A UK presenter and DJ has revealed that he was left unable to move or speak after his body ‘shut down’ following a routine increase in the dosage of prescribed medication
A UK presenter and DJ has said that his body “shut down” after taking prescribed medication, leaving him unable to move or speak. Ryan Swain, who presents a local radio show in Yorkshire, shared that he went through a “life-threatening” ordeal following a routine increase in the dosage of his medication.
The medication he was taking, Duloxetine, was prescribed to manage his motor tics, as Ryan has Tourette’s Syndrome. But they triggered a reaction that caused his whole body to become rigid. The presenter for York’s Minster FM experienced seizure-like episodes and chronic pain, as well as an inability to speak.
He told Creator Zine: “My body felt like it was shutting down and I had no control over my muscles or my responses. It was within a short period after starting the medication, particularly following an increase from 30mg to 60mg, that I began to notice symptoms developing. My condition deteriorated rapidly and became life-threatening in a very short space of time.”
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36-year-old Ryan first started noticing symptoms of an adverse reaction in early April when he began profusely sweating, zoning out and experiencing severe muscle tension.
He told his GP, who thought the symptoms were indicative of Serotonin Syndrome, a reaction caused by excessive serotonin accumulation in the nervous system, and Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome, a reaction to dopamine-blocking medications. Both can be life-threatening.
Ryan explained that he was rushed to the hospital, where he remained for five days. He had to undergo a range of tests from specialist teams, including neurologists and mental health professionals.
He said the teams were “learning in real time” and working through what was happening to him as it unfolded. He praised the care as “dedicated and supportive”, but added that it highlighted how little is understood about reactions to medications.
Following his ordeal, Ryan said his mobility is still being affected, and simple tasks feel overwhelming. He said his emotions have been “all over the place” while his movement is “slow and painful”. He has also experienced issues with his memory and coordination. Ryan called the whole experience “traumatic”.
Ryan also shared that he had understood that reactions like his can be linked to dose increases and how the body responds to medication, “even when it has been prescribed correctly”.
He called it a “complex condition” and said his care was “absolutely incredible”. He also said he wished he was more away of how serious reactions can be and how important it was to recognise the warning signs.
As such, Ryan, who already campaigns for awareness around mental health and ADHD, wants to raise awareness about the “potential dangers of prescribed medication when it is not fully understood by the individual taking it” and the risks of mixing medication.
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