Side Effects of SEROQUEL
Page Highlights
- You may have side effects on SEROQUEL
- Some side effects can be managed
- Ask your doctor about the most appropriate way to start taking SEROQUEL
What are the most common side effects of SEROQUEL?
The most commonly observed side effects associated with the use of SEROQUEL in clinical studies were: dry mouth; sedation; drowsiness; dizziness; constipation; weakness; abdominal pain; a sudden drop in blood pressure upon standing; sore throat; weight gain; sluggishness; high blood sugar; nasal congestion; abnormal liver tests and upset stomach.1
This is not a complete list of the side effects of SEROQUEL. Please see the Important Safety Information below and the full Prescribing Information.
What Important Information Should I Know About SEROQUEL?1
- In elderly patients who have lost touch with reality due to dementia (confusion and memory loss), there is a higher risk of death with SEROQUEL and medicines like it. SEROQUEL is not approved for treating these patients
- Antidepressants have been shown to increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and actions in some children, teenagers, and young adults. Patients of all ages starting treatment should be watched closely by family members and caregivers, and any worsening of depression, suicidal thoughts or actions, or unusual changes in behavior, agitation, and irritability and should be reported to their physician immediately. SEROQUEL is not approved for patients under the age of 18 years
- The following have been reported with SEROQUEL and medicines like it. Tell your doctor if you experience any of the following:
- Excessive thirst or hunger, increased urination or weakness, as these may be signs of high blood sugar or diabetes
- Very high fever; rigid muscles; shaking; confusion; sweating; changes in pulse, heart rate, or blood pressure; or muscle pain and weakness as these may be a sign of a rare, but potentially fatal side effect, known as neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS)
- Dizziness or lightheadedness—especially upon standing, when you start taking SEROQUEL or when your dosage changes
- Uncontrollable movements of the face, tongue, or other parts of the body, known as tardive dyskinesia (TD)
What Else Should I Know About Taking SEROQUEL?1
- SEROQUEL tablets may be taken with or without food
- An eye exam for cataracts is recommended at the beginning of treatment and every 6 months thereafter
- Tell your doctor if you have
- thoughts about death or suicde
- had a seizure or have risk factors for seizures, such as head injury or brain surgery
- high cholesterol
- a history of a low white blood cell (WBC) count
- diabetes or if there is a history of diabetes in your family
- You may feel drowsy, especially when you first start taking SEROQUEL. Do not drive or operate machinery if you feel drowsy
- While on SEROQUEL, you should
- drink plenty of water to avoid becoming dehydrated or overheated
- avoid over-exercising
- avoid drinking alcohol during treatment
- notify your health care provider if you become pregnant or intend to become pregnant
- not breast-feed
- notify your health care provider if you are taking or plan to take any prescription or over-the-counter drugs
- You may have dry mouth. It may help to suck on sugar-free hard candy or chew sugar-free gum and use a room humidifier to add moisture to the air
- Take SEROQUEL as prescribed by your doctor. You should contact your doctor if you feel the need to stop treatment
Here's some more information on how to manage some of the more common side effects when first starting with SEROQUEL.
Drowsiness
After starting SEROQUEL, you may begin to feel drowsy.1
You should not participate in activities such as driving or operating machinery until you know that you can do so safely.1
Ask your health care provider about the most appropriate way to begin taking SEROQUEL. It may be possible to tailor therapy around your work schedule, for example, when you’re at home for a couple of days. That way, your body has some time to begin adjusting to the new medicine.
Here are some other tips for dealing with drowsiness:
- Get enough sleep each night, and have a routine bedtime and wake-up time, even on weekends
- Avoid alcohol consumption1
- Keep alert by staying active and exercising during the day. A brisk walk is a good example
Dizziness
When you start taking SEROQUEL or when your dosage changes, you might feel light-headed or dizzy, especially when you stand up from a lying position.
Here are some tips for dealing with dizziness:
- Increase fluid intake
- When getting up from lying down, take it easy. Relax for a minute, then slowly sit up before standing
- Sleep with the head of your bed slightly elevated
Dry Mouth
You may experience dry mouth when taking SEROQUEL. Here are some tips for dealing with dry mouth:
- Suck on sugar-free hard candy or chew sugar-free gum
- Drink plenty of water
- Use a room vaporizer to add moisture to the air
Getting Started on SEROQUEL
This is not a complete summary of safety information. Please discuss the full Prescribing Information for SEROQUEL XR and SEROQUEL with your health care provider.
Seroquel XR is a once-daily tablet approved to treat acute depressive episodes in bipolar disorder; acute manic or mixed episodes in bipolar disorder alone or when added to lithium or divalproex; long-term maintenance of bipolar disorder when added to lithium or divalproex; and schizophrenia. Seroquel is approved for depressive episodes and acute manic episodes in bipolar disorder; long-term maintenance treatment of bipolar disorder in combination with lithium or divalproex; and schizophrenia.
Elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis (having lost touch with reality due to confusion and memory loss) treated with this type of medicine are at an increased risk of death, compared to placebo (sugar pill). Seroquel XR and Seroquel are not approved for treating these patients.
Antidepressants have increased the risk of suicidal thoughts and actions in some children, teenagers, and young adults. Patients of all ages starting treatment should be watched closely for worsening of depression, suicidal thoughts or actions, unusual changes in behavior, agitation, and irritability. Families and caregivers should watch patients daily and report these symptoms immediately to the physician. Seroquel XR and Seroquel are not approved for patients under the age of 18 years.
- High blood sugar and diabetes have been reported with Seroquel XR, Seroquel, and medicines like them. If you have diabetes or risk factors such as obesity or a family history of diabetes, ask your doctor about checking your blood sugar before starting Seroquel XR or Seroquel and regularly throughout treatment. If you develop symptoms of high blood sugar or diabetes, such as excessive thirst or hunger, increased urination, or weakness, contact your doctor. Complications from diabetes can be serious and even life threatening.
- Increases in cholesterol and triglycerides, and weight gain have been reported with Seroquel XR and Seroquel.
- A rare, but potentially fatal, side effect reported with Seroquel XR, Seroquel, and medicines like them is neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS). Tell your doctor if you have very high fever; rigid muscles; shaking; confusion; sweating; changes in pulse, heart rate, or blood pressure; or muscle pain and weakness because treatment should be stopped if you have NMS.
- Another serious side effect reported with Seroquel XR, Seroquel, and medicines like them is tardive dyskinesia (TD)—uncontrollable movements of the face, tongue, or other parts of the body. TD may become permanent, and the risk of TD is believed to increase as the length of time on and the amount of these medications increase. While TD can develop in patients taking low doses for short periods, this is much less common. There is no known treatment for TD, but it may go away partially or completely if treatment is stopped.
- Before starting treatment, tell your doctor if you have high prolactin levels or have a history of, or are at risk for, seizures or a low white blood cell (WBC) count. An eye exam for cataracts is recommended at the beginning of treatment and every 6 months thereafter. During treatment, tell your doctor if you feel dizzy or lightheaded upon standing. Suicidal thoughts or actions may occur; tell your doctor if you have thoughts about death or suicide. Since drowsiness has been reported with Seroquel XR and Seroquel, you should not participate in activities such as driving or operating machinery until you know that you can do so safely. Avoid drinking alcohol while taking Seroquel XR or Seroquel because both drugs increase the effects of alcohol. Avoid becoming overheated or dehydrated while taking Seroquel XR or Seroquel.
- Common side effects: The most common side effects are drowsiness, dry mouth, increases in cholesterol and triglycerides, dizziness, increased hunger, increases in blood sugar, constipation, weakness, tiredness, weight gain, upset stomach, abdominal pain, a sudden drop in blood pressure upon standing, sore throat, difficulty speaking, stuffy nose, abnormal liver tests, and sluggishness.
Click here to see full Prescribing Information for SEROQUEL XR and SEROQUEL, including Boxed Warnings.