adhd - Drugs for ADHD

Seroquel is generally used to treat adult psychotic conditions such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder (manic depression). However, I occasionally see it prescribed for children who have ADHD, which worries me. If your physician prescribes Seroquel for your child, get a second opinion.

Seroquel (Quetiapine) is a very powerful antipsychotic medication with many serious side effects. 

People taking Seroquel may have suicidal thoughts. This is more prevalent in children and young adults.
 

Serious side effects that require immediate medical attention:

Stiff muscles, confusion, sweating, fast or uneven heartbeats, uncontrolled muscle movements, symptoms that come on suddenly such as numbness or weakness, severe headache, problems with vision, speech, or balance; mood or behavior changes, anxiety, panic attacks, trouble sleeping.  Side effects may also include feelings of being impulsive, irritable, agitated, hostile, aggressive, restless, hyperactive (mentally or physically), or more depressed, or having thoughts about suicide or hurting yourself or signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
 
Seroquel may cause you to have high blood sugar (hyperglycemia). Talk to your doctor if you have any signs of hyperglycemia such as increased thirst or urination, excessive hunger, or weakness. If you are diabetic, check your blood sugar levels on a regular basis while you are taking Seroquel.
 
Seroquel can impair your thinking and reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.

Seroquel is an FDA pregnancy category C drug, which means it may be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant during treatment or are breast-feeding a baby. 

Avoid getting up too fast or you may feel dizzy.

Avoid drinking alcohol, which can increase some of the side effects of Seroquel.

Cold or allergy medicine, narcotic pain medicine, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicine for seizures, depression or anxiety can add to sleepiness caused by Seroquel. Tell your doctor if you need to use any of these other medicines while you are taking Seroquel.

Drug interactions:

Cimetidine (Tagamet); lorazepam (Ativan); rifabutin (Mycobutin) or rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane, Rifater); steroids (prednisone and others);  thioridazine (Mellaril);  an antibiotic such as erythromycin (E-Mycin, E.E.S, Ery-Tab), fluconazole (Diflucan), ketoconazole (Nizoral), itraconazole (Sporanox); medicine for depression such as fluoxetine (prozac), haloperidol (Haldol), imipramine (Tofranil), or risperidone (Risperdal); high blood pressure medication; or seizure medication such as carbamazepine (Tegretol), divalproex (Depakote), phenobarbital (Luminal, Solfoton), phenytoin (Dilantin), or valproate (Depakene).

Seroquel is also supplied in as XR Sustained-Release Tablets