Is there a risk for a heat stroke from taking Psych Meds? I take Gabapentin 300mg(2x/day) and Celexa 20mg(1x/day). A few times during this summer, I go out with a friend. His car doesn't have good tint and sometimes I get lightheaded sensentation going to our destination. Granted we live in Texas, but his car is a few degrees more hotter than the actual temperature outside. There are times when it doesn't bother me as much, when I bring water or gatoraide in his car and drink. Last night, I felt like shit somewhat. We are at our college's pool and chilling a bit. I was feeling great and had drank Gatoraide going to our college and when I was at the guys' locker room changing to my swimsuit and before I got in the pool. We had aquajoged to one end of the pool and I felt some palpitation/tachycardia sensation a bit, then we later finished and went to take showers and change to our regular clothes. I felt some mild lightheadeness in the locker room and I splashed my face with cold water in the shower. It went away somewhat then when we went to get dinner, I was feeling tachycardia(strong ones) and palpitations going to the pizza place and some lightheadeness. I thought I was having a stroke at first. I had water to drink at the pizza place and had splash water on my face in the men's room. I don't know if you guys or ladies take psych meds and dealt with this problem during summer months before. I did let my doc know about this and waiting for a reply from him, I sent him a secure message online about this this morning.
I'm not aware of any specific sun/heat contraindications from either of those meds. However, if you are relatively new on them (less than a month), your body may be still adjusting, and the combination of the elevated temperature, which is in a way like heavy exercise, with the new meds could be amplifying what would otherwise be mild and normal side-effects. The best advice will be from your doctor. It would be helpful to the community if you'd share what you hear back.
Chip. Ive been taking them since December 2016 when I was in an inpatient psych hospital. I wasnt drinking alcohol or doing illegal drugs when I was hanging out with my friend last night I do feel “hungovr” feeling still. Palpitations and some heayness and mild headachr
If the 'hangover' feeling is something you've had since you started taking the meds, I'd talk to your doctor. Gabapentin does have a tendency to cause drowsiness/hazyness at higher doses, and it seems you're on a relatively high dose. Very often, meds need to be adjusted after a while to maintain optimal effects.
@Chip. I feel some improvement from yesterday. But I feel some mild palpitations in my chest. It doesn't feel like a tachy. And also I feel some increased thirst. I'm unsure from being in the sun while at my college's pool had caused some mild heat exhaustion/ or heat stroke. I didn't pass out or throw up or collapse at the pool, if I did, I would've been in an ER bed typing this rather than my house. I can rule out anything life threatening. My urine isn't dark colored, it was clear when I went to piss on Thursday. The symptoms I had after showering and eating dinner Thursday night where strong palpiations, mild lightheadness/confusion, but no nausea/vomitting. I'm not going to exercise until a few days or wait to hear back from my MD to see if my medications plus the sunlight exposure caused this.
@Chip I feel a mild tachycardia palpitation that comes and go. I feel some improvement But I feel some dull heaviness in my head that comes and goes I feel no sense of hunger when I eat, like Im forcing myself to eat. Some mild forgetfulness/pauses. And some mild increased thirst
At the moment this what I feel: Some mild forgetfulness/pause/confusion Some heaviness in my head Warmness feeling Palpitations/mild tachycardia Some random headaches somewhat caused by light or looking at screens(tv or smart phone). Some sensitivty to sunlight/head I do hydrate with water and gatoarde I havent exercised yet I havent passed out or vommited or had a sezuire. I have urinated and it clear or a light yellow color. So thats good Does anyone think I had a case of mild heat exhaustion or a borderline heat stroke? Could my meds been a cause? @Chip
I can update you guys: I saw my dr yesterday. He did agree that I did have heat exhaustion last Thursday when I was at the pool with my friend. He did say that my medications don't interact with the sunlight/or sun itself. He believes I didn't hydrate enough that afternoon. Which I do agree. He say that my lips looked okay, my pulse looked fine. My bp was 147/91 when the Medical Assistant lady checked it but my pulse was in the 70s. Though, just as a precaution I did tell him to do some labs just to be on the safe side that there was no hidden damage from the heat exposure/exhaustion from last week. So he wrote some lab orders for a CBC and CMP for next Monday. Going back to the doc's office on Monday morning. Going to fast on Sunday night, and go when the office opens.