Cy---

Too much serotonin? have you had tests for this? To rule out Carcinoid syndrome?

This can cause serotonin storms, along with other biogenic amine release.

There is now a blood test for this... probably costs a fortune!
Chromogranin A (CgA)

I have taken care of patients with carcinoid syndrome and the prognosis was 'guarded'....I have had these 'disturbances' for 20 years, needless to say, they were underestimated.

I will be seeing an endocrinologist. I imagine they have thought Carcinoid, if not, I will fire them. Carcinoid is miserable.

I found my dad's death cert, and among his causes of death, 'multiple endocrine abnormalites'. Hmmm.

On the serotonin, I have had all the symptoms of serotonin intoxication, and they reliably come on if I ever consent to take that stuff....pretty much go around the black hole every time. I spent a few years zipping around the cosmos on zoloft, wondering why every 10-14 days I got one of these. They are much worse now as I have aged.

Until one's rump has ridden the 'event horizon' as I call it, with one's head in immersed in excessive mass, they can't comprehend.....and this happens every time they try something that is supposed to increase available serotonin, one can not imagine what this feels like....and then they want to give me more serotonin?? My lord, they would blast me into a parallel universe....and I do not trust any physician or stellar staff to give this a try.

Increasing serotonin is the mainstay of pain management....it is not for autonomic dysreflexia (morphine and beta blockers).

I imagine they can test for serum serotonin? Interestingly, I have a dopamine responsive movement disorder....the two are in inverse relationship.

Also, I was in a really bad car accident....could be head or spinal trauma....then again, I had the dopamine responsive movement disorder way before then, and before the headache, which smacks of genetics. I think I have been around too long to have carcinoid?? I dunno.

Also, bone loss is reported with increased 'gut' serotonin, which I have read both does and does not affect the neuro system.

Alas, I am an enigma.

The serotonin from carcinoid doesn't hit the blood stream, until it metastisizes to the liver. So you could have it for years and not know, therefore. All that serotonin pours into your blood and affects your heart and GI tract among other things.

Once it gets into the blood stream, it can dump serotonin when under stress, physical bending, activity etc. In some people it is easy to spot, others continue with vague weird symptoms that doctors cannot put together.

Since you KNOW serotonin is a problem for you... look to carcinoid or a hidden tumor secreting biogenic amines...lung/ovary etc.

I have brought this up to the docs before and they look at me like I am from another planet. I will ask the endo. Part of my issue is I don't usually present to my own docs... I end up in the ER. My present primary just sends me there and has never seen one of these. My last primary was stunned when she saw these, but she didn't think carcinoid....'too rare'. Neuro says 'too rare'.....world reknown GI, 'too rare'.

I think it is worth looking at, but, honestly, I have some really odd thing. Not to make light of these, they are terrible....and full autonomic response. Interestingly, I don't dump fluid.....the next day, one would expect I would be dehydrated, but, nope, I void just fine. The last episode started at 2am but there was a prodromal period of agitation and irritation. Just didn't feel right.

By 7am, the wretching started. Wretched for half the day....it stopped, but I could take nothing by mouth. I sleep for only 15-30 min. at a time during this. Hot flashes, cold shivers, sweats, nausea and extreme head pain, nasal congestion, which goes up the nasolacrimal duct into the eye....ugh... It went on until the next morning, when it remitted, but by then, I felt like I ruptured every ligament in my body. Sometimes it comes accompanied by vertigo, not just dizziness...

I am aware there are different types of serotonin....but some kind makes me really sick....

But you are right, it is a consideration.

This sounds a lot like my syndrome. Maybe it can be called CyMer Syndrome... When all this crap started - about 18 years ago - I was tested for carcinoid. It was ruled-out as was pheochromocytoma.

I know they ruled out pheo, but I am not sure about carcinoid. It would have to be one slow growing carcinoid.

Carcinoid can grow for over 20 yrs.... before symptoms are noticed.

There is only one serotonin, but many receptors for it.