Serotonin Syndrome

What serotonin syndrome actually is

Serotonin syndrome is what can happen when there’s too much serotonin activity in the nervous system. Serotonin is a chemical messenger involved in mood, but in excess it can overstimulate the body in a way that causes a cluster of symptoms.

It most often comes up when medications that raise serotonin are combined, or when a dose climbs quickly. It can be mild, but it can also become serious, which is why it’s a reaction worth understanding.

What it looks like

Symptoms usually appear within hours of a new medication or a dose change. They tend to fall into three groups. There can be mental changes like agitation, restlessness, or confusion. There can be body changes like a fast heartbeat, sweating, fever, or shivering. And there can be muscle changes like twitching, tremor, or stiffness.

Mild cases might feel like jitteriness and a racing heart. Severe cases can involve high fever, seizures, or dangerous changes in vital signs. Because it can escalate, the combination of these symptoms after a medication change is taken seriously.

What it isn’t

It isn’t an allergic reaction, and it isn’t a sign that you “can’t handle” your medication. It’s a dose- and combination-related effect on the serotonin system.

It also isn’t the same as ordinary antidepressant start-up jitters, which are common and mild. Serotonin syndrome is a distinct pattern, often more intense, and frequently tied to combining serotonin-raising agents.

Related terms you’ll see next

• Serotonin
• SSRI
• SNRI
• MAOI

What to do about it

Serotonin syndrome can be serious and sometimes a medical emergency. If you notice agitation, a racing heart, fever, heavy sweating, or muscle twitching soon after starting or increasing a serotonin-raising medication, contact a prescriber promptly, and seek emergency care for severe or fast-worsening symptoms. To lower the risk, make sure every prescriber knows all the medications and supplements you take, since the reaction often comes from combinations. Don’t adjust doses on your own.

<blockquote>
  <p><strong>Serotonin Syndrome:</strong> Serotonin syndrome is a potentially serious reaction caused by too much serotonin activity in the body, often from combining certain medications. It can range from mild to life-threatening and needs prompt medical attention.</p>
  <p>&mdash; <a href="https://shrinktionary.com/terms/serotonin-syndrome/">Shrinktionary</a>, a plain-English mental health dictionary, medically reviewed by a board certified psychiatrist.</p>
</blockquote>