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Curcumin and Fluvoxamine - Serotonin Syndrome?

Prefect

Senior Member
Messages
307
Location
Canada
I really want to try curcumin because of its anti inflammatory properties, and have been reading vague warnings about potential for minor interactions, because curcumin inhibits an enzyme that metabolizes Fluvoxamine (among many other SSRIs) which could lead to Serotonin Syndrome. I'm on 100 mg of Fluvoxamine/day.

Yesterday "webmd" and "drugs" said nothing about interactions so I took a couple of curcumin pills, but by nighttime I began running into other sites that had "minor warnings" about this so I didn't take my Luvox to be safe and ended up having brain zaps all day long from missing the dose (I hate this medication. What stupid SSRI causes discontinuation syndrome after one missed dose.)

Is anyone out there currently trying this type of combination and have anything to say about it? thx!
 

Eastman

Senior Member
Messages
526
I don't have experience with fluvoxamine but for what it's worth, I know someone who uses fluoxetine with curcumin without problem.
 

adreno

PR activist
Messages
4,841
I definitely get symptoms of serotonin overload when I combine an SSRI and curcumin.
 

Prefect

Senior Member
Messages
307
Location
Canada
I definitely get symptoms of serotonin overload when I combine an SSRI and curcumin.

How does it feel? I did feel more stimulated the day I took the curcumin and got a bit of insomnia that night, but that could be because curcumin also inhibits caffein clearance as well and I have a strong tea every morning.

I got discontinuation symptoms the last 2 days because I didn't take my Luvox that night (been taking it since). I used to get those symptoms around 7 pm next day only for that night.

This time I got them 2 pm next day and it's been lasting more than one day even though I took one gram of curcumin the day I didn't take my Luvox. This could mean Luvox is losing its effect? This may be a good thing, because I want to titrate down the Luvox and get off it. Curcumin could be a tool I can use maybe, because it's also a mild MAO inhibitor. Or am I playing with fire? lol
 

JES

Senior Member
Messages
1,320
I really want to try curcumin because of its anti inflammatory properties, and have been reading vague warnings about potential for minor interactions, because curcumin inhibits an enzyme that metabolizes Fluvoxamine (among many other SSRIs) which could lead to Serotonin Syndrome. I'm on 100 mg of Fluvoxamine/day.

Yesterday "webmd" and "drugs" said nothing about interactions so I took a couple of curcumin pills, but by nighttime I began running into other sites that had "minor warnings" about this so I didn't take my Luvox to be safe and ended up having brain zaps all day long from missing the dose (I hate this medication. What stupid SSRI causes discontinuation syndrome after one missed dose.)

Is anyone out there currently trying this type of combination and have anything to say about it? thx!

FYI, taking an anti-inflammatory supplement like curcumin along with an SSRI may reduce the effectiveness of the SSRI (source).
 

Prefect

Senior Member
Messages
307
Location
Canada
Last 3 nights I've been getting brain zaps even though I've been taking the Luvox every night, just because I missed taking it 3 nights ago. I have not been taking Curcumin. Safe to say the Luvox may be pooping out on me anyway. I'm going to take 500 mg Curcumin tomorrow and see what happens.
 

Prefect

Senior Member
Messages
307
Location
Canada
I definitely get symptoms of serotonin overload when I combine an SSRI and curcumin.

Adreno, what brand of curcumin do you take? I've been taking Now's Curcumin Complex and I definitely notice some mild positive effects, which shocks me because I thought only Longvida was bioavailable (which I'm having trouble finding in Canada in stores, I'll have to order online). Unless this is placebo. But it's sustained, placebo wears off.
 

adreno

PR activist
Messages
4,841
Adreno, what brand of curcumin do you take? I've been taking Now's Curcumin Complex and I definitely notice some mild positive effects, which shocks me because I thought only Longvida was bioavailable (which I'm having trouble finding in Canada in stores, I'll have to order online). Unless this is placebo. But it's sustained, placebo wears off.
I don't take any. I used to take Jarrow 95.
 

JES

Senior Member
Messages
1,320
Adreno, what brand of curcumin do you take? I've been taking Now's Curcumin Complex and I definitely notice some mild positive effects, which shocks me because I thought only Longvida was bioavailable (which I'm having trouble finding in Canada in stores, I'll have to order online). Unless this is placebo. But it's sustained, placebo wears off.

Now is just standard curcumin, so very poorly bioavailable. When I read about curcumin studies some time ago Longvida was the only one that had some clinical proof that it reached the brain, but any curcumin with bioperine should increase the blood levels massively. I think such products are now almost standard.
 

Prefect

Senior Member
Messages
307
Location
Canada
Now is just standard curcumin, so very poorly bioavailable. When I read about curcumin studies some time ago Longvida was the only one that had some clinical proof that it reached the brain.

Yesterday I found an AOR product called CurcuMIND, which consists of Longvida Optimized curcumin. I'm going to try some today.