Serotonin Syndrome

[kipperandcloudy]

SWIM takes Wellbutrin and Celexa, SWIM wants to take speed but is scared SWIM will die. SWIM called a drug help hotline and was told it was "to be avoided". Is the risk high? Also, if SWIM were to stop taking his medication, how long would it take to detox?

[Paracelsus]

1) Don't stop your medication.

2) Serotonin syndrome is generally only fatal when serotonin reuptake inhibitors OR serotonin releasers (amphetamine is one of the latter) are combined with MAO inhibitors. Other combinations (SR+SR, SRI+SRI, SR+SRI, in your case SR+SRI) generally don't result in death, although one may have a horrible time. Starting at very low doses of amphetamine and carefully working one's doses up would be the way to go. If at any stage of the titration threshold symptoms of SS start to become noticeable, they should not be particularly serious.

More concerning here is if one will be able to go through a controlled titration process and resist addiction.

[kipperandcloudy]

Thanks a bunch, how much is a small dose? Also, even though this isn't the correct section, will swim's medication also interact harshly with Extacy and Acid?

[Paracelsus]

Please use the search engine for doses. A small dose would be ~1/3 of a normal dose. SSRIs (Celexa is one) block the effects of both Ecstasy and LSD.

[kipperandcloudy]

Its not that swim doesn't believe you, swim just is paranoid and doesn't want to get hurt. MAOIs are the dangerous ones but its it worth the risk? What are the chances swim could hurt himself?

[Paracelsus]

I can't give any exact percentages of course, but if done properly (starting at low doses and working one's way up on other occasions) the risk should be pretty low. But I'd suggest you to do some reading on serotonin syndrome (there are many understandable websites - I would recommend psychotropical.com) and educating yourself about the dangers.

If in doubt, not doing speed will be better for SWIY, even if there would be no serotonin syndrome.

[forumdude]

swim used an ssri and never had any serotonin problems so far. he used up till 2/3 grams a day. he thinks amphetamines have little serotonin action. however he wouldn't recommend it because every body is different. would hate to see it go bad.