# just prescribed seroquel



## ?real?ity? (Feb 18, 2007)

hello. i went to a psychatrist about derealization. i was prescribed seroquel. i really don't understand the effects of the drug. what does it do to one? does it help for derealization? does it help anxiety? what are the effects on the brain in scientific terms? can i smoke cigarettes still on this medication?


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## comfortably numb (Mar 6, 2006)

Basically seroquel is a atypical anti-psychotic approved to treat both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. It's also used off label to treat anxiety, insomnia and i guess dp/dr as well. It's great for insomnia because it's very sedating but you due build a tolerance to it. But it's not addictive in any way.

It basically works by by being a serotonin and to a much lesser extent dopamine antagonist. Specifically a 5-ht2, 5-ht1a serotonin antagonist and it also antagonizes the dopamine receptors D1 and D2. The fact that it has much less affinity for blocking the dopamine receptors then serotonin receptors probley explains why it has the least risk of extrapyramidal side effect's among the atypical anti-psychotics. Well besides clozapine but that's hardly even used for obvious reasons.

It also strongly antagonizes the histamine H1 receptor which is why it's strongly sedating. Remeron antagonizes the same recptor i think and that will knock you flat as well.

I dont think this is a great drug for anxiety or dp/dr myself. But it does work for some people and if ssri's and benzodiazepines have failed well you might as well give it a try.

Yes you can smoke all you want on it i certainly do. It doesent have any effect on it at all though it may help with the dry mouth abit.


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