Posted by laura k on June 19, 2006, at 8:16:51
In reply to Re: Serotonin Syndrome Reaction, posted by Karen44 on June 18, 2006, at 14:22:58
> I am happy to say I am back to normal if there is such a concept. I am going off of the Parnate as well (with psychiatrist's agreement). I have had a number of health issues that came on all at once and why I got depressed and sought out a psychiatrist who specilizes in persons with co-occuring physical and emotional problems. I am now down to 20 mg. per day Parnate and obviously cannot yet tell if this will be problematic. I have been on 20 mg. per day now for only four days. We agreed on the gradual reduction in case I start to feel depressed again. I am hoping not. My physical condition is improving, etc. though there are some issues from the past that we began to adress before my pulmonary condition took a down turn.
>
> It has been suggested to me that we should consider Lamictal as an alternative to the Parnate. I am extremely concerned givin that I have ended up with so many adverse reactions and allergic reactions to the psychotropic medications in the past year.
>
> KarenI had this happen to me, too. It started with a decrease in seroquel and ativan... just to try to increase my concentration at a new job (I'm a lawyer). Then my mood became unstable, I had a poor work evaluation and I had a panic attack. I went to the ER and they sent me to a psych hospital. The pdocs there discontinued the ativan and seroquel cold turkey then after 5 days, I was placed in outpatient group therapy. My depression continued and the doctor tapered me off celexa and sent me for EMDR therapy (which helped enormously). I remained on trileptal, tho she decided to discontinue the trileptal and switch to depakote ER because of the symptoms I was having. I'd had the same problems while on klonapin, lamictal and risperdal.
During this time, I developed profuse sweating, hot and cold flashes, severe muscle pain, severe upper body spasms (I thought it was convulsions) twitching, rigidity, nystagmus, irregular heartrate, nausea, vomiting, pain in my right abdomen, laughing and crying spasms, difficulty breathing and swallowing.
I went to the ER and the doctor said to discontinue all medication. He didn't really have a diagnosis. I followed up with my family doctor who said it was serotonin syndrome and withdrawal. He said to go off all medications. He ordered an abdominal scan which showed liver problems and he refered me to a liver specialist. Unfortunately, I lost my job due to all of this, and my insurance.. so I never got to go to the liver specialist.
I did a liver and gallbladder detoxification, went off all meds, all chemicals, went to organic food only. I was better for about 6 weeks. I stopped having to use a bipap with oxygen at night. Started sleeping better, stopped being suicidal.
Then I started waking up with severe anxiety, thirsty and the need to urinate. My blood glucose had been high while on medications, but my last test had been normal. In the 90s. So I don't think I am hyperglycemic. Anyway.. I am still off all meds.. Still have no job and no insurance.. but they county paid for me to see a pdoc, who said he would prescribe Ativan, but it has to be approved by the county and that hasn't happened yet. He said he would leave me off mood stabilizers since my mood seems ok and he would put me on one mood stabilizer only (he favors lamictal) if my mood becomes unstable.. no more mixing meds for me! He was very angry at the previous pdoc for missing the seratonin syndrome.
poster:laura k
thread:655417
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060617/msgs/658607.html