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Serotonin Syndrome
Hi, I'm desperate for some answers about Serotonin Syndrome. I just went through the worst hell of my life and want my life back. I'm a healthy 31 yo, female. Here's what happened...
My doctor prescribed me lexapro about a week and half ago after i complained of anxiety. i was very happy, didn't suffer from depression and my anxiety wasn't severe. She also prescribed me Bentyl for some GI pains. my husband and I are also trying to conceive so over the next few days I also took B complex, B6, fish oil, tylenol PM. I also took 5 l L-lysine (in one day) due to a canker sore inside my mouth. I was on progesterone cream prior to going to the doctor.
The next day my husband and I left for a 4 day cruise which I was very much looking forward to. I took the bentyl and my stomach felt better. I took my first dose of Lexapro (along with the meds listed above) on weds. That evening I lost my appetite and felt strange. I chalked it up to the flight and traveling. The next day we got on a cruise ship. That's when I took my second dose of Lexapro. that evening I basically went nuts.
The next few days my symptoms included:
Tremor, rapid heart beat, dilated pupils, feeling like a couldn't catch my breath, dizziness, a deep feeling of depression to the point I felt suicidal (complete opposite of my normal personality), confusion, shivering, sweating, leg spasms, diarrhea. I had no appetite and couldn't eat anything without gagging. I didn't want to sit still but I also didn't want to do anything. i wanted to jump off the ship. I also had vivid flashes when I closed my eyes. I knew there was something seriously wrong with me but couldn't articulate it to my husband. I was able to sleep a little with 2 tylenol PMs.
When we got off the ship I called my PCP and she told me to see a doctor in florida. That doctor checked my reflexes etc and diagnosed me with Serotonin Syndrome. She prescribed me lorazepam which helped a lot and told me to see my PCP when I returned home. The next day I saw my PCP and she diagnosed me with SS as well. She told me it could take a week or two to feel better. The same day I basically went nuts with panic, depression, confusion, heart palpitations, tremor etc. I asked my husband to take me to Psychiatric hospital ER. They also said that they thought I had SS but said it should be passing (it had been 4 days since my last dose of Lexapro). They said that I must be extremely sensitive to SSRIs.
Each day my symptoms improve a little. It's been a 9 days since my last dose. My tremors/spasms have almost stopped and I can eat here and there. I've lost 7lbs and still have diarrhea, depression and this frequent feeling where I can't catch my breath. I stopped taking the lorazepam because I don't want to become addicted and I want to see how I feel without meds.
My question is when is this hell going to end? I was a normal person with a normal job/life before this and now I feel like a complete nut case. Although i am much, much better than I was, I feel like I should be back to normal by now.
I'm starting to feel like maybe I'll never get better. Please, please help!!!!!!
My doctor prescribed me lexapro about a week and half ago after i complained of anxiety. i was very happy, didn't suffer from depression and my anxiety wasn't severe. She also prescribed me Bentyl for some GI pains. my husband and I are also trying to conceive so over the next few days I also took B complex, B6, fish oil, tylenol PM. I also took 5 l L-lysine (in one day) due to a canker sore inside my mouth. I was on progesterone cream prior to going to the doctor.
The next day my husband and I left for a 4 day cruise which I was very much looking forward to. I took the bentyl and my stomach felt better. I took my first dose of Lexapro (along with the meds listed above) on weds. That evening I lost my appetite and felt strange. I chalked it up to the flight and traveling. The next day we got on a cruise ship. That's when I took my second dose of Lexapro. that evening I basically went nuts.
The next few days my symptoms included:
Tremor, rapid heart beat, dilated pupils, feeling like a couldn't catch my breath, dizziness, a deep feeling of depression to the point I felt suicidal (complete opposite of my normal personality), confusion, shivering, sweating, leg spasms, diarrhea. I had no appetite and couldn't eat anything without gagging. I didn't want to sit still but I also didn't want to do anything. i wanted to jump off the ship. I also had vivid flashes when I closed my eyes. I knew there was something seriously wrong with me but couldn't articulate it to my husband. I was able to sleep a little with 2 tylenol PMs.
When we got off the ship I called my PCP and she told me to see a doctor in florida. That doctor checked my reflexes etc and diagnosed me with Serotonin Syndrome. She prescribed me lorazepam which helped a lot and told me to see my PCP when I returned home. The next day I saw my PCP and she diagnosed me with SS as well. She told me it could take a week or two to feel better. The same day I basically went nuts with panic, depression, confusion, heart palpitations, tremor etc. I asked my husband to take me to Psychiatric hospital ER. They also said that they thought I had SS but said it should be passing (it had been 4 days since my last dose of Lexapro). They said that I must be extremely sensitive to SSRIs.
Each day my symptoms improve a little. It's been a 9 days since my last dose. My tremors/spasms have almost stopped and I can eat here and there. I've lost 7lbs and still have diarrhea, depression and this frequent feeling where I can't catch my breath. I stopped taking the lorazepam because I don't want to become addicted and I want to see how I feel without meds.
My question is when is this hell going to end? I was a normal person with a normal job/life before this and now I feel like a complete nut case. Although i am much, much better than I was, I feel like I should be back to normal by now.
I'm starting to feel like maybe I'll never get better. Please, please help!!!!!!
You had a big shock to the system and you are improving so trust that in time all symptoms will be gone.Lily
Awww, hunny, i'm sorry to hear you are having such a hard time. The truth of the matter is that some of us don't get better. We find out through trial and error (and doc's help) what med or mix of meds works best for us, and simply allow them to work so we can be happy, productive people. I personally have taken lorazepam, and recently switched to clonazepam, after discussing it with my doctor. I am well aware of the addiction problem, and i know that if i ever need to stop taking these meds, i will have to taper slowly. I only take them as prescribed, never, ever more. And I'm doing okay. You may very well need to take a benzo (the drugs i mentioned above), and if taken as prescribed, they help ALOT, and personally, i would rather risk an addiction (and need to taper) than be miserable every day. Best of luck to you! - Blu
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