Has anyone had serotonin syndrome? Treatment and outcome?

This is my third time of going through this horrible syndrome. I have multiple docs and meds and once again one prescribed something (over the counter) that has made me sick for over two weeks. The latest one was a doc suggested I take some cough medicine after I had sent him a message on his portal. He had a list of my meds, but still told me to take this one, MucinexDM, that put me over the top. I am not the doctor or pharmacist. Why can't they get this right? I am upset he did this. I am physically and mentally miserable! Has anyone here got any suggestions in dealing with multiple docs and meds to prevent this?

This is my third time of going through this horrible syndrome. I have multiple docs and meds and once again one prescribed something (over the counter) that has made me sick for over two weeks. The latest one was a doc suggested I take some cough medicine after I had sent him a message on his portal. He had a list of my meds, but still told me to take this one, MucinexDM, that put me over the top. I am not the doctor or pharmacist. Why can't they get this right? I am upset he did this. I am physically and mentally miserable! Has anyone here got any suggestions in dealing with multiple docs and meds to prevent this?

This is my third time of going through this horrible syndrome. I have multiple docs and meds and once again one prescribed something (over the counter) that has made me sick for over two weeks. The latest one was a doc suggested I take some cough medicine after I had sent him a message on his portal. He had a list of my meds, but still told me to take this one, MucinexDM, that put me over the top. I am not the doctor or pharmacist. Why can't they get this right? I am upset he did this. I am physically and mentally miserable! Has anyone here got any suggestions in dealing with multiple docs and meds to prevent this?

I am 70 and have been taking Celexa 40mg and Klonopin 3mg for 12 years. About 6 months ago I started getting headaches. They continued to spread and now whenever I fall asleep my feet/ankles, abdomen, and sinuses are burning at pain level of 9. I might not be metabolizing the drugs as well as I have aged.? I was so desperate that I checked into nearby hospital. They prescribed Gabapentin 900 mg daily. That was about 1 week ago. I have very little relief yet, does this take longer to work? Is it possible that I have mild serotonin syndrome that is causing this neuropathy?

Hello @pacodennis. Gabapentin can take up to 2-4 weeks before you feel pain relief so it may just need some more time.

Here is some information that may be helpful to you as you explore your symptoms that you think could potentially be serotonin syndrome.

- Serotonin syndrome - Symptoms and causes: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/serotonin-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20354758

After you read the information, I'd be curious if you'd like to share what you feel aligns with what you are experiencing.

This is my third time of going through this horrible syndrome. I have multiple docs and meds and once again one prescribed something (over the counter) that has made me sick for over two weeks. The latest one was a doc suggested I take some cough medicine after I had sent him a message on his portal. He had a list of my meds, but still told me to take this one, MucinexDM, that put me over the top. I am not the doctor or pharmacist. Why can't they get this right? I am upset he did this. I am physically and mentally miserable! Has anyone here got any suggestions in dealing with multiple docs and meds to prevent this?

A few weeks ago I began feeling weird. It didn’t go away, it got worse. Dizziness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, sharp stomach pain, restlessness, clumsiness, confusion, this weird feeling of being cold but having flashes of full body sweats & no fever & extreme fatigue but struggling to sleep were my primary symptoms. It started gradually but increased rapidly and I did a deep dive into my symptoms and my meds. I SHOULD HAVE CALLED A DOCTOR OR GONE TO THE ER/URGENT CARE RIGHT AWAY. It was the weekend, I didn’t want to be a burden, couldn’t drive & definitely didn’t want an ambulance. I tried one of those online doctor visits but it was a scam. THIS WAS INCREDIBLY STUPID ON MY PART.
My psychiatrist had weaned me off Pristiq and onto Trintellix in November (after a round of ECT) and I felt great! In January my insurance stopped covering Trintellix (which is exorbitantly expensive) and while I worked on acquiring coverage, I went back on Pristiq and decided to up my dosage (w/o telling doctor) because I thought that would help mimic Trintellix (dumbass). In March, I went back on Trintellix and started weaning off Pristiq. This is when everything went wrong. I was taking 20mg Trintellix + 100mg Pristiq + 450mg Wellbutrin + 300mg Trazodone + my other common meds. Sounds a little toxic, don’t ya think? I gave myself Serotonin Syndrome.
I immediately stopped all anti-depressants and upped my water intake. On the 2nd day I felt better, 4th day much better & even though I started having withdrawals I waited until the 7th day to take Trintellix, then slowly added Wellbutrin & Trazodone. I feel so much better. My doctor’s more than a bit cranky with me.
Moral of the story? YOU ARE NOT A PHARMACIST OR DOCTOR OR SMART ENOUGH TO CHANGE YOUR MEDS because Serotonin Syndrome is deadly. Please be smarter me.

I too have had serotonin syndrome and it is scary. Mine is a similar story but different details from "brewnews" above. My seratonin overdose was caused by a supplement called SAMe.

Folks, be careful. I suggest making changes to your meds gradually, and with a doctor's approval. Journal the changes, and watch for signs of improvement or symptoms of problems.

Also, make one med change at a time if possible. In other words, don't try three new things all at once - then you won't be sure what's working or what's causing problems. Be aware that serotonin syndrome and other problems can take weeks to present as the buildup on your system becomes toxic. That's where the journal comes in - so you can see "what's changed" on a timeline.

Remember that vitamins, herbals and supplements are meds too, so include them in your journal along with prescription meds.

A few weeks ago I began feeling weird. It didn’t go away, it got worse. Dizziness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, sharp stomach pain, restlessness, clumsiness, confusion, this weird feeling of being cold but having flashes of full body sweats & no fever & extreme fatigue but struggling to sleep were my primary symptoms. It started gradually but increased rapidly and I did a deep dive into my symptoms and my meds. I SHOULD HAVE CALLED A DOCTOR OR GONE TO THE ER/URGENT CARE RIGHT AWAY. It was the weekend, I didn’t want to be a burden, couldn’t drive & definitely didn’t want an ambulance. I tried one of those online doctor visits but it was a scam. THIS WAS INCREDIBLY STUPID ON MY PART.
My psychiatrist had weaned me off Pristiq and onto Trintellix in November (after a round of ECT) and I felt great! In January my insurance stopped covering Trintellix (which is exorbitantly expensive) and while I worked on acquiring coverage, I went back on Pristiq and decided to up my dosage (w/o telling doctor) because I thought that would help mimic Trintellix (dumbass). In March, I went back on Trintellix and started weaning off Pristiq. This is when everything went wrong. I was taking 20mg Trintellix + 100mg Pristiq + 450mg Wellbutrin + 300mg Trazodone + my other common meds. Sounds a little toxic, don’t ya think? I gave myself Serotonin Syndrome.
I immediately stopped all anti-depressants and upped my water intake. On the 2nd day I felt better, 4th day much better & even though I started having withdrawals I waited until the 7th day to take Trintellix, then slowly added Wellbutrin & Trazodone. I feel so much better. My doctor’s more than a bit cranky with me.
Moral of the story? YOU ARE NOT A PHARMACIST OR DOCTOR OR SMART ENOUGH TO CHANGE YOUR MEDS because Serotonin Syndrome is deadly. Please be smarter me.

A few weeks ago I began feeling weird. It didn’t go away, it got worse. Dizziness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, sharp stomach pain, restlessness, clumsiness, confusion, this weird feeling of being cold but having flashes of full body sweats & no fever & extreme fatigue but struggling to sleep were my primary symptoms. It started gradually but increased rapidly and I did a deep dive into my symptoms and my meds. I SHOULD HAVE CALLED A DOCTOR OR GONE TO THE ER/URGENT CARE RIGHT AWAY. It was the weekend, I didn’t want to be a burden, couldn’t drive & definitely didn’t want an ambulance. I tried one of those online doctor visits but it was a scam. THIS WAS INCREDIBLY STUPID ON MY PART.
My psychiatrist had weaned me off Pristiq and onto Trintellix in November (after a round of ECT) and I felt great! In January my insurance stopped covering Trintellix (which is exorbitantly expensive) and while I worked on acquiring coverage, I went back on Pristiq and decided to up my dosage (w/o telling doctor) because I thought that would help mimic Trintellix (dumbass). In March, I went back on Trintellix and started weaning off Pristiq. This is when everything went wrong. I was taking 20mg Trintellix + 100mg Pristiq + 450mg Wellbutrin + 300mg Trazodone + my other common meds. Sounds a little toxic, don’t ya think? I gave myself Serotonin Syndrome.
I immediately stopped all anti-depressants and upped my water intake. On the 2nd day I felt better, 4th day much better & even though I started having withdrawals I waited until the 7th day to take Trintellix, then slowly added Wellbutrin & Trazodone. I feel so much better. My doctor’s more than a bit cranky with me.
Moral of the story? YOU ARE NOT A PHARMACIST OR DOCTOR OR SMART ENOUGH TO CHANGE YOUR MEDS because Serotonin Syndrome is deadly. Please be smarter me.