A couple days ago I had a horrible experience that only having serotonin syndrome would makes sense. What is the treatment for that and what should of been done when I went to the ER?
Sertraline - serotonin syndrome?
Question posted by Tdelong7 on 9 Nov 2021
Last updated on 9 November 2021 by WildcatVet
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Answers
Hi, Tdelong!
This information is from the Mayo Clinic:
"To make sure your symptoms are caused by serotonin syndrome and not due to another cause, your doctor may use tests to:
Measure levels of any drugs you're using
Check for signs of infection
Check body functions that may be affected by serotonin syndrome
A number of conditions can cause symptoms similar to those of serotonin syndrome. Minor symptoms can be caused by several conditions, while moderate and severe symptoms similar to those of serotonin syndrome could be caused by:
A serious reaction to certain medications, such as some anesthetics, antipsychotic drugs and other agents known to produce these severe reactions
An overdose of illegal drugs, antidepressant medications or other medications that increase serotonin levels
Damage associated with illegal drug use
Severe alcohol withdrawal
Your doctor may order additional tests to rule out other causes of your symptoms. Tests may include:
Blood and urine tests
Chest X-ray
CT scan
Spinal tap (lumbar puncture)
Treatment
Treatment of serotonin syndrome depends on the severity of your symptoms.
If your symptoms are minor, a visit to the doctor and stopping the medication causing the problem may be enough.
If you have symptoms that concern your doctor, you may need to go to the hospital. Your doctor may have you stay in the hospital for several hours to make sure your symptoms are improving.
If you have severe serotonin syndrome, you'll need intensive treatment in a hospital.
Depending on your symptoms, you may receive the following treatments:
Muscle relaxants. Benzodiazepines, such as diazepam (Valium, Diastat) or lorazepam (Ativan), can help control agitation, seizures and muscle stiffness.
Serotonin-production blocking agents. If other treatments aren't working, medications such as cyproheptadine can help by blocking serotonin production.
Oxygen and intravenous (IV) fluids. Breathing oxygen through a mask helps maintain normal oxygen levels in your blood, and IV fluids are used to treat dehydration and fever.
Drugs that control heart rate and blood pressure. These may include esmolol (Brevibloc) or nitroprusside (Nitropress) to reduce a high heart rate or high blood pressure.
If your blood pressure is too low, your doctor may give you phenylephrine (Vazculep) or epinephrine (Adrenalin, Epipen, others).
A breathing tube and machine and medication to paralyze your muscles. You may need this treatment if you have a high fever.
Milder forms of serotonin syndrome usually go away within 24 to 72 hours of stopping medications that increase serotonin, and by taking medications to block the effects of serotonin already in your system if they're needed.
However, symptoms of serotonin syndrome caused by some antidepressants could take several weeks to go away completely. These medications remain in your system longer than do other medications that can cause serotonin syndrome."
Best regards and I hope you're feeling better,
Related topics
depression, post traumatic stress disorder, sertraline, anxiety and stress, treatment, syndrome, emergency room
Further information
- Sertraline uses and safety info
- Sertraline prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Sertraline (detailed)
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