Serotonin Syndrome

GUEST AUTHOR: Jacob Avila @UltrasoundMD

Need a quick topic to review with your intern? Studying for a board exam? Got some time before the next patient is roomed? ...What can you learn in 5 minutes?

[ninalee]

Serotonin syndrome was one of the worst side effects from prescription medication I had ever experienced. Muscle twitching and spasms so severe I appeared to have Tourette's syndrome. My mental status was similar to being on a bad LSD trip without the visual hallucinations. I thought I was losing my mind and was suicidal. SSRI antidepressants and tramadol were especially responsible for my worst symptoms.

[caterpillarnana]

Thank you for keeping the name of Libby Zion's in the public's eye. I hope everyone allowing themselves to be treated with SSRI medications is motivated enough to. research her story. It's one of the most important cautionary tails for patients and prescribers since thalidomide.

[rosieshere]

I was a nurse and I never heard of this, but as it is now do many people are on anti depressives including my self. It's very concerning how easily this can happen, especially you become sick and take otc meds or have existing problems with pain. More people should be alerted about this.

[Chels-ykox]

great video - loved that you included a breakdown of the differntials

[tiaashtyn]

I actually just experienced serotonin syndrome. I have my PsyD in Clinical Psychology & now wish my education would’ve included more about this. We did have to learn some basics of psychopharmacology, but I was not prepared to catch this even though I was aware to watch out for this. I feel the main problem was not actually in the antidepressants I took, but the fact that I was completely unaware that stimulants, opioids & cannabinoids could contribute to “serotonin syndrome.” I suffer from chronic pain so my prescribed meds weren’t all I took recently. It’d be great to have more information regarding street drugs, supplements & generally what other “treatments” (e.g. cannabis, kratom) we might also need to watch out for.

[charronfamilyconnect]

IF you don't want to mess with your serotonin receptors stay away from anti-depressants.

[immadisarojini]

Wonderful work even being professor I can’t explain that good detail

[ynotrhyme]

opiod withdrawl! the damn constant yawning and regular bllood pressure is a telltale sign which i now know from this video! Thanks a million! Opiod withdrawl also shows rigidity in hands im assuming?

[jaygeist]

Its 2 years later since I stopped heavy drugs. I have has SS ever since and only gets worse. I can't get drunk because of ht2 because the liquor makes my kidney twitch

[JohnRambo-July-th]

If you suddenly quit or taper of an ssri or snri and have headaches and shallow breathing, is that seotonin syndrome? For 6 months I quit effexor xr noticing cognitive decline. I had horrible withdrawal symptoms. Never felt recovered and now I have headaches panic attacks and anxiety and shallow breathing all day thinking I am going to go into a seizure. Shallow breathing won't stop. I have had muscle spasms all over and throwing up and my Akathisia came back. He prescribed me klonopin for now and it has only took away the muscle spasms and vomitting. I tapered off Effexor xr. God help me.

[sunkcostfallacy]

Thank you for scaring the shit of me. I was a cough syrup abuser before watching your video. Basically, a few months back, I googled how Adderall and DXM interact and saw that word: "serotonin syndrome". Now that I know what it is and have had symptoms consistent with it, no longer will I be abusing DXM. Hope I don't die because I don't have health insurance. But if I do, the world will still be spinning. At least nothing of value will be lost.

[Man_Ray]

is there a positive Serotonin Syndrome experiences? Mine lasted like the ultimate high for many hours

[pxd]

When I have done a lot of MDMA I get these symptoms (pretty much all of them except goosebumps) but after about 1 day it will go away. Sometimes the day after it will go away. Is this serotonin syndrome or some kind of overdose?

[aether-elephant]

I wonder how caffeine affects this.. I compulsively made more coffee each time I had finished a cup..

[celtickitc]

Children and adults with autism are placed on ssri's. Very worrisome.

[Stardg]

Do you know if people wity cfs/me have high or low serotonin? I hsve severe cfs unable to work yet wired brain. Everytime I take cyproheptadine I get much better

[chedee-chedirichardson]

I had such a serotonine syndrome from Gabapentine. 😥😰
It's absolutly the worst horror I've ever encountered.

[JennyB]

Is this the stuff you get at the health food store ?

[monikalocken]

Hey, I am still from germany and follow about long time your movie pictures. Not even every one, but many. It s still interesting, but if can imagine, I think, there are shortcuts which are difficult to understand. Because of the drugs are named as possible reasonable I wanna ask you a favoure: Is it possible, to get a little text like a  summary of the movie picture? I get about more or less 50% of all. It s presentet a very good way, but for foreign language it s hard to understand. I wanna give a little hint as well, less on one folia will get more information to a viewer than the full screen, you can t really follow, if you are troubleing vocabularies eg. and as well read the topics that fast and listen. The including dynamics and graphics are helping, but they can t get of a viewer that fast in context.
Thanks a lot for imagine and explain different things :)

[beverleysterley]

Unfortunately, the narrator talks too quickly while reading the presentation