How long does it take for seroquel to work?

Question

I have been on SRI's for a year now and none of them have worked. I came into the docs office friday having a depression/anxiety fix and basically a break down. She prescribed me seroquel stating i should feel extremely better in 1 to 3 days. The thinks I may have bi polar.

However, I was researching this med, and found that it takes just as long as a SRI- several weeks. Is this true? if so why did my doctor tell me 1-3 days? Placebo affect maybe?

Thanks for any help you can provide.

Answer 1

Hi.  Seroquel is very far from placebo.  It's potent stuff.  It's mostly used for pschosis, bipolar mania and/or depression, depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, the later two not so often.

Seroquel has a major sedative effect.  Take it very early your first night if you have anywhere to be the next day!  You should feel a reduction in your anxiety immediately.  If both of these don't happen the first night/day, call your doc.  The dose is too low.  The antianxiety effect will increase a little while the sedation should decrease over time.  As an antidepressant, Seroquel isn't always the strongest.  Like other anti-d's, it depends on the person.  I've heard that effect begins somewhere around 200mg.  I've only taken 150mg as an antimanic and for sleep.  I did feel some depressive symptoms when I reduced to 120mg and a little again decreasing to 100mg, but nothing going lower.  Sorry, I can't tell you how long until the antidepressant effect kicks in, but my guess is not too long since nothing else does except managing psychosis.  

Give it a few weeks and see how it goes.  If it turns out that you are bipolar and Serqouel works but the sedation continues, talk to your doc about taking Lamictal or another anticonvulsant.  They tend to have fewer side effects.  Oh, and, definitely work with a psychiatrist.  This is way outside of general practice medicine.

Answer 2

You should end up knocked out the first night you take it with a reduction in anxiety the next day.  Seroquel is definitely not a placebo!  Give yourself 14 hours to sleep for some days.  I think the antidepressant effect may take longer, but that's probably dose dependent.  My guess is that two weeks would be it based on my own experience.  (I was on it for sleep and a bit as an antimanic.  I didn't know about the antidepressant effect until I started decreasing.)  Seroquel is not the strongest antidepressant, but it sounds like your doc is treating your for more than just depression.  Give it a try and see how it goes.

Answer 3

Your doctor is right. If you are being prescribe seroquel for anxiety you will start to feel better as soon as you start taking, provided you are at a dose that your body requires. If you aren't feeling better right away call your doctor and ask her to up your dose.You didn't say if you are tapering up or exactly how much you are taking so it is hard to say. The medication is a strong sedative.

If you have heard the drug taking weeks to take effect then they were most likely taking it for psychosis.