Article: If you have started a new medication or a new combination of medications and experience any of the milder symptoms listed, contact your doctor to talk about stopping the medication. If you cannot get in touch with your doctor, stop the medication until you talk to your doctor. For mild serotonin syndrome, the effects usually dissipate within one to three days. You should contact your doctor to let her know that you have stopped taking your medication. Your doctor may want to change you to a different medication. You should only stop the medicine cold turkey if you have been on the medicine for less than a few weeks. If you have been on your medication for more than a few weeks, you should contact your doctor before getting off the medication. Many antidepressants and other medications that cause serotonin syndrome have serious side effects if you stop taking them suddenly. Your doctor needs to discuss with you other options so you will know how best to take any needed medications. If your symptoms do not dissipate after a few days, you have been taking the medications that caused the serotonin syndrome for an extended period of time, or you are having any symptoms worrisome for severe serotonin syndrome (very high blood pressure, mental status changes, etc.), you need to seek medical attention immediately. You may need to take anti-serotonin medication to help treat the condition. A physician can prescribe these types of medications. if treated promptly and appropriately, the symptoms of serotonin syndrome usually resolve within 24 hours. Your doctor can monitor your symptoms to ensure that you are getting better. One example of an anti-serotonin medication is cyproheptadine. If you have started a new medication or a new combination of medications and experience any of the more severe symptoms listed, stop the medication right away and contact emergency services. Experiencing the severe symptoms may mean that you are facing a potentially life-threatening condition. These severe symptoms can progress rapidly. Severe symptoms include high fever, seizures, an irregular heartbeat, and unconsciousness. You may require hospital treatment for serious symptoms. You may be administered medications to block the action of serotonin, to relax the muscles, and to control heart rate and blood pressure. You may also be given oxygen therapy and IV fluids, along with any other assistance in breathing. There is no single lab test to diagnose serotonin syndrome. It is mostly diagnosed based on your symptoms and the medications you are taking; however, other disorders may need to be excluded, such as drug withdrawal, malignant hyperthermia, overdose, and others. To exclude these other conditions, your physician or the hospital attendants may order tests to check for the other disorders.
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Stop the medication. Contact your physician if you've been taking your medication for a while. Take anti-serotonin medication. Contact emergency services if you experience the severe symptoms. Conduct any additional tests.