Serotonin syndrome

I was on 100mg of zoloft and 100mg of seroquel for major depression and bipoloar disorder. After only a week on this medication I began to feel extremely weird (which i figured would happen). One night I got a massive ringing in my right ear which made me almost feel like my entire right side was paralized or I was going to have a stroke but it went away. The next day I started to feel extremely dizzy and my heart began to race and I thought I was going to pass out. I sat down and my jaw started to clench and my face began twitching and I had this intense tingling on the back of my skull along with tingling in my hands and then all of a sudden my hands locked (I could not move them) this lasted about 30 minutes and it went away. I figured it was from the meds so I stopped taking them immediantly. Then the following day it happened again expect this time my whole body began shaking and my arms where moving out of control (i could not control it) i went to the ER and they said it was serotonin syndrome. They pumped me full of fluids gave me shots of ativan and sent me home. Well the next night it happened again I took the ativan they perscribed and it seemed to help calm me but the pain was still there. I went and saw my doctor who told me serotonin syndrome usually passes within a few days it has been a week now and I feel horrible and I keep having these attacks (although not as intense). Therefore, my question is how long does this last because I cannot handle it anymore it is painful and I am soo exhausted. If anyone can shed some light on my situation please do!

[mammo]

Go immediately back to your doctor or the ER.  You should not be having this, and don't leave until you have answers.  It sounds to me like you had a reaction to the drugs.  If you are bi-polar and depressed you need meds, but maybe not the ones they put you on.  Never stop this type of medication abruptly, as it can cause seizures among other things.  It sounds as if your fear of this happening again is adding fuel to the fire, but you still need to find out for sure what is going on.  My son's hands locked in a clenched position the night before he was to have his colon removed (at age 12).  The docs said it was fear.  I took him to the playroom where we played a game with me, and they relaxed.  Don't wait for an attck to take the Ativan, I'm sure they prescribed 1 or 2 or 3 times a day.  

[Hensley258]

Not to doubt your doctors diagnosis of Serotonin Syndrome, but I just can't see how a low 100Mgs of Zoloft and Seroquel would cause Serotonin Syndrome.

Is it possible that you just had somekind of allergic or bad reaction to the Seroquel?

[PiperMom]

I was taking 50mg of Seroquel and 50 mg of Zoloft BID and was striken with Seratonin Syndrome and had a stroke on 11/2/09.  The first 48 hours the doctors did not think I would survive.  Fortunately the MD on duty in the ER had seen this once before and knew what to do.  After getting me stabilized, I has massive seizures for 4 days.  It is now 6 weeks later anf I am alive and healthy.  Unfortunately I am still dealing with the effects of the stroke with left side weakness.  I expect to make a full recovery in 4-6 months (God willing).  I say to anyone taking anti-depressants - "Watch yourself and make sure your doctor is aware of any changes in behavior or symptoms however small"  My dosages were small and a small increase to the dose almost killed me.