Quetiapine belongs to the group of medicines known as antipsychotics. These medicines improve symptoms of certain types of mental diseases such as:
Hallucinations (if for example, you hear unexplained voices), a strange and disturbing thoughts, changes in behavior, loneliness and confusion., a mood disorder in which a patients feels overly excited or upset. People with this condition can be established that they require less sleep than usual, they are talkative, and have the rapid flow of thoughts and ideas. Nonetheless, they can felt extremely irritated. A mood disorder in which a patient feels overly sad (depressed) all the time, feel guilty, feel that they have less energy, have lost their appetite and cannot sleep.
Your doctor may order further treatment, and when you’re feeling better, because it reduces possibility of returning symptoms of your disease. It can be useful if your treatment include your family and friends. Ask them to read this and help in monitoring signs of disease and medicine treatment.
Warning and precautions:
Do not take quetiapine:
If you are allergic (hypersensitive) to quetiapine.,If you are taking any of the following medications: ,Some medicines used to treat HIV (e.g., nelfinavir, ritonavir, saquinavir),Medicines from among the azoles (for the treatment of fungal infections),Erythromycin, clarithromycin, or (for the treatment of infection),Nefazodone (for treating depression).
If any of the above apply to you, do not take quetiapine. If you have any doubts, before taking the medication, contact your doctor or pharmacist.
Be careful with the medicine quetiapine: Elderly people with dementia (people with severely impaired brain function ) should not take quetiapine The reason is that a group of medicines that includes quetiapine , in demented elderly may increase the risk of stroke, and in some cases the risk of death.
Inform you doctor: if you have any heart problems, low blood pressure, stroke, liver problems. epileptic seizure, cataracts, diabetes or are at risk of that disease. If this is the case, during the treatment, your doctor may check the level of sugar in your blood, if you have a history of low levels of white blood cells (which may or may not have been caused by the use of other medicines ,if you have a high levels of cholesterol or triglycerides; if you have a.
Other notes: Thoughts of harming and worsening of symptoms People suffering from depression and/or anxiety disorders can sometimes think about how to harming themselves or suicide.
Use with other medicines (interactions):
Warn your doctor if you use any of the following medications:
Medicines for the treatment of depression and anxiety, Medicines for the treatment of epilepsy (such as phenytoin and carbamazepine),medicines for the treatment of high blood pressure (antihypertensive) and heart rhythm disorder such as: amiodarone, flecainide, droneradone, disopyramide, procainamide, sotalol, quinidine, etc. Rifampicin (used to treat tuberculosis),barbiturates (medicines for sleep problems) such as: phenobarbital ,thioridazine, ziprasidone, pimozide, iloperidone etc. (also an antipsychotic),anticancer medicines such as: nilotinib, toremifene, vandetanib, arsenic trioxide, vemurafenib etc.
Before you stop taking any of the medications you normally take, talk to your doctor.
Taking with food and drink:
Quetiapine can be taken without regard to food. You should not take alcohol during treatment with this medicine because you may be sleepy. During treatment, do not drink grapefruit juice, because it may have a negative effect on the mechanisms action of the medicine, thereby jeopardizing its effectiveness.
Pregnancy and breast- feeding: Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or trying to get pregnant, or if you are breast-feeding, before you start taking quteiapine
Driving and using machines:
Quetiapine may cause sleepiness. Do not drive and do not operate any tools or machines while you are taking this medicine.
Dosage and administration:
Always take medication as directed by your doctor. If you are not sure how to take your medicine, contact your doctor or pharmacist. Your doctor will decide on the initial dose of the medicine, which can gradually be increased, and the number of tablets to be taken on the day. This will depend on your illness and needs, but daily dose will typically range between 150 and 800 mg. You will take your tablets once a day (in the evening before bedtime) or twice daily, depending on your disease. Do not halve the tablet, chew or crumble. Swallow the tablets whole with some water. Quetiapine can be taken with a meal or on an empty stomach.
Elderly: Your doctor can begin treatment with a lower dose of the quetiapine, and gradually increased up.
Patient with liver disease: Your doctor can begin treatment with a lower dose of the quetiapine, and gradually increased up.
Children and teen: Quetiapine is not recommended for people younger than 18 years. Even if you feel better, do not stop taking the quetiapine until you are instructed to do so, by your doctor recommends.
Overdose:
If you take more quetiapine than you were prescribed by your doctor, you can feel the drowsiness, dizziness and irregular heartbeat. In these circumstances, immediately contact your doctor or the nearest hospital. Bring your box with pills.
If you forget to take quetiapine:
If you forget to take medicine, take it as soon as you remember. Do not take two doses of the medicine per day, or double dose to make up for.
If you stop taking quetiapine:
If you decide to stop your treatment, always prior consult to your doctor. If you suddenly stop taking this medicine, you may have insomnia, nausea, or you suffer from headaches, diarrhea, vomiting, dizziness, or be irritable. Before your treatment is completely canceled, your doctor may advise you to gradually reduce the dose, until complete cessation of taking quetiapine. If you have any further questions on the use of quetiapine contact your doctor or pharmacist.
Side effect:
side effects convulsions (epileptic seizures similar) ,allergic reaction , high body temperature, ulcers in the mouth, dizziness, headache, dry mouth, ;sleepiness rapid heartbeat ,stuffy nose ,constipation, stomach upset (indigestion) ,feeling of weakness, fatigue ,swelling of the arms or legs ,low blood pressure when standing up. This may be the reason why you feel dizzy or fainting ,elevation of blood sugar levels ,blurred vision ,abnormal muscle movements (difficulties in initiating muscle activity, tremors, feeling restlessness or painless muscle stiffness) ,restless dreams and nightmares ,increased hunger ,irritability ,difficulty in speech withdrawal symptoms (symptoms that occur when you stop taking the medicine), and include: insomnia, nausea headache, diarrhea, vomiting, dizziness and irritability (listed symptoms usually disappear after a week when is taken the last dose);weight gain .The side effects listed in adults may also occur in children and adolescents
If you have any concerns or questions about your health, you should always consult with a physician or other health-care professional.