Update on cold sweats - Important

The ongoing saga of my fibro-associated cold sweats when I'm cold:

A few weeks ago I bought a silk quilt and polyester microfiber wicking bed sheets, and they work really well at keeping me warm and dry during the night. I bought them on EBay and they weren't expensive. Thank goodness, one solution!

HOWEVER - today I had a medication follow-up appointment but my doc was out sick. I was going to ask him about the cold sweats but could only see a PA and she wasn't comfortable providing information because she didn't have fibro experience. I said that was OK because I preferred working with my own doc, so I would come back in a few days.

I was sitting at the pharmacy counter while my refills were filled: tramadol, gabapentin, flexeril, and Cymbalta. The pharmacist noticed that, despite my big poofy down coat and sweater, I was still freezing cold in the building; other people were running around in t-shirts. Our weather today was 30-32F and drizzling, really mild for this time of year. He asked if I was going thru menopause despite my age (41) and I said no. Then he asked "Are you cold like that all the time?" I said no, it started a few months after starting the Cymbalta. "And do you sweat like that all the time?" I said no, only when I feel the cold. He became very concerned and printed me out some information on seratonin syndrome, a potentially deadly condition.

This syndrome is actually a drug reaction, similar to poisoning, from mixing triptan drugs like migraine medicines (I use Maxalt as needed) with antidepressants called selective seratonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, SSRIs and SNRIs. Seratonin is made in the nerve cells, and seratonin syndrome most often occurs when two or more drugs that increase the body's level of serotonin are taken together at the same time. Three of my medications cause seratonin levels to rise: tramadol, Cymbata, and gabapentin. The drugs cause too much serotonin to be released or to remain in the brain area, which is potentially fatal. Early symptoms include sweating and shivering, disorientation, dizziness (which I had at midday), progressing with diarrhea, vomiting, rigid muscles, uncontrollable fever, and seizures. If you Google seratonin syndrome there are several good websites such as the Mayo Clinic with full info on it. It is reversible by taking anti-seratonin agents.

The pharmacist called an ER doc to come look at me right there in the pharmacy before I left. But I was lucid, so they felt OK to let me go. The doc said the sweating and dizziness sound like early symptoms. Needless to say I made another appointment immediately with my doctor to discuss an alternate treatment. Boy, I learn something new every day with this darn fibro! This turned out to be a very good warning (for me especially, because I try to be so cavalier and not complain) to discuss even the smallest strange symptom with your doc to make sure all is well. I also thanked the pharmacist for being so observant; it was really above and beyond. The fact that he looks like Anderson Cooper as well was just an added bonus!

I just recently started Tramacet (had to stop Percocet) along with my Cymbalta and Oxycontin...and while I'm never cold, I do suffer from massive hot flushes and sweating. Now, I went into surgical menopause a few years ago, but haven't really had a big problem with hot flashes before. Since being on this combo of meds, it's been at least 5 or 6 heavy sweats a day, and nighttime is more like constant sweating.

I was warned about the dangers of these drugs, so I'm keeping my eye on it, but this is good information. Thank you for sharing, and I hope you are able to work out something new in your meds that won't have these issues.

Pam

And people wonder why I have a medphobia!!!  Thank goodness for your pharmacist. I never go in to pick up meds, go through drive-thru. I'm glad you didn't do that.

 

I'm on 100 mg of amitriptyline and 40 of celexa and my rheumy brought up cymbalta again Mon when I had an app. A red flag went up in my head before when my docs have brought it up. I'm not adding another anti-depressant to the mix.

 

I think this is a good lesson for us all and we should get to know our pharmacist and rely on them when it comes to meds, they are the experts in that field.

 

Thanks for sharing this with us and I hope you are back to normal soon.

 

luv and hugs

Marlee

Littleneck, I am so glad that your pharmacist is so observant and took the time to ask
you questions. Serotonin syndrome is so dangerous. You must feel relieved to know that
you are no longer taking a potential deadly combo.

Thanks for sharing this info. I know I did a double check of my meds after I read your
post.

Hugs, Robin

Sounds like you had a good pharmacist. Most of the ones in this area are morons. You ask them anything and they look at you
blankly. Ask about herbs and it's like you're from another planet; it's not FDA approved. Well, I tell them the stuff you prescribe
is FDA approved and they know how dangerous they are. Did I miss something here???

Good luck with your new adventures in modern medicine....hope the reactions are better. Godspeed.

I am new on this forum, but I wanted to share an experience I had while on Cymbalta. I was experiencing extremely heavy sweating, and had complained about it to every doctor I saw, to which the standard response was "Oh, poor baby." Through some research, I found that Cymbalta can cause heavy sweating. I was experiencing dripping off my face sweat. I shared this with my family doctor, and I weaned off the Cymbalta (that's a whole other story!), but the sweating has disappeared. Thanks goodness. I would get chilled after the sweating episode as well, and then that would start a whole other sweating episode. I just wanted to share that bit of my experience.