Anyone heard of serotonin syndrome? Anyone experienced it??

Specialties Psychiatric

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I was reading in a drug book about the drug Tramadol. It said not to give it with an SSRI. I forgot to see if it is a SSRI> It said if you gave tramadol with an SSRI . you could bring on the

serotonin syndrome."

So many drugs to remember !!

people should inform themselves about what they put in their body but not everyone has the resources or the smarts to do that

it is sad when people make wrong decisions that negatively impact the rest of their lives

I think everyone has the resources (all you need is a public library or a visit to the local Barnes and Noble for some free research) - but I agree, smarts (and even where-with-all) are another matter entirely.

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Oh, yes. I was on an SSRI to treat migraines. The first time I had serotonin syndrome, I was in ICU for three days, then m/s for another two. The second time I was in the hosp. for seven days. Never again will I let someone try to talk me into using SSRIs for migraines.

SSRIs are not the nice little pills the manufacturers of Zoloft, Paxil, and Wellbutrin would have you believe. They do help quite a few people, but they can have potentially lethal side-effects.

Was going to ask a question but changed my mind due to some 'nursier than thou' responses to other questions in this thread. (not yours fab4fan)

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I take Celexa, and it is classed as a "SSRI" (Selective Seratonin Reuptake Inhibitor). Is it dangerous to take, too? :confused:

You don't want to take Tramadol with Celexa, but why are you taking Celexa? You should know why your taking a drug and if the benifits out weigh the side affects, I think it's woth a shot. I take an SSRI-Lexapro, no problems so far except when I took it with Tramadol--I got really sick, never again. If you take percription meds, you need to make sure it's ok to take anything OTC or percriptions before taking another med. hope this helps. Just always read lables and follow up with MD.

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I am on zoloft and my doc tried changing me to celexa for fibromyalgia. very bad side effects! i was on 100mg of zoloft, and she cut me back to 50 mg for a week then onto celexa, I COULD NOT function. it was horrible. i was exhausted, everything hurt, i couldn't concentrate, i thought i was going to end up in the hospital. she told me i was going through serritonin syndrome. put me back on zoloft and I felt better instantly. now she is trying to take me off the zoloft completely. I am taking 75mg this week, then 50 next week, then 25 the week after. I think I am ready to be taken off. She put me on it over a year ago due to my mom passing away, and I want to try to get off it now.

I have fibro too and have been on 50 mg zoloft daily for a year. There is some research out there that the SSRI's help control IBS which is one of the more irritating aspects of fm for me, and that is why I take it and get by w/ a lower dose. Just an FYI if you haven't heard of this. It has helped me immensely.

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Specializes in Community Health Nurse.
You don't want to take Tramadol with Celexa, but why are you taking Celexa? You should know why your taking a drug and if the benifits out weigh the side affects, I think it's woth a shot. I take an SSRI-Lexapro, no problems so far except when I took it with Tramadol--I got really sick, never again. If you take percription meds, you need to make sure it's ok to take anything OTC or percriptions before taking another med. hope this helps. Just always read lables and follow up with MD.

Thanks for the information! :) I'm taking Celexa to make my seratonin level work better, and for bouts of depression mostly. I've been taking it for four years, went off one year, & now I'm back on it. It works for me, but I never heard of the seratonin syndrome before. Will be chatting with my doc about that soon.:uhoh21:

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I've heard of serotonin syndrome, and oddly enough, just made a post on the same topic. I'm jsut curious now about the recovery phse, how long it lasts and how many people actually die from this. -Crab23

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can the moderator of this thread PM me?

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i'm not on any ssri's now....but, i did take them for many years (depression r/t m.s.) anyway, a year ago a new doc i saw upped my proxac to the maximum dose???? and like a fool, i followed his advice...never again!

w/ in 1-2 weeks i was a mess, i saw another doc for a different problem and she said "are you okay? your twitching, your reflexes are off the charts, ect., ect."

and i said "nooo i'm NOT ok, but i don't know what my problem is???"..........so, finally i told her my prozac was just "recently" upped and she said "okay, your definately having a reaction....stop taking it immediately!!!!"

w/ in 2-3 days i was totally fine, but whew....if i wouldn't have gone to see her lord knows what would've happened !!!!!

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Specializes in Obstetrics, M/S, Psych.
I am on zoloft and my doc tried changing me to celexa for fibromyalgia. very bad side effects! i was on 100mg of zoloft, and she cut me back to 50 mg for a week then onto celexa, I COULD NOT function. it was horrible. i was exhausted, everything hurt, i couldn't concentrate, i thought i was going to end up in the hospital. she told me i was going through serritonin syndrome. put me back on zoloft and I felt better instantly. now she is trying to take me off the zoloft completely. I am taking 75mg this week, then 50 next week, then 25 the week after. I think I am ready to be taken off. She put me on it over a year ago due to my mom passing away, and I want to try to get off it now.

Are you sure the doc called what you experienced Serotonin Syndrome and not discontinuation syndrome? I believe that is what she meant if she said otherwise, anyway. Coming off SSRI's can be grueling for many....I've seen some bad withdrawal symptoms and it can go on for weeks, even when titrated slowly.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Wound Care.
I am on zoloft and my doc tried changing me to celexa for fibromyalgia. very bad side effects! i was on 100mg of zoloft, and she cut me back to 50 mg for a week then onto celexa, I COULD NOT function. it was horrible. i was exhausted, everything hurt, i couldn't concentrate, i thought i was going to end up in the hospital. she told me i was going through serritonin syndrome. put me back on zoloft and I felt better instantly. now she is trying to take me off the zoloft completely. I am taking 75mg this week, then 50 next week, then 25 the week after. I think I am ready to be taken off. She put me on it over a year ago due to my mom passing away, and I want to try to get off it now.

This wasn't Serotonin Syndrome, this was Zoloft withdrawal from to rapid a wean.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Geriatric, Behavioral Health.

PM sent to Coopergirl per her request.

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