Posted by jerrympls on October 20, 2003, at 23:57:19
In reply to how serious is serotonin syndrome?, posted by cybercafe on October 16, 2003, at 4:23:45
> i want to cut a couple days off my MAOI washout period and i'm wondering what i'm risking with the possibility of serotonin syndrome
>
> i was thinking of taking my first dose in the local emergency room, ... if i develop SS or hyperpyrexia do the doctors just put some ice on your forehead and after a couple hours you feel all better?This past weekend I experienced FULL THROTTLE the effects of serotonin syndrome due to mistakenly taking Nyquil with nardil. Within 15 mins, I was shaking so bad I could barely dial 911. I was almost incoherant on the phone. Luckily the Ambulance was here in 2 mins. I couldn't stop shaking - VIOLENT shaking and sweating. They zipped me to the ER and pu tme ICU and gave me ativan to stop the tremors and shaking and gave me adequate doses of Periactin - which is really an antihistamaine - but it reverses the serotonin syndrome somehow. After about 2-3 hours of non-stop shaking - almost to the point of falling out of the bed many times - they thought I had kidney failure because I couldn't urinate.
So i stayed overnight and they continued the meds and stopped me cold turkey on Nardil. The only thing I felt was some brain zaps from stopping th Nardil so quickly. they kept me on Ativan and Periactin for a day then restarted me on Nardil and sent me home.
It was a HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE experience and frightening to say the least.I didn't know the human body could shake so violently.
So, for all you MAOI "users" out there - be VERY CAREFUl of over the counter meds - like cough meds (dextromethorphan) and Sudafed. I just wasn't thinking when I took some. I will be MUCH MUCH MUCH more cautious in the future.
Hope this helps
Jerry
poster:jerrympls
thread:269894
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20031015/msgs/271320.html