Serotonin Syndrome

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On the 17th December 2006 I started experiencing bad flu like symptoms after months of increased side effects from taking Duloxetine (Cymbalta), a drug used to to treat MDD (major depressive disorder) which comes under the category of SSNIs (serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor) manufactured by Ely Lilly and Company.

This happened as a direct result of my psychiatrist over medicating me for 3 months. I was already taking the recomended adult dose of 60mg daily and he upped the meds to 120mg daily. My side effects of taking this drug increased quickly and markedly and my existing symptoms of anxiety disorders were also heightened.

I don't suffer from an MDD, I have reactive depression and severe PTSD and agoraphobia amoungst other conditions. Why my psych would do this I'm not sure although he did comment that he'd had success with other patients.

The recomendation with even a normal dose of this drug is that patients are monitored closely and after presenting on a number of ocassions to my GP with these agravated symptoms you would thik something would be done. This wasn't the case. The drug built up in my system and caused serotonin syndrome, a form of serotonin poisoning which is potenially fatal if left untreated and the drug not discontinued immediately.

My main symptoms were heightened anxiety issues, night sweats, flushes, dizziness, confusion, sleep problems and tremors all of which were reported more than once to my GP over the months leading to the 17th December. The symptoms then worsened dramatically to include more confusion, hallucinations, palpitations, shaking, muscle tremors and nausea. I thought initially that I was suffering from flu and began treating myself as such however these symptoms soon became so bad that I sought advice from an 'out of hours' emergency doctor on Friday 22nd December. Before seeing this doctor I re-read the patient information about my drug and became aware that the symptoms I was suffering were directly related to the drug. I discussed this with the doctor and was advised to reduce the dose and then discontinue the drug which would reduce the severity of the symptoms and that they would stop once the drug was out of my system.

Further research, all available easily on-line led to my conclusion that the situation was infact more serious. It didn't take long to find out that I was suffering from serotonin syndrome and that the symptoms I'd displayed were classic for that illness. This led to my own decision to immediatley discontinue the medication on the 24th December. Not as easy a decison as you might think because withdrawal symptoms from this type of medication are quite unpleasant and can even lead to major depressive episodes and even suicide.

As the days passed the toxicity symptoms lessened only to be replaced by bad withdrawal, all very distressing and ruining my christmas and worrying my 14 year old daughter and spoiling her holidays too.

Only late last week did I begin to actually start to feel better after being very unwell for nearly 4 weeks all because of lack of information and, as far as I'm concerned, wholey inappropriate treatment from a so-called health professional.

The experience was extremely frightening and very worrying for my daughter and I. All this for the lack of patient care and information. I will be persuing this matter of course with the relevant authorities and also calling on the manufacturers of SSNIs and SSRIs to make thier patient information literature more detailed and to contain a CLEAR WARNING of the dangers of this happening.

My thanks to my friends and family who helped me through this

Last edited by babybear3333 on 18 Jan 2007, 4:11 am, edited 4 times in total.

Sorry to hear about you toxicity problem. I was on two meds, and both had a side effect of liver damage. In October I got sick, and couldn't get well. That's when I did the research and found the side effects. I do not know why in this day and age doctors still write a prescription without checking the side effects first. It leaves them open to legal action, I would presume...

Glad to hear you're doing better, good luck in the future. You sound like you'll be much more careful, as I will, from now on.

And people wonder why I call doctors "pill-pushers". (??)

Did he not tell you will feel worse for the first few weeks or month or 2 depends on the person, should of asked if you agree on paper or after he asks if you will take them...


Says that on all drugs but I don't get monitored just when I got high dose My blood bp was monitored 136/50 something like that, know when I was in the ambulance with a over dose related to something else - my bp was 186...

And taking the drug off fast can cause kidney damage you have to step it down...

Sorry to say this but you will be at fault for it most likely...

Plus as a patient int he uk your rights are clearly written out you can ask to be took off them or say no to stepping the drug up...

The paper inside the drug box clearly tells you everything about the drug and what to do if you start feeling bad... as everyone is different...

logitechdog these issues or info were not made available to me and Serotonin Syndrome IS NOT described as a serious side effect in Duloxetine's patient literature.

Stopping the meds was not a choice it was essential.

Other aetiologies must be ruled out, such as infection, metabolic disturbance, and substance abuse or withdrawal.

Hope your willing for the company to test if you recently came down with the flu...

And I know what its like stepping down from 300mgs of a ssri

Last edited by logitechdog on 15 Jan 2007, 10:42 am, edited 1 time in total.

I didn't have flu and I don't abuse drugs.

OH GOD! My doctor put ME on Duloxetine ALSO!! ! When I moved the time I took it, my head was SPINING! All the bad experiences I saw made it sound like garbage, and I went off it. I NEVER went back!

As for the seratonin syndrome, that is logically a problem with ALL SSRI and MAOIs! THAT is why so many things are contraindicated, etc....

If you DO get seratonin syndrome, the last stage could be disastrous. LUCKILY, every pharmacist, etc... SHOULD prevent that so it SHOULD be rare, but I still don't like it.

Steve

They should, but I fell through that suposed safety net

I had to find out a lot about it on my own.

BTW what you can dois AFTER you are off MAOIs and SSRIs, etc... for a week or so, try 5HTP or tryptophan. It should do much the same thing in reverse! It works by allowing you to make more seratonin as needed rather than the SSRIs and MAOIs that work by disabling your ability to remove it when it isn't. Basically it works on the assumption that you are NORMAL and just need a little help to get the raw components(because of some chemical deficiency or poor diet).

It's cheaper, non perscription, and works faster ALSO!

Steve

gelatine, is the only problem with 5htp, and I am sure you don't want to know what it is , so I would read the ingre of the caps first to make sure its not in

Last edited by logitechdog on 15 Jan 2007, 12:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Explain guys I'm not sure I follow

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Know whats even cheaper Incense :0

Usually serotonin syndrme result from combining two types of
serotonin drugs unknowning. A MAO-A inhibitor and an SSRI for
example. Real serotonin syndrome is a near fatal(or fatal) conditions. I combined Paxil and a small dose of moclobemide many
years ago. I was extremely happy, followed by drunk slurred speech, final my thoart was constricted to the point I could barely breath. I can not blame doctors as I have been ordering my meds off the net for 10 years.

As for as liver damage and meds. Ideally you have your liver enzyme tested before starting a drug *blood test" and after being on the drug, Elevated enzyme indicate liver damage and you stop the med in that case. Most all meds have liver damage risk. Even mega doses of garlic can damage the liver.

TheMachine1,

Seratonin syndrome is caused by a flooding of the brain with seratonin. It is almost like gas for the brain. Like a car engine, a little can be sluggish. A little too much can make things run better.(which is what made you so happy) WAY too much causes stalls and possibly a shutdown(which is what happened with your sluggish speech, etc...) A full shutdown will cause a COMA or DEATH!

There are two main paths to prevent that. The MAOI and SSRI work against those paths. Of course, the problem is WORSE if you push on the gas, which is why I said people should be off the MAOIs and SSRIs for like a week before using Tryptophan or 5-HTP.

Steve