8 replies to this topic

[Worriedwife]

My husband has been hospitalized for something the doctors are calling serotonin syndrome. He had a triple heart bypass in July and this is when some of his problems started with his meds. He was taking 120mg of cymbalta and 5 mg of abilify daily and had been for probably 5 years. Due to the toxic levels of serotonin that had built up in his body, the doctors have taken him off both of these meds. His symptoms when coming into the hospital were tremors, overactive reflexes, confusion...it was bad! He has been off these drugs cold turkey per doctor orders since Monday, so today is the 4th day. He is still in the hospital, I can not see him going home anytime soon really. I guess my question is ...does anyone have any similar experience with this serotonin syndrome and any words of wisdom I can share with him....he is agitated, restless, headache, still confused, and he describes the sound in his head like standing on the side of the interstate and hearing cars go by...you know that swooshing sound. Thanks so much...I just feel helpless!

[cookie]

No I haven´t had serotonin syndrome. All I can say is that in my case, 60mg was enough. There was a period of time in which my dose was increased to 90mg, and all I got was additional side effects, no additional benefits. I am not a doctor, but it seems that the dosage your husband was taking might have been too high for him . I see that he had to quit cold turkey. I understand that this is because he had so much serotonin circulating. However from what I´ve read on the site about people quitting cold turkey, I see that this maximizes withdrawal effects.
I took abilify for 2 weeks, and I didn´t feel well on that med at all. I started hearing voices while on the medication, which ended once I quit the drug. With the drug, I would wake up at 4:00 in the morning and be very sleepy all day, I could hardly keep my eyes opened.
Why did your husband take the medications? Depression or Fibromyalgia?. Why was he taking abilify?
Meds can have different effects on different people. For some, they are lifesavers, for others not

[Worriedwife]

No I haven´t had serotonin syndrome. All I can say is that in my case, 60mg was enough. There was a period of time in which my dose was increased to 90mg, and all I got was additional side effects, no additional benefits. I am not a doctor, but it seems that the dosage your husband was taking might have been too high for him . I see that he had to quit cold turkey. I understand that this is because he had so much serotonin circulating. However from what I´ve read on the site about people quitting cold turkey, I see that this maximizes withdrawal effects.
I took abilify for 2 weeks, and I didn´t feel well on that med at all. I started hearing voices while on the medication, which ended once I quit the drug. With the drug, I would wake up at 4:00 in the morning and be very sleepy all day, I could hardly keep my eyes opened.
Why did your husband take the medications? Depression or Fibromyalgia?. Why was he taking abilify?
Meds can have different effects on different people. For some, they are lifesavers, for others not

Long story short, my husband had a car accident with a massive TBI...from this he has developed chronic headaches, migraines, and just overall Body and joint pain. A few years ago, he started experiencing extreme dizziness...when all tests showed nothing, he was placed on an anti-depressant. For whatever reason, the dizziness stopped. Over the years, the cymbalta would stop working as well, so the dose was increased. After awhile the 120 mg needed more, so the doctor put him on ability. And this is where we have ended up years later...

[Beachbum]

My husband has been hospitalized for something the doctors are calling serotonin syndrome. He had a triple heart bypass in July and this is when some of his problems started with his meds. He was taking 120mg of cymbalta and 5 mg of abilify daily and had been for probably 5 years. Due to the toxic levels of serotonin that had built up in his body, the doctors have taken him off both of these meds. His symptoms when coming into the hospital were tremors, overactive reflexes, confusion...it was bad! He has been off these drugs cold turkey per doctor orders since Monday, so today is the 4th day. He is still in the hospital, I can not see him going home anytime soon really. I guess my question is ...does anyone have any similar experience with this serotonin syndrome and any words of wisdom I can share with him....he is agitated, restless, headache, still confused, and he describes the sound in his head like standing on the side of the interstate and hearing cars go by...you know that swooshing sound. Thanks so much...I just feel helpless!

[Beachbum]

Getting off Cybalta was the worst thing I have endured in 55 years. The symtoms are many and severe, they where chasing all the Endocrine disorders with the same symtoms. Now that it is over and I can almost think straight what I had was Withdrawl Misery Disorder (WMD) from Cymbalta. I had to go off and on several times to finally get it out of my systom and it still took a good 2 months of hell but it can be done. I do know what I would have done differently to make it easier. I won't ever need to because I will never go back there.
If I can help let me know, Don

[cookie]

Keep us updated on your husband progress

[Worriedwife]

Keep us updated on your husband progress

He was hospitalized on Monday...slowly but surely...on Thursday he was feeling better and acting better....so the doctor decides to give 30mg of cymbalta to help control the extreme dizziness he has (for whatever reason, antidepressants are the only things that have helped with this over the past ten years). Well guess what happened, he almost immediately went back to the same state he was in when I brought him into the ER. So once again, he has days out of his life. After not sleeping and being totally lost from reality for 48 hours, he has now crashed. He has been asleep for almost 18 hours. This drug is absolutely crazy....I can not believe what my husband and family have went through. My prayers are that the will not have any more relapses and maybe he will be able to go home soon. I am not sure when or if he will be able to go back to work...his memory is shot right now!

[outamymind]

What a shocking experience for you & your family. The swooshing sound is what I've learned are called brain Zaps. I'm 10 days off Cymbalta & still getting them. Angry, confused & over emotional too. Your husband's recovery sounds like it's been compromised by this poison. I'm so sorry for you. You & your family sound very supportive of him. As hard as it is, if you keep that going, I do believe from others amongst us that the horrible side effects will ease & hopefully when he recovers physically, he might be able to feel human again. I know he will appreciate what your doing. I know I appreciate my husbands efforts. All the best for his recovery & I admire your strength.

[cookie]

Hello 'Worriedwife':
I am sure this has been a very tough situation for you and your family. Everybody reacts differently to the same medication. It is a difficult situation because he doesn´t seem to react well to the medication but at the same time stopping cold turkey coming from 120mg maybe is also causing bad symptoms. I tapered slowly for a year and still I got symptoms, although I was able to function. I hope things get better for you.