It's 2024 And I Can't Even Come Up With a Title for How Batshit Crazy It Is to Push an SSRI to Combat Covid That Even the CDC Just Downgraded to a Cold.

Stay on it Steve.

Contributors

Angela M. Reiersen supervision, conception, investigation, data curation, critical review and editing of the manuscript.

Declaration of interests

Dr. Reiersen is listed as an inventor on a patent application related to methods of treating COVID-19 (including Sigma1 agonists and specifically fluvoxamine), which was filed by Washington University in St. Louis. No other author declares any potential conflict of interest or competing financial or non-financial interest in relation to the manuscript.

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100%. Huh. Sounds solid. And rational. To take an SSRI (selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor) for a temporary “respiratory infection”.

Based on a study showing 100% efficacy. Where one of the contributors (that supervised, conceived, investigated, curated data, critically reviewed, and edited the manuscript) is listed as an inventor of the thing that the study was specifically studying.

Welp…that’s a wrap. I kind of feel like that could be it for this post.

But just for shits and giggles let’s take a look at a few things.

First, a little review of SSRI caution from the Mayo Clinic:

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Possible side effects and caution:

Possible side effects of SSRIs may include, among others:

• Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea

• Headache

• Drowsiness

• Dry mouth

• Insomnia

• Nervousness, agitation or restlessness

• Dizziness

• Sexual problems, such as reduced sexual desire, difficulty reaching orgasm or inability to maintain an erection (erectile dysfunction)

• Impact on appetite, leading to weight loss or weight gain

Safety issues

SSRIs are generally safe for most people. However, in some circumstances they can cause problems. For example, high doses of citalopram may cause dangerous abnormal heart rhythms, so doses over 40 milligrams (mg) a day should be avoided according to the FDA and the manufacturer. They also recommend a maximum daily dose of 20 mg of citalopram for people over age 60.

Issues to discuss with your doctor before you take an SSRI include:

• Drug interactions. When taking an antidepressant, tell your doctor about any other prescription or over-the-counter medications, herbs or other supplements you're taking. Some antidepressants can interfere with the effectiveness of other medications, and some can cause dangerous reactions when combined with certain medications or herbal supplements.

  For example, SSRIs may increase your risk of bleeding, especially when you're taking other medications that increase the risk of bleeding, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), aspirin, warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven) and other blood thinners.

• Serotonin syndrome. Rarely, an antidepressant can cause high levels of serotonin to accumulate in your body. Serotonin syndrome most often occurs when two medications that raise the level of serotonin are combined. These include, for example, other antidepressants, certain pain or headache medications, and the herbal supplement St. John's wort.

  Signs and symptoms of serotonin syndrome include anxiety, agitation, high fever, sweating, confusion, tremors, restlessness, lack of coordination, major changes in blood pressure and a rapid heart rate. Seek immediate medical attention if you have any of these signs or symptoms.

• Antidepressants and pregnancy. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of using specific antidepressants. Some antidepressants may harm your baby if you take them during pregnancy or while you're breast-feeding. If you're taking an antidepressant and you're considering getting pregnant, talk to your doctor about the possible risks. Don't stop taking your medication without contacting your doctor first, as stopping might pose risks for you.

Suicide risk and antidepressants

Most antidepressants are generally safe, but the FDA requires that all antidepressants carry black box warnings, the strictest warnings for prescriptions. In some cases, children, teenagers and young adults under 25 may have an increase in suicidal thoughts or behavior when taking antidepressants, especially in the first few weeks after starting or when the dose is changed.

Anyone taking an antidepressant should be watched closely for worsening depression or unusual behavior. If you or someone you know has suicidal thoughts when taking an antidepressant, immediately contact your doctor or get emergency help.

Keep in mind that antidepressants are more likely to reduce suicide risk in the long run by improving mood.

Stopping treatment with SSRIs

SSRIs aren't addictive. However, stopping antidepressant treatment abruptly or missing several doses can cause withdrawal-like symptoms. This is sometimes called discontinuation syndrome. Work with your doctor to gradually and safely decrease your dose.

Withdrawal-like symptoms can include:

• General feeling of uneasiness

• Nausea

• Dizziness

• Lethargy

• Flu-like symptoms

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Cool. Now that we saw how fucking sketchy and dangerous generally safe and easy SSRIs are, let’s look at Fluvoxamine specifically. I wonder if Fluvoxamine can easily be taken with other medications…since, you know, most people are on the Pharmaceutical Smörgåsbord Program these days…(also from Mayo)

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Drug Interactions

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.

• Agomelatine

• Alosetron

• Astemizole

• Bromopride

• Cisapride

• Eliglustat

• Fezolinetant

• Isocarboxazid

• Levomethadyl

• Linezolid

• Mavacamten

• Methylene Blue

• Metoclopramide

• Ozanimod

• Phenelzine

• Pimozide

• Procarbazine

• Ramelteon

• Rasagiline

• Safinamide

• Selegiline

• Terfenadine

• Thioridazine

• Tizanidine

• Tranylcypromine

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

• Abciximab

• Abrocitinib

• Acalabrutinib

• Aceclofenac

• Acemetacin

• Acenocoumarol

• Alfentanil

• Almotriptan

• Alprazolam

• Amineptine

• Amiodarone

• Amitriptyline

• Amitriptylinoxide

• Amoxapine

• Amphetamine

• Amtolmetin Guacil

• Anagrelide

• Anileridine

• Apixaban

• Aprepitant

• Ardeparin

• Argatroban

• Asenapine

• Aspirin

• Atazanavir

• Avapritinib

• Belzutifan

• Bemiparin

• Bendamustine

• Benzhydrocodone

• Benzphetamine

• Betrixaban

• Bivalirudin

• Bosutinib

• Brigatinib

• Bromfenac

• Brompheniramine

• Bufexamac

• Buprenorphine

• Bupropion

• Buspirone

• Butorphanol

• Cangrelor

• Capivasertib

• Carbamazepine

• Carvedilol

• Celecoxib

• Certoparin

• Chlorpheniramine

• Choline Salicylate

• Cilostazol

• Citalopram

• Clomipramine

• Clonixin

• Clopidogrel

• Clorgyline

• Clozapine

• Cobicistat

• Cocaine

• Codeine

• Colchicine

• Cyclobenzaprine

• Dabigatran Etexilate

• Dalteparin

• Danaparoid

• Daridorexant

• Darunavir

• Deflazacort

• Desipramine

• Desirudin

• Desmopressin

• Desvenlafaxine

• Dexfenfluramine

• Dexibuprofen

• Dexketoprofen

• Dextroamphetamine

• Dextromethorphan

• Diazepam

• Dibenzepin

• Diclofenac

• Difenoxin

• Diflunisal

• Dihydrocodeine

• Dihydroergotamine

• Diphenoxylate

• Dipyridamole

• Dipyrone

• Dolasetron

• Domperidone

• Donepezil

• Doxepin

• Doxorubicin

• Doxorubicin Hydrochloride Liposome

• Droperidol

• Droxicam

• Duloxetine

• Edoxaban

• Elacestrant

• Eletriptan

• Elexacaftor

• Encorafenib

• Enoxaparin

• Entrectinib

• Epoprostenol

• Eptifibatide

• Ergoloid Mesylates

• Ergonovine

• Ergotamine

• Escitalopram

• Ethylmorphine

• Etodolac

• Etofenamate

• Etoricoxib

• Everolimus

• Fedratinib

• Felbinac

• Fenfluramine

• Fenoprofen

• Fentanyl

• Fepradinol

• Feprazone

• Fexinidazole

• Finerenone

• Floctafenine

• Flufenamic Acid

• Fluoxetine

• Flurbiprofen

• Fondaparinux

• Fosaprepitant

• Frovatriptan

• Gepirone

• Granisetron

• Heparin

• Hydrocodone

• Hydromorphone

• Hydroxytryptophan

• Ibrutinib

• Ibuprofen

• Iloprost

• Imipramine

• Indomethacin

• Infigratinib

• Iobenguane I 123

• Iobenguane I 131

• Ivacaftor

• Ivosidenib

• Ketobemidone

• Ketoprofen

• Ketorolac

• Lasmiditan

• Lemborexant

• Lepirudin

• Levomilnacipran

• Levorphanol

• Lisdexamfetamine

• Lithium

• Lofepramine

• Lorcaserin

• Lornoxicam

• Loxoprofen

• Lumateperone

• Lumiracoxib

• Lurbinectedin

• Meclofenamate

• Mefenamic Acid

• Melatonin

• Melitracen

• Meloxicam

• Meperidine

• Metaxalone

• Methadone

• Methamphetamine

• Methylergonovine

• Methylphenidate

• Milnacipran

• Mirtazapine

• Mitapivat

• Morniflumate

• Morphine

• Morphine Sulfate Liposome

• Nabumetone

• Nadroparin

• Nalbuphine

• Naproxen

• Naratriptan

• Nefazodone

• Nepafenac

• Nialamide

• Nicomorphine

• Niflumic Acid

• Nimesulide

• Nimesulide Beta Cyclodextrin

• Nirogacestat

• Nortriptyline

• Olanzapine

• Olaparib

• Omaveloxolone

• Ondansetron

• Opipramol

• Opium

• Opium Alkaloids

• Ospemifene

• Oxaprozin

• Oxycodone

• Oxymorphone

• Oxyphenbutazone

• Pacritinib

• Palonosetron

• Palovarotene

• Papaveretum

• Parecoxib

• Paregoric

• Parnaparin

• Paroxetine

• Pemigatinib

• Pentazocine

• Pexidartinib

• Phenindione

• Phenobarbital

• Phenprocoumon

• Phenylbutazone

• Piketoprofen

• Piperaquine

• Pirfenidone

• Piritramide

• Piroxicam

• Pixantrone

• Pomalidomide

• Pralsetinib

• Pranoprofen

• Prasugrel

• Primidone

• Proglumetacin

• Propyphenazone

• Proquazone

• Protein C

• Protriptyline

• Remifentanil

• Repotrectinib

• Reviparin

• Rimegepant

• Rivaroxaban

• Rizatriptan

• Rofecoxib

• Roflumilast

• Salicylic Acid

• Salsalate

• Selexipag

• Selumetinib

• Sertraline

• Sibutramine

• Sirolimus Protein-Bound

• Sodium Salicylate

• Sonidegib

• Sparsentan

• St John's Wort

• Sufentanil

• Sulfinpyrazone

• Sulindac

• Sulodexide

• Sumatriptan

• Tacrolimus

• Tamoxifen

• Tapentadol

• Tasimelteon

• Tazemetostat

• Tenoxicam

• Tezacaftor

• Theophylline

• Tianeptine

• Tiaprofenic Acid

• Ticagrelor

• Ticlopidine

• Tilidine

• Tinzaparin

• Tirofiban

• Tolfenamic Acid

• Tolmetin

• Toloxatone

• Tolvaptan

• Tramadol

• Trazodone

• Treprostinil

• Triclabendazole

• Trimipramine

• Tryptophan

• Ubrogepant

• Valdecoxib

• Venetoclax

• Venlafaxine

• Vilazodone

• Voclosporin

• Vorapaxar

• Vortioxetine

• Warfarin

• Zanubrutinib

• Ziprasidone

• Zolmitriptan

• Zolpidem

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

• Amlodipine

• Cyclosporine

• Fosphenytoin

• Galantamine

• Ginkgo

• Haloperidol

• Mexiletine

• Midazolam

• Phenytoin

• Propranolol

• Ropivacaine

• Suvorexant

• Tacrine

• Triazolam

Other Interactions

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following is usually not recommended, but may be unavoidable in some cases. If used together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use this medicine, or give you special instructions about the use of food, alcohol, or tobacco.

• Ethanol

• Tobacco

Other Medical Problems

The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Bipolar disorder (mental disease with mania and depression), history of or

• Bleeding problems or

• Depression, or history of or

• Glaucoma, angle-closure or

• Heart attack, recent or

• Heart disease or

• Heart rhythm problems (eg, arrhythmia, QT prolongation) or

• Hyponatremia (low sodium in the blood) or

• Mania (feeling elated), history of or

• Mental health problems, or history of or

• Seizures, or history of—Use with caution. May make these conditions worse.

• Liver disease—Use with caution. The effects may be increased because of slower removal of the medicine from the body.

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Awesome. Just a couple drug interactions that might be problematic, including aspirin and ibuprofen.

Sounds like a no-brainer. Take it for prevention of Covid hospitalization.

Oh by the way, the CDC recently updated their guidelines for covid to Treat It Like a Fucking Cold:

When people get sick with a respiratory virus, the updated guidance recommends that they stay home and away from others. For people with COVID-19 and influenza, treatment is available and can lessen symptoms and lower the risk of severe illness. The recommendations suggest returning to normal activities when, for at least 24 hours, symptoms are improving overall, and if a fever was present, it has been gone without use of a fever-reducing medication.

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Why are we pushing an SSRI for the treatment of a cold that was used to fake a pandemic that never was???

🤔