Serotonin Syndrome

[KidFix]

Hiya all

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this, but I couldn't find a forum concerning health issues.

I read somewhere that smoking while using SSRI's (anti-depressants) can sometimes cause serotinin syndrom (which can very rarely be brought on by smoking on its own) since one of the ingredients of weed is a potent serotonin reuptake inhibitor. The main symptoms as far as I can tell are confusion, rapid heart rate, rigidness, and fever. It can be life threatening if severe; but these symptoms seem to be similar to how someone 'pulling a whitey' would feel except maybe for the high temperature.

One time I got very stoned very quickly when I was already very tierd and I became panicy and extreemly confused, I remember not being able to eat event though I hadn't eaten all day and had a v nice dinner sitting in front of me. The symptoms lasted for about two hours during which I couldn't speak coherently or do very much. Everything anyone said would confuse me and I could hear my heart pounding in my ears. I didn't ever feal that I was going to die or pass out from it but it was pretty intense.

So my question people is: panic attacks? mania? serotonin syndrom? can any of these be coused by smoking? Is pulling a whitey a mild form of serotonin syndrome? Are any of the above life threatening?

[Arnold Layne]

Joolz, any chance of getting this shifted to its correct location - the medical forum??

Kidfix - we have the above!!! Methinks a joint or two too many old boy? I know, I've done the same thing myself!

Now: My girlfriend suffers depression, and was prescribed the usual batch of toxic nasties. All of them gave rise to the side-effects you describe, and some a lot worse. Despite being assured such things were non-addictive, it took SIX MONTHS OF BLOODY hell, MISERY And PAIN to come of them. They are worse than bloody smack! She is now much, much better on a daily dose of St.John's Wort. and regular intake of medicinal weed alongside a very needful re-appraisal of priorities in life.

I don't know if weed and drugs react as you suggest. I doubt it very much, however; surely it would have received some recognition if it were so. I DO suspect that the twats and arseholes who market these poisons would be very happy at the mere thought. They could then blame all their shite on the weed!

If you are currently using these drugs Kidfix, take care if you decide to come off. DO NOT DO IT SUDDENLY. I can help you with more first hand experience and info if you need it.

Hopefully this thread will be in the right place by then, Joolz???

:mad:

[thewhoami]

I moved it for ya, these panic attacks and stuff how often do they happen ??? if they do occur heres a quick tip grab a paper bag it must be paper and breath in and out into it slowly and deeply dont hyper ventilate, you will be instantly calmer.

Important question do you do E's alot its very common with e use many people i know suffer from the same sort of thing from E. Ive never heard of any one getting those sort of symptoms from GANJA unless they have had huge doses of MJ (in DAM the first time usually)

take care dude  :peace:

[Spliffy.]

Hey KidFix..

     Hiya. Anyway, I was on "Seroxat" for 6months. Thats one of those SSIR thingies.

     Anyway, I reckon I smoked weed for about 7/8ths of those days.

      Those bad feelings you have are what the anti-deppressent is meant to be getting rid of. Somat to do with  a chemical imbalance in the brain.

      But they can also come from smokin' too much weed. It's just a whitey. Don't worry about it, you won't die. It's just like being "over drunk" but without the bad, aggressive side.

     

       Oh yeah, if you do know anyone on seroxat, tell em not to quit it instantly. As Arnold said....It F@cks with yer head.

[KidFix]

Thanks for the replies peeps.

Don't get me wrong I'm not too worried bout it I know everyone gets this sort of effect from time to time its just what I read seemed to suggest that this syndrome could be brought on by smoking (much more likely while taking SSRI's)and was wondering if pulling a whitey was some mild form of this syndrome.

As for SSRI's I am not on any but my g'friend was perscribed a six month course of them. In the end she was put off by the rather disturbing list of side effects associated with them  :wow:

My g'friend and I stopped pilling about six months ago and don't intend to do it again- I've seen too much of what that stuff does to people. I did have some amazing experiences on it but it messes with your head. Roll me a spliff over that stuff any day!

[ac12uk]

Seroxat, lemme see now..............yep thats the buggers I'm on. I tried to stop taking them just b4 xmas, I was ok until the third day then I turned into a rabid monster until I took the poxy tablet. Been puffing throughout the prescription period without any obvious conflict between the two, just a slight problem when I don't take the pills, which reminds me...... ???

[Arnold Layne]

First, Thanks thewhoami for moving this thread!

Ac12uk, BE VERY CAREFUL COMING OFF SEROXAT!

My girlfriend took about five or six months to come off. Even when down to one dose a week, if she missed by a half hour hell arrived with a vengeance!

I personally believe that the makers of this stuff are guilty of criminal dope peddling on a huge scale. They have poisoned the western world and no-one seems to give fuck! And they have done so with lie after lie about their product, with endless bribery of GPs, and with an army of immoral and godless lawers! Ra Ra Ra Rant Rant Rant!

It's OK now peeps, I've got it off my chest. Let's have some Real Dope.....

[Spliffy.]

Yeah, I just stopped taking them...

Two weeks later I tried eating ALL of them  ???

You need to wean yourself off them, like cigarettes.

It's amazing how the Doctors don't warn you about the consequences of just stopping, but it seems that everyone else I know who has been prescribed them has had the same problem. How can these be legal, when weed is not???

Anyway, the next time I felt depression coming on, I went to the Doc's again, he prescribed Seroxat again, and I thought "F@ck that. I'm not going through that again!!"

So I just got me head down and got on with life instead.

MJ truly is a miracle drug

[Arnold Layne]

You know peeps, there really is something you can take, apart from weed! St.John's Wort - its a real beauty of a herb, and usually kicks in at about 6 weeks from commencement. TWO words about this: IT MUST NOT BE USED ALONGSIDE PHARMACEUTICALS LIKE SEROXAT; and you must shop around for the best STANDARDISED form, in the highest dose. It has transformed both my Girlfriends life and mine.

Power Health, based in Pocklington, do a good range, and the HPX4000 is the one we use.

http://www.power-health.com/front.htm

I know that this can be changed into a link, but me, I'm a real dead loss at technology, so Puffer - if you see this, maybe you could perform the sacred rite?

:mad:

Well bugga me! How the hell did I do that? Honest, I haven't a fekking clue about this internet stuff, and then it goes and does it itself!

[Guest THE PUFFER]

Weed can cause panic attacks. This is sometimes as sign of inhaling/ingesting too much too soon. When I was smoking an 1/8 a day of herb, I noticed I was much more prone to the jitters and feeling panicky if under threat in any way. I wasn't sure why until you mentioned what you did earlier in this thread. Me thinks we need more info......

[HumanBean]

hi KidFix and everyone, just wondering wot meds you are taking, lots of people have had experience (usually bad) with seroxat, me too. Its the cheapest thats why all the docs try nearly everyone on it first. It does work for some people, if not they may then try you on prozac. im on venlefaxine and have been for a couple of years. that doesnt work either. anyway - i just wanted to say not to worry about the serious whiteys, i had them on seroxat too (very embarrassing in public places). sitting down and trying to concentrate on one special thing can help, i follow up with water, mars bar and bed  :satisfied:

i wish i could get that stoned again, havent had whitey since being on these meds  

st johns wort is very good, but like cannabis it is still a medicine and needs to be taken with care ie not when pregnant, or when taking other meds, not when breastfeeding, and it may make some folk bit drowsy or spacey. my sister is a sister (nurse type) and she reccommends it to staff and patients, she said it has reduced the number of staff sick days due to mild stress and depression. please remember that if your depression is moderate or severe (suicidal thoughts, voices etc) then st johns wort may not be sufficient and you seriously need to check in with the pros.

if i can be of any help to anyone on these matters, just let me know  

luv HB

[Arnold Layne]

HB - I agree, but the problem I have these days is with trusting the professionals. My last hospital stay included four attempts in ONE DAY to administer drugs to which I am allergic, as was clearly stated on my notes and on hand bracelets!!!!! Moreover, my GP is hostile to anything "alternative", a hostility that is quite frankly grounded in gross ignorance!

So who do you ask? I suggest you ask your GP, yes - but don't assume he/she is god and perfect in all that they say. Seek out a good Naturopath or Herbalist, and ask them too.

As to St John's Wort - it has proved up to be much better than Prozac or Seroxat in my Girlfriend's case - and that was no mild or medium depression, I can tell you. Suicidal, Panic Attacks, Stress induced blackouts, Hysteria... the works. She is WAY better now, thanks to the St.John's Wort and a short dose of counselling.

The only real cure for depression is to change your life IMHO. Depression is caused by the un-natural and utterly materialistic way in which modern life is lived. This life-style has screwed with our brain chemistry. To screw it yet further with chemicals is, in my opinion,  a short-sighted approach and unlikely to be of lasting benefit. The best approach is to re-asses your life from top to bottom, and get out of the rat-race of ambition, career, greed, fear of the sack, Etc. That, and the right herbs....

[splan]

You really are quite the sage Arnold!  

I constantly re-evaluate my life and try to keep my mind on the good stuff.  I try to ignore money and work bothers and focus on my relationships with people.  If you are feeling down, a hug and a chat from a genuine friend is guarenteed to pick you up.  Even better if ya can share a joint while ya chat!  

I would LOVE to get out of the rat race, but at the same time I do have to acknowledge that I am a materialistic person and would be lost without my PC and other 'luxuries'.  IF ONLY there was a way to have a pressure free and comfortably luxurious life!

I have mentioned this before, but the more I think about it the better it sounds.  It would be ideal if a group of us could buy a small farm or something and try to become self-sufficient as much as possible.  We could grow organic crops and industrial hemp, and live off the proceeds.  There may even be grants available towards setting up if we were to use renewable energy and make the buildings as enviromentally friendly as possible.  What do people think?

[MrBenn]

Lands a lot cheaper over here splan, I plan on buying a knackered old farmhouse in the not too distant and doing it up .

You can come and live with us if you want

[chip]

This is a very interesting thread. Lots to talk about really.

I was on seroxat several years ago to help me through, what my counsellor called, a rough time! It is quite possible that the huge amounts of weed I was smoking, plus the pills i was doing every weekend, had quite a lot to do with it. I found the side effects to be worse than the original depression and although i didnt feel more depressed, i felt less of a human. No feelings, a real bland existence, along with a few other more personal side effects!! So i stopped just as i changed my life style completely.

This is where i pick up on splans idea. I moved to a small village in Cornwall with a few friends, started growing my own organic vegetables, and walking a lot. I had to stop smoking as well because it would induce mild panic attacks and paranoia. I lived there for a year, became a lot more chilled out. I really got into my gardening and after a few months i felt a whole lot better. The idea of growing with friends though was a nightmare. Its difficult to match peoples expectations and needs. It is extremely difficult to get the whole commune idea to work.  I ended up being the only one that was willing to tend the vegetables, everyone else just wanted to sit in the house and get caned all the time on my other produce!! Nightmare (no ones been able to take me for a ride since!)

It  did me a lot of good but when i moved back to the city i had to re-adjust again. Depression followed but i countered it with St Johns Wort and Exercise (i took up karate).  So apart from sharing my experiences with you all (i was lying down on a couch as i wrote this, )

Some of the other posts have suggested looking at your life and changing a few or many elements of it. That will always help. Look at your relationships, look at your lifestyle, ( do you exercise), look at what you eat, drink and smoke! and think about looking for a softer, more holistic remedy for your depression rather  than harsh pharmaceuticals! If weed induces panic attacks or whatever, knock it on the head for a while or look at the strain you are smoking. Try for a more indica, less of a head fuck type strain. Something more relaxing.

Most of all chill out!

Best wishes

Chip

PS. Splan, if you are interested i can give you more information on the successes and failures of communes. PM me.