Anyone here ever lose weight while on Seroquel?

Hi everyone,

My doctor put me on 25 mg Seroquel in June of last year to treat my Pelvic Floor Dysfunction. It's really helped and as a bonus it's also helped my insomnia as it knocks me out when I take it at night. I was warned it was a weight gainer but I was on it for six months without gaining weight and I figured it was such a low dose it was fine. I suddenly gained 10 pounds last month after not having gained weight in ten years which could be attributable to the Seroquel or to my unhealthy eating habits at the time, I don't know.

When I looked up Seroquel on these forums all that came up were horror stories on how much weight people gained on it and how it's impossible to lose weight on it. My question is, has anyone here managed to lose weight while on it? I don't want to go off as it's really helped my PFD but if it's impossible to lose weight on it I guess I'll have to!

Thanks!

Replies

  • healthieryear
    healthieryear Posts: 17 Member
    I was on it many years ago and lost 20lbs during that same time.

    I think in most cases people who gain weight on it are gaining due to being extremely hungry. In most cases with many medications that make you gain weight, thats the reason why. They will cause you to be hungrier and/or you begin to feel better and your appetite comes back. There are medications that do make it harder to lose weight for other reasons and such of course.

    I did research on it at the time and was really paranoid about gaining weight from it, but like I said, I got the exact opposite effect.
  • Cakewalk25
    Cakewalk25 Posts: 71 Member
    Thanks that's encouraging! I really don't want to go off of it as it's helped me tremendously since I've gone on, but some of the horror stories on this forum were scaring me!

    I wasn't sure if it made you gain weight by slowing down your metabolism or by making you more hungry - if it's the latter, then I'll be okay as I'm tracking my calories.
  • Maleficent0241
    Maleficent0241 Posts: 386 Member
    If you hadn't gained any weight for a significant time on it, I think it's very likely there are other factors causing the gain (especially if the dosage hasn't changed). They don't totally know what causes the gain when it happens - some is appetite, some can be hormonal changes, etc. It depends on the person.
  • I take 100 mg of Seroquel and I don't know if its increased my appetite but I know it does have that effect on some people, my dad for example, but he is on 600 mg. I would say don't stop it if it's helping you, just if you notice you're hungry more than usual, maybe try to control the urges to eat? I know it sounds kind of rude maybe but when you're on drugs that raise your appetite that's really all you can do. I have lost 15lbs so far and like I said I am on Seroquel. It is definitely not easy for me to lose weight but I'm not sure if that's my body or my medication.
  • Cakewalk25
    Cakewalk25 Posts: 71 Member
    Thanks for the responses guys! I'm going to keep taking it for now. I hope with such a low dosage the side effects are not as noticeable with me.