been on this medication for 9 months."

• Cpl...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 8, 2016

"After seven and some odd years as a machine gunner (0331) in the Marine Corps, three deployments, and a purple heart later, i fimd myself very grateful for medications such as seroquel. I am currently prescribed 50mg (1 pill) of seroquel (50mg tablets) a night but usually take take up to 150mg. I will rarely mix it with 400-3200mg (per serv) of gabapentin; Also 20mg of Fluoxotine every morning and 300mg of lithium two tablets a day - quiet the sedating cocktail. Don't necessarily have a specific question - however, i am a veteran and noticed some other on here; so I am curious as to any others experiences with these meds or any like it."

• Sybil
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 20, 2018

"Had PTSD from an incident with police. Had a nervous breakdown. I turned to alcohol in a drastic way, just to pass out and escape or die. I wanted to escape my own brain. Eventually committed myself. I was put on 50 mg of Seroquel in morning, 50 mg in the afternoon, and 400 mg at night. Unfortunately I recently had an even more traumatic incident with police, & the PTSD is back wiith a vengence. I have cirrohosis, and can't take anything now. I am up now, because I woke up from nightmare, my heart was racing. I am not going to fall asleep again. Back to the Seroquel. Best medicine ever. Would risk death just to be able to take it again and feel normal again, but a doctor will never give it to me it with my condition. The doctors can't even find anything I can take. One doctor in the ER was actually googling on his phone to find anything that I could take. Everything is processed through the liver. If you are able I highly recommend it."

• Monroe
• January 9, 2017

"I tried this medication to help with PTSD symptoms. This medication works great for me. The main reason why I took it is for rage and dissociation/disconnection from reality, although mainly for major aggression and rage. Unfortunately I had to stop taking it shortly after starting because I feel unsafe on it. I get extremely drowsy and it almost knocks me out although that's not that big of a deal it fades off after 2 hours or so, the main reason is my blood pressure skyrockets, I feel like the room starts spinning and I get dizzy, my face goes numb and I feel tingly and more numb everywhere generally and I get these like jolts inside my body while I try to sleep. When I try to sleep it feels like I'm getting zapped with electricity."

• Rock...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 12, 2018

"This drug works very well for me after combat deployments on the front lines. I take 300mg every night and my mood the next day is much better. I think more clearly and more focused on what I need to do every day."