Serotonin syndrome

[Fadeaway]

Once again I let my Dr.s guilt trip me into taking antidepressants despite having bad reactions to about 20 different ones. Welbutrin being the worst headache of my life and suicide attempt on Prozac. This time it was mirtazipine.

I feel weak and shaky, I can barely walk because my legs feel like Jello but my neck feels as stiff as a board. Ibuprofen doesn't touch my headache. I have experienced this before on about Cymbalta, Celxa, Zoloft, Paxil, you name it. but Dr.s just act like I am a bad patient when I tell them this.

My chief complaint is anxiety, not depression. I suffer from grief not depression. I suffer from insomnia not depression. Stop prescribing me anti-depressants for depression. Yes, I know they work for some people but they don't work for me. Am I depressed over my situation? Yeah, but not the chemical imbalance kind, it's situational.

So how do I treat the serotonin syndrome until I see my new psychiatrist in the morning?

 

[hodge]

Fade, take a look at this. Do you have any Ativan or Valium?

Serotonin syndrome - Diagnosis and treatment - Mayo Clinic

Also what is your local hospital's name? I'll look it up and see whether they have a 24-hour nurse hotline. They should. Ours does if yours doesn't.

Oh, pm me your hospital's name.

 

[ninja]

I experienced high blood pressure, which caused nasty anxiety and some very strange bodily sensations. It was awful and I am truly sorry for what you are dealing with. It really seemed to help me to walk around. My doctor told me to keep walking, (and to stop the medication) as it would help my blood pressure which in turn helped the symptoms. It went away within 48-72 hrs after stopping the medication.

 

[Fadeaway]

Thanks Hodge I already called and was just advised to go to the E.R. Unfortunately, I don't have anything like that. These were all attempts to NOT prescribe me that. Figures that is what would help me now. They are absolutely refusing to prescribe me a benzo even I have never had a history of taking it on a regular basis Just a handful of times when the E.R. has given me. But my regular anti-anxiety is hydroxizine and it works if the anxiety is mild but not for panic attacks or sever anxiety which has been getting worse lately.

@Ninja I will try walking but my legs really feel like rubber.

 

[hodge]

Here is our nurse hotline: (800) 445-5788 You can call it. They won't ask where you're from.

 

[ninja]

FWIW: I felt a noticeable and immediate benefit, so if you feel worse please stop and turn around.
And also, the only thing (granted I have not tried many just because I have a feeling I won't respond well) that has worked decently well for me has been a low dose of Ativan. And even then, the day after I usually experience some rebound anxiety. The doctors have been very hesitant to prescribe it and my usage is looked after closely. I tend to only use it once every 1-2 months.

 

[hodge]

I've been through this, too. I think I took some benedryl, but am not sure about that, so don't want to advise you to do that.

Maybe it would help to take the hydroxizine? Especially if your blood pressure is elevated. I would ask the nurse.

I think you'd be safe in taking a hydroxymine. I was on mirtazipine for a couple years. It helped me sleep, but made me gain a ton of weight, so I got off it. I mean, seriously, I was only eating about 1,000 calories a day tops and working out for a solid hour every morning and I still gained like 30 lbs, so good riddance.

How are you doing, Fade? Just want to check in.

 

[Fadeaway]

I am ok, I took the hydroxyzine and fell asleep for about an hour but now I am up again. I think I will be ok until my appointment with the new psychiatrist.

 

[AnonymousGirl99]

Hi Fadeaway,

I'm in the same boat as you :(

I have tried so many different antidepressants that were really forced upon me and my main symptom is anxiety, NOT depression. Like you said, it's situational.

I was on hydroxyzine for a while, but it would never work for those moments of extreme panic. I do take benzos regularly and these seem to be the only thing to help. I just started CBT therapy so hopefully that will work in the long run.

Hopefully your doctor will let you have a benzo just for when you absolutely need them.

Sending good thoughts your way.

 

[EveHarrington]

I hope your new doc listens to you.

Remember, docs are NOT gods! They are human! They are fallible! If you don't want to take a drug, don't take it! This "non compliance" bullshit is just that, bullshit. Don't let it scare you. Only in the world of psychiatry are we threatened with a non-compliance label when we don't want to take a drug. Good docs will ask for your input and will never force a drug on you!

You are your own best advocate!

 

[hodge]

Yes! What Eve said.

 

[Fadeaway]

I have to say I really felt heard by the new psychiatrist. I haven't felt heard in a long time. He gave me Xanax for sever panic anxiety but not as an every day medication. My old Dr. acted like I was a junkie for mentioning it. We talked about Lunesta for sleep but wasn't decided on. Honestly after taking with him today I realize how bad my other Dr. was.

Going to try Lamictal. I am a little nervous about it, especially when I read it was for bipolar and seizures, but he said it was indicated for PTSD as an off label, and won't cause serotonin syndrome, and since we already know my DNA test showed I have trouble with low dopamine, it does seem like the logical medication to try.