[hodgepodge5150]

I am sick of big pharma. I've gotten to the point where I dont trust a doc if they are writing with a prescription pen. Just recently spent a couple days in the hospital for toxic serotonin syndrome. I'm sure most of you are like me in that I research the **** out of any new meds and their reactions with others. I was coming off adderall and was given celexa as a substitute. Stayed on my lithium (900mg). Turns out they have a high chance of toxic interactions. My pdoc.assured me that celexa would not have any bad side effects. I am a.union carpenter and my field is extremely competitive. I need to be in top form to keep my job and can't have the weight of unwanted side effects distracting me. Not to mention the added dangers of getting hurt.

After four days of hallucinations, complete loss of reality, inability to.speak, fever, cramped muscles and painful joints, extreme abdominal pain and noise, hypersensitivity, tremor, restless legs, tight chest, rapid.heartbeat, shallow.breath, and insane dizziness, I find myself in the er. Who has to pay for this. Me. Not the pdoc. Me. And I have lost my job.

My pdoc expressed no remorse. Just suggested I continue on my lithium and that we will.try another seriously in a couple days. Really???!! I tell her that it is not recommended to start any ssri treatment for at least five weeks due to.risk of another ss event. What a hack. I am so done being a ****ing guinea pig for.these incompetent fools. I live in alaska and there sadly is an extreme drought of quality mental health care. I feel I need to.mention that mental health care is required of me by the state of alaska due to.an assault last year. Sorry, just needed to vent.

Bipolar 1 with psychosis
Ptsd
Adhd

[wildflowerchild25]

I'm sorry you have to go through this. I had a similar experience with celexa. My pdoc last year out me on it and it sent me into a mixed state. I was hospitalized, stabilized sort of. Went back in a depression and she upped my celexa again, claiming the increased abilify would counteract it. Nope, mixed again within weeks.

Then again, I had an excellent, caring pdoc in October through a program. She listened when I was in the grip of A severe depressed episode. She refused to give me an AD as I had had such a bad reaction to celexa and Prozac. She spent a lot of time researching what would help me best and came up with Seroquel. She allayed my fears of taking it and she was right - within days i felt better.

So it can go both ways. I've had doezens of pdocs over te years and I think at least an equal amount of fools and good, caring ones.

I would tell you to ditch treatment for awhile but it seems you're stuck. I don't know if you're allowed to refuse meds but that's what I would do personally. Just take lithium and refuse an AD. I will always refuse an AD now that I know for sure how they affect me.

[PrairieCat]

The pdocs are not liable, they experiment with our brains as they please. I have times when I am certain that they are criminals in disguise. My heart goes out to you. It takes time, but eventually, by expressing ourselves and hearing others, by sharing it all and doing research, we may figure out just what is best for us as individuals. That's why we are on this website. I am trying to do that right now. Alaska has to be an awesome place and part of me envies you for being there, as I love the wilderness. A mental health clinic I used to go to for many years had documents posted that told patients how to file complaints. I thought I'd never need to and cannot remember who took the complaints. The last few times I was there, I noticed that the posted documents had totally disappeared. You think Alaska is bad re mental health services? Well, I believe you, but the state of NM is still a third world country. Best of luck to you.

[Yoda]

Just like any profession there are good and there are bad. I fired my pdoc in 2006 and am much happier with my current pdoc.

[Nobodyandnothing]

Whenever I get new meds, I try to read the material the pharmacy gives you with the rx. I pay particular attention to the possible side effects and the "call your doctor if you have any of these signs..." warning on the material from the pharmacy. I experienced the same reaction you had with celexa with a different med and called the doctor when these symptoms appeared. It is important to review the printed material for all meds, particularly new ones. Also I have talked to the pharmacist when I have a question about a medicine.

I am sorry you had this experience. It is scary when it happens.