Last week I talked about Seroquel indications and dosage as well as the warnings and precautions for Seroquel.
Today I complete discussion of the prescribing information on Seroquel and suggest why you need to know this stuff anyway.
What Are Placebos?
No one knows why, but for some reason some people will react to an inert substance (a sugar pill that does nothing – a placebo) like it’s a drug. They experience “side-effects” or “get better” just like they would on a drug. This is important because when drugs report side-effects you have to compare them to the placebo number. So, if 10% of people taking the placebo got headaches, and 11% of people taking the drug got headaches that 1% difference makes the side effect much less relevant than if there were a 10% difference.
Adverse Reactions
This section outlays how likely adverse reactions (side-effects) are. Here are some of the interesting bits:
- Discontinuation due to adverse reactions (people that stopped taking the drug because of side-effects) – between 4% – 19%, compared to 3% – 5.7% for placebo. That’s up to 1 in 5. That’s a lot.
- Adverse reactions occurring in 1% or more – these are the side-effects you are most likely to get. There are lots and lots of things listed here. Take a browse if you like. Some may matter to you more than others.
- A note on weight gain: these are huge numbers. Consider this:
- In 3-6 weeks 23% of schizophrenics gained 7% of their body weight or more (6% placebo)
- In a person of 200 lbs that’s 14 lbs + during as little as three weeks! That’s more than 200 lbs in one year. (That is an absolutely worst case scenario and assumes the weight gain continues at the same rate, which it may not.) The point is, these trials are over weeks and you’re likely to be on this medication for years. You have to extrapolate the data over time. (If you or your doctor are not keeping track of your weight on these drugs you’re loony.)
Drug Interactions, Use in Specific Populations
Good to know if you’re in specific populations. Mostly something for your doctor.
Drug Abuse and Dependence
From what we know this class of drugs is non-addictive but this hasn’t been proven in humans. (But seriously, if you’ve been on them you’ll know how crazy it is to want to stay on them.)
Overdosage
Don’t try to kill yourself with an antipsychotic, k? If someone does overdose, take them to an ER. Simple.
Description, Clinical Pharmacology
Useful for scholars, doctors and pharmacists. The only thing you might want to know is if there are differences in age, gender, race and smoking of patients.
Nonclinical Toxicology
These are all animal tests for the things they can’t test on humans like cancer and impaired fertility. It’s always hard to say whether this translates to humans and only long-term use of the drug will tell.
Clinical Studies
This tells you just how effective the drug is based on research. I believe this is only the data submitted to the FDA, and not subsequent study. If you really want to know how the drug does with your particular condition you have to search for more recent research. It’s generally easier just to talk to your doctor about why he thinks this drug is right for you.
How Supplied
Handy to know either for getting on or off the drug.
That’s it. That’s the prescribing information for a drug. It’s a lot.
Why Do I Need to Know About Seroquel Prescribing Information?
If you’re going to take a medication for years, you should have some idea of what you’re getting yourself into, and you should know what tests should be run during treatment because I’ve very sorry to say, doctors often don’t order them. And doctors don’t have time to discuss all this with you in an appointment. Sorry, they just don’t. If you look at the information and bring them questions, then you’re both happy.
Do I really have to do this much research?
That’s up to you. I’m not going to make you, but I’ve been bitten more than once for not knowing it. Some drugs are worse than others for nasty side-effects but you won’t know that until you get some experience under your belt. Here are some things to keep in mind:
- Anything can be a side-effect. You might get something common, you might get something rare, you might even get something that isn’t on the list, or you might get nothing at all. You won’t know until you take the drug.
- Actual drug information sheets like this one are available online on different sites and you can find one for pretty much any drug. This is your best source of information on the drug as it’s backed up with scientific data.
- In my experience, the likelihood of experiencing side-effects is much greater than the numbers suggest. The good thing about numbers though is that they do give you a basic idea of likelihood.
- People on the internet are just people on the internet. Don’t base your decisions on random people posting on bulletin boards. You don’t know who these people are and don’t know their agendas. I get offers for payment to insert marketing into my content. (And I mean right into my content. You might not even recognize it as advertising.) I don’t do it, but some people do. Use real data from reputable sources to make decisions.
- Ask questions. I know the words are big and scary so ask your doctor. He can translate and has real-world experience to go with it.
And remember, this isn’t about fear, it’s about education.
[I should remind you that I am not a health care professional and anything concerning to you should be discussed with your doctor.]
You can find Natasha Tracy on Facebook or @Natasha_Tracy on Twitter.
I disagree with your comment under “Drug Use and Abuse” when you state “…if you’ve been on them you’ll know how crazy it is to want to stay on them.” First of all, I abhor the word “crazy” in any way, shape or form. Secondly, this medication happens to be wonderful for many people. I know it has saved my son’s life. It is one of the top selling medications for a reason. It works to save suffering and human lives. Don’t bash a medication that has helped so many people. Yes, there are down sides to it. But, there are also many good things it does.
Hi Thomas,
I can understand your abhorrence in the word crazy. I don’t find it derogatory and wrote about it here: http://www.healthyplace.com/blogs/breakingbipolar/2010/06/are-bipolars-crazy-i-am/
Regarding addiction; addiction requires that the person compulsively uses a substance that is psychologically or physically addictive and causes harm to themselves or others. Addiction happens, by definition, when something feels “good”. (I’ll skip the biochemical part.) Antipsychotics actually do exactly the opposite. They reduce the symptoms of certain illnesses but they do not, in fact, make you feel “good”. (Again, I’ll skip the biochemical part, but biochemically this is true.)
So, while antipsychotics like Seroquel save lives, it has nothing to do with making anyone feeling good, which is what I was referring to in the comment. It’s similar to suggesting that insulin makes diabetics feel good. It doesn’t. But it does effectively treat their illness.
Feeling good and treatment are two totally different things, and I was not bashing this or any other drug.
And I have yet to meet a person that “likes” taking an antipsychotic. The medication successfully treats some people, but it’s far from enjoyable.
(And just because a drug is among the highest-grossing, it doesn’t mean that’s due to its efficacy. In the US it correlates quite highly to marketing.)
- Natasha
When I wonder about drug a being addictive, I see it as more of a process where your body becomes dependent on it and craves more and if you were to try to lower your dosage or stop it you would have severe withdrawal symptoms that are worse than the original illness, like with Xanax. So not necessarily involving feeling good…
Hi MCM,
as you wish, but that isn’t the actual definition of addiction. What you’re describing is tolerance. There is an important distinction: people don’t mug people for money for Xanax but they certaily would for crack.
- Natasha
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It doesn’t bother me a bit when people use the word “crazy”. Unless they are using it in a mean way. I have schizophrenia and YES I am CRAZY but so what? That’s who i am now days. If you have an illness like this, you have to learn to laugh at things that happen to you. Don’t take it so serious! My definition of crazy is, if you hear voices – you are crazy! Seroquel is the best antipsychotic i have found so far. Iv tried 6 different drugs. I found Seroquel by accident. The doc that was giving me free samples (i had no insurance) ran out of Zyprexa so i got Seroquel till the next visit. I decided to stick with it. It aint perfect but its OK.
Ken
Hi Ken,
Well, I don’t hear voices, so I guess I’m not crazy
I agree, we don’t need to take ourselves so seriously.
It’s good that you’ve found something that’s working for you. Good luck.
- Natasha
I’ve been reading online about the dangers of sudden cardiac death with seroquel. Have you read anything about this? My doctor just started me back on seroquel…at my request because saphris wasn’t working…and I read about this. It scares me to death but I don’t know what else to do because the depression and irritability is horrible this time
Hi Danielsmommy,
You would have to direct me to specific articles before I could comment on them, but I do have two things to say.
1. Your doctor is your best reference for your concerns. Spell them out for the doctor and let them fill you in. Bring in the concerning article with you if you think that would help.
2. The last time I looked at this issue (which was about a year ago I think) I found that some antipsychotics like quetiapine (Seroquel) can elongate the QT interval of the heart rhythm. That’s fancy speak for they can upset your heartbeat.
HOWEVER, it was not found that this increased the rate of cardiac events. While there was a _concern_ this might be the case, there was no scientific evidence of it at the time.
Please check this information with your doctor, however, as I am going from memory and new developments may have been found.
Please, please don’t sit with your fears. Talk to a professional and truly assess the real risk. Being scared and alone isn’t going to help you (or your heart) one bit.
- Natasha
Hi, Natasha:
Coming from someone who is a recovered addict I have trouble with this comment: “There is an important distinction: people don’t mug people for money for Xanax but they certainly would for crack. ”
With respect, this is completely inaccurate. People get addicted to all kinds of things and Xanax is benzodiazepine which a HUGE potential for addiction.
If you tell a drug addict hooked on downers that they would not commit a crime for a drug they feel they need, and do until a physical detox has taken place, they would argue.
Addiction is as simple as it is complicated and people do all kinds of things to obtain drugs unfortunately some of them are violent.
Sincerely,
Natalie
Against the bad-famed mentality on psychiatric medication, psycho-pharmacologic treatment remain the main approach on clinical psychiatric practice. This statement is derived from successful and satisfying management of mental disorder over 50 years, as long as is to set with current medication in clinical psychiatry. On the other side, the introduce of drugs in psychiatric treatment has to lighten many unknown reason on real nature of mental diseases. These and others benefits of drugs in the treatment and management of mental illnesses justify the usage of psycho-pharmacology, without any hesitation. The crucial question is the appropriate and professional dosage of psychotropic drugs in clinical psychiatric practice, that is nominated as “algorithm in psychiatric medication”. That means to use these drugs in accordance with scientific and professional data and recommendation. Every deviation from this doctrine would be dangerous and even most harmful than oneself mental disorder.
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