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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by rndennis on June 1, 1999, at 2:49:20
I recently had to have my daughter transported from school to the hospital for what we thought was some sort of drug overdose. She is currently on Effexor 75mgx2 day, and had admitted to smoking part of a marijuana cigatette on her lunch break. About 1 hr later, she began to feel "horrible all over" and called me to pick her up. When I got to the school, she was hallucinating, screaming (panic attack and hyperventilation, I think. Her heart rate was about 165, and she had massive involuntary muscle spasms and twitches. Scary as hell. Her UA test at the hospital about an hour or so later was clean for anything they could think of, and a shot of muscle relaxor brought her back to earth. The other kid had been smoking the same dope most of the morning without any unexpected or extreme effects. The ER MD said that he thought she might have had a seratonim episode, and that the drug use could have been co-incidental. My daughter doesn't remember much after she got to the ER, until the next day. I would appreciate your thoughts on this. My daughter is being treated for severe clinical depression and ADD.
Posted by George O. on June 1, 1999, at 4:07:25
In reply to seratonin syndrome, posted by rndennis on June 1, 1999, at 2:49:20
> I recently had to have my daughter transported from school to the hospital for what we thought was some sort of drug overdose. She is currently on Effexor 75mgx2 day, and had admitted to smoking part of a marijuana cigatette on her lunch break. About 1 hr later, she began to feel "horrible all over" and called me to pick her up. When I got to the school, she was hallucinating, screaming (panic attack and hyperventilation, I think. Her heart rate was about 165, and she had massive involuntary muscle spasms and twitches. Scary as hell. Her UA test at the hospital about an hour or so later was clean for anything they could think of, and a shot of muscle relaxor brought her back to earth. The other kid had been smoking the same dope most of the morning without any unexpected or extreme effects. The ER MD said that he thought she might have had a seratonim episode, and that the drug use could have been co-incidental. My daughter doesn't remember much after she got to the ER, until the next day. I would appreciate your thoughts on this. My daughter is being treated for severe clinical depression and ADD.
I used to smoke pot while taking dpression meds, and the only one I ever had trouble with was effexor, I would get very dizzy and I remember actually passing out for a brief moment one time. I have no idea what causes such a reaction but it sounds strangely similar to what happened to your daughter. George
Posted by Elizabeth on June 1, 1999, at 5:43:26
In reply to seratonin syndrome, posted by rndennis on June 1, 1999, at 2:49:20
Hi.
"Serotonin syndrome" is pretty hard to quantify, but some of the symptoms are dilated pupils, sweating (like, clothes soaked through), shaking, chattering teeth, diarrhea,
rapid heartbeat, high/low/unstable blood pressure, fever (sometimes very high), loss of coordination, muscle spasms, rigidity, agitation, mania, disorientation, confusion, and delirium. (Delirious people often have visual hallucinations or illusions.)Usually it happens when people mix two drugs that affect the serotonin system in the brain, which marijuana may or may not do. Most people seem to be able to smoke marijuana while taking antidepressants, though, without having any different reactions to it than they normally would.
I can see where the ER doc was coming from - how long has your daughter been taking Effexor?
Posted by Phil on June 1, 1999, at 7:58:44
In reply to seratonin syndrome, posted by rndennis on June 1, 1999, at 2:49:20
> I recently had to have my daughter transported from school to the hospital for what we thought was some sort of drug overdose. She is currently on Effexor 75mgx2 day, and had admitted to smoking part of a marijuana cigatette on her lunch break. About 1 hr later, she began to feel "horrible all over" and called me to pick her up. When I got to the school, she was hallucinating, screaming (panic attack and hyperventilation, I think. Her heart rate was about 165, and she had massive involuntary muscle spasms and twitches. Scary as hell. Her UA test at the hospital about an hour or so later was clean for anything they could think of, and a shot of muscle relaxor brought her back to earth. The other kid had been smoking the same dope most of the morning without any unexpected or extreme effects. The ER MD said that he thought she might have had a seratonim episode, and that the drug use could have been co-incidental. My daughter doesn't remember much after she got to the ER, until the next day. I would appreciate your thoughts on this. My daughter is being treated for severe clinical depression and ADD.
>>How long had your daughter been at that dose-is there any chance she could have taken more that day? When I was starting Luvox and upping the dose, I got a ride to the ER for very rapid heartbeat-panic attack. I had upped the dose a little that night. You're right, it is scary.
Phil
Posted by Jody L on August 31, 2000, at 13:13:13
In reply to seratonin syndrome, posted by rndennis on June 1, 1999, at 2:49:20
I went to my general doctor with unbearable depression and requested his help, as he gave me luvox a year ago and it seemed to help at the time. I had weined myself off and been completely luvox free for 6 month then the depression came back. he then gave me luvox again but failed to noticed the dose he perscribed was at 100mg instead of customising my body as he did previously, after 2 day of taking this drug at the high doseage, thought became very "electric" and scattered, I was zipping around from one end of my house to the other, and a compulsive sense and panic sense overwelmed me, I was slurring and stuttering my speech. As the day progressed things were getting worse I could not make complete sentenses, in my mind I could phrase the words but nothing would come out, for example: If I wanted to say this sentance it woud look like this in my head; Iffff Iii ww n t sy thhhhhsssss sss....tttssss ... .. .... thhsss heeaaaddd.
I would be twitching like I had terrets syndrom without the swearing. I was makeing a lot of ticking sounds and convusling constatntly. this went on for 2 months, then the seizures started and have continued ever since, it is now going on the 2nd year of recovery. I do not have epilepsy and it is not in my family, I went through all the tests, MRI, EKG, Psycologists, Neurologests and all dismissed the fact that the luvox caused this but could come up with nothing in replace of it. all that was suggested was that seisures can mysteriously apper at any time, that one day I may wake up and never have one again. I have not taken any drugs legal or otherwise before thsi has happened. I still get panic attack, and seisures, and I don't see this letting up soon
This is the end of the thread.
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