The first time I ever heard of serotonin syndrome was in my very first job as a doctor— in psychiatry. WOOPS– no I defo did not read that as a medical student (tsk tsk bad student). In my defense I was the top 20 graduate in my batch and was awarded pass with honours xD! (See how flawed the education system is? If a clown like me could graduate with honours?!?!).
After being discharged from the mother and baby unit (basically a psych unit), I recovered well! I attended the Women’s inspiration class every week with my new friend (Let’s call her Eve; not her real name but close enough xD). I was getting VERY motivated and inspired from that class, and started decluttering the house. I FILLED A 4TON SKIP (You know the thingy that garbage truck load your trash into???) on my own! I definitely don’t miss ANYTHING I threw away. And even those that I was hesitating, now gone, did NOT make me feel like my life is missing anything.
If you haven’t declutter your LIFE (decluttering isn’t just for your home, but generally for YOUR WELLBEING), you should start! …. Although I would warn you that it looks WAY WORSE before it gets better. I follow the guide from Marie Kondo but thanks to Jo (a friend from university), I also revisited ‘the edit team’. (Apparently the lady in the show has breast cancer :(((( I pray for her full recovvery and full remission! She has lil kids like me!!!).
Anyway… omg it’s already the 4th paragraph and I still HAVEN’T GOT TO THE MAIN POINT!!! Bejebuz I seriously am way too long winded aren’t I? =.= Maybe I should blog more since I’m so full of bullshit. =_____=
BUT DON’T YOU THINK MY BLOGGING STYLE IS SO REFRESHING AND NEW AND… and totally unprofessional….
Anyway, I started getting an odd sensation after my discharge from the unit. I start having tremors, weakness, feeling weak, tired, sometimes even confused! I honestly thought I was hypoglycemic or some sort — based on my last ultrasound, I WAS SO AFRAID I HAVE SOME PANCREATIC CANCER OR SOME SORT THAT IS MAKING ME HYPOGLYCAEMIC. I’m not kidding. It was getting more and more frequent, from weekly to couple of times a week, to almost every other day. I finally decided to buy a glucometer just to be safe. Turns out— jeng jeng jeng, I’m NOT hypoglycaemic. Infact my glucose level is borderline diabetic (ㆆ _ ㆆ)……. (probably because I keep eating sugar whenever I felt that way, thinking I’m hypoglycaemic. The very last episode I had, I started heating up like a radiator (I’m not exaggerating). Everyone was wearing their winter coat and complaining of the cold, and here I am swearing chiffon dress and SWEATING from the tip of my head down to my underwear. My clothes were SOAKED. And surprise surprise, my glucose is 5.4!!!! I then threw up and also had diarrhoea an hour later.
I called up my psych team, and was told that it could be a panic attack — Erm, hello, no. I know I have a mental health issue; DOESN’T MEAN I HAVE EVERY SINGLE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE IN THE ICD10! (ICD10 is UK version of DSM, aka the ‘diagnosis lists book’). Sadly the consultant is on holiday, and I was told somebody would ring me back. A pharmacist then rung me back and asked me about all my symptoms; which she then told me to dramatically reduce my medication.
The odd feeling aka serotonin syndrome went away immediately with the dose reduction, and I also felt fine moodwise. I feel no different emotionally, for the first 2 weeks or so!!!
2 weeks after I started noticing the depression looming over me. I started talking really slowly (unless I’m agitated or nervous lol). I walk so slowly. everything seems to be in slow motion for me. I couldn’t keep up with the housework, the house is now full of laundry in every corner. I basically am not coping at all.
They are going to try and tweak with my medication to stop me from deteriorating further; but on my end, I’m trying really hard to help myself. Hopefully soon I will be able to get going!!