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  • Trip Reports Moderator: Cheshire_Kat

serotonin syndrome (lexapro)

carnal1ty

Greenlighter
Joined
Jul 14, 2015
Messages
10
So I was prescribed Lexapro 10mg once daily for generalized anx / depresiion, and it started working I think after like 7 weeks or so. Then I had to go out of town for about 11 days, and forgot my RX… on the 10th and 11 days off it, I had so much tremors and sleep paralysis, I couldn’t stand it,.. Came home and took 2 instead of 1 to try and replete what I needed and ended up like this:

Started off feeling happy and energetic, did a bunch of chores and stuff. When it was time for bed I was TRIPPIN… the fans were all singing to me a bout exactly what I was doing at the time ( looking at the window bababa checking out your feet dododo) and the computer was telling me these really awful things like your stupid and no one likes you, you are a failure. I also saw shadow people, so asked if they were demons, and said "what do you think?" But i realised it was my subconscious talking and it was all so mean!!!!! And he even told me some info I didn’t know, which I thought was weird, or maybe it was really in there deep down. After hours of trying to sleep and being tired of listening to the nasty comments and weird music, I shut off all my fans. Then he came from the closet, just not as loudly. I never did sleep, and the computer is still singing whatever i do like a narrator, and Im about to go to the dr to get my RX changed, because it’s a potential emergency, but you still need a medication (stopping suddenly is what caused my problem, then doubling down to make up for it) Interesting night to say the least though lol…. It’s a rare reaction , probably wont just work since you try it, almost considered an allergy, but I thought it was worth sharing!
 
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Taking 2 pills instead of 1 of a pill as low as 10mgs caused serotonin syndrome??

Did the doctors actually tell you that's what it was?

That seems like a very small amount of extra Lexapro to actually give you serotonin syndrome, especially considering I'm on 40mgs and all you took was 20 at once...that just doesn't make sense at all to me.

I mean maybe your body wasn't used to 20mgs yet but 20mgs is still just an average dose so I don't see how that could cause serotonin syndrome.

Sounds to me like it was just SSRI withdrawal and not SS.
 
I think it may have a combo of both. I was withdrawaling from them since it had been 11 days witout one, then I took 2. Only being on them for about 2 months, maybe my tolerance was low. But I was hallucinating and hearing crazy voices. I still hear the song describing everything I do or think even now, he wont shut up actually :/ lpus im pretty small person (5'1' 115lb)
 
confirmed by the doc, its was SS off 20mg, she said it was very rare, but there ya go! Gave ativan for anxiety and sleep
 
I've had it happen when I took mirtazapine for a week at 30mg then stopped. For a few days especially at night I hear beautiful music (complete with a chorus of singers) and all the fans were having conversations with me (i heard them in the fans, but they read my responses from my thoughts). They were mean like schizophrenic voices. Talking about my life etc. A few different personalities emerged some were louder than others, and they chatted with each other.

I am not sure if this is serotonin syndrome though.
 
I was overheated, sweaty, had a bp of 139/100... not too high, but my heart felt like it was beating hard. The doc confired serotnin syndrome, but I guess it was a mild / moderate case. I have read about the really severe cases, they sound scary. Im glad my dose was so low. if I had take like 40mg I bet I would have been in the hospital.
 
I don't have much to contribute. It's a very unusual reaction to say the least. Never discontinue your meds without getting the okay from a doctor, he might have decided to taper you off it (I best mention it despite discontinuation having happened accidentally here).

You could have both a formerly latent psychiatric or neuronogical illness. Again: Psychosis is not a common reaction to SSRI discontinuation! I can only urge you to to have this checked out by a neurologist. I don't need to tell you that you are best advised to stay off recreational drugs for now.

Regarding your sleep paralysis issues... I had been haunted by those for a total of round about 6 years. They became more frequent, intense and eventually appeared in clusters of up to several dozen in a single evening. It all vanished magically when I discovered Out Of Body experiences (aka Astral Travelling). I suggest you give this an honest try, medical treatment will fail to help.

Strictly speaking, serotonin syndrome can not be diagnosed if it was triggered by drug use, however I never really understood that part since it seems to happen almost exclusively on drugs.
 
wow, ill look into astral travelling., I Knoe for sure those dreams were awful..haven't had any since, but i wouldn't wish them on my worst enemy,
 
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