Fluoxetine & Quetiapine

Treatment and medication
1

I have been on anti-depressants for nearly 20 years and find fluoxetine suits me best. I have recently had my dose increased to 40mg a day and have also been prescribed quetiapine 25mg at night to assist with sleep. I've been taking the both these meds for 6 months now but find I'm so tired during the day particularly in the afternoons. I'm trying to work 30 hours a week and am on sickness absence procedure due to alot of absence since taking these meds. I'm considering reducing my hours but this would leave me reliant on benefits which causes me more anxiety. I also find it very difficult to concentrate. Is anyone else taking both these meds and if so how do you feel? Do you find it's the fluoxetine,  quetiapine or both that makes you feel more drowsy? Many thanks

 

2

Hi, Hg. I take 40mg of flouxetine and it has those side effects for me, too. I don't know about quetiapine. Sorry

3

Thanks for your reply Karen, its much appreciated. That is really helpful as I'm trying to determine which of the meds or both are causing the severe fatigue and I thought it may be the fluoxetine causing it as I'm on a very low dose of quetiapine (25mg)

 

4

I am taking trazadone to help me sleep. When I first started taking it, it made me drowsy when I woke up, but as I got accustomed to it, I don't have the drowsiness upon awakening. Is this similar to what you are taking?

5

I'm not sure about trazadone Karen. I've been taking the quetiapine for 6 months now in hope I would get accustomed to it and my gp also said it is a very low dose and a good, modern drug so should settle. I thought by 6 months it would have settled. Getting a bit fed up of trying different meds, different doses and different times to see if I can manage the medication better and get the assitance I need from them. Thanks again.

 

6

So hope you get better soon. Please keep us posted.

7

Hi

I think your tiredness is more flux. When you increase the dose it's like going back to the beginning with increased anxiety & tiredness. Fortunately it only lasts for 3 to 4 weeks. When I had my dose increased from 20 to 40mg the side effects didn't hit me until a week later & boy what a ride I had. It's now 4 1/2 months later & I feel fabulous - no more anxiety or panic attacks & bags of energy - so stick it out a bit longer xx

8

Thank you karen

9

Thank you for your reply vajaja, it is very helpful & appreciated.