Why does Seroquel make you hungry? (3 consequences of hunger stimulation) 

In this blog post, we are going to answer the question, “Why does Seroquel make you hungry?”. Seroquel is an antipsychotic that is used for the treatment and management of many mental health conditions. 

However, this medicine is associated with a number of side effects including hunger stimulation. That’s all we are going to talk about today. We will also discuss what one should do to make this side effect go away. 

Why does Seroquel make you hungry?

Seroquel makes you hungry because it changes the way your hormones and other chemicals work together to regulate your appetite. Surveys suggest that some people crave foods with high sugar content, whereas some people crave high fatty foods. 

However it boosts your appetite, Seroquel ends up throwing you off your usual eating pattern and can make people gain weight. Despite that, it is one of the most commonly prescribed antipsychotics in the world. 

This is because Seroquel is still considered to be associated with fewer side effects as compared to typical antipsychotics. When antipsychotics were first discovered, they were found to be quite troublesome. 

They caused terrible side effects, including Extrapyramidal side effects which are known for the horrors they cause. Many researchers started to look for more chemicals that could possibly possess antipsychotic properties. 

As the research continued, many new chemicals were introduced and that’s when atypical antipsychotics came into the picture. They showed lesser side effects and proved that these newer antipsychotics can keep people safe from extrapyramidal side effects. 

Seroquel is one of the newer antipsychotics, that is why it is prescribed quite frequently. 

How often does Seroquel cause appetite simulation? 

Seroquel causes appetite simulation quite often. However, it still does not affect every person in the exact same way. Some people may not gain any weight, not even a single pound. 

Some people may end up gaining a few pounds, whereas some unfortunate ones can gain up to 20-30 lbs. It totally depends on how your body, genes, and physiological composition is reacting to the drug. 

Make sure you monitor your side effects carefully and talk to your healthcare provider right away if you notice anything different or unusual. A lot of factors are usually considered before prescribing Seroquel to a patient. 

Some people are already suffering from other illnesses like kidney diseases, liver diseases, or some autoimmune conditions. This may make their treatment journey with Seroquel a little different. 

People with underlying diseases usually need dose adjustment as their bodies can not process the full dose of Seroquel. This is exactly why you should never take any medication without your doctor’s approval. 

Do not share your medications with anyone or take their meds thinking if it’s helping them, it’ll probably help you too. That is the biggest reason why people suffer after taking meds that they should have never taken. 

If your doctor has prescribed Seroquel, make sure you take it just as directed by your healthcare provider. It is not recommended to change your dose or frequency without having your doctor’s approval. 

What are the consequences of Seroquel-induced hunger stimulation? 

Seroquel-induced hunger stimulation can cause a lot of consequences, as it throws you off your normal eating schedule and makes you eat more than your body needs. People who suffer from their side effects crave unhealthy foods because the drug can trigger some hormones to make you feel that way. 

The excessive intake of unhealthy food can cause a number of complications in your body. Some of these include:

• Weight gain
• High blood sugar and cholesterol levels
• Therapeutic failure

Weight gain

Weight gain is the first and the most basic concern when it comes to eating more than your body’s requirements. Every physiological function performed by our body requires energy, even when we breathe. 

Food and oxygen provide us with that energy and it helps with the contraction and relaxation of our heart muscles, skeletal muscles, and muscles in our gastrointestinal tract. 

However, eating more than your body needs is considered surplus and as the body has no use of that extra food and energy, it stores all of it in the form of fat. 

This fat can become our worst nightmare. As stated earlier, several surveys have indicated that people gain weight according to their lifestyle, diet, activity, genes, and a lot more. 

However, people who end up gaining a lot of weight suffer from a number of other conditions that do not usually affect people with moderate body weight. We all know the horrors of weight gain. 

In women, it can increase the risk of hormonal conditions like Polycystic ovaries syndrome (PCOS) and several other conditions that can cause hormonal imbalance. 

This can cause a number of other complications related to female health and fertility. In general, obesity can make you more susceptible to liver diseases, kidney diseases, pancreatic diseases, metabolic diseases, and certain types of cancer. 

For a person who becomes obese, normal life activities become difficult too because of the lethargy that comes with a higher amount of body fat. It can decrease your energy levels and can make some people bedridden. This is why make sure you’re not gaining a considerable amount of weight while being on Seroquel. 

High blood sugar and cholesterol levels

Studies suggest that Seroquel can make your blood sugar levels go high. Your body can only tolerate this condition to a certain limit. Once that limit has been crossed, you will be at great risk of diabetes. 

We all know the complications associated with this metabolic disease and how you need to change your entire lifestyle to manage your blood sugar levels and you will have to take more meds for a long, long time. 

Seroquel can also increase the levels of fats in your blood and give rise to a condition known as ‘hyperlipidemia’. The condition is also associated with a number of symptoms and it can affect the quality of your life if the disease progresses. 

Some studies have revealed that Seroquel can cause such metabolic conditions in people and it becomes extremely difficult for them to bear these conditions along with their mental health illness or psychosis. It’s like their whole life becomes one big mess. 

Make sure you always report the side effects to your doctor. If you are a caregiver to a patient who takes Seroquel, make sure you monitor their symptoms closely. If you notice changes in their weight, their eating patterns, or their behavioural patterns, report immediately to your healthcare provider. 

Therapeutic failure

Therapeutic failure is the biggest concern when it comes to the unbearable side effects of Seroquel. If the drug is not kind to your body, there is no point in continuing such a drug that disrupts your entire body physiology. 

Your doctor may slowly taper it off and switch you to another antipsychotic medication. However, the time duration you spent on Seroquel, hoping to get better, would all go to waste. Seroquel can be used to treat conditions like bipolar disorder and schizophrenia etc. 

These conditions are quite troublesome on their own. They can ruin the way you think, the way you see things, it can ruin your entire personality. If Seroquel doesn’t work to make these conditions better and make things even more difficult for you, there’s no point to continue them. 

There are other atypical antipsychotics that do not cause hunger stimulation and your doctor may prescribe them instead of continuing Seroquel. Some of these meds include:

• Haloperidol
• Ziprasidone
• Asenapine
• Lurasidone
• Brexipiprazole

Make sure you don’t start using any other medication without your doctor’s approval. It’s not your job to switch your antipsychotic and if you’re a caregiver, you should never make the patient take any medication which is not your doctor’s recommendation. 

Self-medication can do far more harm than you think. This is why stick to your doctor’s prescription, dose, and frequency of dose administration if you wish to achieve your desired therapeutic outcome. 

Conclusion 

In this blog post, we have discussed Seroquel-induced hunger stimulation. Seroquel is an atypical antipsychotic medication that can be used for the treatment and management of conditions like bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. 

Seroquel does make you hungry because it changes the way your chemicals and hormones work together to regulate your appetite. Surveys suggest that some people crave foods with high sugar content, whereas some people crave high fatty foods. 

However it boosts your appetite, Seroquel ends up throwing you off your usual eating pattern and can make people gain weight. Make sure you don’t start using any other medication without your doctor’s approval. It’s not your job to switch your antipsychotic.

FAQs: Why does Seroquel make you hungry

Does Seroquel cause extreme hunger?

Yes, Seroquel can cause extreme hunger because it changes the way your chemicals and hormones work together to regulate your appetite. Surveys suggest that some people crave foods with high sugar content, whereas some people crave high fatty foods. 

However it boosts your appetite, Seroquel ends up throwing you off your usual eating pattern and can make people gain weight. Despite that, it is one of the most commonly prescribed antipsychotics in the world.

Does Seroquel affect your metabolism?

Yes, Seroquel can affect yoir metabolism. Studies suggest that Seroquel can make your blood sugar levels go high. Your body can only tolerate this condition to a certain limit. Once that limit has been crossed, you will be at great risk of diabetes. Seroquel can also increase the levels of fats in your blood and give rise to a condition known as ‘hyperlipidemia’. Make sure you don’t start using any other medication without your doctor’s approval. It’s not your job to switch your antipsychotic.

Does Seroquel cause food cravings?

Yes, Seroquel can cause food cravings. Surveys suggest that some people crave foods with high sugar content, whereas some people crave high fatty foods. However it boosts your appetite, Seroquel ends up throwing you off your usual eating pattern and can make people gain weight. Make sure you always report the side effects to your doctor. If you are a caregiver to a patient who takes Seroquel, make sure you monitor their symptoms closely. If you notice changes in their weight, their eating patterns, or their behavioural patterns, report immediately to your healthcare provider.

What does Seroquel do to a normal person?

Seroquel is an atypical antipsychotic medication. It is most commonly used for the treatment of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Seroquel can also be used for the treatment and management of irritability, autism, and major depressive disorder (MDD). However, this medicine is also associated with some side effects and it may severely damage the mental health of a person who has no psychological illness. 

What medications should not be taken with Seroquel?

• Certain antibiotics include macrolides. Examples are clarithromycin, azithromycin, and erythromycin. 
• Antidepressants include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Examples are fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine, etc. 
• Some antifungal agents like ketoconazole, itraconazole, fluconazole etc. 
• Certain antiarrhythmic medications like quinidine
• Medications used to treat HIV include ritonavir, indinavir, etc.

References 

• Antipsychotics and Weight Gain https://www.webmd.com/schizophrenia/weight-gain-antipsychotics 
• Seroquel Weight Gain: Risks and Precautions https://addictionresource.com/drugs/seroquel/weight/ 
• Marshall E Cates et al. Community Ment Health J. (2009) – Metabolic consequences of using low-dose quetiapine for insomnia in psychiatric patients https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19472052/
• Martin Brecher et al. J Clin Psychiatry. (2007) – Quetiapine and long-term weight change: a comprehensive data review of patients with schizophrenia https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17474816/