"Four years ago, at age 70, my doctor gave me a starter pack of Seroquel. It turned out to be the proverbial, &quot;silver bullet&quot;. I haven&#039;t had a single episode of depression or hypo-mania since I started taking it. Three noticeable side effects have occurred: 
1. I typically sleep 12 hours out of every 24 hour cycle,
2. My body fat distribution has increased my waist by 5 inches, but my weight has remained about the same,
3. Two years ago I was diagnosed as a Type 2 diabetic.
For approximately the prior 20 years I experienced several episodes each year as a &quot;rapid cycler&quot;. Dozens of drugs had been tried without much success. As a staid person when not in an episode, it is not my style to be hyperbolic in describing my personal experiences."