Bob,

At least your doctor recognized you were "off". My GP was the one to tell me to lower my agonist because it looked like I had a drug induced Bi-polar disorder.

I can't say I blame you for not taking it. Bad enough our neurotransmitters get mucked up by our own meds let alone letting an anti-psychotic loose up there?!? I would have to be naked and swinging from a chandelier singing "Top o the world, ma" before I willingly took one.

This is the warning that scares me:

Due to compensatory changes at dopamine, serotonin, adrenergic and histamine receptor sites in the central nervous system, a gradual reduction in dosage is recommended to minimise or avoid withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms reported to occur after discontinuation of quetiapine include.... In other words Seroquel is addictive too.

Two other less intense alternatives come to mind. First, I have read several studies indicating that SSRIs are neuroprotective especially Citalopram and Fluoxetine (AKA Prozac). I am thinking one of these might balance you out. Lithium, Soccertese's post, has been used a lot longer than the anti-psychotic Seroquel which is what doc you gave you. I took Citalopram for awhile and felt great. More balanced but the best thing was that I would get sleepy at a "normal brain" hour and sleep a full 6-7 hours.

My other idea is maybe Amantadine? I take it for dyskinesia but seems to help the manic side of too much ldopa.

Hope things "normalize" soon.

Laura