Seroquel (Quetiapine) is a popular atypical antipsychotic medication that has been approved by the FDA to treat schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and as an antidepressant augmentation strategy in cases of refractory depression. Due to the variety of conditions for which this drug is prescribed, it is considered highly profitable and has made AstraZeneca (the developers) billions of dollars since it hit the market.
In addition to being used for serious psychiatric disorders, some medical professionals prescribe it for the treatment of insomnia and various forms of anxiety disorders. Although the drug is not approved for these conditions, it is more effective than traditional medications for some individuals. Despite the variety of conditions that Seroquel is capable of treating, many people have a difficult time staying on the drug as a result of side effects, in particular, weight gain.
Seroquel and Weight Gain
When taking Seroquel, most people are faced with unavoidable weight gain. No matter how well the drug is working, a drawback that the majority of users face is that they gain weight. For certain people, a lot of weight will be gained, while for others, they may not gain enough to notice. Scientific studies have reported that the average weight gain throughout treatment with Seroquel is considered “moderate.”
How Seroquel Causes Weight Gain
Below is a list of ways by which Seroquel is capable of causing weight gain. Keep in mind that everyone will have a different experience on the drug as a result of individualized factors. That said, many people notice appetite increases, cravings for specific foods (i.e. carbs), and a slower than average metabolism.
- Appetite surge: If you started taking Seroquel, one thing that you’ll likely notice is that your appetite increases – sometimes to an extreme. Those who had trouble eating food prior to taking the drug should no longer have any problem eating enough. For some individuals their appetite increases so much that they wake up in the middle of the night “starving” and raid the fridge for all the snacks they can find.
- Cravings: Many atypical antipsychotics are associated with cravings of foods. A majority of people notice that they start to crave carbohydrates and/or other unhealthy foods like sugars and sweets. If you notice that you are eating more sugar-laden candies and having “treats” more frequently, it’s likely a reaction to the Seroquel. Some people have reported craving “fast food” and thus end up eating out more often.
- Fat storage: It is believed that the mechanism by which the body processes food and stores fat becomes altered for those taking an atypical antipsychotic. Seroquel makes it easy for people to pack on weight because it has changed the way the body stores fat. You may notice that you’re packing on fat in specific places throughout your body that were previously skinny; this is a result of the drug.
- Hormonal changes: The drug is believed to alter the production of hormone levels throughout the body. Altering hormone levels can significantly impact the amount of weight that you pack on as a result of the drug. It notably interferes with production of thyroid-stimulating hormone and lowers the levels of (T4) thyroxine and (T3) triiodothyronine throughout the bloodstream. It is also capable of altering glucose levels and manipulating enzymes in the liver and heart.
- Interaction effects: Those that take Seroquel with other drugs should note that the drugs could be interacting to increase weight gain. In some cases, psychiatric drugs work synergistically in that they amplify weight gain together more than they would if you were to take the drugs separately.
- Motivational deficits: For some people, Seroquel can decrease motivation and lead to sleepiness or grogginess. The swamped motivation may lead you to get less physical activity to keep your metabolism high. Anytime you’re lacking motivation as a result of this medication, the chance that you’ll gain weight increases. Some attribute the motivational decline as a result of this drug’s effect on dopamine.
- Side effects: You may feel fatigued and experience a variety of synonymous side effects such as: lethargy, drowsiness, etc. while taking the drug. Anyone experiencing increased tiredness as a result of the drug is less likely to get proper physical activity and exercise. Unfortunately these side effects can be too debilitating to overcome, and lead to inevitable weight gain.
- Slows metabolism: Even if you maintained the same diet and exercise patterns pre-drug that you did while taking Seroquel, you’d probably still gain some weight. This is due to the fact that the drug slows your metabolism. The degree to which it slows is subject to individual variation, but explains why most people end up gaining weight.
- Social eating: If you are taking this drug and your symptoms improve, you may be more likely to hang out with friends. This typically leads to “social eating” or more frequent dining out with friends. Dining out is a quick way for anyone (even non-medicated) to gain weight. Someone taking Seroquel will have no problem packing on pounds if they frequently eat out.
- Taste improvement: For certain people, their taste seems to dramatically improve after taking the drug. Some people believe that the taste improvement is closely linked to the “cravings” they experience. In any regard, if food is tasting better than before, you’re probably going to eat more of it.
Note: Although you may be attempting to pinpoint one specific cause of your weight gain, it is important to realize that it may be a combination of factors. You may have a slower metabolism along with side effects that make you tired, and hormonal changes that lead to greater fat storage.
Factors that influence weight gain on Seroquel
There are several other factors that will influence the amount of weight you gain on Seroquel. Understand that these are individualized factors and cannot be generalized. They may explain why you gain significantly more weight than someone else (or vice versa).
1. Individual factors
The most important factor to consider is you as an individual. The way your genetics respond to the medication play a big role in determining how much weight you gain. Someone with drastically different genetics may experience more or less weight gain simply based on that factor. If you are interested in knowing how your genetics may be influencing your response to the drug, read about “GeneSight testing.”
Other individualized factors that need to be taken into account include: sleep quality, BMI, dietary intake, physical activity, and stress level. If you are getting poor sleep, are highly stressed, and make poor dietary choices, you’re probably going to gain more weight than someone who is getting quality sleep and making healthy dietary selections.
2. Time span
It would appear as though there is a relationship between duration taking Seroquel and weight gain. Although many people gain weight within the first 12-weeks of treatment, longer-duration administration can increase the amount of weight a person gains. In the case of most medications, including atypical antipsychotics, the weight gain tends to increase over time.
Despite the fact that Seroquel doesn’t produce a significant increase in weight after 12-weeks, most studies do show modest weight gain with additional time of treatment. Therefore the longer you’ve taken this medication, the more likely you are to gain additional weight. Fortunately for people taking it over a long-term, the amount of weight that is gained isn’t exponential and appears to increase at a slower rate once the body has adapted to treatment.
3. Other medications
If you are taking other medications, it is important to consider their role in potential weight gain. For example, some antidepressants are known to increase weight at similar rates to Seroquel. If you are taking both Seroquel and an antidepressant medication, you may need to understand that they both could be causing you to gain weight. They may also be having some interaction effect that leads to more weight gain than you’d experience if you were to take a different medication.
If you’re ever concerned about other medication(s) that you’re taking causing you to gain weight, be sure to get in touch with your doctor and ask. Most psychiatric drugs are known to increase weight to some degree. If the weight gain is a big deal, a doctor may be able to substitute other medications that may be less likely to increase your weight.
4. Dosage
According to studies, increasing the dosage of Seroquel is unlikely to facilitate additional weight gain. Some medications have a dose-weight relationship in that increasing the dose will also increase the amount of weight you’ll gain while taking it. Although medical professionals dismiss the likelihood that dosage plays a role, it is important to consider that it might for certain people.
When we increase the dosage of this drug, we are essentially giving it more control over the brain and nervous system. Thus in theory, it should amplify all of the changes that it has already made. If you are gaining weight at a lower dose, you should theoretically gain roughly double if you double the dose.
Just because there doesn’t appear to be further weight gain associated with increasing the dosage, doesn’t mean that this is true for all patients. However, many double-blind studies are consistent in their findings that increasing the dose will not contribute to additional weight gain. This fact may be highly encouraging for patients currently taking Seroquel.
How much weight will you gain from Seroquel?
There’s no exact estimate that can be given as each person’s weight gain is subject to individual variation. This is why it is important to avoid comparing your personal reaction to that of others. Over the short-term, most people gain an average of 4.5 lbs. (2.08 kgs) for the first 5-6 weeks of treatment. Over the long-term, it was reported that people gain an average of ~7 lbs. (3.19 kgs) after 52 weeks. Keep in mind that these are just averages, and relatively low averages when compared to other atypical antipsychotic medications.
Will everyone gain weight while taking Seroquel?
Although most people will gain some amount of weight while taking Seroquel, some people may deem the amount gained as being insignificant or not enough to worry about. It appears as though individuals with lower BMIs (body mass indexes) tend to gain the most weight, whereas people with average or high BMIs tend to experience less of a noticeable weight increase while taking Seroquel.
Seroquel: “Weighing” The Pros and Cons
If you are taking Seroquel, it is important to “weigh” the pros and cons of your treatment. Take the time to evaluate whether the drug has been effective in alleviating the symptoms of the condition that you needed to treat. Next consider the amount of weight gain and/or other side effects that you are experiencing as well as the degree to which they are bothersome.
If the efficacy of the drug outweighs the severity of unwanted side effects, then you should probably keep taking it. If on the other hand, the drug isn’t really helping treat your psychiatric condition and you have been packing on tons of weight, you may want to consider consulting your doctor about a medication change or Seroquel withdrawal.
Did you gain weight from taking Seroquel?
If you have experience taking Seroquel or are currently in the process of taking it, feel free to share your experience in the comments section below. Did you end up gaining weight throughout your first 6 weeks of treatment? Was the weight bothersome or too insignificant to notice? Feel free to also share whether you noticed weight increase as a result of increasing the dosage. Also discuss the time span over which you have been taking the drug and any other factors that may have contributed to your weight gain.
- Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17474816
- Source: http://psychrights.org/research/Digest/NLPs/Seroquel/090520UnsealedSeroquelExhibits/Misc/Nashrallah18.pdf
After a month of using dopaquel I gained 15 kg and I am battling lose that weight now. Any recommendations please?
I have been on seroquel XR 100 mg for a year have gained 35 pounds. Makes me sad, but helps my emotional seizures.
I started taking Seroquel in Nov, 2015. Did not gain weight immediately. After about 4 months, started gaining and as of now, August, 2016, I’ve gained 15 lbs all in the stomach and abdomen. I mainly take it for sleep. I take around 6:00 and start getting the munchies about 1 1/2 hrs later. I also have a low BMI – and article stated low BMI more likely to gain.
Well, 2 weeks ago, I started South Beach diet. Lost 10 lbs and only 10 more to go. I’m a currently a size 6 but need to lose enough to fit into my size 4. If I don’t lose the weight in 4 weeks, will go off Seroquel and look for another sleep alternative.
Seroquel (400 mg nightly) has allowed me to get a good night’s sleep daily and has prevented me from being triggered by large and small events that occur in everyday life, so it solved my insomnia and evened out my moods, depression, and anxiety. However, despite my resisting the temptation to overeat, my belly and hips have grown fatty and soft, and I am unable to motivate myself to work off the extra weight.
My doctor suggested that I try to reduce the dosage, but I do not want to live with insomnia and its effects on my ability to function. I hate being fatter, but I hated feeling like killing myself even more. It is possible to moderate how much you consume even with the cravings but weight gain seems inevitable. It just takes tremendous will power every single day.
I was on the drug for anxiety and to get better sleep in May 2013 and came off it in November 2014. Never will I use that drug again. I was naturally skinny and had a huge fear of putting on weight and ate as little as possible. Being on the drug it made me eat endlessly and I couldn’t feel full.
I put on weight and I remember not even caring so yes it altered my normal thoughts too. But being off it it has taken me over a year to get rid of my food cravings and I hate the way I look and hate wearing certain clothes because I know people will stare at my fat. My BMI is and was still surprisingly saying its in the healthy weight range but I have tummy fat which is gross.
Anyway in the last month my original appetite has come back that I’ve had since a teen. So I’m hoping to have a better summer where I like the way I look. But one thing for sure I will never go back on that drug ever again.
Seroquel saved my life. I experienced some weight gain at the beginning, but leveled off in a few months. I had insomnia for months. Nothing worked only seriously. I started on 25 and went up to 200. I am also on 30 milligrams of celexa. I feel great. Better than ever. I am in the best shape I have ever been in and couldn’t be happier. I take 75 milligrams now of seroquel. When I tried to lower dosage I feel unmotivated and feel like something isn’t right. Works great for me!!! Never give up. Find the correct dosage and you can live your best life ever!
I have been on Seroquel for three months, and I have put on 25 pounds in those three months. I do not think I am overeating. I believe my metabolism was slowed even more than it was by menopause. I cannot fit in any of my clothes, and I will have to buy some clothes. I hate this drug.
My dosage of Seroquel has fluctuated over the several years I have taken this drug. The range has been between 200mg to 1000mg. I gained 30 pounds within 2 months when my doctor had me taking the 1000mg. Periodically I would taking it and would lose the weight. As soon as I started taking it again I would immediately begin gaining weight.
I am on 400 mg and am tapering myself down to come off it for good. 112 pounds to 140 pounds is not acceptable to me. No matter how much I exercise or diet the weight will not come off and it is all between my stomach and thighs. This is not good for my mental health because it is hurting my self esteem.
Hi, I’ve been on quetiapine for about 3 years. From the first day I took it I loved it and still do, but the weight gain is getting to much. It helped me sleep and kept my moods level. I am now at 50mg from my highest of 300mg. Thinking about staying on this dose for about a month then stopping. If I need to go back on it I will, but I’d love to lose 20lbs first. Only time will tell. Thank you everyone for sharing. It’s a tremendous help to know I’m not alone.
Do not take this medication!! I was prescribed a low dose of this to help with my insomnia it worked for a while, although sometimes when I took it my breathing slowed down and my legs felt weird. I didn’t realize this medication was the reason for my weight gain until I went off of it, at the height of it I weighed 124lbs.
I have now been off of the medication for over a month and continue to lose weight (now 112lbs). I found the medication made cravings extremely strong and would be constantly eating. It made me extremely lethargic and would cause me to sleep in sometimes until 3-6pm every day. As a result of this medication I have not been able to work, go to school and live a healthy/normal life.
I have been taking Seroquel XR (200Mg) for about three years now. I was already heavy because of the surge Effexor gave to my appetite (I was 110Kg and 6ft tall). The Seroquel was prescribed because I fell into recurring panic attacks which I could not control. Only the Seroquel seemed to put a stop to them.
Now my weight is 130Kg and I’ve had my first heart attack…just great! I am thankful Seroquel stopped the panic attacks which improved the quality of my life BUT I am left with a very obese body, terrible apathy and tiredness and this awful feeling that things will get worse. I really would like to know if there is another way out. Maybe ECT??? Who knows?
I was on 50mg serequol 5 or so years ago and Gained 10kg :( which made me depressed even more so! I got off it… My psychiatrist put me back on it 2 weeks ago and I have already gained 3 kg! I’m too self-conscious and worried and I want to stop taking it because I don’t want to gain weight! I’m always hungry. ;( Is there anything I can do to stop the weight gain?
I wanted to share that I have not experienced any significant weight gain from taking Seroquel. I have Bipolar disorder and this medication has saved my life. The main side effect that impedes on my life is the amount of sleep that I need to have while taking this medication. I just wanted to give some people who are prescribed this medication hope that not everyone gains tons of weight.
I started out with a low range normal BMI and have not deviated from that. Exercise and a good diet are beneficial in general for my mental health, but at the moment I am not adhering to an exercise regimen. I definitely get the night time munchies, which I try to be diligent about portioning my night time snacks. One thing I use are these little snack packs of trail mix with chocolate so I get my sweet fix with some protein.
I love my seroquel I Been taking 200 mg for six years now. Love the fact that I have gained weight and can actually keep it on. Love that I can actually sleep and wake up clear minded. Who cares about a lil weight gain? I usually get hungry when my seroquel kicks it. Which leaves me waking up full. With good energy throughout the whole day. I love the fact that food tastes better. I thank seroquel for at least helping me out.
I have been taking Seroquel for one month and gained 15 lbs. I am 5 foot 2 so this is alot. I am taking it for major insomnia due to PTSD. I took it about 7 years ago and the same thing happened. I found it very hard to lose afterward and changed my weight threshold… I have heard and agree that once you reach an all – time weight high you change your default normal weight as your body adjust to the new *normal* and there it will stay even when you lose weight it wants to go back to the new spot – as in when people lose tons of weight once they relax it piles back on. So I am looking for something else for sleep that is not addictive as I cannot afford a new wardrobe!
I am on 300 mg of Seroquel daily. My original weight was 128lbs at 5’7″…in the 2 years I have been on Seroquel I now weigh 174! It works so well for me in every other way. I now want to taper off and stay off of it and I am depressed with my weight. Some people suggest Lamictal as in it is very rare to gain weight but helpful with BP… Anyone?
I am on a combination of lamictal and seroquel. That might be an option to decrease the amount of seroquel you are on. <3 I have experienced no side effects from lamictal.
Have read above comments and just makes me terribly sad. I can absolutely relate to woman above who was 5’7″ and for first time in her life can safely say she has developed a significant gut. I kept weight gain at bay by exercising like mad woman, but still feel frustrated because even with all the exercise its so hard to keep it off. Just like female above who developed gut, I went from 57 kg’s to 62 and have flatlined now at 70kg for a while.
I am 36 years old and the heaviest I have ever been. I am planning to take time off work to get off this junk, moneymaker drug. My last boyfriend who was an ass, ended up breaking it off with me due to weight gain. Can’t believe it will take a year for my weight to level out. If Astra Zeneca only knew the misery they are bringing into people’s lives. Depressed and alone due to this drug.
Stopped using SEROQUEL 6 months ago and it took me 4 months to normalize metabolism with a LOT of exercise… I gained about 8 kilograms (16 pounds) using this drug, I lost those kilograms already, but it wasn’t easy… I don’t recommend this drug.
Hi guys, I’m sorry to hear of your awful side effects, I totally understand how difficult this is. I started taking seroquel 100mg at night 15 weeks ago as I struggle with severe depression, anxiety and insomnia. Within the first 6 weeks I gained 12lbs / 5.5kgs and this was all blamed on my inability to control my cravings, now 15 weeks in I am 21lbs / 9.5kgs up.
I have never gained weight like this, although my weight had slowly increased since becoming depressed (less active lifestyle, working less, comfort eating) this weight gain is totally terrifying, if I continue like this I will gain 72lbs / 34kgs within 1 year and will be morbidly obese. The occasions I have brought this concern up to my general practitioner and psychiatrist I am told change your eating habits.
The best advice I have read and I wish I had seen it sooner is if you put on weight at an excessive rate within the first 2 weeks then cease the medication. I really wish I had been given this advice from the professionals to whom I pay so much money. I am going to reduce to 50mg and gradually come off this medication.
I’ve been on Seroquel for about five months and have gained 40 pounds.
Hello to everyone… I’m also in treatment with Seroquel (here it is known as Quetiapina). Just 20 mg at nights but for a period of 8 months up to today. I’ve always had weight issues but for 4 years I had managed to stay in the same weight with gym and eating sort of healthy. That was until I started a treatment with Paroxetine and Seroquel.
In only 8 months I’ve come up with a huge weight gain and not just that, but I’ve become sleepy the whole day and without energy for nothing. Today, I went to an endocrinologist thinking that my thyroid wasn’t working well, but told me that the Seroquel is a huge responsible on weight gain in many patients. I didn’t believe it, so I started Googling… And then I found this.
My lifestyle is not as bad as someone would think, specially when people see me and say “Why are you so fat? What are you eating?”. Yes, that directly. At least it is comfortable to know that I’m not the only one going through this… Greetings from Chile!
Hi, I’m Richie I suffer from Psychosis, Chronic Anxiety, Borderline Personality Disorder & ADHD. And in my case, Yes, Seroquel added a huge amount of weight & fat. Surprisingly over a 5 month period, I gained 60lbs!! No Joke, I was like Santa Claus. My face changed & I had a massive belly. However I didn’t notice my general appetite increasing, when I took my dose of 400mg at night, I’d crave snacks especially chocolate.
But I was always relatively thin regardless of the quantity of Junk Food I ate beforehand. Seroquel really killed my Motivation, but it got to a point were my weight wasn’t slowing down and I had many physical complaints because of the excess weight. One being GERD and an ulcer, the others would include shin splints to getting breathless easy. So I slowly got off them with the guidance from my Doctor, still taking my other Meds and started back at the Gym with a personal trainer, for motivation.
I’m not gonna lie, the first 3 months was hell, changing my diet was hard, I was so unfit even to finish some of the exercise’s, my motivation was null. I used to go asleep and woke up to constant Motivational Videos on YouTube to keep me going. But within 6 months I lost Fat, gained Muscle and was weighing around 220lbs, so I lost 40 lbs. The belly was gone and the excess fat on my face was gone too, & I literally felt fantastic, exercise replaced what seroquel was doing.
Releasing natural chemicals & hormones in my Brain, along with feeding it with the right foods. To say I’m 100% right and everything is ok would be a lie, but to be so forgetful, foggy, distant from any human connection while on Seroquel was/is not ok for me. In my case I’m happier without it now. And I must point out that there is usually someone around me at all times who would recognize the signs of a psychosis episode, or any other symptoms for that matter.
Plus a lot of work from the Doctors role regarding being off Seroquel really helped too. The Doctor & my family basically set out an emergency plan if something happened. Which did, twice & the plan of action moved smoothly, I was safe in Hospital on those occasions. So it’s still an uphill battle. But being off Seroquel, in my belief, gives me that drive, determination & passion to get better. I think this is the reason why people around me including my Doctor are willing to help.
I’ll give it my best & meet them half way they’ll do the same. This has also improved my connection with my family, 10yrs ago when I was 25. I was so far away from anyone & everything, I was only putting myself through more pain and delusion. So that’s part of my story anyways, if it helps one person thats all that matters. It’s my first time ever writing anything like this on the internet, so please be kind.
Just remember that we are all here on this Earth to do good, we all serve a purpose, even when we or no one else see’s it. You’re always making an impact, somewhere, sometime. Thanks for reading, Richie
Touching story!!!
On Seroquel I slept and ate carbs. That was my life. Fat and drugged up. Gained 70 pounds and became diabetic, developed hypertension and high LDL. I had bariatric surgery and lost 50 lbs altogether. Still struggling with that last 20. This stuff is the worst (okay, ETC is worse, but that’s another rant). Fortunately, some insurance companies, including Medicare, now require that docs keep track of patients’ weight if they are taking psychotropics. Awful experience.
I was diagnosed Bipolar in 2013, I was 73kg at the time I started with Seroquel. I have picked up 10 kilos over 3 years and it doesn’t change. I have a very healthy lifestyle, I eat 3 times a day. I drink 3 liters of water a day. I have spoken to my psychiatrist and after much discussion she has decided to lover my dose from 150mg to 50mg until I can go off it. My weight is stagnant and it’s depressing to be overweight.
I have the worst food cravings ever. I just started seroquel. I am on 300 mg before sleeping and it knocks me out 100% and for the first time in forever I don\t wake up 14 times a night. But the cravings are just absolutely terrible. I started craving waffles. I eat waffles constantly, with peanut butter and jelly. I think about food constantly.
To try and manage my appetite I eat cabbage, just copious amounts of cabbage to fill my stomach because seroquel makes me eat so uncontrollable that after a munchie session I look like I’m 6th months pregnant… I try and drink water all the time but my diet have been containing waffles and cabbage. I really don\t like it. I\ve been on seroquel for a month. I definitely gained weight, I just don’t know how much.
50 mg daily. I gained 7 pounds in 2 months, ALL in my midsection. Very noticeable on a (now) 120 lb person.
I’m a 27 year old male who has hovered around 275-310 for the last couple years, due to cycling through bulking and cutting cycles for my workout. I opted not to bulk this winter and just cut from now through the fall. I was recently prescribed 150mg of Seroquel at night for sleep. It works great, but I afraid of this affecting my cutting cycle. I keep to a strict -500 caloric deficit (often times keeping an even higher caloric deficit).
I’ve been taking Seroquel for about three weeks now. No noticeable difference in weight gain and no increased appetite. If anything, I have less of an appetite. I also take 225mg of Effexor for depression and .5-1.5 mg of Xanax for anxiety PRN (don’t take this very often, as the combination of restful sleeping and the Effexor has helped wonders). But I, terrified of gaining weight. I was 355 lbs in 2013 and dropped about 50-60 lbs through rigorous cardio vascular exercise the first year.
The year after I became addicted to bodybuilding and started going through regular bulking and cutting cycles (relatively clean bulk, save for a stress Jimmy Johns Vegetarian sub once in a while). So, now to the point. Do you think I will gain weight with my strict -500+ caloric deficit and rigorous exercise program? (I’m training for several 5k mud runs and a 12 mile Tough Mudder this summer). I feel great and energetic, but I don’t want to gain weight. I’m a very large-framed, chubby muscular build and stand about 6’2″.
Well, I’ve been on this piece of s*** drug for about 9 months now, and the unquenchable appetite is about to reclassify me as a planet, or worse, a galaxy. I’ve gained ~20% weight, now at 128kg, while slowly losing the actual effect the drug was giving me for near insomnia (averaging 1-2 hours a night), and anxiety/bipolar tendencies.
Now there’s next to no effect, and cant sleep. Going to drop this after talking to my psychiatrist again, as this is just ridiculous. Even while completely stuffed, and having the feel of being a blimp, I just NEED to keep eating. Didn’t post the first time.
Just to add to my previous comment, before any discussion/assumptions drag this way off target. I’ve been a steady build (broad) since I was 13-14 years old (30+ now), 1.84cm tall weighing 80-100 kg mostly around 100kg, especially after I started lifting a few years back (short-period, but still to me amazing results in performance and muscle gain). This is not the case for my current weight. It’s all belly-flop building up, with a side of the titties. Still not hanging over themselves, or any stretch-marks, but it seems to build-up in only those two places for some odd reason.
Seroquel… It is such a difficult treatment choice and art to prescribing medications as one piece to treat a moving target of Bipolar / anxiety / ADHD – in a life where stressors jump on you. Mood stabilizers – over the last 2 years… Unfortunately I have not tolerated lithium… Abilify… Lamictal worked for awhile… But after 2 months on Seroquel – worked well to stabilize mood…
But the growing lethargy, flat affect… And now 30 pound gain in 8 weeks – we are dramatically cutting the dosage to just at bedtime with PRN. Hoping that I am generally more stable. I have encountered weight gain on SSRI’s, other atypicals… And after a full A – Z blood work today… Hope I can start taking the weight off. Unfortunately – for me… And it sounds like others… There is no perfect medication.
I have to constantly balance and work with my doc – shifting meds & dosages as my mental health fluctuates in reaction to many factors in my life and my body… Not easy… But it bears the alternative of emotional and mental instability & hospitalization and unemployment – as I want to get back to work. Whether a size 12 or 20.
One year ago my physician prescribed seroquel to help me sleep at night. I had read that one of the side effects was weight gain. I asked question my doctor about this and was told that sine was on such a small dosage (25mg) that I shouldn’t be concerned. Well I gained 20 pounds in one year. I decided to discontinue this horrible drug 10 days ago. Even with such a small dose. Have experienced withdrawal symptoms. I’m very agitated, can’t sleep and my toes are incredibly itchy. Hoping the weight comes off soon!
In the 10 months after I started taking seroquel I gained 110 pounds! It was horrible. Of course even though the article says the dosage doesn’t matter, I think part of my problem was my doctor was over-dosing me. She had me on 1200mg a day.
I have been trying, informally, to gather statistics on this drug. I have a long history of eating disorders. It’s pretty much proven now that even if a person is underweight, these drugs are not the solution. I was on a low dose of Seroquel, which did not affect my weight. Then, a doctor increased me to 600 without telling me that it would cause me unnatural weight gain. Immediately, my weight shot up and I was pronounced “cured.”
I continued to gain on the 600. In four years I gained 110 pounds. I’m very short. My weight had more than doubled. During the last six months I gained the last 50 pounds. I went to my doctor and said “NO MORE!” She acted like it was “nothing.” I was furious. Anorexia was my revenge, I suppose. As soon as I got off the drug, I lost tons of weight until I was so thin I almost died. There should be a black box warning on this, never give it to anyone with ED!
I have been taking apo-quetiapine and sandoz-quetiapine, the cheap generic form of Seroquel. It is all that is covered. The cost of the drugs I am on is about $400.00/month. These pharmaceutical companies love me. I take 1000 mg of generic Seroquel a day to treat schizophrenia with a couple of tranquilizers at night. I have gained 120 pounds since 2003. I weigh about 298 pounds.
Pre-Seroquel weight was 180 pounds. I went to see my doctor and he told me, “salt likes water.” That is how far the help went with him. I can not stand this drug any longer. Yeah, sure I’m sane, but I’m a f*cking balloon because of Seroquel. I don’t even have the confidence to go to a bar or anywhere else because of all this f*cking fat gain from Seroquel. Yesterday my dad and brother came for a visit. My brother took a picture of my dad and I. After I saw the picture I had to tell him, “take the picture from the chest up, I am too f*cking fat.”
I have fat gain everywhere – face, neck, legs, ass, chest, abdomen, arms. I even have a case of edema in my feet which is getting treated by generic apo-furosemide, also known as the brand name Lasix, after I was on generic Seroquel. If they, these “doctors,” give you Seroquel, do not stay on it – refuse it, you have the right to refuse treatment and medication. If I ever meet the creator of this drug in a room with just the two of us, I can not say what I would do. Things were bad, now they are a different kind of bad. At this point it would be called breaking bad.
After reading all of your posts, I am so pissed at Astra Zeneca for not putting a WARNING out there for weight gain. I started Seroquel 10 years ago and weighed 110 lbs. Recently, after taking 100 mg per night, I have put on 40 lbs! I feel so obese and disgusted with my body. I am going to start weening off this horrible medication, and will find something else, or just not sleep! If anyone knows of a class action suit, please let me know. This medication has ruined my life.
I have been taking seroquel for just about 2 1/2 months and it’s for my birthday polar and borderline personality disorder. I hate it! I have gained 50lbs and since I’m only 5’3″ and I’m very uncomfortable for all sorts of things. I was even skipping meals but still gained. I’m going to ask my Dr to lessen the dosage, right now I’m on 300mg a day; 200 @ bedtime and 100 first thing in morning.
I’m also taking effexor so if I can convince her to ease up maybe the voices will stay gone. My dreams are back so I’m sure the rest will be back soon. Seroquel is the worst medicine I’ve had to take. Not only the weight gain but lack of energy from it. Maybe the drug company can do more research and fix these issues.
I took 1000mg for a couple years. In the first 6 months I gained 50lbs. I lost all motivation and felt tired all the time even though I was sleeping 10 hours a night. I felt calm, too calm now that I look back on it. I tappered myself off the drug. I figure I would start losing weight immediately. I’m 5’4″ and was 130 when I started the drug. At 180 lbs after the drug I figured some exercise and less food would be easier. It’s been 6 years an I’m still struggling. I’m always hungry, I crave fast food burgers and I never liked them before I went on this medication.
Salt is my biggest craving, I can’t stop craving foods high in sodium. Since I no longer sleep I have cravings for 20 hours a day. I’ve tried doctor prescribed weight loss medications, I’ve met with dietitians and I’ve tried every diet I can. I try to get exercise but I’m still exhausted and have zero motivation. For me these side effects didn’t go away when I stopped taking the drug. Tell everyone you know to avoid this drug at all costs. I would rather not have slept for those two years than to suffer like I have.
I have had bipolar for many years however by using seroquel I had 12 years hospital/breakdown free. I became overconfident however and under doctors supervision decided to come off seroquel. It resulted in a 10 week period of hospitalisation during which I was very manic and created many problems with my family with my opinions. I have gone back on seroquel and want another 12 years well if possible.
I have however known that it would be a battle with weight gain. I do not believe that psychiatric doctors are honest about the misery of the weight gain. I have had them suggest a diet sheet (ridiculous when the brain is sending an over-riding message to eat. I have had them say that we all gain a middle age spread ( they may choose to but I don’t). They have said drink plenty of water. So when I went back on 600mg of seroquel I decided I must swim three times a week, gradually increasing the distance.
This is my choice and I have had to have very clear to myself that it is either, or. Either move more or be miserable with a bloated body. Shifting size from a 16 to an 18 and having to go out and buy new clothes as my clothes were now straining over my bust – this was also motivating. At times I feel very frustrated with the prescribing doctors, their lack of insight into the distress and low self esteem weight gain causes. However I do prefer to be available to help my family, to be there for births and family weddings, to keep my dignity.
Seroquel does this for me. Will I keep having a go at reducing it sensibly? Oh yes. But I choose not to let go of it for good. Twelve years just being ordinary is very precious. May I wish you all well who are dealing with this illness and seeking the best life for you. Oh and with all that swimming I am back to a size 16.
I was diagnosed bipolar and insomnia in 2013. My Seroquel dosage was 1200 mg by night for sleep. I am 6’2 and my entire life I weighed about 190 lbs. After taking the Seroquel it immediately help with my mood regulation and sleep. As quickly as I started the medication was almost as quickly as I started gaining weight. I have always been physically active and fit but yet and still I gained weight. I had to taper off the dosage to only 100 mg per night.
I do cardio daily and still I gained weigh in certain areas, particularly in my lower abdomen. After completely stopping the medication, along with exercise, I am now able to return back to acceptable fit self. I had been taking Seroquel for three years and now suffer with insomnia. The real reason I quit was because I began having issues with my blood sugar. Great sleep, or obesity… Be wary of this medication.
This drug does work, but it has some really bad side effects. About 8 years ago I was diagnosed with bipolar, and a personality disorder. I was very angry, evil in fact and very violent. I was started on 2400mg at night and after a few years they dropped me to 1500mg a day which I have been on for the last 6 or so years. I have been told that I can probably NEVER come off Seroquel as I have been on such a high dose for such a long time.
The drug has calmed me down, but I am emotionally void, have no motivation, do not leave my home at all except to visit the doctor once a month (and I mean never leave indoors), and have gone from a fit and muscular 80kgs to a flabby 120kgs – that’s a 40lb increase for you Yanks. I also developed Restless Leg Syndrome from the Seroquel which is a condition that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemies. Trust me – it’s like being zapped with electricity for hours and hours and hours unless you keep walking around.
So now I am addicted to opiates or OxyContin to treat that, and that has given me chronic constipation, which has interfered with my bowel health. And I deal with Type 1 insulin dependent diabetes as well, which is under very poor control because I eat a tonne of crap now that I never used to. The side effects were greatly understated when the doctor suggested this stuff. But I am stable and have not been a threat to anyone for years. So which is better? Personally I have decided right here and now, after writing this that I am going to try and get off all these drugs. Wish me luck.
I was put on seroquel 10 years ago for sleep aid. My boyfriend was bipolar and he told me it was the best drug to use for sleeping. I though why not and the shrink was very happy to say yes. Started me on 300 mg. Boy I slept great. Also had deep deep dreams. I also am hypothyroid, so I had put on about 6-8 lbs. in 4 years from the slow thyroid even on thyroid meds. Over 10 years I have gained about 40 more lbs. on seroquel.
About 5 weeks ago I could not take the weight gain. Even on nutri-system and 1000 calorie eating a day I gained weight. I am about 185 now. And I am still gaining even though I am down to 50 mg now. I am slowly getting off this horrific drug. I feel the psych dr.’s do not level with you about the huge weight gain and the thought that I was put on this for insomnia is criminal. Astra Z should go to jail. They should disclose the fact that you will become obese on this drug and let you know what you are in for.
Ten years ago there was very very little on the internet about getting diabetes and obesity from this drug but now there is a lot of information. I am just shocked that I am still gaining weight on only 50mg. Went from 180 to 185 this week and hard to believe that I am only eating 1000 calories a day. I am praying that when I get off of this I can lose some of the weight I gained. Being hypo I really don’t know if it is all seroquel or being hypo too.
But I only gained 6-8 lbs in 4 years from being hypo. Good luck to everyone and if you are doing research, take these warnings very seriously. This drug is too dangerous to be a sleep aid.
I have Bipolar disorder and I have been on Seroquel for over 10 years now. In that span of time, I have gained well over 60 to 70 pounds. It is a constant battle attempting to fight off the weight. I also take Trileptal which causes weight gain, so I am hit with a double whammy. It is very hard at times being on Seroquel. Some days I am fully alert and have energy.
Other days, I only want to eat eat eat and sleep. I constantly crave sweets. And I do have times that I get up and night and eat everything in sight. I know if I ever stop taking Seroquel, my Bipolar symptoms will spiral out of control. So, my choice is to be fat and sane or skinny and crazy. I think I choose the first. I have been the other and it is unbearable.
I choose skinny and crazy. They say I’m crazy anyway… so I would like to look good with it.
I’d also choose to be slim over the ‘mood stabilising’ effects of seroquel. In 2009, I was on 200mg and I went from 45kg to 74kg in a year (I’m just 156cm tall and so that is an unhealthy amount of weight). I was recently put back on seroquel for insomnia and type 2 bipolar mood disorder, but it doesn’t keep me asleep for long and makes me so lethargic it seems all I do is wake up to raid the fridge. I also feel terrible ‘going under’; it almost feels like being suffocated to sleep.
I have complete Insomnia without the aid of Ambien or Seroquel. I was taken off Ambien after becoming addicted. So ten years next of no sleep and nightmares . Then I tried Seroquel 50mg 3x’s per day. Gained ten pounds. Then upped to 100mg at night. Then more weight: 30 lbs then 200mg and so on up to 600mg each night. Gained so much weight I’m now near 300 lbs!
I can’t imagine going off but I’m gonna talk to my psychiatrist about tapering down. Don’t like the nasty withdrawals of this drug. When taking Seroquel its got your tummy growling and getting very hungry. I’m at that point where I’m dreaming about food and get up to get some during the night. It’s crazy!! I need help!
Oh I so understand this struggle. I take 400 mg at night for bipolar. I have gone from a size 12 to a size 20! Now I may be facing back surgery from all the added weight. I’ve got bulging disks and fatty tumors in my sacrum!
I’ve been on Seroquel for almost 2 years now. In these 2 years I have put on about 25 pounds. I’m currently tapering off from 600 mg down to 100 mg at night for insomnia. I will go down to 50 mg then off after 2 weeks. I started this taper with the help of my pdoc and started tapering in November 2014. I’m concerned about the withdrawal and the side effects that go along with it.
I’m hoping with the gradual taper the side effects will not be as strong. I’m looking into natural supplements to use once I’m off Seroquel. I’m considering GABA and melatonin to use at night to help me sleep. Good luck to all and this is a great drug. It’s just time for me to get off it and I don’t want to add any more weight to my already overweight frame.
I have been 115 to 125 my whole life. I had a kid when I was 26 and gained 35 lbs (155) but dropped all the baby weight and then some less then a year after giving birth. I have been prescribed seroquel since I was 21 but never took it regularly and never gained weight. About 3 years ago I started taking it ever third night to get sleep. I didn’t notice I started gaining weight. Every month I would gain about 2-3 lbs, just small enough to go under my radar.
I was getting used to my new weight every month. In one year I gained about 25 lbs. My family would comment and I ignored their concerns. I had a new found pride in my bigger bust and butt. The next year I gained another 20 lbs. About 5 months ago a friend told me I needed to take my seroquel every day, and she was right in telling me. I should have been taking it as prescribed.
The sleep has been consistently awesome but I have now put myself on the fast track to gain about ANOTHER 20 pounds or MORE! So far I am at 10 more lbs than last year. So in total I have gone from 120 to 173lbs. I am so upset with the seemingly imposible weight lose. I love the sleep and hate the weight. Why can’t there be a balance?? I feel like the only balance is to go back to no sleep for a couple nights and then take it when I am starting to hallucinate, take it.
I have never had to work out in my entire life. I can say that I have alway been the most healthy eater of anyone I knew or know. Good luck to anyone starting this difficult journey, I hope you find the right balance of sleep and health. It kind of helps to keep any kind of sugar foods out of the house completely. I sleep walk to the kitchen and I will want to eat anything that is sweet.
I started taking Seroquel 300mg before bed to help me sleep through manic episodes. I tried many other antipsychotic medications but none have had as good an effect as Seroquel. My only side effect is weight gain. My weight usually hovers around 145 lbs but since I started the Seroquel I gained about 15 pounds… My doctor told me to eat more fiber & drink more water. I try to drink before meals this way I eat less & feel full. I also take the fiber pill… It helps my bowels move more frequently.
I just started on Seroquel (25 mg at night). The only reason was because Clonazepam and Lunesta could not help me sleep anymore. Ambien wasn’t doing the job either. I am borderline manic depressive and slightly bipolar. I used to cocktail Xanax, Valium and ambien to sleep many years ago, but for the last 12 years my psychiatrist has kept me on a short leash. I’m petrified of weight gain.
I am a relatively clean vegan, but will go 100% raw if need be to keep weight in check, along with cholesterol and triglycerides. I do P90X and Insanity for exercise, but I fear that I may lose the desire to get up at 0530 hrs to workout. I’m also afraid of increased adrenal fatigue from this. I will give Seroquel a few weeks, but to be honest, if I have to choose between hyper mania and insomnia vs weight gain, I’ll go with the former.
I just posted a comment about my experience. It may take a few days to be approved and posted. I will give you the short version. If you take seroquel daily and find you gain weight in 3 weeks, DEFINITELY stop. I wish someone had told me this. I hate being overweight. It is the worst. I have had insomnia my whole life.
I have also been 120 lbs my whole life. Even after 2 kids I was able to get back to my previous weight, and thinner. Now I am obese. Literally. I weight 174 lbs. I am so miserable because if I stop taking my seroquel not only do I lose sleep but I am stuck in a reality of being overweight. Hope this helps. Take care.
I suffer from racing thoughts and borderline bi-polar. I used to self medicate myself with alcohol to sleep and ended up being a horrible way to go. My Dr. has me on a super low dose of Seroquel (25M) and I even cut it in half.
I sleep like a baby. Lights out, I’m out for 8 to 9 hours. I do feel I could sleep all day though but I truly love that I don’t lay awake for hours with my racing thoughts. HOWEVER, I hate the weight gain.
I gained 20 pounds in the first 12 weeks of taking it. I am 5’5″ and typically weight between 120 and absolute highest is 130. I work out 5 times a week and eat clean and limit alcohol.
Since taking Seroquel I weight 150 and there is nothing I can do to change it. I went for 3 days just eating vegetables and water, and it didn’t move even an ounce. I’m hungry all the time.
I did nutri-system for 2 months and wasted the 600 bucks because I still weight 150. I’m considering going off it, I just don’t know how I will sleep. The weight gain is very lumpy too and very unflattering.
Started on 100mg Seroquel daily. Gained 3 kgs in a month. My Cholesterol levels increased slightly and I have slight hypothyroidism. I try to ignore cravings and fill up with healthy food options, particularly Low GI foods. I have also increased my levels of exercise. After 2 months my weight is slowly coming back to 59kgs (pre-Seroquel weight). It’s a real struggle to ignore cravings and constant hunger, but I am determined to do it.
Seroquel does not cause me to overeat. This is not the problem. If anything, I eat less now and am working out more than ever, and I cannot lose the 70 pounds I packed on with this horrible drug. My cholesterol has shot up to 325. When I try to stop, I get terrible insomnia. This drug alters hormones and metabolism and it’s junk. I want to sue the manufacturers.
Went to a treatment center October 13, 2014. Was struggling with multiple drug addictions. I have a little over 6 months clean and sober and feel amazing and very blessed, at the beginning of my treatment I had incredible anxiety: nervousness, heart palpitations, high blood pressure, insomnia, it really affected me terribly. I was already taking 10mg’s of paxil, and 100 mg’s of metoprolol to combat depression and my uncomfortably fast heart rate.
These seemed to help but I still wasn’t sleeping well. My psychiatrist prescribed me seroquel to help me sleep, being a non narcotic it was one of my only options. I cant say how grateful I am. I was fairly skinny my whole life, usually around 140 pounds at 5’8, not so bad but I was self-conscious and could never really eat much due to my anxiety; not only did seroquel knock me out like a light, it really helped me feel balanced throughout the day, just a medium, calm feeling. I really started to feel normal, and I gained a solid 25 pounds while taking it because it makes me eat like a Bear before hibernation.
I was literally sleep eating, but I workout regularly so the weight was evenly distributed, I just cannot stress how much better quality of life I have that seroquel has helped me obtain. Give the medicine a chance, I take 100 mgs right before bed and as long as I get at least 7-8 hours of sleep I wake up refreshed and usually pondering the wild dreams it gives me. Other than the worst case of munchies ever, I’ve experienced minimal side effects and no longer have to self medicate myself to curb my anxiety :) thank you seroquel.
Cody, Just wanted to say after reading your comment, it honestly felt like I wrote it word for word. Myself, detoxing, the accompanying anxiety, heart palpitations etc and the insomnia! I no longer have anxiety, sober etc but my doctor prescribed me Seroquel 100mg a night and same reasons (non narcotic) and I’ve been sleeping wonderfully for the last 10 weeks.
I have gained some weight but I’m not bothered by it. But the dreams tho!! Ha ha. It’s like a new movie playing in my head every night. I love it! I feel so refreshed on the daily. Thanks for sharing your story and hope all is well. Take care :)
I’ve been on medications for bipolar disorder since 2005. From the period of 2005-2009 I was put on over thirty different medications at different times, some within months of each other, to combat side effects of one psychiatric med with another psychiatric med. It screwed me up and landed me in a hospital in 2009. I have been on Seroquel ever since that time, at 100 mg. I was 150 lbs for my entire adult life (5’10 height). From 2005-2009 I grew to 180 lbs.
From 2009 to 2015, I grew to 287. I hate what this medication has done to my appetite, my metabolism, and my appearance. I wish I was never put on it, even though it’s the only medicine that has helped me combat the insomnia I experienced from manic episodes. I’m terrified of the withdrawal symptoms that will come from coming off Seroquel since I’ve been on it for so long, but I don’t want to take it any more. I’ve tried diets, exercise, cutting sugar… the scale doesn’t budge.
I too have been on that roller coaster of doctors playing “let’s try this medicine” on me and at roughly the same time as you too. I eventually ended up on a potent cocktail of antidepressants, mood stabilizers and over 1000mg of Seroquel a day. I have been on this recipe for about 6 years and I am very stable now, but I have three bad side effects. The first is that I have gained 80lbs of weight from it. I used to be very fit and in great shape, now I struggle to get up a flight of stairs.
The answer would appear to be to stop the Seroquel but when I try to reduce my dosage even slightly I suffer the worst mind spasms that are imaginable. I don’t know what else to call them but they are overpoweringly bad. The doctors have said that I am on too high a dose to ever come of this stuff. Great. And as a result of such a high dose I developed RLS which needs OxyContin to treat it so I am now on opiates for the rest of my life too. I would be very, very angry if I ever met the person that released Seroquel.
I’ve taken seroquel for the past 10 years ranging from 25mg-900mg. I played basketball in college was 6% body fat weighing around 170lbs. I’m 5’10 and my weight has been as high as 225lbs but I decided to switch from Seroquel to Lithium and they weight comes right off. Motivation is high I’m actually going to Medical School.
You have to find a psychiatrist that is going to treat your symptoms instead of your side effects. Most doctors agree that if you suffer from Manic Depression you should not be taking more then 3 pysche medications at one time. If you suffer from Insomnia I would encourage you to exercise during the day, don’t nap, or watch T.V. in your bed only use your bed for sleep.
Take melatonin to help regulate your circadian rhythm. Maybe take ambien or lunesta. If you are taking an anti-depressant ask your doctor to switch you to mirtazapine it help withs insomnia. For me, I don’t have any mood problems anymore the lithium keeps me from being manic and the mirtazapine keeps me from being depressed. I’ve been off of seroquel for two weeks and have lost 6lbs. Goodluck
I have been on seroquel since the middle of July and I have gained more than 10 lbs in 6 weeks. I’m desperately trying to find out if there are other drugs for Bipolar that won’t put weight on you.
Hi Velka, Just wanted to drop a note to say don’t worry about coming off Seroquel. I was on 400mg and needed to stop them immediately due to heart problems. The main withdrawal I noticed was severe nausea and irritability, resulting in about 2 weeks of not being able to sleep. After that I was fine. Good luck X
Hi. I came off quetiapine approximately 6 weeks ago after 4 week process of tapering off the drug. I was only on a dosage of 50mg per day for approximately 9 months. In the first month of taking the medication I gained 15kgs through a combination of insatiable appetite, loss of motivation/energy & slowed metabolism. Whilst the drug helped me with sleep (which was my main issue) it left me in a complete haze most of the time & always feeling hungry.
As a result of the side effects I decided to taper off it and since I have drastically increased my exercise, completely changed my diet & yet my weight will not move. I have been training daily for the past 8 weeks & I haven’t lost so much as 1kg. The quetiapine has completely screwed up my metabolism & left me now needing to go on medication to lose weight. All in all I have gained around 30kgs. I hope that others have a better experience than me.
Hi Nikki- I have had a similar experience. I was on 300mg for 11 months. Been off now for 2 months, changed my diet (paleo/keto) and not one single pound will go away. I gained 13 pounds, and the food I eat just seems to sit, making me feel bloated, or it is shuffled right off and stored as fat in my stomach, ass, and thighs. I have a legitimate gut for the first time in my life. Sick of it. Wondering if you have since had any luck with weight loss? Also, what weight loss med are you taking? Is it working? Thanks, Amber
Yes I was the same. I came off it a year ago after being on it for a year and a half was only taking about 25 mgs at night for sleep. I gained up to 8 kgs in the end which is when I decided to come off it. I was 62 kgs up to 70 kgs I am 5’7 so my doctor wouldn’t put me on weight loss medication because I was still just in my healthy BMI range.
However I exercised and ate healthy cutting out as much sugar as I could when I first went off it not to mention dealing with bad night sleeps trying to substitute by taking magnesium and cherry tart medicine from the natural health shop. A year later I have lost 2 kgs but haven’t really been strict with my diet and exercise. I know I am not fat but my tummy looks slightly flabby and would like to lose about 5kgs if I could. The only thing is is eating smaller meals and sticking to healthy wholesome foods can be a real struggle for me.
But I deal with severe bloating too as well as gas and stomach aches which don’t look particularly flattering so then my stomach looks grossly fat in the afternoons because I bloat from the foods I’ve eaten that day. I have heard stories that it can take up to a year or two years to lose weight and get back to normal after taking seroquel. I am going to try the gym again this summer and see how I go I am hoping to reach my losing 5 kg goal.
Anyway I was also trying garcinia tablets to help get rid of my excessive cravings for food, I never use to feel full and always needed food and junk food too when I was on it and coming off it. I felt it is sort of under control but I struggle. Before seroquel I use to have life long anxiety and felt too sick to eat anything I just would do anything to get that feeling back again lol.