Quetiapine

Quetiapine is an atypical antipsychotic used to treat schizophrenia, psychosis and bipolar disorder. Dopamine is a chemical messenger (‘neurotransmitter’) in the brain mainly involved with thinking, emotions, behaviour and perception. In some illnesses, there may be too much dopamine, causing some unwanted symptoms. The main effect that quetiapine has is to block the effects of dopamine in the brain, resulting in a reduction of symptoms. Quetiapine also has effects on other neurotransmitters in the brain such as serotonin, and its beneficial effects may be related to this as well.

It is common to experience side effects when starting a new medication, some of the side effects of quetiapine include:

• dizziness, which may lead to falls

• headache

• dry mouth

• feeling sleepy

• weight gain

• unusual muscle movements

• feeling like your heart is pounding, racing or skipping beats

• indigestion or constipation (having difficulty pooing)

• feeling weak

• swelling of the arms or legs

• high blood sugar

• blurred vision

• unusual dreams or nightmares

• increased appetite

• disturbances in speech or language

• thoughts of suicide or worsening of your depression

• shortness of breath

• being sick (mainly in older people)

These are only some of the most common side effects of quetiapine, if you have any questions please talk to your doctor.

Please do not worry about these side effects. Some people will not get any side effects at all. If you think you are getting side effects from taking quetiapine, speak to your doctor or pharmacist. If you do get a side effect, please think about reporting it via the 'Yellow Card' system.

If you have taken more quetiapine than the dosage recommended by the doctor who prescribed it to you, you must get medial help immediately - even if you do not feel any different.