Bipolar Disorder Treatment Medications Seroquel (Quetiapine) Side Effects By Marcia Purse Marcia Purse is a mental health writer and bipolar disorder advocate who brings strong research skills and personal experiences to her writing. Learn about our editorial process Marcia Purse Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on January 07, 2020 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on October 23, 2020 Print Hitoshi Nishimura / Getty Images Table of Contents View All Common Side Effects Serious Side Effects Seeking Emergency Help Overdose Other Precautions Seroquel (quetiapine) is an atypical antipsychotic drug used in the treatment of schizophrenia and the psychotic features of other mental illnesses, and for mood disorders, including bipolar disorder. Patients taking Seroquel should be aware of the potential side effects. Common Side Effects Check with your doctor if any of the following common side effects don't go away or are bothersome: Abdominal painAbnormal visionConstipationDecrease in appetiteDecreased strength and energyDizzinessDrowsinessDry mouthFeeling of fast or irregular heartbeatHeadacheIncreased muscle toneIncreased sweatingIndigestionLightheadedness, or fainting, especially when getting up from a lying or sitting positionStuffy or runny nose Serious Side Effects Along with its therapeutic effects, Seroquel can sometimes cause serious side effects. Some side effects will have symptoms that you can see or feel. Your doctor may watch for others, such as changes in the lenses of the eyes, by doing certain tests. Tardive dyskinesia, a movement disorder, may occur and may not go away after you stop using Seroquel. This was much more common with the older antipsychotic medications, but can very rarely occur with the newer atypical agents such as Seroquel. Signs of tardive dyskinesia include: Chewing or sucking movementsGrimacing (making faces)Lip-smackingPuckering or pursing the lipsRapid eye blinkingTongue protrusionWorm-like tongue movements When to Seek Help Another serious but extremely rare side effect that may occur as a result of taking Seroquel is neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS). Stop taking this medicine and get emergency help immediately if the following symptoms of NMS occur, particularly if they occur together: Convulsions (seizures)Difficult or unusually fast breathingFast heartbeat or irregular pulseHigh feverHigh or low (irregular) blood pressureIncreased sweatingSevere muscle stiffness Overdose Notify your doctor immediately if any of these symptoms of overdose occur. These symptoms may be more severe than side effects occurring at regular doses, or several symptoms may occur together: DrowsinessFast, slow, or irregular heartbeatLow blood pressureWeakness What Are the Signs of an Overdose? Other Precautions If you're taking or plan to take Seroquel, keep in mind these precautions: The FDA issued a black box warning on all antipsychotic drugs, including Seroquel, due to the increased risk of death in elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis. Because Seroquel may cause drowsiness, don't drive or operate machinery until you know how it affects you.If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant or if you are breastfeeding, tell your doctor.Don't ever stop Seroquel or change the amount you are taking without your doctor's approval, even if you feel better. This can lead to unwanted effects and problems managing your illness.Make sure you don't miss any doses of Seroquel as this can lead to a relapse of the symptoms of your mental disorder.If you use alcohol or illegal drugs, tell your doctor since these may make any side effects you experience even worse.Make sure to drink plenty of fluids while on Seroquel and avoid becoming overheated. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Dealing with racing thoughts? Always feeling tired? Our guide offers strategies to help you or your loved one live better with bipolar disorder. Sign up for our newsletter and get it free. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. U.S. Food & Drug Administration. Seroquel. Updated 2005. Bergman H, Rathbone J, Agarwal V, Soares-Weiser K. Antipsychotic reduction and/or cessation and antipsychotics as specific treatments for tardive dyskinesia. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2018;2:CD000459. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD000459.pub3 Christodoulou C, Margaritis D, Makris G, et al. Quetiapine and clarithromycin-induced neuroleptic malignant syndrome. Clin Neuropharmacol. 2015;38(1):36-37. doi:10.1097/WNF.0000000000000060 Additional Reading National Alliance on Mental Health. Quetiapine (Seroquel). Updated February 2020.