Can you get serotonin syndrome from one medication?

Although it’s possible that taking just one drug that increases serotonin levels can cause serotonin syndrome in susceptible individuals, this condition occurs most often when you combine certain medications.

What doses can cause serotonin syndrome?

You have a higher risk of developing serotonin syndrome symptoms if you:

• Take more than one serotonergic medication, such as an antidepressant and cough medicine.
• Recently increased dosage of a serotonergic medication.
• Use St. John’s wort or ginseng.
• Use certain illegal drugs.

What are symptoms of too much antidepressants?

The first signs of antidepressant overdose are usually symptoms that can all be attributed to other causes, including:

• Agitation.
• Diarrhea2
• Drowsiness.
• Dry mouth.
• Headache.
• Nausea.
• Vomiting.

Does serotonin syndrome go away naturally?

How is serotonin syndrome treated? A mild case will usually go away on its own within 1 to 3 days. A severe case will be treated in a hospital. Treatment will stabilize your heart, lungs, and kidneys.

Does serotonin affect heart rate?

Serotonin [5-hydroxy-tryptamine (5-HT)] exerts a number of effects in the mammalian heart: increase in heart rate, increase in force of contraction, fibrosis of cardiac valves, coronary constriction, arrhythmias and thrombosis.

Is serotonin syndrome an emergency?

Because serotonin syndrome can be a life-threatening condition, seek emergency treatment if you have worsening or severe symptoms. If your symptoms aren’t severe, you’re likely to start by seeing your family doctor or a general practitioner.

Can serotonin syndrome go away on its own?

A mild case will usually go away on its own within 1 to 3 days. A severe case will be treated in a hospital. Treatment will stabilize your heart, lungs, and kidneys. Other goals of treatment are to lower your fever and control agitation.